More Forbidden & Endearing Romantic Tales
Disney Princess movies are being retold in live-action format, and all thanks to the invention of CGI technology. The world of mermaids was explored in the Disney animated movie armed with the same name, before being retold in live-action.
The movie follows the story of Ariel, one of seven mermaid daughters for the sea King, Triton. Despite her multiple attempts, Ariel’s father stops his daughter from going to land after her mother was killed by humans. Ariel is fascinated by the human world and strikes a risky deal with the Sea Witch Ursula, which enables her to go to the surface to find her true love – Prince Eric.
If you are someone who enjoyed watching this live-action Disney movie and are looking for alternatives to the movie, here is a list of 10 movies like The Little Mermaid (excluding the animated version!) that you will definitely enjoy.
Clueless (1995)
The American classic follows the story of Cher, a rich, pretty blonde, who is popular and knows how to talk anyone into doing just about anything she wants. When a girl named Tai transfers to Cher’s school, she and Dion give her a makeover and attempt to find her a boyfriend.
Cher soon realizes that she wants a boyfriend herself, but no one seems right. She goes through a spiritual makeover and realizes that there’s more to life than clothes and popularity before she finds the boy of her dreams.
Romeo + Juliet (1996)
The classic story of Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare, is retold in this movie and set in the modern-day city of Verona. The movie follows the story of two feuding families, the Montagues and the Capulets, whose children meet and fall in love.
The young couple has to hide their love from the world because they know that their parents will not allow them to be together. The couple goes through various hardships in as the movie retells the timeless tale of the ‘star-crossed lovers’ meeting the same fate they were always destined to have.
Titanic (1997)
Titanic is a classic romance that follows the story of Jack Dawson who gets on the RMS Titanic ship after winning a free ride during a dockside card game. On the ship, he meets Rose DeWitt Bukater who is engaged to Caledon Hockley, and on her way to Philadelphia to marry him.
When Rose feels helplessly trapped by her situation, she meets Jack and the pair fall in love. The movie follows Rose and Jack’s desperate plight to survive when the ship hits an iceberg and threatens to sink deep into the freezing water.
The Notebook (2004)
This romantic film follows a day in the life of an old woman who is in a nursing home. That day, an old man reads her a story about two young lovers named Allie and Noah, who meet at a carnival one evening and instantly fall in love. However, the couple is separated by Allie’s parents who disapprove of Noah’s unwealthy family.
Allie has moved away but waits for Noah’s letters and eventually gets engaged to a handsome young soldier named Lon. However, Allie still has feelings for Noah and stops by at his house having to choose between her fiancé and her first love.
The Space Between Us (2017)
This 2017 movie follows the story of Gardner Elliot, a 16-year-old boy who was the first person born on Mars. As he copes with his isolated existence on the red planet, he strikes up an online chat with a girl named Tulsa, who happens to live in Colorado back on Earth.
Gardner eventually decides to travel to Earth in order to meet Tulsa and find out who his father is. However, since he is a Martian, Gardner soon discovers that his body is not able to handle Earth’s gravity.
The Vow (2012)
An emotional romance, The Vow is based on the true story of a second-chance romance between a couple. The movie follows the story of Leo and Paige who live a happy life until an accident leaves Paige unconscious only to wake up with partial memory loss. Paige has forgotten a large chunk of her life as well as all of her memories with Leo.
Paige’s rich parents, whom she hasn’t seen in years, visit and take her to their house. Since she does not have any memories of her life with Leo, Paige cannot comprehend what prompted her to abandon her happy life to be with him. Through trial and error, Paige discovers what it’s like to fall in love with Leo again, as the reasons for her past choices become clear to her.
Aladdin (2019)
A Disney classic, Aladdin follows the story of a young boy who is a lovable street urchin. Aladdin meets Princess Jasmine, the beautiful daughter of the Sultan of Agrabah. While visiting her exotic palace, Aladdin stumbles upon a magic oil lamp that unleashes a powerful, wisecracking, larger-than-life genie.
As Aladdin and the genie start to become friends, they must soon embark on a dangerous mission to stop the evil sorcerer Jafar from overthrowing young Jasmine’s kingdom.
My Summer of Love (2004)
The movie follows the life of an upper-class woman named Tamsin who meets a working-class woman named Mona. The two are instantly drawn to each other and despite coming from different worlds, the duo find common ground in their dysfunctional family lives.
To seal their friendship, Mona introduces Tamsin to her born-again Christian brother and joins her on a mission where they spy on Mona’s adulterous father. Bound together by their secrets, Tamsin and Mona see their friendship deepen and enter into dangerous waters.
Beauty and the Beast (2017)
Another Disney classic, Beauty and the Beast is a fantasy romance that follows the story of an arrogant prince who is cursed to live as a terrifying beast until he finds true love.
Strangely, his only chance at lifting the curse comes when he kidnaps an unwary clockmaker’s daughter, Belle. After living around the Beast, Belle slowly begins to see the sensitive soul behind the fearsome monster.
Sleeping Beauty (1959)
This animated romance is another Classic Disney movie on the list that follows the story of the evil witch Maleficent who is filled with jealousy. Maleficent curses Princess Aurora to die on her 16th birthday but Aurora’s guardian fairies turn the curse that turns the curse which put her into a deep sleep.
The curse can be ended with a kiss from her betrothed, Prince Phillip. To prevent Phillip from rescuing Aurora, Maleficent kidnaps and imprisons him. The good fairies are the last hope to free Phillip so that he can awaken Aurora.
There we have it, our list of the 10 movie alternatives to the Disney+ live-action film The Little Mermaid!
What do you think about our picks? Did your favourite make the list? Were there any honourable omissions? Let us know in the comments below.