I wholeheartedly believe that things happen for a reason. There have just been too many examples in my life, and watching Frozen II last night was another one.
I’ve been on a Disney hiatus ever since I stopped working there. All things Disney have been shoved into the ex boyfriend box and I’ve refused to watch any new movies. Toy Story 4 is its own beast only because I don’t agree with making another one after the third one ended so perfectly. Mix all of that with the fact that Disney kind of sucks when it comes to sequels, and I wasn’t the least bit excited to see Frozen II. And I’m a huge Frozen fan friends.
I didn’t see it in the theaters. I didn’t even care that it was coming to Disney+. That was until it came out early and the world was reeling from the Coronavirus - my brain included. I broke my ban. What is better than some light hearted children’s animation? Frozen II was held off for the perfect moment.
And let me tell you, it was amazing.
It might just be one of the best Disney sequels ever - behind Toy Story 2 of course.
At least it holds the spot for best animation for the moment.
Before the inciting incident, I was a little worried though. The theme was made very obvious by Mr. Olaf himself, there was too much exposition, and the overall story was falling flat. Once the movie got its footing and we could see that the group was going on an adventure - pretty much at the movie’s big song - the whole thing took a huge turn. So hold out until the twenty minute mark. I promise it will be worth it. At least that’s when Olaf’s jokes start to roll in.
The creators didn’t hide from what they had created in the first movie. How do you even make a sequel if the intention was never there? Most of the time you can’t, or more accurately, you shouldn’t. Here’s where these guys went right, they took what they had and melded it instead of trying to create from thin air. So the parents died, but how they died is the question. Where did Elsas’s powers come from? And queue in the great jumping off point for the movie. A harrowing adventure filled with magic.
And a whole lot of Pocahontas themes.
I went into this movie with a different type of intention. I had no idea if it was going to be good, so the least I could do was learn from the time. Here’s what I saw… Children’s movies are the best when you want to learn the pieces of a script. The pieces are simple enough that you should be able to call out the different parts. If not, well then it’s time to pull out your favorite childhood movies.
Disney is a beast when it comes to adding in hidden meaning and giving kids what they need. Not a lot of the Disney movies deal with grief - I hope I’m not giving anything away. Most of the time the parents are already dead at the beginning of the movie. If not, then there’s a very quick montage. Well Disney finally gave a song and moment that I think a lot of kids will use to get through grief in their lives. I found it inspiring and will be using it. But it wasn’t just that. It was the environment and inclusion that they got in there in disguise. I was impressed.
With all of that, they still kept the movie to the main theme and the reason that I fell in love to begin with - sisterly love.
And maybe that little frozen guy.
But the biggest take away I’m going to keep is that water has memory.
Happy Watching
Love Kait