Frozen

Rating: 4.85/5

A movie that swept the globe, Frozen is funny, magical, and heartwarming.

In the kingdom of Arendelle, young Princess Anna wakes her older sister Princess Elsa, in hopes to build a snowman...inside the palace. Elsa uses her ice powers to turn a room in their castle into a winter wonderland, but unfortunately her magic goes too far, and Anna is struck by her powers. The only way to heal her, is to have the memory of Elsa's magic wiped from her mind, and to have her ice powers concealed from the world.

Many years later, Elsa (Idina Menzel) is about to have her coronation to become Queen of Arendelle. Elsa and Anna (Kristen Bell) have had little to no contact since the day Anna was hit by the magic. Anna is overjoyed at the thought of finally meeting new people, but Elsa is terrified that she will not be able to control her powers and keep them a secret in front of the kingdom. Just as Elsa is feeling as if she is going to be able to make it through the evening, Anna announces to her that she is going to marry a man named Hans (Santino Fontana), whom she's just met. Not able to contain her emotions, Elsa loses control over her magic.

Though Frozen may be a film that many people are tired of, I for one still love this movie as much as the first time I saw it. The music is irresistibly catchy, the characters wonderfully charming, and it is visually stunning to look at. The scene for "Let It Go" alone shows how incredibly far movies have come in the world of animation. I'm sure it was the music and story that captivated the hearts of countless children all over the world, but the stunning colors and animated scenery had to have been a big part of the success as well.

Frozen was unique upon its' first release, because it focused on two princesses trying to save each other, rather than a princess being saved by a prince. Yes, as with almost any cartoon made by Disney, there is a love story involved in the plot, but it is not the central focus of the movie. Adding to the film's already unique concept, the movie also contains many moments that have a more serious tone than one would expect to find in a children's film. These scenes don't take away from the movie's enjoyability; in fact, they aid in making the audience feel more connected to the characters, even though they are animated. Thankfully, the creators knew how to balance any seriousness with the addition of the classic Disney trademarks of quippy sidekicks and goofy animals. Sometimes, those characters can be a distraction, but in this case, they are just another set of lovable characters found in Arendelle

The song-writers behind Frozen, Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, were thankfully, but not surprisingly, recognized for their work with an Academy Award win. It has been a long time since the music from a children's film has become as iconic as the songs from Frozen have. Even though I am an adult, and have seen this movie many times, I couldn't help but sing along during my most recent rewatch. It says a lot about a film, when even the people that are not in the target audience, can't help but be enchanted by it.

What Disney has almost always been able to do, is make movies that are beloved by viewers of all ages. I was an adult when Frozen came out, but that did not hinder my ability to love it in any way. Of course there are scenes in the movie that may be a bit too silly for a grown-up's sense of humor, but it is intended for children, so that's to be expected. Frozen has become such an iconic film, well deserving of its' legendary status. So much so, that I can't ever imagine a time where the magic of Frozen will ever fade.

2013 Winner Best Original Song "Let It Go"- Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez

2013 Winner Best Animated Feature- Frozen