There’s nothing quite like a comfort movie. Let me set the scene for you… You are running thirty minutes late to school after you slept through your alarm. You spilled your coffee on your pristine, white shirt while driving because you swerved to miss your neighbor’s cat. (You hate that cat.) You walk into school fifteen minutes late, and your teacher calls you out. Surprise! You have a test today. You failed the test. Your grade drops a whole letter grade. The day just keeps getting worse and worse. You had a terrible day, but you know what would make you feel better? Your comfort movie. In my case, that is Tangled. 

     The story starts by revealing the magical healing abilities of this rare flower found in the kingdom of Corona. A woman named Gothel hides this flower and uses its abilities to keep herself young forever. The Queen of the Kingdom is expecting a baby, but she falls ill. News of this flower spreads throughout the kingdom, and eventually, it is found by the royal guard. The royal makes the flower into a soup and is fed to the Queen, who is magically healed. Then, she gives birth to a baby girl named Rapunzel, whose hair has the magical powers of the flower. When Gothel hears of this, she breaks into the castle and steals Rapunzel away to use her hair and stay young forever. She hides her in a hidden tower and raises her as her own. The King and Queen and the entire kingdom release lanterns every year on her birthday, hoping that their daughter will return home to them. As Rapunzel grows older, Goethe tells Rapunzel the world is a dangerous place and that she should never leave the tower. But Rapunzel wants to adventure out and see the glowing lights that appear every year on her birthday. Throw a runaway thief into the mix who agrees to be her guide, and that’s the basic synopsis of the story. 

     So, what do I love about this movie? First, the original plot. Nowadays, it feels like everything is the same, but there is nothing like this movie. A girl who is yet to realize she is a long-lost princess, raised by a liar, runs away to see her dream while accompanied by a thief, a chameleon, and a very angry horse. Name a similar movie. That’s right, you can’t. 

     Another reason I love this movie is because of the characters. Rapunzel is so easy to root for. She is brave and kind, while also stubborn. She is determined to pursue her dream, even if her “Mother” doesn’t want her to. Flynn Ryder, the thief who accompanied her, added the character depth and the comedic relief the movie needed. He is cocky but also caring, even if he tries to hide it. Don’t get me STARTED on the “Pub Thugs” from the Ugly Duckling. They absolutely carried the movie. They are probably my favorite side characters out of every Disney movie. Even Mother Gothel is interesting. Kidnapping a child so you can stay young forever is absolutely insane. They don’t make villains like that anymore. And she definitely keeps the movie interesting. 

     Watching this movie always brings me comfort because I love everything about it. I have probably seen this movie over a hundred times. What’s there not to love? In short, comfort movies are healing, and I am convinced you should watch my personal favorite. Tangled is a cinematic masterpiece and deserves all the love it gets. If you love wholesome characters, exciting plots, and catchy soundtracks, this movie is for you. I hope you enjoy it.