2020 - so far, movies movies movies. Today, Frozen 2

Well, hello there!  Happy New Year!  I'm already getting the year off to a slow blogging start, it seems.  I haven't seen a show yet, which is late for me, I know.  There is so much I want to see that I'm feeling jittery about which productions to pick.  Geez, it's awfully early to be jittery.  I saw a reading of a new play last week and enjoyed it very much, and I have two more readings next week.  I think my first productions are the week after and then I will be off and running.  Actually, I'm also feeling conflicted about the costs of shows I want to see - I pulled up a ticketing site to buy tickets to a couple of long-awaited Off-Broadway shows and I balked at the prices.  We'll see how that financial balking develops over the year...

I have, however, watched four movies since we last chatted, so I thought I would talk about them.  I may also blog about a trip I made during my holiday break, but I'm still ruminating on how to focus that one.  I'll keep you posted.

When I'm home for Christmas, my mom and I always see a movie together.  At first, I told her that we would be seeing the new version of Little Women, but since I hadn't seen Frozen 2 yet, I made my mom go with me to that.  I'll get to Little Women eventually.  As you may or may not remember, it took me much too long to get to the original Frozen movie (you can remind yourself of my review HERE).  Because I loved it so much, I was keen to see the sequel (though I guess it did take me a while to get there - I just rarely get inspired to go to a movie theater; it is what it is) and I'm ever so glad I did.  I loved Frozen 2, but maybe in a different way than the way I loved the original.  In the interest of full disclosure, my mom didn't enjoy it as much.

In Frozen 2, it's three years later and everyone seems pretty happy and settled after all the angst of the first film.  But, wait, are they?  Elsa longs to understand herself, and her power; she is hearing a voice, calling her from beyond the palace.  We see a flashback scene at the beginning of the film, where Elsa and Anna's parents tell them a story about the enchanted forest outside the walls of their kingdom.  Elsa hears the voice her mother mentioned in that earlier song, sets certain events into motion, and our characters head off and try to save the kingdom.

photo credit: Disney

There's less humor, but more gravity, I think, in Frozen 2.  The songs (written by my wonderful friends) are less stand-alone character songs (though they exist) and more a cohesive score telling a larger story.  The big "Let It Go"-type solo for Elsa is "Into the Unknown."  It's a smart and powerful song, but I found myself more drawn to "Show Yourself," where Elsa truly confronts who she is and how she can exist in the world with her special power.  Instead of just accepting it as a part of herself, she leans into it and grows exponentially as a woman and as a creature of the earth.  It's quite beautiful.  And there's a powerfully sad song for Anna, "The Next Right Thing," as she realizes that she is in charge of her own life and not just in service to Elsa.  These sisters have a powerful bond, but they have power on their own, as well.  It's great to see them discover it.

photo credit: Disney

This is an animated film, ostensibly for kids, but it deals with such mature stuff: climate change, cultural appropriation, co-dependency, loss, female empowerment.  I love the movie for that.  Teaching kids that growing up is hard, there are choices, and you just have to trust your inner voice, are beautiful lessons for this time in our world.  In this movie, women make things happen and the men support them, gladly.  Hello, what wonderful ideas for young girls (and boys) to take with them after the movie ends.  Women can question, can be unsure, and yet lead and make the right choices.  Brilliant.  Oh, and the film is also glorious to look at, a real treat for the eyes.  

There is still lots of comedy, Olaf is adorable and has some really funny one-liners, and there's a running joke throughout the movie about Kristoff's inability to propose to Anna (and his power ballad, with winks to the video of "Bohemian Rhapsody" is a total scream), and there's still fun to be had, but Frozen 2 has more on its mind.  I so respect the filmmakers, again mainly women, for making serious statements and important points inside of a mainstream entertainment.  They seriously could've made anything and it would've made a bazillion dollars; instead they made something to truly speak to a new generation of kids, the generation who will have to fix the mistakes we have made over the years.  Watching Elsa and Anna deal with the mistakes THEIR ancestors made will only empower the kids of tomorrow.  Truly.

Gosh, I've already blathered and it's only the first post of the year.  If I talk about the other three movies I saw, this will be an astoundingly long post.  Perhaps I should stop here and leave the other big movie, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, for another day.  Not to mention the two fabulous documentaries I made my family watch on cable with me.  Stay tuned, please.  And happy 2020...