Frozen: A Magical Masterpiece

Throughout this long, cold winter we have needed many heart warming laughs to cheer our hearts. Once again Disney has made us all smile and fill the days of winter cheer with the captivating and adorable film Frozen. This spectacular motion picture has just become available on DVD and Blu-ray.
-The Editors

MOVIE REVIEW
Disney's Latest Musical Commiserates with Winter Woes
By TASYA L.

What would you do if you had the magical ability to turn summer into winter? For Princess Elsa, the solution to this curse is to hide herself from the rest of her kingdom.

Set in the fictional land of Arendelle, Frozen is the coming-of-age story of two princess sisters, Elsa and Anna. Anna, a vivacious, charming, and independent girl who lacks the expected elegance and poise of a princess, struggles with loneliness her entire childhood, owing to her parents and sister’s decision to forbid visitors from entering the castle. However, on her older sister Elsa’s coronation day, the joyful Anna finally has the opportunity to socialize with others and quickly becomes engaged to Prince Hans of the Southern Isles. Elsa refuses to bless the marriage, causing an argument to erupt between the sisters in which Elsa accidentally reveals her dark secret:  an ability to change summer into a relentless winter. Knowing nothing of the profound and unceasing love for which her younger sister has for her, Elsa runs away in distress, only to be followed by her loyal younger sister.

As the fifty-third installment in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, Frozen is sure to capture the hearts of the whole family through its unforgettable soundtrack, thrilling plot twists, humorous characters, and its valuable messages of love and redemption.

Lending her voice to the character of Princess Anna was Kristen Bell, who demonstrates the liveliness and innocence of her character in all her lines. Older sister Elsa, loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen's antagonist from The Snow Queen, was voiced with sensitivity and vulnerability by Idina Menzel.

Notable supporting characters included Olaf, a snowman magically created by Elsa, who will cause viewers, young and old, to laugh with delight. Kristoff, an ice harvester who helps Anna on her journey, is portrayed with a soft voice, indicating his gentle and compassionate nature. Sven, his lovable reindeer, has facial expressions will bring a smile to everyone, despite being completely animated.

The film’s memorable soundtrack showcases the musical talents of the voice cast and the giftedness of the songwriters, with the popular song Let it Go recently winning an Academy Award. The animation in this film was also strong, particularly with regard to the portrayal of light on snow.

Frozen is a story of love, hope, and redemption. The sacrificial actions of Anna, who is prepared to die for her older sister, should be admired by those in the audience. Anna’s consistent faithfulness and hope in Elsa’s redemption, despite the pain she experiences  from her actions, provides an exemplary model of sisterly love. Several characters throughout the film put themselves at risk for the well-being for their friends, including Olaf the snowman, who explains that: “Some people are worth melting for”.

Frozen’s theme, that love can change the world, may perhaps be archetypical, but the film’s finale is fresh and completely redeems the typical theme. Frozen is an excellent family-oriented film that will leave the audience with a warm heart and a smile on their face.