The other day, my unmarried and childless brother-in-law
asked me what is so great about the movie Frozen. Even he had heard aaaallll
about it, and thought that they were making seem like it was the best Disney
movie ever made in the history of ever. After getting over my annoyance that he
interrupted one of my favorite songs that I was singing along with, (just
kidding! Not really.) I decided that I needed to put some serious thought into
it. Why IS this movie so great? I mean, it’s a typical Disney movie with
princes and princesses and drama, right? Right??
Well, not really. I mean, yeah…I am the mom of two girls who
are at the perfect age for target marketing audience for this movie. We have almost every other Disney princess
movie in our house. But there has to be something to THIS movie, a sparkle, as
to why my girls have been playing Elsa and Anna for a solid two months. Why
they sing the songs without even realizing they are singing, how they know ALL
the moves to each and every song in the movie (even if that move is just lying
on the ground with your feet propped up against a wall). And how every throw blanket in my house has
now become a cape, and the name Hans makes them physically angry. There has to
be a reason when I hear the lyrics to “Let It Go” I literally cannot stop
myself from singing along. And possibly throwing in a little arm gesture or
spin at the end of the song.
So here is my list as to why Frozen is better than other
Disney movies.
It is about the love between two sisters. THIS. IS. HUGE.
Sure, there is a prince thrown in there and another cutie pie who is the honest
goods. But really? It is about the journey one sister goes through to save her
other sister. And is the one who winds up getting saved in the end. Not to ruin
it for you, but there is no wedding at the end with a deep passionate kiss that
makes everything OK. It’s a little grittier than that. But in a very beautiful
way. This movie is one example I will forever use when my girls are hating each
other. It's OK to be pissed, but always have each
other’s back.
There is an awesome conversation that starts with “Who gets engaged to
someone they just met that day!?” A
complete and total challenge to every other Disney movie made in the history of
Disney movies. There is a great scene where Kristoff proves just how awesome he
is by not only fighting off wolves while driving a sleigh through the forest,
jumping a canyon and saving Princess Anna, but also questioning her repeatedly about her recent engagement.
In a way that makes her decision seem completely irrational. Which it was. And
I’m OK with my girls thinking that. PLUS, older sister Elsa puts the smack down
on the engagement too. So it is two-against-one. Hans doesn’t count, he just
doesn’t.
Frozen is funny. From Anna talking to statues and paintings to
the little boy whose fault it isn’t that it is coronation day, to the Nordic
guy who runs an outpost and spa, to all the other little jokes thrown in. You
know that Disney writers have fun when writing movies like this. Parents
appreciate it, makes it a bit more tolerable.
The songs are good. You’ll giggle at silly Olaf and just
flat out belt out “Let It Go” with Elsa. You’ll find yourself humming “Do You
Want to Build a Snowman” every time you hear three knocks. (Which is pretty
often in my house since the girls are re-creating that scene on a daily basis.)
Even Kristoff’s stupid 30 second “duet” is hard to ignore.
Not that this is good…but BOTH parents die. Disney finally
got over its mommy issues in Tangled by letting the parents live, and the theme
continues for a little while in this movie.
In the beginning, Anna and Elsa are happy little princesses with two
doting parents. Who then DIE in a storm at sea. A lot of little kids probably
don’t even put two-and-two together. Don’t worry, mine did and didn’t seem to
care much. I guess letting Sam watch Bones wasn’t such a huge parental mistake
after all.
It teaches little girls a hard lesson. That a guy can seem
to be good and wonderful and the total
package and youjustdontunderstandmomitmustbetruelove!!! And then
they laugh in your face and leave you for dead. Literally. Not everyone is who
they seem. Some people are a whole. lot. worse.
And the final lesson… Everyone is a fixer-upper. People make
bad choices if they are mad or scared or stressed. No one is perfect. Throw a
little love their way and you’ll bring out their best. (True) love conquers
all.
And THAT is why Frozen is the best Disney movie ever. Well…I
suppose that is subjective. But in my house there are two little girls with
that very strong opinion. Anna and Elsa are even better than Belle. And that is
something I never thought would happen.
