Friday, March 28, 2014

7 Reasons Why It Is OK to Love Frozen


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.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I also love Frozen and all of the disnay's productions !