Amy Calfy, Guest Writer & Celeste Forrest, Staff Writer
Warning! This article contains spoilers! Read at your own risk.
Do you want to build a snowman?
Well, it may not be “snowman” weather right now in Bethany, Oklahoma, but it’s definitely freezing out there! Speaking of freezing, Disney’s newest animated film, Frozen, recently came out into the box office.
Loosely based off Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen, Frozen is a coming-of-age story. The main characters, Princess Elsa, who has power over all forms of ice and snow, and her little sister, Princess Anna, share a tight bond. This bond is tested, however, when Elsa’s powers get out of hand, and she nearly kills Anna. In order to save her life, Anna’s memory is wiped, and she has no recollection of Elsa’s powers at all. Fearful of harming her sister or anyone else, Elsa isolates herself from the world and shuts her sister out of her life. When Elsa finally “lets go” of her powers, the snow queen is born.
Now without further ado, Celeste and Amy will discuss the story of Frozen, what they liked or disliked about the film and share their overall thoughts about the message the movie portrays.
Celeste: From the very beginning of the film, I could tell this story was going to be very different compared to many Disney Princess films. First of all, you have princesses Elsa and Anna, who, just like the rest of us, have flaws. They’re quirky and awkward, they’re not afraid to get dirty and they make some mistakes. However, this is what makes them so unique compared to traditional Disney princesses.
Amy: I agree. There is something unique about the story that, in my opinion, makes the film special. Mainly, the relationship between the two sisters. I became emotionally attached to both characters from the beginning of the movie, mostly thanks to the “Do you want to build a snowman?” sequence.
Celeste: I noticed in that sequence, you really get the chance to see both characters as individuals, and the entire song allows the audience to truly relate to the characters. I also liked that the beginning of the movie gives you enough background on Elsa’s character that, even though she becomes the “snow queen,” her reasons behind acting “cold hearted” are justified or, at least, understandable. She’s not entirely the “evil villain” of the story.
Amy: I really liked that Elsa was not the villain. Instead, she is just a scared and misunderstood girl who has been completely isolated from others for most of her life. Her song “Let it Go” is one of my favorite moments in the movie because of how well it shows the emotional moment of her accepting her powers for the first time in forever.
Celeste: It’s crazy how that song seems to get stuck in my head all the time! It’s a very powerful song about transition and acceptance. It’s the moment when Elsa finally lets go of her powers and frees herself of the control and isolation she had been experiencing. Idina Menzel, in my opinion, was just perfect for the part of Elsa.
Amy: The strong Broadway vibe of the soundtrack is part of what sets the movie apart from others and is probably part of what makes both the soundtrack and movie so popular!
Celeste: The songs in the Frozen soundtrack are just remarkable and catchy!
Amy: What sets Frozen apart from practically every other traditional Disney movie is that the true love in Frozen isn’t between a girl and some guy she just met (seriously, who marries a man she just met that day?) but instead, it’s the love between two sisters who truly care for each other despite everything they have been through. The crisis in the movie is created when Elsa isolates herself out of fear that she’ll hurt Anna, and the resolution comes when they finally re-enter each other’s lives for good
Celeste: I completely enjoyed the different take of “true love.” I agree with you, Amy. Often, true love is depicted (not just by Disney, but many of us) as love between a man and a woman, or a prince and a princess. However, we see love here as the sacrifice Anna was willing to take in order to protect her sister and the forgiveness that Elsa experiences when she realizes that her selfishness had gotten in the way of what truly mattered: her family. This message that Disney portrays is very different and powerful! It’s a message that we all truly need to hear: forgiveness and sacrifice are two ultimate forms of true love.