Disney's Frozen - Two warm thumbs up ~ Globetrotting Mama

Spoiler Alert: Reading beyond this point may give more of the plot away than you wanted to know. Read at your own movie-watching risk.;)

I hate winter.
And by hate I don’t mean “really dislike.”
To be specific it’s the cold I hate most… and the wind… and the grey skies.
It explains why when we decided to head out on our round the world adventure I insisted we do warm weather all the way.

Now THIS is how you get through the winter.

And while you’re getting to know me, let me slip this gem in there too:

I am an eye-rolling, skeptical, “C’mon! Are you kidding me?!?” kind of movie watcher.
I love a good movie, but give me a tried and true script or a ridiculous notion and you can see my eyes rolling from across the room. I love story-telling and in my mind a good story doesn’t pander. A good kids’ flick doesn’t have to have googoo language. Kids’ know a great story as well as we do.

And with those two caveats in place I think you’ll agree I’m the perfect candidate to give you the goods on Disney’s new movie “Frozen.”

Drumroll please….

I loved it.
Really.

I’m not a big Disney Princess fan (I grew up as a tomboy with only a passing interest in those things and now have two sons in my own home that have yet to show any interest in Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty ) but I love a smart movie.
I loved Shrek. I loved Toy Story. I love this.

Here’s why:

1. The main character has a personality. She’s funny and she’s smart. And though it may not be completely evident until the end of the movie…very smart.
2. There is no male hero. I’ll say it again folks cause it shocked me too: The prince does not save the day.
3. Boys will dig it too. There are boys out there who like the princess movies but there are also a lot who don’t. I went with two boys who wouldn’t give Barbie a ride if she showed up with her own motorhome, but laughed their way to tears through this movie.
4. It doesn’t hide the fact that winter stinks. Sure, it’s not the intentional message of the movie but I saw it. Ice is cold, snow is dangerous, stay inside… I couldn’t agree more! ;) But it also reminded me of the parts that are wonderful: Snowmen, icicles, watching it melt….
5. In Olaf the snowman, there’s a great sidekick. He is funny. He doesn’t burp or fart just to get a cheap laugh. He isn’t snarky or mean. Good clean, well-written laughs for kids and parents alike.