Movie Highlights & Review (Frozen Edition)

Two soundtracks that make me feel “frozen” in time.

I will be showcasing my favorite tunes from both movies in the Frozen franchise. Frozen II was being shown on the TV during a recent visit to my dentist and it definitely made the experience less stressful! Watching a movie that I truly enjoy (the characters, storyline, and music) was such a welcome distraction.

For those who are unfamiliar with the franchise, Frozen is a story about the journeys of princess Anna and her older sister, Elsa, who has magical powers. Other notable characters include a talking snowman, a carrot-loving reindeer, and his blonde owner, Kristoff (shown below).

The classic song that everyone knows from Frozen, “Let It Go”, is a beautifully composed song and Idina Menzel‘s angelic voice just makes it 100x better! It’s a symbolic song about Elsa embracing her powers, rather, her strengths, regardless of the criticism that she received from others. She had kept her powers and her true self hidden away for too long. We as the audience get to experience the same type of release/relief as she casts away her anxiety and worry and begins to live for herself.

“Love Is an Open Door” is a very cute and hilarious duet sung by Kristen Bell and Santino Fontana about how suddenly love can happen and it conveys the message that they must be meant for each other because they “finish each other’s sandwiches“. Also, this was a cute and quirky way to allude to the perfect love story trope that is often present in Disney princess films.  “Reindeer(s) Are Better Than People” resonates with the idea that sometimes it’s challenging to communicate and interact with others. Animals seem easier to talk to because they seem like they just listen, as opposed to chiming in with their own thoughts or suggestions.

Josh Gad, the voice behind huggable Olaf delivers hits in Frozen and Frozen II, such as “In Summer” and “When I Am Older”. These funny tunes call attention to Olaf’s naïve nature and positive attitude, which resembles that of a young child. He is carefree and doesn’t know enough about the world but none of us are going to be the ones to break it to him. 

A really important thing to me that I think is sometimes overlooked is the background of the characters and setting. I really appreciate culturally heavy art, and this is especially so in music. Throughout watching this film, I feel like Disney did an amazing job with this. The cultural elements within Frozen II were inspired by the Sámi culture, an indigenous minority living across Sweden, northern Russia, Finland, and Norway. For years, they have faced discrimination because of their language and culture.

“All is Found” is an alluring and urgent lullaby that truly ties into the overall message of the movie! Personally, I get very anxious at the thought of the relative lack of control that I feel I have when it comes to what happens in the world and the way life plays out. Frozen II has a cute jingle about how despite life moving forward, “Some Things Never Change”, and it’s about focusing on the positive elements and small constants rather than the changes.

“Into the Unknown” is hands down my favorite song (my virtual karaoke go-to), as it features AURORA‘s haunting and captivating vocals. “Lost in the Woods” is such a heartfelt song because, in spite of being literally alone and lost, Kristoff does not give up hope when it comes to those that he cares about and neither should we! “Show Yourself” is a very powerful and emotional song that coincides with the climax of the movie and inspires me to embrace myself. At the end of the day, we need to show ourselves self-love! The movie, along with the soundtrack, provides comforting and encouraging messages about perseverance and believing in oneself. Totally a great watch and listen for any audience.

I’d ultimately rate Frozen a solid 7/10 and award Frozen II a 10/10 rating!

End your spring semester on a “chill” note by watching both of these Disney movies, available on Disney Plus!