Frozen

There is a certain magic and charm that comes from watching a Disney film that no other company can reproduce. They’re the uncontested leaders when it comes to animation and you only need to watch one of the dozen classic films to see why. Frozen is the latest film from Walt Disney Animation Studios and features everything you would expect from a classic Disney story executed nearly perfectly.

What instantly sets Frozen apart from the rest of the crowd is that it features two princesses, Elsa (Idina Menzel) and Anna (Kristen Bell). Elsa is next in line to be the Queen of the kingdom of Arendelle but she was gifted/cursed with the ability to create ice from her hands. As she fears that it is a power she can’t control, she distances herself from her sister and everyone in the kingdom. On the day she is to become Queen, she loses control and accidentally turns the entire kingdom into a frozen tundra.  Declared a monster by the citizens, she flees towards the mountains where she can reside alone and not hurt anyone. Anna, meanwhile, believes that she can help her sister and together they can fix Arendelle.

The relationship between Anna and Elsa is fantastic. There is no “evil Queen” trying to rule the kingdom through fear. It’s the fear that leads Elsa to unintentionally freeze everything and be called a monster as a result. Even though she can be a danger, her intentions always seem good. She’s just misunderstood. Opposite Elsa’s cold demeanor is Anna’s unwavering optimism and cheerfulness. She’s the princess who dreams of love at first sight and a fairytale wedding. Kristen Bell brings her goofiness and larger-than-life personality to the screen to create an instantly likeable character.

Instead of the stereotypical Prince Charming, Frozen features Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), an ice-selling mountain man who has a pet reindeer named Sven, who reminds me a lot of Maximus from Tangled. He’s a quirky fellow who prefers the company of animals over people as is made apparent by his reindeer voice he makes when having a “conversation” with Sven. That all changes when he meets Anna and decides to help her reach Elsa’s ice castle in the mountains.

As they venture towards the castle, they encounter the talking snowman Olaf (Josh Gad) who came to life as a result of Elsa’s powers. Olaf is absolutely hilarious and provides much of the comic relief throughout the film. He’s the dimwitted yet loveable sidekick who loves to give warm hugs.

Much of the charm charm also comes from Frozen’s amazing musical score as well. You can’t have a Disney animated film without a few sing and dance numbers and Frozen delivers multiple songs that’ll put a smile on your face and warm your heart. There’s no doubt that songs like “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” and “Let It Go” are going to become instant classics. Even better is that the majority of the cast is comprised of talented singers so when Anna or Elsa are singing, it’s actually Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel you’re hearing and not some stand-in.

Not only is Frozen a wonderful story filled with amazing characters, but it also has some of the most gorgeous animations I’ve seen in a long time. The snow and ice effects are spectacular and the vibrant visuals draw you into the colorful kingdom. The quality is something you would expect out of Pixar; it’s that good.

Frozen is an instant Disney classic with great characters, great music, and a great story that is sure to warm even the coldest of hearts. Once again, Disney has proven why they are the best at what they do.