Hello, all!
We’ve made it to the most current era of Disney animated films! This era starts with Princess and the Frog and ends with Frozen 2. Out of 10 films, I have seen all but two, most I have only seen once, and one is in my top 5 Disney cartoons list. I will again likely split this last era into two posts. I may also write a wrap up post, but we’ll see.
As always, consider yourself warned: there be spoilers in this here post.
Princess and the Frog (2009)
I have only seen this one once, right after it came out. I remember liking the music some what but thinking the voodoo aspects were freaky and would have scared me if I was a kid.
Disney actor repeat alert: Charlotte’s dad is John Goodman.
Fun fact: this is the first of these movies to have the actors do their own singing since Beauty and the Beast (1991).
Oh, hey… Tiana’s mom is Oprah!
“Almost There” is a great song. It is the one from this movie I remember and have sung from time to time. I really like the chalk or paint style animation within the animation during this song. Also, the animation is better in this whole film again compared to the last ones. Seems more old school. (Update: it is one of the few that went back to hand drawn before they scrapped that in favor of digital 3D.)
Oh, I hate these stuffy businessmen who sell the shop she wants from under her for sexist, classist, racist reasons.
I love that even though Charlotte is clearly self-centered and shallow, she still cares for Tiana. Instead of being mad the beignets she wanted were ruined after the businessmen spill Tiana’s table, Charlotte leaves the prince to help Tiana get cleaned up and dressed her in her own clothes.
Oh boy, Prince Naveen is awful. Even as a frog. I assume he has a change of heart but yikes.
Turning her into a frog too is an excellent subversion of the original story.
Wait… Who is the Prince down in the ballroom? Is it creepy Dr. Facilier or something? Nope. He is there dressed up. Oh it is Naveen’s little chaperone guy.
Louis the alligator is the same actor who played Louis on AJ and the Queen!
Yeah, I don’t love the shadow friends from the other side.
Final thoughts: Better than I remembered and the music is excellent but still not one I would feel the need to watch and rewatch like some others.
Tangled (2010)
This is one of my favorite Disney movies! I remember being so surprised when it came out because I hadn’t loved a new one in years. I am pretty sure I saw it in theaters while I was working as a Disability Support Worker with one of the folks I supported and was so pleasantly surprised that I either went again or bought it immediately when it came out on DVD.
Zachary Levi! I think I started watching Chuck after I saw this so it wasn’t until later that I realized who he was (aka the voice of Flynn).
Oh, Mandy Moore. I was/am a big A Walk to Remember fan so I recall being excited that she was going to be a Disney Princess. This first song of hers is so good! I think was the first digitally made Disney annimated movie where the annimation felt similar to the older hand drawn stuff even though it wasn’t, and the movie musical style was always my fave so I was on board right away.
Flynn Rider’s sense of humor is also something that appeals to me: dry, self-depricating, somewhat cocky but in a good natured way. I mean… you’re hanging from a rope about to steal a tiara and you say “Hay fever?” to the guard who sneezes? Hilarious!
Ugh, Mother Gothel. So vain. You probably think this hair is about you.
Why would a kidnapper still choose to celebrate a child’s actual birthday? That seems like an obvious way for the kid to figure something out about themselves someday…. ergo Rapunzel believing and obsessing over the idea that the floating lights are for her (which they are).
So many villian songs are dark and away from the main character. This one sounds so lovely and its underhanded evilness is directed directly at the main character. The only one I can think of that is similar is Poor Unfortunate souls—sounds informative and helpful, but is actually against the naive girl wanting something.
Max the horse is one of the funniest animals in a Disney movie. Actually, so is Pascal the chameleon. I think this is another instance of non-speaking animal sidekicks who make for great comedy relief, just like in Pocahontas with Meeko, Flit, and Percy.
This little drunk cherub guy is hilarious and so disturbing at the same time. I love “I’ve Got A Dream”! Thank you world for Brad Garrett singing about playing the piano with a hook hand.
Does the magic of the flower keep her hair clean? I have shortish hair that I don’t drag along the ground and I still hate washing it because it is such an ordeal to wash and condition and dry it (curly girl with chronic pain issues)… Would not want her situation.
So good! I do wonder why she couldn’t get to a hairdresser after he saved her but perhaps she likes the piecey look. Love the end credits song–I believe it may be my next project on the ukulele.
Final thoughts: Top 5 out of this entire list of Disney animated films. For sure.
Winnie the Pooh (2011)
I am not sure I saw this one but we shall find out. (Update: No, definitely have not.)
Who is this narrator? Is it John Cleese? Sounds like he is trying to sound similar to the original but I don’t think it is the origjnal…. (Update: looked it up and yes, it is Cleese.)
Hey! Zoey Deschanel sings the theme song, that’s cute. Oh and they added Tigger into the song! My fave character deserved the recognition. Well, he was my favorite as a child but he is definitely more annoying as an adult.
Oh the animals all look right so far, annimation wise, but Christopher Robin does not look right. His face is wrong. This is apparently the last Disney Animation film that was hand drawn.
Owl does not even close sound the same.
Oh my word, this conversation between Pooh, Eeyore, and Owl about sneezing. So funny! “Issue a reward..” “Gesundheit. You sneezed right as you started talking.” “No I didn’t. You can’t sneeze without knowing it.” “You can’t know it without something having been sneezed ” What???? Ha!!
Oh, Zoey is singing other songs. Good choice.
No, I do still love Tigger. He is so wonderfully odd and delusional and himself.
Okay, nobody’s voices are right other than Pooh and Tigger. Piglet and Rabbit and Eeyore are similar but not right. Ah ha! That’s because Jim Cummings does both Pooh and Tigger and he is brilliant at voices.
Oh my word, Owl reads something wrong and sends them on a quest to save Christopher Robin from a mysterious creature, the Backson, even though C.R. actually said he’d be “back soon”. I remember Owl more as being a stuffy, intellectual conversation hog in the other movie and shows, not so conceited and annoying. Also, Rabbit keeps making facial expressions Rabbit wouldn’t make… He was too concerned with propriety originally.
The after credits scene was hilarious! Their supposedly made up creature comes out of the woods and is a jolly old chap who then falls into the trap they made for him but forgot to dismantle when they thought he wasn’t real.
Final thoughts: The story was great and the movie feels like a continuation of the 1977 movie. That said, I definitely only watched the first half hour and then got distracted doing other things and let it play in the background, listening more than watching. Apparently it got great reviews but was a box office flop because it was released at the same time as the final Harry Potter film. I mean… how could it compare?
Wreck It Ralph (2012)
I have seen this a couple of times. I recall not being interested when I saw previews but then watched it with my cousins over Christmas one year and really enjoyed it! It is funny & heartfelt. Also, I always love a “find value in yourself even when others tell you you aren’t worthy” storyline. Plus, I have been a fan of John C. Reilly in his roles unrelated to Will Ferrell shows.
The concept of the characters inside the video game having lives and the game are their jobs is clever, especially the power box as Game Central Station. Bad guy support group (Bad-Anon) is also excellent.
I forgot that Mindy Kaling plays the mean girl candy racer. How pre-Disgust of her. Actually… which one came first? Ah, this one by 3 years.
I am not a fan of Sarah Silverman, generally, but she did well voicing Venelope. I love that her character doesn’t let him get away with anything.
This one is so digital. I think I always assumed it was Pixar and not Disney. Even though they are the same now….
Nesquick Sand… Laffy Taffy vines that are attracted to things that make them laugh… so clever.
Ugh, Cy-bugs are terrifying.
I forgot they randomly threw a Rhianna song in the middle of this when Venelope is learning to drive…. Any Drag Race fans out there? All I think of for this song now is Tatiana and Alyssa’s lip sync. SO GOOD!
Agh, the moment where he smashes her car to save her from apparent demise is heartbreaking.
Final thoughts: I love that she ends up being the princess. But especially that she is a Disney Princess who doesn’t have a love interest but instead has a huge goofy friend and wants to rule more like a Democracy.
Frozen (2013)
Ugh. I so do not want to build a snowman.
I went back to university the year this came out and I had a friend who would annoy me by sneaking up and thing singing “do you wanna build a snowman?” creepily in my ear. Or he’d insert it into the middle of a conversation: “This and this blah blah blah. Oh, and Katie: Do you wanna build a snowman? Do you wanna?” This was all before I’d even seen the movie for some reason so it made me want to watch it less and less. I finally watched it and it was very meh and felt like kind of a let down after all the hype. I enjoyed Olaf’s song and some of his dialogue but otherwise I had no strong feelings towards it. Idina Menzel can sing so “Let It Go” is a great song, but the movie itself never made me want to watch it again. So, until now, I haven’t. Here we go.
Well, I had zero memory of this ice harvester opening number. Tiny Sven and what’s his name. Yes, I remember the reindeer/caribou but not the fellow. Kristoff?
So, Elsa was just born with this weird snow magic ability? Is it explained?
I love the idea that these parents are also Tarzan’s parents. I don’t think to works feasibly timeline wise but I still think it is one of the better fan theories out there.
I appreciate adult Anna… Sleeps in, bed head, super awkward, independent. Not so much the fall in love and get engaged in a day part… I have to side with Elsa on that one.
I will say, even though I’ve only seen it once, First Time in Forever pops into my head semi-regilarly.
Okay, Let It Go isn’t even that great… Maybe I have heard it too many times now.
Yay, Jonathan Groff! Their dynamic is excellent. The whole conversation in the sled where he gives her grief about having just met Hans…
Oh my word, the sled exploding! First of all: how?! Second of all: “aww but I just paid it off!” I feel you, pal.
Olaf! He is by far the best part of this movie. Have you seen the Wired Autocorrect video that Jonathan Groff and Josh Gad did when Frozen 2 came out? It is hilarious and I recommend you watch it. Oh, poor buddy wanting summer. Yep, this song is excellent.
Final thoughts: Better than I recalled. Still not a fave by any means but I can admit it is more watchable than I gave it credit for.
Well, didn’t we just cruise right though the first half of this era. I’d say this era is called the Revival for a reason. I have also seen it referred to as the Neo-Renaissance because it hearkens back to the early 90s films, which I’d agree with in some ways. Five films left, folks! Only one or two posts left in this series (depending on whether I do my wrap up at the end of the next one or in a seperate post).
-Katie
Chronically KD 