by Elizabeth Dawn

Created on: May 20, 2009

Traditionally, Disney has made their films with the female heart in mind, and the male's wallet in the box office. However, the last decade has seen rise to fit in today's generation in regards to male interest. Females shouldn't fret, though; Disney films are still chock full of the romance and "happily ever after" puns. But, now, instead of seating the male viewers on the bench for the game, they have more availability if they want to play, too.

Not to say that your son will automatically clap with delight at the prospect of hearing the words " Walt Disney movie" come flying from your mouth. The popular children's franchise has a bad rap for gearing their merchandise heavily towards female propaganda, especially for younger girls. With the dawn of the new millennium, however, they are taking more and more steps in the direction to entice males to have genuine interest in their films and company.

The movie Cars, for example, does have a female car in the mix for the ladies. She is cute and sassy and, of course, piques the interest of the main male car character. But, most of the sharp -witted cartoon is an action adventure sequence for little boys. Cars, explosions, grease and grime? What boy wouldn't love that?Also, in the cartoon Wall-E, the little robot has a girlfriend, but manages to build things out of scraps of junk, sneaks onto a strange spacecraft, and has the security of the last human survivors chasing after him. Wall-E is nothing if not but a hero in the eyes of boys everywhere.

The older men can look forward to such Disney classics as the National Treasure series and, notably, The Pirates of the Caribbean, which is about to undertake its fourth installment. Also, family movies such as The Pacifier and the upcoming Race to Witch Mountain has attracted some impressive "tough" men for the leads: Vin Diesel and Dwayne " The Rock" Johnson. Disney may have some girlie undertones, but it goes to show that even the strongest man is a softie for kids.

Girls will forever have Disney for romance,passion, and strong self esteem lessons. At least now, though, the boys have a fair shot of something blowing up while the lesson is taking place. And, honestly, boys don't ask for much. While we are being rescued and sharing in true love's kiss, all they want is evil villian's plane to explode in the sky and to chase him free falling in the air, if only to punch him out upon landing. The rest can be discussed by the womenfolk while they go fishing.

Learn more about this author, Elizabeth Dawn.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.