When people talk about animated heroines, the conversation almost always begins with princesses. Royal lineage, destiny, musical numbers, and spectacle have long been treated as the prerequisites for ...

From "Brave" -- Merida, the film’s young headstrong Scottish princess character (image: Disney/Pixar) When it comes to cartoons churned out by Hollywood in recent years, it’s mostly been a boys’ club.

From her first moments on screen, Sally understands what Jack Skellington does not. She recognizes that his fixation on Christmas isn’t curiosity or growth, but escapism — a desire to escape the ...