Tag: animation

An Open Letter to Disney/Pixar

Jeannie Marie 1 Comment

The-Incredibles-Logo-Backgrunds-Wallpaper

 

I know there was something I was going to write about for today’s blog – I’m for sure. But alas, as the week has worn on, I have forgotten. Lucky for me, a nice, juicy piece of news has fallen into my lap.

Today Disney announced that both the Incredibles and Cars have been slated for sequels.

Wait for it…yep. Disney is FINALLY making the Incredibles 2. Loud cheers can be heard from all across the internet.

In recent years, some of the older fans of Disney have been clamoring for an Incredibles 2, saying that the movie lends itself well to a sequel and yes the movie was that good and it deserves it.

However instead of the Incredibles we got Monsters University (which I still haven’t seen) and Cars 2 (which I hope never to see). And no one is going to mention the studio mess that was Planes. No one.

While I do have to admit I am one of those fans that is beyond thrilled, I do have to ask why. Why now, and why do a sequel?

It’s no secret that Pixar has a corner on the animation market. While other companies do put out fantastic and well received movies (think How To Train Your Dragon and Rise of the Guardians), it’s Pixar, and by extension Disney that everyone knows and recognizes. So why make sequels instead of the amazing, creative, original stories I’ve come to love?

I’ve noticed this trend and it’s become a bit frightening. Out of the 14 movies Pixar has made, 4 have been sequels, and this is another two slated for release on top of the forthcoming sequel? spinoff? related movie? Finding Dory. That will make seven movies that Pixar has made sequels. Coming from a studio that was built on creative and original storylines, that’s a lot more than I would expect.

While my inner fangirl screams at the idea of another Incredibles (one of the most underrated Pixar movies in my opinion), my brain wonders what is going to happen with this. And in another corner of my heart, I miss the old Pixar. I want another Merida. I want Marlin and Nemo’s adventure to stay what it was. I want another unlikely hero, a thrilling tale, clever comedy and a plot I can sink my teeth into. I want more boundary pushing. I want a full length film animated with 3D and 2D combined (it’s gorgeous and if you don’t believe me watch Paperman).

I want more than a sequel, and I want more than Disney pandering for my money out of brand loyalty or out of a love for something I cherished in the past. I know you’re capable of it Pixar, I’ve watched you do it for almost 20 years now. Demand that Disney let you tell your stories, and demand that the public appreciate them for their depth, sincerity, and pure genius that they are.

The Heart of Frozen

Jeannie Marie 1 Comment

Like many people my age, I am in love with Disney. I’ve been in love with Disney movies ever since I could sit up long enough to watch one. I even got to sit on Cinderella’s lap when I was three years old because she was at the castle while everyone was watching the fireworks at Disney World. And that little three year old in me has never grown up.

So anytime Disney puts out a new movie, I am always beyond thrilled. And as many people know, they delivered a fresh new animated movie over the holidays for Disney fans to enjoy.

However, I wouldn’t say “enjoy” was how I felt about Frozen.

Set in a fictional land named Arendelle meant to resemble Northern Europe, Frozen is a retelling of Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Snow Queen.” The last time we got an Anderson story was in 1989 with one of my favorite movies The Little Mermaid, and as many know it was vastly changed from the original, since Anderson is known for his, ah, gruesome endings. And as a Disney fan, I’ve grown used to the fluff they add to make their movies age appropriate. I didn’t even protest when they took E. D. Baker’s fantastic fairy tale The Frog Princess and turned it into the vastly different The Princess and the Frog.

But as far as Frozen is concerned, I was massively disappointed. I have never read “The Snow Queen” before, but I know that Frozen has greatly disrespected it. I don’t mind when Disney puts out an adaptation that misses the mark. I do mind when they put out a movie that misses the mark.

The beginning of the movie started off strong, and I immediately loved the feel of it – the sisters in the castle, the playfulness with the snow, and the mistake that sets the narration in motion. I was ready to love this movie and put it in my favorite;s collection forever.

But as the movie wore on, it started going downhill. The songs, while cute and relevant at the beginning, started getting pointless, adding nothing to the movie nor advancing the plot. The characters were being left undeveloped. And the lines started getting cheesier as the plot started to get unbelievable.

In a word, Frozen, in all of its praise and glory, is a very sloppy movie.

Now I’ve voiced this opinion to many of my friends and family members, thinking that this is a valid complaint. It’s not like I didn’t like Anna’s hair, it’s that the movie was poor in quality. But instead I’ve gotten shot down. The main counter argument? It’s a kids movie, you’re being too critical.

As I’ve thought of this, I’ve come to a realization. Why can’t I be unbiasedly critical of a children’s movie? Why can’t I mention what aspects were weak and needed to be fixed? Disney not only has a reputation of making over 50 solid if not good movies, but they also are marketed as a family brand. When you go to a Disney park, rides, activities, and games are all made for a family to enjoy. Granted, they understand that a child will get the most enjoyment out of a Peter Pan ride, but they also strive to include the things that families can enjoy together, without feeling like they will die of boredom. The same goes for their movies; when I saw Brave with my mom, me and her were the only ones that laughed at the jokes that were supposedly for the kids that were in the theatre with us.

So with that in mind, seeing that Frozen has flaws in its writing and story, the fundamentals of what makes a movie, isn’t being critical. It’s pointing out that a company is getting sloppy and lazy in order to put out movies that will make money. If they truly want a family to enjoy their movies, they must make a quality movie that someone like my mom can enjoy along with me and my little cousins. I have no doubt that children loved the talking snowman included in the movie, but frankly, Olaf got on my nerves, mostly because he added nothing to Anna’s character or the plot, and had the most horribly written lines and jokes I’ve ever seen in a Disney side character.

And honestly, I know that Disney can make better movies, and those movies, the ones that are top notch and are made with love, those are the ones I want to show my kids. Not the ones that have a frozen heart.