The new version of the beloved fairytale has come under fire for its casting of Ariel. Halle Bailey, an African-American actor, plays the red-haired, blue-eyed mermaid so familiar from the 1989 Disney film. Despite many animated films having challenged the idea that only white girls can be fairytale heroines – Mulan (1998), Aladdin (1992), Pocahontas (1995), The Princess and the Frog (2009), Moana (2016) – it seems a ‘live action’ version that doesn’t fit the mould is harder to swallow for some – leading to #NotMyAriel doing the rounds. Asking “Can there be a black (or Asian or whatever) mermaid?” is a nonsensical question, really. Ariel is a mythical creature, so who’s to say existing perceptions of what a mermaid looks like are correct? But if anyone needs more convincing, consider that in African and Caribbean folklore, mermaids are black.

If you’re a sucker for a good superhero film, look no further. Black Panther is about a leader, T’Challa, who fights for his country, Wakanda, and his rightful place on its throne after his father’s death. On its own terms, it’s a fantastic film (as part of the MCU, how could it not be?) – but it also stood out as a story centred on black people who are not dealing with black pain, suffering and poverty, but rather as empowered rulers of a kingdom and creators of advanced technology. It was one of those turning-point moments, a celebration of African heritage and style that filtered into fashion, music and pop culture. In addition, the sequel, Wakanda Forever, put strong black women at the forefront of the MCU for the first time.

This film – headlined by three superb African-American actors – helped to change the universal narrative about the famous moon landing in 1969. It centres around three remarkable, real-life women who worked as mathematicians at NASA during the era of Segregation in the US. They participated in the “giant leap for mankind” but their vital role in the success of the mission had remained in the shadows of history for over 40 years. The story depicted not only black women in a powerful light, but also broke the sadly still pervasive stereotype of only men being great scientists. Having these positive role models on screen was a shining example of the power of great cinema – let alone giving Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe and Taraji P. Henson great leading roles to sink their teeth into.

This sci-fi film paved the way for CGI as we know it. Up until then, CGI wasn’t very convincing – until Avatar came along, seamlessly merging live-action actors with digital backgrounds, and depicting the Na’vi as realistically as the human cast, making it all the more believable. Director James Cameron developed loads of new tech to make the film (which took him 15 years to perfect), including new motion-capture methods. Combined with an on-point plot centred around human destruction of a planet and the effects of colonialism, it swept audiences off their feet.

Ang Lee’s heart-breaking Western was also ground-breaking, subverting everything audiences had come to expect from ‘cowboy’ movies, romantic movies, stories about simple rural folk and depictions of gay men. The film explores the friendship between modern-day cowboys Ennis and Jack, as it develops into a secret romantic relationship (both men are married to women). It marked a turning point for ‘queer cinema’ themes advancing into the mainstream (albeit with heterosexual actors), and greatly influenced other films such as Tom Ford’s A Single Man (2009) and Blue Valentine (2010).