The Princess and the Frog (December 11, 2009)

This film is loosely based on the novel, The Frog Princess by E. D. Baker (published in 2002), which in turn is based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale “The Frog Prince.” It is set in the charming 1926 New Orleans and tells the story of a hardworking waitress named Tiana who dreams of opening her own restaurant. After kissing a prince who has been turned into a frog by an evil voodoo conman, Tiana is transformed into a frog herself and must find a way to turn back into a human before time runs out. A brief warning that I will mention spoilers towards the end of this review. This film also marked Disney’s brief return to transitional animation as it was the studios first traditionally animated feature film since 2004’s Home on the Range (after which Disney fired much of its animators in the 2D animation department.) It became the studios most successful traditionally animated film since Lilo & Stitch in 2002 but was not successful enough for Disney to think it worth continuing with the medium (besides in Winnie the Pooh in 2011). The animation is absolutely stunning and timeless. I particularly love both of Tiana’s princess gowns, the fireflies dancing in the bayou, and Dr. Facilier’s Voodoo magic. Music, as well, is fantastic with Randy Newman, known for his work on the Toy Story movies, composing. My favorite songs are “Almost There” and “Dig a Little Deeper” as a I feel both encapsulate the film’s message the value of hard work while remembering what is truly important in life; they are also just super catchy with, “Almost There” providing killer and unique visuals during Tiana’s dream restaurant sequence. The characters, however, are where this movie shines. Tiana is a great role model for young girls, not afraid to work hard to make her dreams come true (ultimately fulfilling her late father’s wish in the process). She has a gift for cooking, but talent can only get you so far in this world. You have to back it up with perseverance and determination (with a little help from friends and family along the way). Naveen starts out as a carefree playboy prince who has arrived In New Orleans to celebrate Mardi Gras as well as find a rich lady to wed as his family has cut him off from his fortunes. He goes through the most drastic transformation in the film as he learns the value of hard work as well as true love. He is also sarcastic and charming with dashingly good looks to boot, a great compliment to Tiana’s more grounded attitude. Louis the alligator and Ray the firefly are great and goofy side characters that help out the main duo on their journey. Dr. Facilier is one of the best Disney villains, dancing with the devil as it were in exchange for powers beyond imagination. But they come with a cost he is reticent to repay. He is confident to a fault with cunning to spare but when his time runs out it is truly terrifying to imagine what fate has in store for him in the depths of hell at the mercy of the spirits. One final note, I love how Tiana and Naveen are finally able to break their spell; It can only be broken by the kiss of a princess. So, after Tiana married Prince Naveen as a frog, she officially became a princess and their kiss breaks the spell! It is super cleaver and very romantic. Overall, The Princess and the Frog is a great film that makes me long for a return to the medium that made Walt Disney famous.

Final Rating: 8.5/10