The Princess and the Frog (2009)

When Toy Story was first unleashed on the scene back in 1995 to resounding success, it was the beginning of the end for traditionally hand drawn animated films. They were a dying breed, and as Pixar picked up steam (and inspired countless rivals), Disney began focusing more on the wave of the future and not of the past. But nostalgia is a funny thing, and can help lead to some of the best ideas. And that is where The Princess and the Frog fits in.

Instead of using the now traditional method of computer animation, The Princess and the Frog is like a trip right back into the early 1990s. Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) is a hardworking woman living in Jazz-era New Orleans with dreams of owning her own restaurant. She is an inspiring individual, but she lacks the wealth needed to buy and restore any buildings. But a chance encounter with a frog, who claims he is actually visiting Prince Naveen (Bruno Campos), leads to a kiss that makes Tiana a whole lot more amphibian.

Although it pales in comparison to the simply magnificent Up, The Princess and the Frog is like a dream come true for anyone who has ever enjoyed Disney films. All the adventure, music and wonder that made classics out of Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid and The Lion King is back and in full form. The trailers predicted the return of a Disney dynasty long thought extinct, and thankfully they were right on the money.

While I had some hesitation towards how gimmicky it sounded for the film to finally make a princess out of an African-American, it actually works in the film's favour. Right from the start, we know we have seen predictable animated and live action films that play out exactly the same as this film does. But throwing in this new invention of a different breed of spunky and independent princess, one so closely timed to the election of President Obama, makes the film more original than any of its contemporaries. While Tiana's attitude is a little bothersome at first, it blossoms into something beautifully inspiring for young girls primarily, but for just about anyone who has ever had a dream before. She is every bit as developed as Cinderella, Snow White, Ariel, Belle or any of the other countless "princesses" Disney has thrown into the mix since 1937.

But while there is a lot of predictability in the script, (even with the clever additions of the likes of a trumpet-playing crocodile aptly named Louis (Michael-Leon Wooley) and a backwoods-speaking firefly named Ray (Jim Cummings)), the film's success rests solely on the visuals on display. Right from the start, we are thrust into this classical looking New Orleans, where even the darkest depths of the bayou seem all the more brightly lit when drawn by Disney animators. There is just such reverence and bravura shown throughout the film that one wonders why hand drawn animation was ditched in the first place. This film only proves how vibrant and imaginative the format can be, and how much easier it lends itself to varying styles. The "Almost There" musical sequence near the beginning of the film is done in a style totally unlike anything else in the film, and is so incredibly well done that you may not even notice. But something like this could never be manipulated or maintained anywhere near as wonderfully in a fully computer generated movie. This speaks volumes for how affective this film is, and that is only in one sequence.

The voice cast is not filled to the brim with well known stars, but each actor voices their part with so

Fmovies: it is an interesting exercise to remake the old flavor of Disney movies. and the result is really good.ordinary ingredients and portrait of a place. a special princess and new direction of story. music like in good musicals. and nothing else. magic, love, nice characters and a lot of references. and the South spirit in a manner who seduce at all. it is a pleasure to see it. for memories, for charming pieces, for few amazing scenes and, sure, for the fairy story. maybe it is not the best but it is so nice than nothing can be a great error. like a party, it has its mark. its air. and, sure, its circle of sin virtues. only a sweet adventure out of reality but with same nostalgic feeling.

I felt like a little kid again seeing The Princess and the Frog; apparently so did most of the theater, as the crowd seemed to be generally from 8-30 years old. From the second I walked in, I realized this was a movie that was going to span groups(and it did, in the end). The other adults in line with me split almost evenly with tickets for this versus Invictus.

The animation is gorgeous, the characters are absolutely unique and took me by surprise, and even the parts in trailers that I thought were going to be awful turned out to be brilliant when put into the context of the rest of the film. I haven't enjoyed Disney this much since Mulan(and vaguely, Brother Bear). The music also seems to permeate the movie; many people that review and find something wrong, find so much song and dance to be odd- but what they don't realize is that the movie itself was always intending to play off of the Jazz era it is set in. If you love music, however, you'll love this even more. The music is what gives all the more charm to it, and it pays off.

The only reason that I am giving this a nine of ten is because I try to never give movies a ten unless it literally changed my life somehow. This came close, though- I was having so many flashbacks to my childhood during the Disney Renaissance. It was nostalgic for me, above all, and classic Disney animation that I will probably end up spending more money on when such moments roll around. I am most certainly going to find the soundtrack, because the music just made it so alive.

Don't be misled by the word cartoon- this is a movie for everyone.

The Princess and the Frog fmovies. With such disappointments as Home on the Range and Chicken Little, Walt Disney Animation Studios – on the whole – has had a pretty rough decade. Last November, however, the Mouse House released Chris Williams and Byron Howards' Bolt, which is not only generally accepted as a return to form for the studio, but over the course of this past year, has usurped Pulp Fiction as my personal favorite movie of all time. With that said, I went into The Princess and the Frog with relatively high expectations; having walked out of the theatre just a couple of hours ago, I have to say that John Musker and Ron Clements' latest - while not overthrowing it - certainly continues the magic of the studio's previous film.

Visually, The Princess and the Frog is absolutely mesmerizing. Seriously, 2D animation has never looked better than it does in this film. As executive producer/Pixar founder John Lasseter said, it's very much like stepping into a pair of old, comfortable shoes. Familiar, yet seemingly brand new. The energetic look of New Orleans is perfectly captured on screen, enhancing the story all the more.

Speaking of which, the story of this film is just like the animation in that, while being traditional Disney fare, it's executed in such a way that it feels completely different from anything you've ever experienced. As many times as this movie will make you laugh, it'll make you cry, which – for me – has always been the sign of a classic Disney Animation film. The movie also succeeds in making you feel invested in each and every one of these characters, major and minor ones alike, which is definitely one of the most difficult tasks that any film could hope to achieve.

Unlike most Disney princesses, Tiana is strong, independent, and isn't looking for her Prince Charming. In fact, it's these differentiating traits of hers that make Tiana my favorite Disney princess to date. It also helps that Anika Noni Rose delivers a stunning performance as her voice, making Tiana all the more captivating every moment that she's on screen. Bruno Campos also does a terrific job as Naveen, whose character is also a departure from the traditional Disney prince. He's a fellow who, while being stuck-up and lazy, somehow manages to come across as extremely likable. Both of these characters make for what is easily the most convincing Disney couple to date.

The real stand-out performance, however, is that of Keith David as Dr. Facilier. Since his performance as the Arbiter from the Halo video game series, I've been a huge fan of this guy's work, and couldn't have been more excited when I heard that he'd be doing the voice of the villain in this movie. With his low, creepy voice, David captures the essence of this character perfectly, and by the end, you're genuinely scared of this guy. Because of this, Facilier is definitely one of – if not my absolute favorite – Disney villain, challenged only by Gaston and Frollo. With his performance as the Cat from Coraline, and now Facilier, Keith David continues to prove that he is the man.

As with every other aspect of the film, the musical numbers in The Princess and the Frog are extremely memorable, most notably Dr. Facilier's "Friends On the Other Side", a deliciously creepy piece that ranks right up there with "Hellfire" from Hunchback of Notre Dame as one of the best Disney villain songs. You'll definitely find yourself humming several of these tunes on your way back home from th

Disney was at its best in the 90s. They came out with such great movies as Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. And then, they made bad movies like Home on the Range. Disney can make good movies, and they usually do. The Princess and the Frog is one of Disney's best movies. It has a great twist on a classic story, characters that made me care, and music that had me tapping my foot and wishing I was in New Orleans. The animation is so beautiful that I literally almost cried at the beginning of the film. Dr. Faciler is probably one of Disney's best villains. Keith David's voice is so creepy and fits perfect into the character. His song "Friends on the Other Side" is great and shows just how scary he can be. In most Disney movies, there are usually two or three songs that really stick with you. Every song in this movie was great. I still find myself humming "Down in New Orleans" everywhere I go. The bottom line is that Princess and the Frog is one of Disney's best and one of the best films of the year. The only question I can't answer is if it is better than Up. But if I have to answer, I'd say it's equal to it.

The Princess and the Frog is one of the most highly anticipated films of the year. It marks Walt Disney Animation Studio's return to 2D animation, to recapture the era of amazing movies like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast – timeless tales that have reached audiences across the world. However, unlike these previous movies, The Princess and the Frog does something new. It's an updated take on the classic fairy tale, set in Jazzy New Orleans filled with witch doctors, Maldonian princes, southern lovesick daughters, Jazz playing alligators and even Cajun fireflies! In the midst of all this jazz is Disney's first black princess, Tiana, and her story.

Tiana is a young girl who wants to follow her father's dream and open up her very own restaurant. She works hard, never taking a chance on Prince Charming to sweep her off her feet - she is a realist Disney 'princess' - and that makes her stand apart from the rest. And speaking of breaking from tradition, Prince Naveen is another fresh take on the classic Disney prince. He gets a fair amount of screen time and shows us that princes are more than just stuffy suits. The pair has great chemistry as frogs and their intertwining journey is full of laughs and heart tingling moments sprinkled with some good old Disney magic. Disney Animation Studios has pulled it off again; they have conjured up something fresh and new and have made it entertaining. Perhaps we can expect greater things for the future because this is a pretty good start.

One of the strongest aspects of this musical is, of course, the music! Randy Newman has provided an array of songs, from bouncy piano songs to gospel to Broadway. There is no one single style of music and Newman serves up a diverse platter accompanied by stunning animation. There are several songs in the movie, perhaps more than needed, but all catchy while bringing a yet another flavor to New Orleans. The downside to these songs is that they are many, short and have the task of pushing story. Their presence feels like designated intervals, sometimes jarring up moments which could have been executed wonderfully without any song.

Pacing and story are the main challenges The Princess and the Frog faces. Too much happens and it happens too fast. There is an engaging plot, obstacles are overcome through action and songs also push the story forward. This leaves us very little time for dwelling in scene. I personally think this is why the movie doesn't feel quite up to par with The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Beauty or The Lion King – there are very few moments which rely on deeper truths or engage with characters' inner struggles and relationships. I wish the directors would have slowed down and let us have a bit more interaction rather than relying on action and songs to advance plot. Also, some crucial events relied on coincidence when they could've been worked into the plot more skillfully. Despite these minor drawbacks, the Princess and the Frog still delivers an entertaining story.

Personally, I think the darker a Disney film is, the more interesting it will be. It lends a sense of reality and tells me that despite its catchy songs and humor, the movie takes itself seriously. Princess and the Frog definitely takes itself seriously. One of the main reasons I wanted to see this film was because of Dr. Facilier. He makes the film tastefully dark and shows us that even a Disney story can chill audiences. The voodoo world is intoxicating, full of intrigue and Facilier's theme