"Frozen" - directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee
Already a big hit in the U.S, "Frozen" is a retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen story "The Snow Queen".
The success of the film must be a great relief to Disney - it cost $150,000,000 to make.
I have no point of reference on this subject- I generally have no idea what a modern computer animated movie costs to make.
One hundred and fifty million dollars might be a relatively modest amount for a feature length movie for all I know.
What is clear is that it buys some seriously impressive animation.
The snow and ice in this film are utterly amazing and the facial animation of the characters is some of the best that I have ever seen.
The character design is not going for realism as such- they still look like animated movie characters by design.
But character expressions - be they subtle or overt are excellently rendered.
Quality of animation and rendering is one thing- quality of the final product quite another.
"Despicable Me 2" was one of my favourite movies this year but it would be the only animated movie remotely close to my top ten for the year.
A few I have enjoyed such as "The Croods" and "Monsters Inc".
That's enjoyed - not loved.
Pretty much the normal result for me and animated films these days.
I find them technically astounding but more often than not lacking in most other areas.
The first concern for me with "Frozen" was the immediate breaking out of a song.
I had completely forgotten that this was a musical.
Musicals are easily my least liked genre.
But soon we are introduced to the lead characters - Royal Princess sisters Elsa and Anna.
Eldest sister Elsa has a special gift in that she can make ice at will.
She uses her skills to create a dynamic ride for Anna but the younger girls youthful enthusiasm proves too much for her ability and a stray ice shot hits her square on the head.
Rushed to some mysterious boulder Trolls she is cured.
There is a side effect however - all memory of the event and of Elsa's ability is erased from her mind.
This being a fairy tale the parents are then promptly killed during a sea voyage leaving the girls alone in the castle.
Elsa reacts to both events my shutting Anna out of her life in the thinking that it is for her own good.
They grow apart over the years until Anna is an imaginative down to earth young woman with a romantic streak and a sense of adventure.
Elsa on the other hand is a recluse who just wants to remain alone lest her power be discovered and she hurts anyone.
This desire is lost when the castle doors are opened to the whole kingdom and in front of Anna's new fiance she loses control and brings an eternal winter upon the land.
When I describe Anna's fiance as 'new' I am not joking.
They are engaged within a few short hours of his arrival.
Much is made of this in a very funny fashion shortly afterwards.
One of the things that I do like about "Frozen" is that whilst not a particularly original story (it is based on a classic after all) it manages to inject some surprises into the mix.
Firstly a second love interest is introduced with Kristoff.
Kristoff harvests and sells blocks of ice.
Not a great job given the little eternal winter debacle.
Kristoff brings with him a reindeer named Sven.
Although lacking in dialogue Sven brings a lot of the humour to the film.
Until the arrival of Olaf of course.
Olaf is a snowman who longs for Summer.
Elsa created him and the film picks up any time that he is on screen.
Think Sid the Sloth from the Ice Age movies - a bit stupid, a bit inept but very funny.
He has lots of little moments that improve scenes no end.
Most of it is centred around his ignorance of what summer and heat do to snow but when it works this well the filmmakers are right to milk it.
There is also physical comedy to be garnered from his frequent destruction and an ongoing battle to keep his carrot nose away from the hungry mouth of Sven.
What Olaf really brings to the movie is a bit of extra zing from all around him.
This is a character that allows others to bounce off him and it works really well.
The excellent voice performance from Josh Gad aids no end in making Olaf an audience pleaser.
Kristen Bell as Anna is also excellent and I loved the always great Alan Tudyk as The Duke.
Veterans Ciaran Hinds, Edie McClurg and Robert Pine also provide voices to Grandpa, Gerda and the Bishop.
Kristoff is good character and even though he arrives after Anna's first love interest Hans he is immediately likeable.
There is more to both men than you may first think.
Adding in some layers and surprises is one the strengths with this film.
I suspect it is this aspect that will mean it is not too hard for parents to sit through as their children chuckle at the antics of Olaf and Sven.
There is a very clear mission at the centre of events as Anna tries to get her Sister back and thaw out the kingdom.
The self serving Duke, a nasty snow monster and a surprise villain do all that they can to prevent it.
I quite enjoyed "Frozen".
I laughed a fair bit and found myself invested in Anna's plight.
Not so much with Elsa who is a character far too underwritten to resonate.
This is really Anna's movie though so that is fine.
The songs didn't annoy me as much as they usually do in movies.
Why take three minutes to sing about your troubles and woes when a decent burst of dialogue exchange can impart it with far greater emotion?
Music can deliver emotion - I know- it's just not often done that well as far as I am concerned.
There are exceptions (usually bearing the name Pixar).
The second Toy Story has a couple of great songs that genuinely do convey some pretty heavy emotion.
The singing itself is damned good- specially Idina Menzel as Elsa.
It's the songs that let it down.
"Frozen" is so much stronger in dialogue than song that I wish that they had ditched the musical aspect and just played to the films strength.
All that said this is a fun film and an ideal choice for kids young and old.
It zips by looking phenomenally good and thanks to Olaf and Sven entertains nicely for its entire length.
the 3D is neither amazing nor damaging - take your pick.
I saw it in 3D but suspect that this one might look more vibrant in 2D.
The success of the film must be a great relief to Disney - it cost $150,000,000 to make.
I have no point of reference on this subject- I generally have no idea what a modern computer animated movie costs to make.
One hundred and fifty million dollars might be a relatively modest amount for a feature length movie for all I know.
What is clear is that it buys some seriously impressive animation.
The snow and ice in this film are utterly amazing and the facial animation of the characters is some of the best that I have ever seen.
The character design is not going for realism as such- they still look like animated movie characters by design.
But character expressions - be they subtle or overt are excellently rendered.
Quality of animation and rendering is one thing- quality of the final product quite another.
"Despicable Me 2" was one of my favourite movies this year but it would be the only animated movie remotely close to my top ten for the year.
A few I have enjoyed such as "The Croods" and "Monsters Inc".
That's enjoyed - not loved.
Pretty much the normal result for me and animated films these days.
I find them technically astounding but more often than not lacking in most other areas.
 |
| Anna (left with fiance Hans) and the 'gifted' Elsa (right) |
I had completely forgotten that this was a musical.
Musicals are easily my least liked genre.
But soon we are introduced to the lead characters - Royal Princess sisters Elsa and Anna.
Eldest sister Elsa has a special gift in that she can make ice at will.
She uses her skills to create a dynamic ride for Anna but the younger girls youthful enthusiasm proves too much for her ability and a stray ice shot hits her square on the head.
Rushed to some mysterious boulder Trolls she is cured.
There is a side effect however - all memory of the event and of Elsa's ability is erased from her mind.
 |
| Kristoff the ice man |
Elsa reacts to both events my shutting Anna out of her life in the thinking that it is for her own good.
They grow apart over the years until Anna is an imaginative down to earth young woman with a romantic streak and a sense of adventure.
Elsa on the other hand is a recluse who just wants to remain alone lest her power be discovered and she hurts anyone.
This desire is lost when the castle doors are opened to the whole kingdom and in front of Anna's new fiance she loses control and brings an eternal winter upon the land.
When I describe Anna's fiance as 'new' I am not joking.
They are engaged within a few short hours of his arrival.
Much is made of this in a very funny fashion shortly afterwards.
One of the things that I do like about "Frozen" is that whilst not a particularly original story (it is based on a classic after all) it manages to inject some surprises into the mix.
Firstly a second love interest is introduced with Kristoff.
Kristoff harvests and sells blocks of ice.
Not a great job given the little eternal winter debacle.
Kristoff brings with him a reindeer named Sven.
Although lacking in dialogue Sven brings a lot of the humour to the film.
Until the arrival of Olaf of course.
Olaf is a snowman who longs for Summer.
 |
| The Duke (voiced by Alan Tudyk) |
Think Sid the Sloth from the Ice Age movies - a bit stupid, a bit inept but very funny.
He has lots of little moments that improve scenes no end.
Most of it is centred around his ignorance of what summer and heat do to snow but when it works this well the filmmakers are right to milk it.
There is also physical comedy to be garnered from his frequent destruction and an ongoing battle to keep his carrot nose away from the hungry mouth of Sven.
What Olaf really brings to the movie is a bit of extra zing from all around him.
This is a character that allows others to bounce off him and it works really well.
The excellent voice performance from Josh Gad aids no end in making Olaf an audience pleaser.
Kristen Bell as Anna is also excellent and I loved the always great Alan Tudyk as The Duke.
Veterans Ciaran Hinds, Edie McClurg and Robert Pine also provide voices to Grandpa, Gerda and the Bishop.
Kristoff is good character and even though he arrives after Anna's first love interest Hans he is immediately likeable.
There is more to both men than you may first think.
Adding in some layers and surprises is one the strengths with this film.
I suspect it is this aspect that will mean it is not too hard for parents to sit through as their children chuckle at the antics of Olaf and Sven.
There is a very clear mission at the centre of events as Anna tries to get her Sister back and thaw out the kingdom.
The self serving Duke, a nasty snow monster and a surprise villain do all that they can to prevent it.
 |
| Olaf the Summer craving snowman and Sven the carrot craving reindeer.... |
I laughed a fair bit and found myself invested in Anna's plight.
Not so much with Elsa who is a character far too underwritten to resonate.
This is really Anna's movie though so that is fine.
The songs didn't annoy me as much as they usually do in movies.
Why take three minutes to sing about your troubles and woes when a decent burst of dialogue exchange can impart it with far greater emotion?
Music can deliver emotion - I know- it's just not often done that well as far as I am concerned.
There are exceptions (usually bearing the name Pixar).
The second Toy Story has a couple of great songs that genuinely do convey some pretty heavy emotion.
The singing itself is damned good- specially Idina Menzel as Elsa.
It's the songs that let it down.
"Frozen" is so much stronger in dialogue than song that I wish that they had ditched the musical aspect and just played to the films strength.
All that said this is a fun film and an ideal choice for kids young and old.
It zips by looking phenomenally good and thanks to Olaf and Sven entertains nicely for its entire length.
the 3D is neither amazing nor damaging - take your pick.
I saw it in 3D but suspect that this one might look more vibrant in 2D.
| Rated | G - nothing remotely offensive |
| Running Time: | 108 minutes |
| Starring: |
| Kristen Bell | --- Anna |
| Idina Menzel | --- Elsa |
| Jonathan Groff | --- Kristoff |
| Josh Gad | --- Olaf |
| Alan Tudyk | --- The Duke |
| Santino Fontana | --- Hans |
| Ciaran Hinds | --- Grandpa |
| Edie McClurg | --- Gerda |
| Chris Williams | --- Oaken |
| Stephen J Anderson | --- Kai |
| Rober Pine | --- Bishop |
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