Frozen Review
RYAN: Finally! I feel like I’ve been waiting for this movie forever!
CHUCK: Since I was 12.
RYAN: (laughs) This movie is so right. Disney went back to their roots by tapping an age-old fairy tale for the basis of Frozen, Hans Christian Anderson’s The Snow Queen; and this is the second Anderson story they’ve adapted. The first, of course, was The Little Mermaid. And dare I day it, this one’s better. This is now my favorite Disney animated movie.
CHUCK: Wow.
RYAN: The casting couldn’t be better because Idina Menzel voiced Elsa, The Snow Queen, and I’m so glad she’s finally a Disney princess! She’s so marvelous… one of my favorite voices ever.
CHUCK: This movie kind of leaves you speechless. You know I’m a Disney fanatic and I love the recent ones – The Princess and the Frog and Tangled, but in comparison, Frozen is on another level. The entire execution of it is meticulous. They really made Walt proud. They must have been actively concentrating on honoring him because you’re right – it does feel more aligned with Disney’s greatest classics. Walt is smiling down on this movie.
RYAN: It is full-on Disney magic. This makes Tangled look like an exercise in how to make an animated movie.
CHUCK: (laughs) That’s a great way to put it and I love Tangled, but Frozen has such a palette and voice…
RYAN: …a perspective. It’s strong in every aspect. The animation is again evolved and stepped-up, the 3D is great, the casting is phenomenal, the script is funny and quick and sweet with meaning, appropriate for all ages, quirky characters. It has that classic Disney quality; but because they hired the most cutting-edge composer working in Broadway today, Robert Lopez (who co-wrote the songs for Frozen with his wife, Kristen), it also has a very modern edge.
CHUCK: There is a very current-Broadway feel to the songs. Initially I didn’t know if I would like it but it works.
RYAN: It’s like a Broadway show. That’s why many of the greatest movie musicals were adapted from Broadway shows and why many Disney movies adapt brilliantly to Broadway – The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Newsies, and coming up soon, Aladdin.
CHUCK: Totally. They are interchangeable musicals. And in this movie, you have Jonathan Groff from Broadway’s Spring Awakening and TV’s Glee, Josh Gad from The Book of Mormon, Santino Fontana from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Idina… And who knew Kristen Bell could sing like that?!
RYAN: Like, amazing singing! Her vibrato is killer.
CHUCK: And the humor aspect: sometimes animated movies feature jokes that are too current or or socially relevant or they pander to innuendo that only adults will get, but this movie is just funny for everyone without having to reference anything. Brilliant writing.
RYAN: So true. I did LOL a few times.
CHUCK: And like all great Disney movies, this one has a fabulous message – a strong sense of believing in who you are and what makes you unique and coming to terms with that.
RYAN: Right, making peace with what makes you different and turning it into a strength instead of holding you back.
CHUCK: As a gay man, it spoke to me a lot – not letting the world beat you down for being different and demonizing you.
RYAN: …not having to keep a secret in the closet.
CHUCK: Which is what Elsa, Idina’s character, goes through in this film.
RYAN: I found many similarities between Elsa and Elphaba, Idina’s character in Wicked, because Elsa is also a sorceress who is a good person but vilified by the community. Both run away. Both have sisters they try to protect. This is completely within Idina’s wheelhouse and why it’s such a strong performance from her.
CHUCK: Right. Her voice – beyond.
RYAN: Her major solo – Let it Go, made me think of Defying Gravity which is a better song but the one here is fantastic too and showcases her voice. She belts and I love it!
CHUCK: I agree Defying Gravity is a bit better but Let it Go, within the Disney music catalog, is so fitting.
RYAN: I loved the lil snowman’s song about Summer. My face hurt during that song from smiling s’much. Several songs should be Oscar nominated.
CHUCK: Josh Gad as Olaf, the snowman – perfection.
RYAN: He’s hilarious. It’s interesting because when movie musicals are made, there’s always the controversy in casting about whether Hollywood will go with box office stars versus Broadway vets; and Disney did it right here – all, except Bell, are major contenders on Broadway and thankfully Bell fits in. Taking nothing away from Anne Hathaway in Les Miz, Frozen is a great argument why you should always choose great Broadway singers over Hollywood stars when casting a movie musical.
CHUCK: You’re so right. They were all amazing in this movie.
RYAN: I love how in Disney princess movies there’s always the quirky pet animals and in this one, there are some cute animals but the enchanted snowman is the best.
CHUCK: Terrific. In the same sense of how Beauty and the Beast was nominated for Best picture, I feel like this one could be too.
RYAN: I don’t know about that. This is a steep, heavy year for movies. There’s no real competition in the animated category for Frozen, but I don’t know if it will break through to the main category. It’s getting great reviews – anything is possible.
CHUCK: I hope so.
RYAN: The animation – I remember thinking how great the hair all looked in Brave, but this one – all the ice and luminescence and snowflakes…
CHUCK: Just beautiful.
RYAN: There’s more I’d like to say about the themes and message in this movie, but since I don’t do spoilers, I can’t comment on it. But generally, I will say that this does break the Disney mold in the end which I found refreshing, interesting and bold.
CHUCK: So powerful. It is still classic Disney princess, but in a new way.
RYAN: This movie is brilliant. It’s a well-planned masterpiece. It’s effortlessly entertaining but obvious the creative team poured heart and soul into it. I can’t wait to see it again.
