Disney's Frozen

[Dacey]

which...brings us back to new re-examined theories about just how Beauty&Beast and Lion King got all that darn iconic praise in the first place.

Vulture from Jungle Book: "Now don't start that again!"

No, seriously, don't.

[ShyViolet]

So far three very positive reviews on RT:

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/mobile/m/frozen_2013/

[Ben]

The problem is...great films are not made, they're happy surprises. If you try and capture that kind of surprise, or anticipate it, it doesn't work.

No-one had any idea that Beauty would suddenly become a Best Picture critical success, or that The Lion King (a film that was "dumped" in the summer with a projection to make $50m total) would become the phenomenal commercial success it did.

The audience make those films classics...to try and make one, and then to promote it as such...well, the audience have a habit of letting the Studios know when they've got it wrong. Hopefully, and as more and more reviews suggest, maybe Disney has got it right and they know they're onto the right track. Here's hoping anyway...from what I've seen so far, I'm none-too jazzed...

[EricJ]

Back when everybody, ahem, thought Wreck-It Ralph had the lock on the Best Animated Oscar, everyone celebrated early that "Disney finally built its self-respect back up again, to be an equal to Pixar!" (Or, "superior to Pixar", depending on which movie they were rooting to win.)
It's possible that factor may come into play with people suddenly noticing, ohh, that's why Tangled was so good, and building the hype about the "new Lasseter Renaissance having finally arrived" (sort of like Lion King "validated" the three other hits before it) even if they're one of those skeptic folk who never got around to see Ralph in the theaters.

I've seen enough sneaked plot to give this film the benefit of the doubt.
Yes, I'm not even bothered by the comedy-relief snowman and reindeer. (He is Olaf, you are Sven; he is Olaf, you are Sven... )

[ShyViolet]

Variety's review:
(Some spoilers)

http://variety.com/2013/film/reviews/fr ... 200782020/

[ShyViolet]

So far 100% on RT! (ten reviews) I really think they have a shot at BAF this year!


http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/frozen_2013/

[Ben]

I love how, in most reviews I have read, Get A Horse is not only getting a mention each time, but often suggesting it's better than the main feature. I can't wait to see it - we must be looking at the Best Short winner here?

[ShyViolet]

So far 91%! Yay! Plus Leonard Maltin liked it.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/frozen_2013/

Profile on Get A Horse! directors:

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/mo ... z2lUrjJ4mg

[Mister_Pengui]

Beautiful prezi about the Frozen: http://prezi.com/0jt39kxz23n0/disneys-frozen/
I am so excited about it, and sure that it's gonna be a legendary animation movie!

[Scar]

Kristen Bell was on Ellen today talking about Frozen. Did anyone else catch the interview?

[droosan]

I caught Frozen Tuesday night (the movie opened in L.A. theaters a day early) .. and I really enjoyed it!

Kinda hard to discuss much about the plot without spoiling some surprises .. but I did find the film to be refreshingly different from the tone of its early trailers.

I appreciate the fact that Frozen embraces the trappings of stage musicals much moreso than Tangled or The Princess and the Frog -- the transitions from dialogue to song and back-to-talking are quite deftly handled, the lyrics are often clever, and the themes both memorable and hummable.

The production design and character animation is jaw-droppingly gorgeous. Each new Disney film of the past few years seems to raise the bar a bit higher, and push the envelope a bit further .. and Frozen is no exception.

For those worried about / lamenting the snowman sidekick: he does 'make sense' in the context of the film .. and offers some poignant scenes, in addition to his comic relief.

However .. (WARNING: SOME SPOILERS IN HERE)

.. The reason Elsa was born with 'snow powers' doesn't seem to ever be explained. This doesn't affect the movie's plot at all .. so I'm not sure yet whether that's brilliant, or sloppy.

The death of the king and queen -- while handled with class, and without dialogue -- still seemed to serve primarily as a method for simplifying the plot. They knew too much ..

I was actually kinda let-down by the twist concerning the prince. IMO, it would've been rather more interesting if he were actually the 'straight-arrow' good-guy he'd appeared to be, in most of the film. But then Anna might've been forced to make a hard choice, in the end ..

The swedish trading-post proprietor is such a scene-stealing character, that I can't believe he was never revisited -- even for just a 'curtain-call' appearance..!

.. but there was so much I'd loved about Frozen, that those quibbles are minor, at best. I'm definitely gonna be seeing it a few more times, while it's in theaters!

Get A Horse! was also fun -- but not at all what I was expecting it to be. A lot of brilliant work went into it, obviously .. but (IMO) it felt more like watching a Disneyland 'attraction' show, than a 'theatrical' short.

[ShyViolet]

That's great to hear! Will be seeing it Monday, very excited.

[Ben]

Glad to hear you liked it Droo! Can't wait to see it...reviews have been stellar and each one seems to say it can't discuss it without revealing spoliers so I'm very intrigued.

I'm also super-glad to learn that Frozen is coming to the UK December 10! Usually we have to wait until February for our Thanksgiving-timeframe Disney treats but I guess the subject matter makes more sense to release it earlier (plus we get Saving Mr Banks from this Friday so that's pretty cool too!). A long way from the year-long (yes, twelve months!) we used to have to wait between movies back in the Mermaid-through-Lion King days...

[LotsoA113]

So, yeah, just saw Frozen. And now, I finally know that feeling of wonder and joy people felt whenever they first saw Beauty & The Beast, The Lion King, or any great piece of cinema really. Prepare yourselves folks...this is a movie not to be missed.

Because I'm too swept away by this wonderful film, here are a few random thoughts and observations:

Eric Goldberg worked on Get a Horse! much to my delight.

At one point, the painting, The Swing, appears, a nice nod to Glen Keane

Olf is perfect, hilarious, poignant and one of the best characters I've seen in a film all year. His song is an ingenious idea and easily the highlight of the film

The animation here is phenomenal, giving surprising range to the wintry landscapes

There is just so much greatness in here, I can't express it. Just go see Frozen right this second.

[Bill1978]

I would but I have to wait 27 days for it to open.