What's Cooler Than Being Cool? Frozen (2013)

[jellysalmon]

Frozen.

This was the last movie I saw last year (New Years Eve showing) and it was easily the movie I enjoyed most in 2013.

I've become a bit fanatical about it. I've seen it three times in theaters, bought it on blu-ray and even *gasp* read some fan fiction. I haven't done any of these things for a movie since I was in middle school. Also shown it to half a dozen friends and family and doing this every time:

Now that it's an Oscar winner AND the highest grossing animated film, I've realized that other people might enjoy it too. 

[Cranberry]

I added the movie's title to your post to make it clearer! If you want to change it at all, let me know.

I enjoyed this movie. It's nice to see a trend lately away from the "true (romantic) love solves all" idea -- Brave was about the love between mother and daughter, and this one was about sisterly love. I saw the ending coming, but I have to admit that I didn't expect that one character to be such a douchebag.

[Wilowy]

This'll make you cry. Beautifully done. 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/ariellecalderon/kristen-bell-sang-do-you-want-to-build-a-snowman-live

[jellysalmon]

This'll make you cry. Beautifully done. 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/ariellecalderon/kristen-bell-sang-do-you-want-to-build-a-snowman-live

Squeee! Kristen Bell is amazing. I never even watched Veronica Mars.

 

I added the movie's title to your post to make it clearer! If you want to change it at all, let me know.

I enjoyed this movie. It's nice to see a trend lately away from the "true (romantic) love solves all" idea -- Brave was about the love between mother and daughter, and this one was about sisterly love. I saw the ending coming, but I have to admit that I didn't expect that one character to be such a douchebag.

All three times I saw it in theaters there were audible gasps. I too was surprised. I thought they would go the Enchanted route and hook him up with Elsa, James Marsden style.

[NoWillToResist]

I am stupidly in love with this movie. The visuals, the music, the characters, the humour, the theme of the true love being between sisters? Yes, please.

I loved the clothing as well. Gorgeous dresses.

I think my favourite visual gag was when Anna falls into the river and her dress freezes solid. Watching her totter around was so realistic...I loved it. :)

The tiny clip post-credits with the snow monster was cute and I friggin' loved Disney's little disclaimer at the end about how Kristoff's statement that all men pick their nose and eat their boogers was his own opinion and did not reflect Disney's viewpoint. Heh.

[jellysalmon]

I agree that the clothing is amazing. I wish we had more scenes of Elsa in her capeless coronation(I keep typing out conoration...I blame you Anna) dress, but with her hair down. That was her best look.

Also has anyone else run into this problem?

http://jezebel.com/frozen-merch-is-sold-out-everywhere-and-parents-are-los-1561331628

I wanted to get a friend an Elsa coffee mug for her bday but I can't find any anywhere.

[Wilowy]

I guess it's a really big deal. Thankfully Willow (10) is satisfied with the movie and hasn't asked for any merch yet. She's taken to putting her LPS animals into the roles from the film.

It helps that none of her friends can get ahold of the dolls, either. Hopefully they'll have this worked out by xmas.  

[mjforty]

I thought the movie was cute and I have a 5-year old and a 2-year old niece who are both absolutely in love with this movie as only children can be but, personally, I felt the story line was weak.  Turning the prince into a villain without any real foundation was very jarring to me.  Threatening the duke with treason for his harsh words against Anna and Elsa.  Then in the castle he deflects the arrow that can kill Elsa.  Yet a few scenes later, there he is trying to kill both Anna and Elsa.   

I also didn't understand why, once she got older, Anna wasn't let in on the family's secret.  If there was a reason given for keeping Anna in the dark, I missed it (I mean, other than the fact that there wouldn't have  been a movie if they had told her).  I felt as if there was a better way to create the drama in the movie.  

I just felt like the movie was okay as long as you didn't think about it too hard.

[jellysalmon]

Yea honestly the plot doesn't hold up to a lot of scrutiny. Another question is how Elsa got to the north mountain so quickly on foot, while Anna/Kristoff took so long with horse/reindeer.

But then I look at how cute it is and how catchy the songs are and I throw all logic out the window.

In merch news, I went back to the Disney Store in order to get that elusive Elsa mug and once again they had none. In fact, they were out of Anna mugs. In fact, they were out of everything Frozen related. Not a single item. I knew I should have gotten a second Anna mug.

[Rick Kitchen]

You might try ebay.

[jellysalmon]

I've checked a few times, but not willing to pay more than double the original cost on principal (also I'm poor.)

[Kromm]

Yea honestly the plot doesn't hold up to a lot of scrutiny. Another question is how Elsa got to the north mountain so quickly on foot, while Anna/Kristoff took so long with horse/reindeer.

I've always assumed some kind of ice powered propulsion (a big slide, and perhaps creating the ice expels force and can push you along like a rocket).

[Rick Kitchen]

I read a rumor that Kristen Bell might be making an appearance on "Once Upon a Time" as Anna.

[jellysalmon]

I read a rumor that Kristen Bell might be making an appearance on "Once Upon a Time" as Anna.

Oh god. That would mean I would have to start watching that show. I quit due to terrible kid acting.

[Kromm]

I read a rumor that Kristen Bell might be making an appearance on "Once Upon a Time" as Anna.

First, it would kind of be a "too soon" thing. Aren't most of the characters on that show old fairytale standbyes (Grimms, Hans Christian Anderson and I suppose as the franchise expanded JM Barrie and Lewis Carroll)?  Anna is a 21st century invention.  Even her sister is only a very loose adaptation of The Snow Queen (since The Snow Queen wasn't even a heroic character and bears no resemblance to Elsa).

Secondly, does Kristen Bell even really look like her character?  

As rumors go, I think this is a weak one, IMO.

[Tabbyclaw]

I also didn't understand why, once she got older, Anna wasn't let in on the family's secret.  

Hell, I didn't understand why the trolls wiped her memory at all. Kids accidentally injure their siblings while playing all the time; why were they acting like this incident was some kind of trauma that would damage Anna forever if she knew about it? All they did was further isolate Elsa and make her afraid, which is the exact thing they were telling her parents would make things worse. In fairy tales as on the Internet, never take advice from trolls.

Come to think of it, based on receiving terrible advice the king and queen taught one of their daughters to fear her own body and gave the other no information at all because they'd been told that teaching her what was going on would make the situation more dangerous. This movie needs to be shown to people who advocate abstinence-only sex ed.

[jellysalmon]

Finally found some Frozen merch at the Disney Store.

 

It was some kids clothes and beach towells. Obviously the clothes wouldn't fit me, but I sat there for about 5 minutes weighing the social shame I would get for having a pink beach towel with two Disney princesses on it with my need for Frozen stuff. Thankfully my reasoning won out and I walked away.

 

Also someone upscaled some scenes from Frozen to 60FPS. They look great.

For the First Time In Forever Reprise

Love is an Open Door

Edited April 24, 2014 by jellysalmon

[BizBuzz]

Family and friends went to Karaoke Tuesday night.  I think I heard every single song from Frozen being sung by kids of all ages.  ::giggle::

[random chance]

In fairy tales as on the Internet, never take advice from trolls.

Ha! So true.

I finally watched this the other night because I was tired of hearing crap about it without knowing the context(s). (I hate Disney, although I did get roped into Once Upon a Time for awhile there thanks to Robert Carlyle's Rumpel.) I agree that the storyline was wafer thin - so thin that if anyone at all had acted sensibly at any point in time, that would probably have been the end of the story. "Let's make snowmen!" "No thanks, go to sleep." The End. And yet it was entertaining, and very very pretty. I won't be buying mugs or anything but I do get why it's so popular.

[jellysalmon]

Mug update: Still no mugs.

 

However! The Castro theater is doing one last sing-a-long that I will probably attend. I hope it'll be filled with enthusiastic gays who can sing to make up for my inability to sing.

[Wilowy]

Here's the gorgeous Let It Go, sung by the incomparable Idina Menzel:

 

And here's the entire 'Do You Wanna...' sequence (just click off those boxes).

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntRSopUllV4

[jellysalmon]

OUAT spoilers

 

I don't even watch the show but was channel flipping and caught the end of the finale and Elsa showed up. I might have to check it out now.

[Eegah]

I had a tremendously fun viewing experience in the theater, not only for the film itself, but the family sitting next to me. The father and maybe five year old son had seen it before, but the mother hadn't, and the kid just could not accept that she didn't want to know what was going to happen next. Plus, after the "All men do it" line, he asked her "Is that true?", with the distinct feeling that he'd asked his father the first time, and he'd probably said something like "Ask your mother."

[WendyCR72]

Let It Go goes metal...and it's actually pretty cool! Listen for yourselves!

[Wilowy]

And for the completely opposite of that? 

 

OMG

 

[ramble]

Frozen imagined as a horror movie.

[Amello]

That is awesome, ramble.

[Dejana]

Disney on Ice Presents Frozen:

 

[jellysalmon]

I've never been to a Disney on Ice show, but this might change that if it comes near me. 

 

Also Frozen passed Iron-Man 3 in box office total.

 

[NoWillToResist]

A+ gif usage there... :)

[WendyCR72]

I was just thinking the other day with how successful this movie was that I'm rather shocked, but happily so, that Disney has yet to jump on an immediate (and no doubt inferior) sequel to Frozen.

 

Even not being a kid (understatement), I really enjoyed this movie and think it's best to let it just stand on its own. Let Disney go crazy with the ice shows and merchandise, but I hope the movie remains a standalone.

 

Now watch, I probably jinxed it. LOL!

[SnoGirl]

Well, I don't know if it counts as a movie but, Elsa is showing up on Once Upon a Time this next season. I'm sort of disapointed by it, but what are you going to do.

I could listen to Frozen's instrumental soundtrack forever. It's been awhile since I found one that I would play continuously.

[Stine]

While I enjoyed Frozen, and the soundtrack has grown on me after listening to it through a few times, I did find it overrated as a whole. Definitely not my favourite Disney movie of all time (I liked Tangled better, for starters), although I can appreciate some of the elements like the relationship between the sisters. This nicely encapsulates some of the problems I had with it: 

 

[WendyCR72]

"Let It Go" performed by Pearl Jam in concert! (No, I'm not kidding.)

[jellysalmon]

While I enjoyed Frozen, and the soundtrack has grown on me after listening to it through a few times, I did find it overrated as a whole. Definitely not my favourite Disney movie of all time (I liked Tangled better, for starters), although I can appreciate some of the elements like the relationship between the sisters. This nicely encapsulates some of the problems I had with it: 

I think my least favorite thing about Frozen is that is has gotten so popular that people go to see it with such high expectations, are disappointed and then trash on it because they were let down. It also makes it subject to youtube video series like these. I know that that video is part of a larger series and nitpicking is its MO, but it's that type of film...analysis?commentary?critique? that drives me up the wall. Lists of movie plotholes or whatever are so inane to me in your average movie but for a sing-songy disney flick with talking snowmen? I just can't.  

[BizBuzz]

"Let It Go" performed by Pearl Jam in concert! (No, I'm not kidding.)

 

O

M

G

 

I cannot tell you how many levels that rawked.  Seriously, that just made me love the song again. 

[ruby24]

I like the movie but to me this was nowhere near some of the great Disney movies of the past. It's not on the level of the early Renaissance movies like Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, etc. The music is not even close to what the Howard Ashman/Alan Menken team came up with.

 

I guess I just find the level of frenzy over this completely inexplicable. It's good, it's fine, but it's not great. For example, I don't think "Let It Go" would have stood a chance next to some of those older Disney songs in the Oscar race. I just think to say it's the best Disney movie ever made or even one of the best is borderline offensive.

 

It's closer to something like Mulan or Hercules in quality. Cute, harmless, but not transcendant.

Edited June 23, 2014 by ruby24

[jellysalmon]

I like the movie but to me this was nowhere near some of the great Disney movies of the past. It's not on the level of the early Renaissance movies like Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, etc. The music is not even close to what the Howard Ashman/Alan Menken team came up with.

 

I guess I just find the level of frenzy over this completely inexplicable. It's good, it's fine, but it's not great. For example, I don't think "Let It Go" would have stood a chance next to some of those older Disney songs in the Oscar race. I just think to say it's the best Disney movie ever made or even one of the best is borderline offensive.

 

It's closer to something like Mulan or Hercules in quality. Cute, harmless, but not transcendant.

Sorry to be borderline offensive then, but I'd probably rank it top 5, if not top 3.  I marathoned most of the classics last year and Little Mermaid,  Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and The Lion King, are the only ones that I enjoyed as much as I remembered. They're not without their flaws either and could easily be subject to plot nitpickyness. And I'd definitely consider Mulan and Hercules a tier below Frozen (although both of those have one killer song each.)

[WendyCR72]

Look what's coming for 2015. Surprised? Me, neither.

[Dejana]

Look what's coming for 2015. Surprised? Me, neither.

 

"Frozen Fever" is attached to Cinderella (opening this weekend) and Frozen 2 is officially in the works.

[Luckylyn]

I think the key to Frozen's success is  that Elsa has powers that girls find cool.   My niece loves to pretend she has the power to freeze things and make snow just like Elsa.  I'm sure other little girls love that as well.  Usually women with powers in Disney films are villains.  The other Disney heroines don't have powers at all except for Rapunzel and her healing ability isn't as flashy as what Elsa could do.  Being Elsa makes girls feel powerful. 

[wlk68]

I finally had a chance to see this and while I thought it was cute, that's all it was. Just cute. I don't quite get the ZOMG!Frozen!!!! hysteria that it generated. Let It Go is by far the best song in the movie but IMO that's not saying much. When I compare it with songs from other Disney movies I find it sorta ... meh.

[xls]

I finally had a chance to see this and while I thought it was cute, that's all it was. Just cute. I don't quite get the ZOMG!Frozen!!!! hysteria that it generated. Let It Go is by far the best song in the movie but IMO that's not saying much. When I compare it with songs from other Disney movies I find it sorta ... meh.

i don't get it at all.  By far the worst Disney movie I ever seen. I loathe this movie and Elsa was a total bitch. The only good thing about it was the snowman and the reindeer. 

[wlk68]

i don't get it at all.  By far the worst Disney movie I ever seen. I loathe this movie and Elsa was a total bitch. The only good thing about it was the snowman and the reindeer. 

I don't think Elsa was a bitch. I think she was traumatized by accidentally hurting her sister when they kids and that stayed with her. Everything she did was done with the goal of not bringing harm to anyone. I DO however blame the parents. If they had addressed the issue - tried to help Elsa learn to control/harness her powers rather than making her ashamed of who she was - and not blocked the memories from Anna, they all would've been better off.  Just my two cents ...  

[xls]

I can't think of a better word for a character who sends a snow monster out to kill her sister and friend just because she got her widdle feeling hurt. This film steal a great deal from Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer, only Rudolf dose not react to being treated differently by going into a snit and plunging a hole country into permanent winter.He did not react by hurting people on purpose. He did not react like a stereotypical, modern day reality show bitch. Elsa does. And her sister is just dumb by not forgetting her and just moving on.

[KatWay]

 

I can't think of a better word for a character who sends a snow monster out to kill her sister and friend just because she got her widdle feeling hurt.

She didn't want the snow monster to kill her sister or friend, only to get them out. It got a mind of its own, just like Olaf.

When does she hurt anyone on purpose in the movie? Mostly her powers are spinning out of control. She didn't even know the country was in permanent winter until Anna told her and she was perfectly fine just staying away from everyone forever, thinking they were happy and safe without her.

[xls]

She had perfect control over her powers when it suited the stupid story. She didn't learn her lesson the first time she hurt her sister and continues to lash out. It was her choice to LET IT GO-(a big "girl power moment" I guess) so yes, I will say thats on purpose. This sends a terrible message; if people hurt your widdle feewings just take out your anger and bitterness on every one, including your siblings! As long as you are beautiful and blond someone will come to your rescue and all will be forgiven!

[Brn2bwild]

I don't think someone who stays shut away in her room throughout most of her childhood years and avoids touching her parents because she doesn't want to hurt them is that concerned for her own feelings.  She was convinced that she was a menace and was only truly happy when she thought she was isolated and didn't have to worry about hurting anyone.  She didn't want to go back to Arendelle because she thought she would make things worse.

[KatWay]

Her parents told her that her that she had to suppress her feelings to control her powers, so it's hardly surprising that they spin out of control the second Elsa gets emotional because she's not used to controlling that way.

 

Let it go was basically Elsa embracing her powers but choosing to live alone in a remote place where she could be free and enjoy her ice and snow - without the fear that anyone would get hurt. She didn't set up camp right in Arendelle, she moved as far as possible away from people to avoid hurting people. How's that someone who doesn't care about anyone?

 

 

She didn't learn her lesson the first time she hurt her sister and continues to lash out.

She spent her entire life from that moment on locked in her room so that she wouldn't hurt Anna (or anyone else) again. Then when she loses control again, she runs away as far and fast as she can.

 

 

This sends a terrible message; if people hurt your widdle feewings just take out your anger and bitterness on every one, including your siblings! As long as you are beautiful and blond someone will come to your rescue and all will be forgiven!

Well, I can only say that I certainly didn't get this message. Like, at all. She's not taking out her anger on anyone, she's trying to protect herself and others from her powers. She tries to send Anna away, then gets upset when she hears what she accidentally did to Arendelle and unintentionally hurts Anna again. She's devastated when she later realises what happened to her, just as she was devastated when it happened the first time. Elsa's efforts are to get Anna away to protect her. And her sister coming to her rescue surely has nothing whatsoever to do with her being beautiful and blonde.

[Brn2bwild]

As an aside, am I the only person who prefers Elsa's before look?  Pre-"Let It Go" Elsa looked uptight, but at least she looked like a 21-year old.  After Elsa reminds me of a Real Housewife.  Between the dress and hair, she looks 40, and her 'do reminds me uncomfortably of the hairspray trend in the 80s/90s.  If Aquanet becomes popular again, I'm blaming you, Elsa!