Guest Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 I haven't seen it yet, but all my piano students want to play songs from Frozen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenamarie Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 I don't even remember Enchanted.. Was that with "real people" and not animated?It was both. It had a stereo-typical animated princess who sings, and has animal friends, and falls in love with a prince she just met, who ends up being thrown into OUR world by her evil-step-mother, and finds that the typical "princess movie" formula doesn't work so well in real life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just_A_Guy Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 Her clothing change I saw as another way she was breaking free of ("letting go") all the rules and fear that had suppressed her as a child. Prior to that she'd always been dressed in such a way that only her face was exposed (high-necked, long-sleeved dresses + gloves). Now she could wear what she wanted, because she didn't need to fear touching something with her skin and exposing her power (like when she took off the gloves at her coronation to take hold of the septer).So, is that new dress of hers made of ice?Because . . . Brrr.I thought the "Let it Go" sequence was very well done. The rest of the music . . . Forgettable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingnut Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 I thought the "Let it Go" sequence was very well done. The rest of the music . . . Forgettable.I very much agree. I did like the opening song, with the ice-men. Unfortunately, it didn't fit with the rest of the movie in the least bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 I very much agree. I did like the opening song, with the ice-men. Unfortunately, it didn't fit with the rest of the movie in the least bit.That whole sequence was the back-story for Cristoff and Sven as an ice-loving fella and uhm, donkey? team that eventually grew up making ice as his business. It also led to his discovery of the trolls and how they became friends.But yeah, that backstory would have been perfect if Cristoff was paired with Elsa! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 So, is that new dress of hers made of ice?Because . . . Brrr.I thought the "Let it Go" sequence was very well done. The rest of the music . . . Forgettable.So, my nieces and I downloaded this app called Yokee (it sucks, so I am not recommending this) and we've been singing our hearts out and we have 5 we like the best from Frozen:Let It Go (of course)Do You Want To Build A Snowman (complete with dialogue, lol)For the first time in ForeverFixer UpperIn SummerYeah, yeah... we're karaoke people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingnut Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 (edited) That whole sequence was the back-story for Cristoff and Sven as an ice-loving fella and uhm, donkey? team that eventually grew up making ice as his business. It also led to his discovery of the trolls and how they became friends.I get that it was supposed to be, but they didn't follow it through very well.Also, it's a reindeer. :)But yeah, that backstory would have been perfect if Cristoff was paired with Elsa!Even though he ended up with Anna, they still could have worked this in better. He saw the king and queen take the girls to the trolls when they were all younger, but he never brought it up with Anna!!! Without tying that in, it makes the opening sequence completely pointless. Edited January 16, 2014 by Wingnut typo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bini Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 Well, Flynn Rider will always be my Disney hunk! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vort Posted January 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 That was one enormous reindeer. Half moose, I'm guessing.And the cutesy snowman was an unabashed marketing gimmick, no two ways about it. That is not Vort being cynical; that is Disney being cynical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bini Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 That was one enormous reindeer. Half moose, I'm guessing.And the cutesy snowman was an unabashed marketing gimmick, no two ways about it. That is not Vort being cynical; that is Disney being cynical.My husband hated that snowman. The kiddos in the cinema seemed to find him funny but DH was really bothered by him. He said if he had to name just one thing that spoiled the film - it was the snowman. I agree too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just_A_Guy Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 Did the snowman play any significant role at the climax of the movie? The scene was a little too intense for my five-year-old, whom I had to usher out into the lobby; so I sort of missed out on the whole resolution-part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 That was one enormous reindeer. Half moose, I'm guessing.And the cutesy snowman was an unabashed marketing gimmick, no two ways about it. That is not Vort being cynical; that is Disney being cynical.But Olaf saved Anna... while melting... which was really cute. I love the snowman. He's my favorite character in the film. And yes, the third time I watched the movie, I was thinking - ohhh, that gown would be perfect for my niece... that gown, and that gown... so, yeah, I'm all sold on Disney gimmicks.Oh, I have to mention... that movie Guardians - where they tried to make minnion-like elves and trolls... that was a flop gimmick. They should consult me before they put gimmicks on the screen... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bini Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 But Olaf saved Anna... while melting... which was really cute. I love the snowman. He's my favorite character in the film. And yes, the third time I watched the movie, I was thinking - ohhh, that gown would be perfect for my niece... that gown, and that gown... so, yeah, I'm all sold on Disney gimmicks.Oh, I have to mention... that movie Guardians - where they tried to make minnion-like elves and trolls... that was a flop gimmick. They should consult me before they put gimmicks on the screen... I can be specific about what I didn't like about the snowman. He just wasn't funny or cute but they forced the funny/cute factor anyway and it just fell short. Very short. I appreciated the sentiment of the snowman willingly melting for the sake of the princess, giving your life for another is generally considered selfless, but other than that - they should have kept to the drawingboard.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingnut Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 I think the only thing that the snowman added of value to the film is that he triggered memories that had been removed from Anna's psyche. But it was unclear whether she just suddenly remember Olaf, or whether seeing him brought back everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dravin Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 (edited) I don't see how a decision by Disney of, "Lets squeeze in a character with marketing potential even if they aren't critical to the plot." is Disney being cynical. Can someone explain it to me? Disney is a for profit company, such thinking strikes me as unsurprising and pretty much within the norms of a company marketing a movie towards children. Also, thinking that children may not be as concerned with plot coherency and flow as they will be with the 'cuteness' of characters doesn't strike me as a distrust of humanity or it's motives, anymore so than an action movie putting in extraneous explosions does.Maybe I'm just too cynical to see it as cynicism? Edited January 16, 2014 by Dravin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 You guys just made me have to look up the word cynical on my handy dandy industrial-grade dictionary. Which made me have to smack my head... reminding myself... it's a cartoon movie! Sit back and enjoy. We're not supposed to have to think hard about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just_A_Guy Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 We're not supposed to have to think hard about it.(Random tangent): FWIW, as I recall Disney himself made anti-Hitler propaganda during WW2; so IMHO it's never a bad thing to watch something--even a cartoon--and think "OK, what is the message that the creators wanted me to take away from this?" But I do get your overall point that we don't necessarily want to over-think things here. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Normandy Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 My family loved Brave. It's honestly the best Disney movie since The Little Mermaid.We haven't seen Frozen yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vort Posted January 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 I don't see how a decision by Disney of, "Lets squeeze in a character with marketing potential even if they aren't critical to the plot." is Disney being cynical. Can someone explain it to me?It has to do with story integrity. Disney is in the business of telling stories. Obviously, they are in it to make money. But there are certain expectations that we have of those who perform service for money: They aren't supposed to prostitute themselves. They aren't supposed to harm innocents in their service. They aren't supposed to make life more evil. And they aren't supposed to water down their own product to increase profits.Adding in an unimportant character in a minor role for a marketing opportunity strikes me as watering down the storyline. Adding that manifestly unimportant character in a quasi-major -- AND UTTERLY UNNECESSARY -- role is beyond watering things down; it's blatant cynicism. It's a children's cartoon that exists solely to market the toy dolls you can buy. When marketing a product becomes its own end, then cynicism rules.If they really felt like they needed the cutesy stupid snowman in the story, they should have given him an actual important, meaningful role. Now, anyone who has written a sizable story will tell you that the story already exists in their mind before they put pen to paper. The storyteller usually is not actively inventing the story in any conscious sense; he is simply retelling the story from the inner voice giving it to him.That does not mean the story itself is holy and inviolable, of course. There is nothing wrong per se with tinkering with the elements of a story to make it more palatable to the intended audience, or even to make it more marketable.But when you consciously and dramatically weaken YOUR OWN STORY because you think you can squeeze a few extra bucks out of a useless character -- that's pure cynicism. The effort has ceased to be about telling an entertaining and potentially important and honest story, and has explicitly entered the realm of existence-purely-for-monetary-profit. I can think of little in the business world more cynical than that, until you get to the point of actually selling off human life or well-being for profit -- which of course is rampant. But until now, I never associated Disney with such overt cynicism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Folk Prophet Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 But until now, I never associated Disney with such overt cynicism.Apparently you've never watched the Disney Channel or seen their direct-to-video content from the 90s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dravin Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 (edited) I've just seen way too much children's entertainment in general, and Disney's productions (particularly direct to video or from their channels) in particular, to see the inclusion of extraneous characters in the hopes of increasing profits at the expense of tight plotting to be below the standards of the children's entertainment industry in general or Disney in particular. Maybe I am too cynical to see it, because from my perspective Disney's effort is to make money, which they accomplish by telling stories (among other things). Edited January 17, 2014 by Dravin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bini Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 I'm all for the feminist movement but I think some people have been overly critical of Disney. This was posted on my tumblr feed and I'm glad someone mentioned the following films where the princess in fact saves the day - and the prince :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beefche Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 Funny, I was just commenting to Dravin recently that I am so sick and tired of the highly militant female leads in movies and cartoons who declare they don't need a man.Yes they do. Just as men need women. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with a man wanting to protect and save his woman. Just as there is nothing wrong with a woman wanting to protect and save her man. And she can still be a strong character if she steps aside and lets her man save the day.But, I'm just commenting on the poster from Bini. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bini Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 Funny, I was just commenting to Dravin recently that I am so sick and tired of the highly militant female leads in movies and cartoons who declare they don't need a man.People will always put their own spin on things and interpret them a little bit differently. I'm not certain I could pinpoint a Disney film where a female lead declares that she doesn't need a man.Yes they do. Just as men need women. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with a man wanting to protect and save his woman. Just as there is nothing wrong with a woman wanting to protect and save her man. And she can still be a strong character if she steps aside and lets her man save the day.But, I'm just commenting on the poster from Bini.Well I can't speak for other women but I very much need my husband, and it feels good that he needs me too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingnut Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 mordorbund 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.