Disney's The Princess And the Frog, THE OLD DISNEY IS BACK Options

[Master Fwiffo]

I'm not one for midnight showings. Somehow, I randomly got invited to the midnight showing for The Princess and the Frog, so I went.

Now, I'll totally admit I'm a guy who likes Disney movies (not that there's anything wrong with that!). So, with the promise of the return of musicals, 2-d animation, and a classical disney fairy tale romance, I've been looking forward to this movie. I had high hopes that it would be good, and at least invoke the spirit of the New Classics (Alladin, Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Lion King), but I expected something that would be, at best, another Mulan - IE, Close, but no Cigar.

I have never been happier to be proven wrong. Had Princess And the Frog been made directly after Lion King, we'd be reffering to it as one of the New Classics. It was easily the best since Lion King, and depending on how it fairs on rewatchability, it might top out over Little Mermaid and Aladin! No, I'm serious. Princess and the Frog was quite simply the most fun movie experience I've had in forever - not the Transformers EXPLOSIONS type fun, but actual gosh darn laugh, cry, scream and awww fun. Everyone (or at least, Everyone Who Likes Disney Musicals) should see this movie. I hope this is the dawn of a second rennaisance of Disney, and not a one off marvel. 9/10 at least!

SPOILERS FOLLOW:

Ok, first the villian. Honestly, he's almost as good as Scar. He's creepy, yet charming, but also legitimately scary (NO SERIOUSLY), well voice, and has a wonderful show-stopping number. He's seriously a villian in the best way - you love him and hate him at the same time for how deliciously evil he is.

The main plot is nothing particularly special, but the film puts it all into the characters, and you love all of them. Tiana is charming, the prince (whos name escapes me because it's 2:30 in the morning) is absolutely wonderful, the Gator is a lot of fun, the crazy blind voodoo Grandma is a riot, and the southern white 'Princess' is hysterical.

I was worried most about the firefly who, if you believe the marketing, solely exists to make crude jokes. I thought I was going to hate him. But I loved him, he's got a big heart, a bunch of good laughs, and the audience loved him.

SUPER MAJOR SPOILER. DO NOT READ. I AM SERIOUS. MAJOR PLOT SPLOILER AND HUGE SURPRISED RUINED. HIGHLIGHT AT YOUR OWN RISK.


IM SERIOUS. DONT READ.


OK. YOU CAN READ IT. BUT DONT WHINE TO ME.

HIGHLIGHT to view:
When they KILLED THE FIREFLY (THEY DID! SERIOUSLY) the entire crowd gasped and began to sniffle, myself included. Most heartbreaking thing since Mufassa died. I am serious.


The Musical Numbers were all spectacularly animated, and while I wasn't humming any as I drove home (mostly because each one was pushed out by another catchy tune within 10 minutes - seriously, there's a LOT of numbers in this film), I am going to hunt down the soundtrack ASAP. The songs are all a lot of fun, and the numbers to go with them make them even better.

The animation was consistantly wonderful, and you could tell the Animators put their heart into it. Seeing the beautifully drawn animation and wonderful, rich backgrounds almost brought a tear to my eyes by itself.

I think it will hold up on repeat viewings, and I'm eager to see it again. This is, unreservedly, the family movie to see this season, and in all honesty, tied for Up for family movie of the year. It's so good to see Disney back in gear again. I want to see more like this!

This post has been edited by Master Fwiffo: Dec 11 2009, 05:36 AM

[Stormrave]

OMG this is out now?

I know what I'm doing as soon as I can either 1. blackmail Zodiac into taking me or 2. get tired of plotting and go by myself.

[Powered Convoy]

My girlfriend and I are so seeing this tomorrow. I hope it really is great, thanks for the review Fwiff!

Randy

[---The Rat]

I'm going on a date with my favorite small blonde haired princess to see it tonight after work

[DrSpengler]

I'm conflicted. On the one hand, I think this looks good and I want it to do well in the box office so Disney finally returns to traditionally animated flicks and leaves the CG to Pixar...

But on the other hand, I'm going to feel absolutely humiliated going and buying a ticket.

Oh the crisis.


On another note, to those who've already seen in, was the movie the overtly racist OMG Klan Rally!11!! that BET and a bunch of black critics were making it out to be?

My instinct and freakin' common sense says no.

Still, ignoring those assclowns at BET, and from an objective standpoint, would you say there was any potentially offensive racial humor or portrayals? Or was it all completely and utterly manufactured BET racial hysteria? I read a review in Ebony magazine (posted online; its not like I have a subscription) and their film critic genuinely liked it, though he felt it should've come out years ago.

This post has been edited by DrSpengler: Dec 11 2009, 12:10 PM

[Master Fwiffo]

Still, ignoring those assclowns at BET, and from an objective standpoint, would you say there was any potentially offensive racial humor or portrayals?

I'd say no, but it depends on your definition of racism. If anything, it's racist against white people! One's a minor villian, another couple are swamp frog hunters that are the definition of redneck, the white 'princess' is totally vain and self absorbed (but has a good heart), and her rich southern white father is a total pushover (and totally loveable). Tiana comes from a poor background, and you could read into that all you want, but it'd be making a stink out of nothing. Only the main villian is black, but a lot of supporting characters are black as well, and none of them have any outstanding character flaws. Tiana is a stereotype buster in herself, but it's got far, far more to do with her gender than her race.

I mean, I suppose you could say that the racial attitudes in 1920(?) New Orleans weren't half as happy and cheerful and modern as the film makes them out to be - because they really weren't - but race is pretty much a non-factor as far as the writing is concerned. They're all good *characters*, and their race has jack at all to do with that.

[ChessPieceFace]

But on the other hand, I'm going to feel absolutely humiliated going and buying a ticket.

I haven't bought a movie ticket from a person in a long time. Why not buy online or from an automated kiosk? It's faster anyway.

[Solarstorm]

I was going to take my daughter to see it this weekend. It would be her first movie (in a theater). She's 3.

But she came down with the Flu earlier in the week. Then she gave her sister, my wife, and me the flu afterwards (a day and a 1/2 before two of my Finals!).

We're going to hold off another week or so and make sure everyone's back in shape before any excursions to the movie theater.

This post has been edited by Solarstorm: Dec 11 2009, 01:16 PM

[The Predaking]

I'm conflicted. On the one hand, I think this looks good and I want it to do well in the box office so Disney finally returns to traditionally animated flicks and leaves the CG to Pixar...

But on the other hand, I'm going to feel absolutely humiliated going and buying a ticket.

Oh the crisis.

Right there with you.

[Wheelimus]

I'm conflicted. On the one hand, I think this looks good and I want it to do well in the box office so Disney finally returns to traditionally animated flicks and leaves the CG to Pixar...

But on the other hand, I'm going to feel absolutely humiliated going and buying a ticket.

Oh the crisis.


On another note, to those who've already seen in, was the movie the overtly racist OMG Klan Rally!11!! that BET and a bunch of black critics were making it out to be?

My instinct and freakin' common sense says no.

Still, ignoring those assclowns at BET, and from an objective standpoint, would you say there was any potentially offensive racial humor or portrayals? Or was it all completely and utterly manufactured BET racial hysteria? I read a review in Ebony magazine (posted online; its not like I have a subscription) and their film critic genuinely liked it, though he felt it should've come out years ago.

Eh, just go for it. I think you'll find the only embarrassment is that which you bring in with you. When I went to see the Toy Story 3D Double Feature, by myself mind you, they didn't even bat an eye.

Currently sitting at 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, should be fun.

[TM2-Megatron]

I'm conflicted. On the one hand, I think this looks good and I want it to do well in the box office so Disney finally returns to traditionally animated flicks and leaves the CG to Pixar...

But on the other hand, I'm going to feel absolutely humiliated going and buying a ticket.

Oh the crisis.

Right there with you.

Automated ticket thingies, as ChessPieceFace said. I use them to buy tickets to all the movies I'd be hesitant to buy tickest for from a person, lol.

[Powered Convoy]

I don't know why anyone would be embarrassed to buy a ticket to a Disney movie.

Randy

[Wheelimus]

It might be an age thing. My give a damn didn't completely break until I turned 28.

[Dissever]

The beau and I will be seeing this on Sunday! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon-hotrod.gif)

[Wingus]

Seeing this tonight with a bunch of guy friends and a couple of female friends. My mom thought the female friends talked all of us into it, but we're just a bunch of dorks that love a good Disney movie. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon-fire.gif)

[Esser-Z]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon-fire.gif)

I'll go to it Soon.

[DrSpengler]

Alright, just got back (used the automated machine like ChessPiece recommended).


Wow. Gotta say, OP wasn't exagerrating in the slightest. "Princess and the Frog" really is on equal ground in terms of quality with the "Second Golden Age" flicks, like "Lion King" and "Little Mermaid".

It was really, really good.

There was a lot mroe music in this one than most of the classic Disney musicals. They were breaking out into song every two minutes and I'd say close to 80% of the whole flickw as nothing but musical numbers. That might sound like an unpleasant thing at first, but eery song in this movie was great. Randy Newman did a fantastic job, even if he is "the whitest white man to ever set foot in the Big Easy", as BET called him. Hard to determine which song was my favorite, but I think it's a tie between "Friends on the Other Side" (one of the best Disney villain songs, hands down) and "Dig a Little Deeper" (gotta love the inspirational numbers).

I think what made this such a wonderful film, what really put it over the top, was that there were absolutely NO unlikeable characters. There were no obnoxious, shallow or overbearing characters to make you cringe in your seat; there was something about everyone that you could like.

I thought Charlotte was going to be an annoying little brat at first, but she turned out to be quite likeable. She was sweet and demanding, but with a good heart and was genuine friends with Tiana, which took me by surprise, because all I'd read said she was going to be some bossy punk who mistreated the main character.

The "sidekick characters" were done perfectly. They weren't useless, hollow "comedy relief" shells inserted to garner cheap laughs, like most of the sidekick characters from lesser Disney films. They each had something of value to offer and had their own wonderful character arcs.

After watching the teasers and trailers, I was so sure I was going to hate Ray, but I wound up loving him. His whole bit with Evangeline was just beautiful, especially by the end. And the only real "fart joke" was inserted into the teasers (there's no fart noise in the actual movie, thankfully). He was as enjoyable a sidekick character as you can ever hope for in a Disney flick. And Louis was great, too. Really fun, inviting some of the funnier moments (like his flashback sequence).

Prince Naveen was yet ANOTHER character I wasn't sure I was going to like. I thought he was going to be an overbearing horndog constantly trying to "get some" from Tiana, but wound up just being a loveable and self-confident slacker. I think I enjoyed his character development over the source of the film more than Tiana's, but their actual romance felt very natural and well-paced.


And then there's the one character I KNEW I was going to love before I even saw the first trailer: Facilier. I mean, dude, Kieth David. He was more than I could've hoped for and, yeah, I'd say that already he's one of the best Disney villains ever, right up there with Scar. He's evil, charming, spooky (his shadow demons were pretty awesome), his villain song rocks and he's got one of the best "ends" of any villian from any Disney movie.

He's just awesome. But I already knew he was going to be. Again: Kieth David.

The movie's got some excellent themes and a great moral lesson that doesn't hit the audience too hard over the head, but is delivered very nicely and is underlined fluidly in nearly every scene in the movie. The difference between wanting and needing something, never lose sight of goals and keep wishing, but don't think it's going to come to you without putting in the hard work...all that stuff.

Very inspiring and just the kind of message delivery that'll make an impact on kids. Not lame and overbearing like Captain Planet, but not lost in the plot or comedy hijinks. Just right.

The movie's got a bit of an edge to it, too. Perhaps the most we've seen in a Disney flick since "Lilo and Stitch". There's a lot of emotional impact, especially during one part at the end. I won't ruin it for you, but it got the kids in the audience weeping. Not "Up" calibur weeping, no, but sobbing nevertheless.


I can hardly think of a thing to complain about, really. If I had one nitpick, it would be that the digital texturing of props and backgrounds (you know, overlaying a complicated texture over a quilt or a log so that it can move without losing or confusing its pattern) didn't look natural enough when the characters interacted with them, ocassionally looking kind of stiff and too "computery". But that's a very, very minor complaint and likely won't bug anyone.


"Princess and the Frog" was just great. Best thing Disney's come out with since "Lilo and Stitch" and as good a musical as their "Second Golden Age" titles. All the things I thought I was going to dislike about the film, I would up liking. And everything I thougt I was going to like about the film, I wound up loving.

Disney is so freakin' back, it hurts. Now if they can just keep it up...

This post has been edited by DrSpengler: Dec 11 2009, 06:21 PM

[Powered Convoy]

Good to hear everyone's liking it so far. I'm going to go see it tomorrow. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon-hotrod.gif)

Randy

[Greengoblin]

Personally i thought this was quite good, Lion King is a wee bit overrated and so is Beauty and The Beast. I think Aladdin, Emperor's New Groove and Mulan are far better then them.

[TM2-Megatron]

Personally i thought this was quite good, Lion King is a wee bit overrated and so is Beauty and The Beast. I think Aladdin, Emperor's New Groove and Mulan are far better then them.

I agree on Aladdin; that was my personal favourite of Disney's last Golden Era... whether Mulan was included in it is debatable. But Emperor's New Groove wasn't even close; it was off by a good 5 years, and several degrees of quality.