Frozen, the latest Disney Princess movie that was claimed to have been the best movie since The Lion King. Does it hold it up as a Disney Classic?

The Princess and the Frog was released in 2009, in an effort to restore the Disney Animation Company's reputation. In this movie they went back to their own roots, using a fairy tale revolving around a princess, who receives her Prince Charming in the end, and sings catchy tunes along the way. Notable differences from the other movies included an African American protagonist (Disney's first!) and a modern setting (New Orleans, Louisiana). Although critics generally liked it, they said it lacked the spunk and vibrancy of the earlier Disney films, and criticized the music for lacking in variety. A cute little charmer in its own right, The Princess and the Frog did not do as well in the box office as they had hoped.

In 2010, Disney Animation made a second attempt to return to the Company's former glory, with Tangled. They wanted to make it noticeably different from their last movie because it didn't do as well as they had hoped. They decided to scrap the hand-drawn animation and created their first computer generated Disney Princess, Rapunzel. However, because they thought the title of their previous movie scared off some boys from seeing it (because of the word princess) they decided to create the character of Flynn Rider who would play a large part in the story. Girls could relate to the lovely, Rapunzel, while boys could enjoy the dashing theif, Flynn Rider. Another notable change was that the songs were different than the typical show tunes in previous Disney flicks, taking on a more pop edge, using the piano and acoustic guitar to create it's catchy tunes. Marketing also differed, hiding the fact that Tangled was a musical in its trailers. This movie was more of a test of what the audience actually wanted. The movie was critically acclaimed by critics and audiences alike. Now that the Disney Company reeled in its fan base using this movie as bait, it could create a more classic Disney Princess movie, in what is Frozen.

2013, saw the release of Frozen, a computer generated movie that follows the stories of two sisters. When Anna and Elsa were kids, Anna was aware that her sister Elsa was capable of making ice and snow using her hands. Adoring this ability, one night Anna convinced her sister to retreat into the depths of their castle to build a snowman and to mess around. Elsa changes a regular ballroom into a winter wonderland, and they make a snowman that they call, Olaf (unalive version). When Anna is jumping from snow platforms which increasingly get higher and more dangerous, Elsa panics worrying she won't be able to catch her sister, and sends a blast of snow magic into her head. A strand of Anna's hair turns white, and Elsa cries for her parents help.
The King and Queen take Anna and Elsa on horseback to a legendary village of trolls. Pabbie the Troll King, heals her head making her forget Elsa has snow powers, but keeps the memories that they had together. The King tells Elsa that its best they keep her powers a secret from Anna, and everyone and they shut the gates of the castle, permanently. Elsa moves out of Anna's room and into her own, much to her digression. Anna confused sings Do You Want to Build a Snowman as she wonders why her and her sister are growing apart, and during the end of the song their parents die in an accident at sea, as they were on a ship together.
From that point on we see the divide between the sisters. On Elsa's coronation day, Elsa still can't control her powers, and the gates are open so everyone can see her be crowned. Anna, desperate for companionship, takes a liking to Hans of the Southern Isles who spends time with her throughout the party and proposes to her that night. When Anna tells Elsa she needs her blessing, Elsa refuses and Anna initiates a fight resulting in Elsa's frustration to rise and powers to be revealed. Elsa flees into the mountains and Anna goes after her leaving Hans in charge of the kingdom.
Elsa is happy to be free at last and uses her ice powers to create a large castle sanctuary for her to live in. Not only is she free, but she believes that she will protect the kingdom from herself, unbeknownst to her is that her escape had used her powers on the kingdom and left it frozen. Anna meets up with a reindeer (Sven) and his owner the gruff mountain man, Kristoff who will help her because Princess Anna will buy him a sleigh when the voyage is over, and who sells ice as his job, needing the summer to come back to give his job purpose.
Anna and Kristoff but heads, but both have a sweet demeanor and grow fond of each other. They face obstacles such as steep mountains and wolves, meeting Olaf (a snowman Elsa made with her powers, now living) and eventually find their way to Elsa's castle. Elsa doesn't want to come down and doesn't even like being that close to Anna because she fears she will hurt her like she did when they were kids. The stubborn Anna reports that Elsa has caused and eternal winter, and that they can work together to stop it. Elsa is worried and doesn't know how, and through her confusion and frustration, she shoots Anna in the heart with an ice shard. Fearing she's too dangerous for Anna she sends her new bodyguard Marshmallow to kick them out. He chases them onto an edge in which they are safe, but back to square one.
Anna's hair is turning white so Kristoff takes her to see the trolls who saved her when she was younger, and took him in as a kid. They tell her the only way she can be saved is by true love, and initially think Kristoff is introducing them to his new girlfriend. Kristoff races on Sven to be bring Anna back to Hans at the kingdom who is increasingly cold.
Meanwhile, Hans had journeyed to Elsa's castle when his horse returned to the kingdom, who Anna had been riding on, to see if she was safe. Two men that journeyed with him are soldiers for the Duke of Wesselton who ordered that Elsa be killed on the spot. The men find the scared Elsa, who fights back while trying her best not to hurt anyone, and traps Duke Wesselton's men. Hans didn't know they were going to kill her and does his best to stop them. At the last minute, one of them aims a bow, in which Hans races and succeeds in moving its aim, which moves upward towards a chandelier. This causes it to fall and knock Elsa out.
Anna is returned to the kingdom and is brought into a room where she awaits Hans. Hans comes up to her once he learns Elsa can't stop the winter and reveals his true plans to her. He never loved her, and was using her to acheive his own kingdom. He states once he married her he would stage an accident to kill her sister, Elsa. He locks her in the room, but Olaf manages to get in and help warm her while they search for her other chance at true love, Kristoff.
Elsa's storm grows increasingly worse as Hans sets out to kill her and Anna journeys to find true love's kiss. Sven convinces Kristoff to race back to the Kingdom and dodges shards and debris of ships to get to her. Hans finds Elsa and tells her that she killed her sister, and that Anna is no longer alive. Elsa can't handle it anymore, and feeling distraught lays on the ground awaiting her fate of death from Han's sword. Kristoff is close, but Anna sees that Hans is about to kill her sister, so the ever-freezing Anna intervenes and stands between the sword and her sister. She turns into an ice sculpture and Elsa realizing she was alive, but risked her life to save her, is upset once again along with Kristoff, Olaf and the rest of the kingdom. However Anna melts because her symbol of true love was her sister. Elsa now knows how to stop the winter, using love. She melts the snow and Anna pretends she's taking the high road, but turns back to punch Hans in the face and send him flying into the water. He is ordered to be taken back to his brothers where it is presumed he will be heavily punished.
Anna buys Kristoff his sleigh, and the two share a kiss. Olaf who had dreamed of summer is given a magic snow cloud by Elsa to let him live. And Queen Elsa uses her ice powers to make a skating rink for the kingdom, helping her sister learn how to ice skate.

The Story
The story has a couple of plotholes and pacing problems. Although it feels rushed, it does a good job of letting us feel like there are two stories going on at once. It moves two characters along on seemingly separate journeys but ties their voyages together in a tight little bow of resolution. We don't only get to see these characters as adults but we also are with them for a long time as kids. This allows us to really connect to the story from beginning to end. The story gets a solid 9.

The Animation
This is some of the best animation to come out of the studio, ever. It's computer generated and creates a world that is lovely to look at, and let's the audience to feel immersed in the environment. The character designs are also put very well together, almost looking like stop motion characters are points throughout the movie. My only complaint is the lack of diversity of female leads. Elsa, Anna and Rapunzel look quite similar. I give it a 9.

The Music
The songs are strong and broadway themed, however they lack a shelf-life.
-Vuelie- Is a beautiful ethnic song, however I feel it lacks when compared to "Steady as a Beating Drum" and "Circle of Life". It works for the movie but is not as memorable as those.
-Frozen Heart- There's not much to it, it's just a bunch of ice picker men singing about their job and aluding to the story by giving slight indications of foreshadowing. However it does help set the tone for the show tune songs that are to come.
-Do You Want to Build a Snowman?- I really like this song! However although it works well for the story, it's not as pleasant to listen to without the story because there is an enormous instrumental break (where the parent's die) which is necessary for the story, but should have been cut for the mp3. I'm kind of nit-picking.
-For the First Time in Forever-This is my favorite song throughout the movie because I'm a big fan of Kristen Bell's soprano voice. In the end it also ties in Idinia Menzel which helps set of the drama of the situation. Anna has a day to find love, and Elsa only has to risk her power's being seen this one day. Some of the lyrics are a bit strange though like "I want to stuff some chocolate in my face" and "don't know if I'm elated or gassy". We get it guys, Anna is quirky, you don't have to shove it down our throats.
-Love is an Open Door- Okay, I really like this song, but it's more of a guilty pleasure and it's not that good. But that's kind of the point, it's over the top because it's parodying typical Disney love duets were people fall in love in a matter of minutes.
-Let it Go- This is definitely the strongest song out of the bunch. Elsa's finally being herself and the song shows the power behind that kind of freedom. Although I love it, I wish there were a couple of notes were I would just go "wow" because I'm a big fan of Idina and I feel the song never goes anyone drastic to show her vocal range off. And I wish the orchestra behind the song was more powerful, it just comes off as a kind of after thought and rather gimmicky. I guess my only problem with this song is because I had such high expectations.
-Reindeer(s) are Better Than People- Johnathon Groff, amazing singer. This song itself, pretty bland. This was shoved into the movie last minute because the song writers forgot to give Kristoff a song. At the showing I went of this movie, no one even chuckled at it. And there were kids everywhere.
-In Summer- It's kind of cute, and it helps us understand Olaf a bit, but it's just not something that you really remember. There have been many comic relief songs that had come out of Disney that are so much better than this.
-For the First Time in Forever (Reprise)- This song is really good, and shows off Kristen and Idina's talent however, I think the first one was more dramatic and this one kind of dissapointed me. It never crossed the line like I wanted it to.
-Fixer Upper- I really dislike this song and feel it is useless, timeless and underdeveloped. That is pretty much how I feel about the trolls as well.

All of the songs have their own unique flair, however none of them are as fun as Disney classics are supposed to be and for the majority they are quite forgettable. I'll give the music, a 7.

The Characters
-Anna- She is the main character, and as I have stated before although I really like her, she does come off as a disappointing Disney Princess because we don't learn much about her hobbies and talents. Also they made her character really funny which kind of shows her lack of intelligence at some parts. Her design is beautiful though. She's tall and has a wide range of outfits.
-Elsa- She's a very unique character and I appreciate that. She's cold, but because we have that background information about her, we can understand why she is the way she is. Also her powers are interesting, what other Disney Princess can build and entire castle in a single song?
-Kristoff- I get what they were trying to go for, they were trying to contrast him with a typical Disney Prince. It works for the most part however I feel like his quirkiness comes off as really strange. Be careful Anna, one day he might make a voice to talk for you like he does for Sven.
-Olaf- He's really funny and get's many laughs and I think he becomes one of the most memorable characters throughout the movie. Parent's love him, kid's love him, everyone loves him.
-Sven- He's not really that deep of a character, and if you want to see a horse type animal who acts like a dog, with a better background I would point you to Maximus from Tangled.
-Hans- He's a good Disney Villain because you don't expect him to be evil. However he isn't the brightest villain because he doesn't kill of the people he wants dead when he has the chance.
Overall character grade- 7. I do applaud its large amount of characters and their variation from previous Disney Characters, by their personalities.

Overall I think this is one of the best Disney Princess movies because of its story, animation and plot-driven characters.