Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Disney's "Frozen": Scary with Bad Messages for Children

Princesses Elsa and Anna, in Disney's "Frozen"
The new Disney seasonal animated movie, Frozen, kicked off big. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the film broke the all-time record in its Thanksgiving debut, and earned $93 million over the long weekend (second only to Hunger Games' sequel, Catching Fire, $110 million). The reviews are glowing as brightly as the ice castle Queen Elsa waves into existence with her mysteriously-endowed power to freeze whatever she touches.

Though generating profit is great for the economy, Frozen is too scary for kids, proffers bad messages, and follows a nonsensical, convoluted plot. I went to a preview screening of the film, and afterward, saw kids more dazed than excited.

Adults fuel the success of Frozen--Mom and Dad hear there's a new Disney movie with princesses and a loveable, joking snowman, and, looking for something to share, grab the kids and go.

But parents, beware. In fact, anyone who doesn't care for fright, beware.
That would include me, a mother whose youngest is 21, who covered my eyes and hummed as an amorphous abominable snowman-monster attempted to kill the sweet, if unwise younger princess, Anna.

That's the hook for boys: scary monster and dumb-joking snowman. Upside for girls are the two personality-infused princesses. Then, there are significant downsides. Girls will recoil in fear as their heroic Princess Anna faces destruction (by an agent of her own sister, no less!), and boys will disdain the sisterly lovey-dovey/distancing-rejection theme, not to mention the musical number portraying Anna falling in love. I'm surprised no reviewer has mentioned the royal deaths that make the young princesses sudden orphans--after which the girls' grief is oh-so-brief, the closing of a curtain on a portrait of their drowned parents. Wouldn't watching this event distress any child who understands what transpired?

For parents, Frozen presents the challenge of resisting smart phones for 108 minutes; no adult would pay to see this movie if it weren't for his kids. Sure, the Disney Animation visuals, especially in 3-D, are excellent, but while grown-ups may appreciate the artistry, that's not enough to lure anyone over middle school to the theater.

Most importantly, parents should note the deleterious messages for kids embedded in the story. After the parents' demise, Elsa, noticing her freezing effect increasing, locks herself in an empty room so she won't harm anyone. The younger Anna is perplexed that her once-loving sister has, well, frozen her out, and won't even answer her musical pleas for contact from behind her closed door. The lack of any other individuals in the girls' world--to educate, play with, amuse or even feed them--receives its own musical number, "Do You Want to Build a Snowman," in which a spurned Anna begs her sister for a response: "...I think some company is overdue, I've started talking to the pictures on the walls. It gets a little lonely, all these empty rooms, just watching the hours tick by..." And indeed, we see Anna doing absolutely nothing beside watching the clock, and the visuals accompanying the song imply her vacuous existence lasts about a decade.

Even Beauty and the Beast's Belle, who had her aging father to tend, found time to read. We tell our kids not to waste time. We tell our kids to express themselves, sharing their feelings and discussing issues that separate them from others. These princesses model exactly the behavior we work to discourage in youngsters: withdrawing and sitting around, bored.

Aside from that, Frozen doesn't hold together logically, but a cogent plot may be an unreasonable expectation for a princess movie. Certainly fantastical characters get a pass, even if the main one is a snowman Elsa unknowingly created and abandoned, but who remains unrelentingly upbeat and loquacious, even when his body is disassembled.

Elsa's quick decision to renounce the crown she'd just accepted in a public coronation doesn't make sense given her slavish devotion to duty expressed in the song "Let it Go:" "Don't let them in, don't let them see, be the good girl you always had to be." When her freezing power becomes revealed, she dumps her kingdom--which incidentally she'd just turned from summer to perpetual winter--and runs off, finding fulfillment as the self-centered scion of her private ice palace.

With her empire facing hypothermia, the remaining sister Anna, now in control by default, makes a nonsensical executive decision to head into the snowy wilderness alone, sans supplies or escort, on the unfounded belief her sister can reset the season. She leaves the kingdom in the hands of a foreign prince she's known for 24 hours, a poor choice.

In fact, she'd be toast, er, popsicle, if she didn't coincidentally come across a trading post among the snow-drifts, and there bump into Kristof, a goofy reindeer-whisperer who sells ice and was raised by a family of rock-trolls. And, happy news: the trolls' "Grand Pabbie" happens to know the antidote to Elsa's freeze-inducing condition. While in search of Elsa, wolves attack Anna and Kristof in another too-scary-for-small-kids scene, but they luckily run into the snowman, out just chillin', who directs them to the palace.

Am I a curmudgeon for noticing the difficulties in such plot points?

Also irritating are the final scenes with a reversal I won't spoil, and an interminably trite running-breathlessly-to-make-it finale.  Oh, and the music is pleasant but forgettable, even with the rash of charming articles about their husband-wife songwriting team, the Lopezes. You're not going to leave the theater remembering, much less humming, a tune, because these sound too much like most other musicals. A case in point is Elsa's anthem, "Let it Go," which celebrates casting off restriction and unfettering her harmful proclivity: "no right or wrong, no rules for me...I'm never going back; the past is in the past."
Princess Elsa, happily ensconced in her ice castle

My objections about the film don't blunt the lavish effort promoting Frozen. "...Disney fired up its vaunted cross-marketing engines," notes the NY Times, calling on its Disney TV Channel, its several theme parks and resorts, and even a tie-in give-away of hash-browns, despite absence of potatoes in the story.

Resist the hype. If you're the parent of little kids--any kids!--looking for some holiday entertainment, I suggest you ice skate, view lights displays, make cookies and play in the snow; don't spend your precious time together in the Frozen dark, implanting scary images and dubious messages.

71 comments:

  1. I have not seen this film. Did you like Disney's Tangled?

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    1. YES I ♥♥♥ Tangled, Frozen sucks

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    2. I thought Frozen was unhealthy and forced on so many levels. I kept waiting for a moving, beautiful and inspiring message. It never came. Left both my Grandchildren bothered and bored. But then again we had stories like Hansel & Gretel...The witch tries to fatten up the children so she can eat them..a lot of creepy stuff out there.

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    3. I thought Frozen was unhealthy and forced on so many levels. I kept waiting for a moving, beautiful and inspiring message. It never came. Left both my Grandchildren bothered and bored. But then again we had stories like Hansel & Gretel...The witch tries to fatten up the children so she can eat them..a lot of creepy stuff out there.

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  2. I thought that if you preferred Halloween more than your husband, you would like a scary kids' movie like Frozen.

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  4. Robert, I liked "Tangled" a lot. And Halloween for kids is only as scary as they/their parents want to make it--most little kids focus on princesses and pumpkins. When you're a kid in the movie theater, there's no escaping the indelible images of scary scenes, other than covering eyes and ears. Halloween can be fun; viewing a larger-than-life monster threaten a heroine you care about can't be fun.

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    1. So you think that there shouldn't be an antagonist? What about tangled's creepy child stealing old woman? Beauty and the beast's woman controlling, guy that comes to kill the protagonist's best friend at the time? Uh, the octopus cave demon person that steals ariel's voice?Cinderella's ugly step family that makes her their slave? Princess and the frog's shadow controlling boogie-man that talks to ghosts?

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  5. Though I do agree with you on some valid points you raised, such as the sloppy plot, I cant help but feel like you did not think about the character's situations and actions. If you were cursed or blessed with ice powers, whichever, hurt a close family member because of it, told repeatedly by your parents to hide your ability as if it was a horrible thing, then having the power grow out of your control, then, well, that seems a wee bit traumatizing. Wouldn't you want to shut the world out too? When you said that this behavior encourages children to withdraw into a protective bubble, I don't think you were thinking about Elsa's situation. And I whole heartedly believe that unless children can directly relate to the emotions that Elsa had to contend with, they would not feel inclined to shut the world out. Chances are the world is much too much fun to withdraw without good reason. The people who do withdraw do so as a form of protection, usually after traumatic experiences in their past.
    When Elsa "abandons" her kingdom, she does it out of fear. The power she feared and hid most of her life was suddenly exposed, and that nasty little man from Weasel-Town certainly didn't help by immediately assuming that she was a monster. Considering her situation, would you not run too? Would you consider yourself self-centered if you ran from people who looked at you with horror and distrust, believing yourself all your life that you were a freak? Elsa decided to stay in the mountains as to not hurt any other people. She did not "abandon" her kingdom to a deep freeze. Remember that she didn't even know that she had turned summer into winter until her sister told her. Her intention was never to hurt anybody. And when she was singing her celebratory song "Let it Go", she was singing of finally being free off the closed off life she forced herself to live.
    Anna's "Do You Want to Build a Snowman" was also misinterpreted, I feel like you took the scenes shown for the brief amount of time during the number as The-Only-Thing-Anna -Did-Ever. I felt it was obvious that she did find time to do other things, but was still lonely because there was no one her age to talk to. Well, no one who wasnt at least twenty years older than her. She started talking to pictures and watching clocks tick because her sister was not there after an incident she couldn't even remember. They showed these scenes and not ones of her reading and doing other productive things to stress the fact that she wants to spend time with her sister, but cant, and that she is so very lonely.
    Another thing I just wanted to get off my chest was the stereotypical girls will like this and boys will like that and girls will hate this and boys will hate that. It seemed a bit closed minded. Girls and boys of all ages will like and dislike this movie for their own reasons.
    Although we do have different views on the presentation of Disney's Frozen and my silly unexplainable urge to defend a movie I didn't even like, I can say with confidence that I don't think either of us will watch it again. The characters was sloppily done, the music was awkward and out of place (Seriously, what was with the tribal music. Though I did adore the Snowman's song about summer) and I ended with a severely sprained ankle after tripping over some glaring plot holes. I am surprised the movie got such positive ratings. Oh well.

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  6. Castaway, thank you for your thoughtful response! From the movie's reception, it seems more viewers agreed with you, not me. I consider this a minor part of the culture, and certainly not something worthy of passion. If it's the worst kids' film that we get this year, we'll be darn lucky.

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  7. Ok so let me just say that I loved Frozen. It was charming, witty and it teaches young girls that true love doesn't have to just exist in a romantic sense and that they don't have to wait for a Prince to save the day. The songs were catchy and me and my friends have been singing them avidly since we saw the movie. Now sure the movie is dark at parts but so was The Lion King and that is easily one of if not the most popular Disney movie ever made . Frozen appeals to a wide demographic and has stuff that boys like and stuff that girls like as well as stuff that they both enjoy. I am in high school, grade 12 and my friends and I loved the movie. My sister who is 24 saw it and loved it. So I take issue with your remark that
    "no adult would pay to see this movie if it weren't for his kids" and that "there is not enough to lure anyone over middle school to the theater. Disney is a staple and it has been for years. They make great movies that the majority of people form all walks of life can enjoy. I understand that that is simply your opinion but I don't believe that fun feel good movies should be limited to the youth. The ending was amazing and teaches a great lesson. That's all I've got to say and I respect your opinion but i also disagree with it.
    Happy New Year

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    1. Thank u for putting my outrage for this review into words, he really has no idea what he's talking about!

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    2. *claps* well said

      Also, u,. why are you so confidant of the opinion that nobody over middle school will see this movie when apparently, you haven't talked to the ninety precent of people who love this movie ARE OBSESSED WITH THIS MOVIE? Just saying that you might wasn't to come out from under a rock and consult other opinions before you go bashing a movie. One more thing, why do you think movies for kids shouldn't be slightly scary? That's the exciting part, the meaningful part! Of course some kids get scared but you act like every five year old is a wimp when you describe that this movie is to scary to take your child to, I can't comment on the other critiques because they are so ridiculous I wouldn't even no where to start.

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    3. I HATE FROZEN!!!!!!!!!

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  8. I don't understand how you can say this movie tells "dubious" messages, especially not for little girls. I agree with you that there were a few plot holes - maybe not as many as you seem to think there are, but some gaping ones nonetheless. However, this movie was nothing less than stellar. It teaches young girls that romantic love is not the only type of love that matters, an incredibly important lesson to learn. After accidentally hurting Anna, Elsa is heartbroken and scared of her powers. She is taught to "conceal, don't feel." Yet, in the end she embraces her oddities and her power and utilizes them for the good of her kingdom and family, the very people she was terrified of hurting. Isn't this one of the best possible messages we could give our children?

    Anna spent fifteen years, give or take, separated from her sister. She was, obviously, left confused and heartbroken - her best friend, her only sister suddenly disappeared behind a door, never to speak to her again. At her sister's coronation she brings up the subject, only to be shut down again. Once she learns why, though, she doesn't run away. Of course it was a nonsensical decision, wouldn't you do the same? Drop everything to support and help someone you love? She doesn't give up on Elsa, not even after she tells her to leave and that she's better off alone. She won't let her sister force herself into a life of solitary confinement because she thinks herself a monster, she does everything she can to convince Elsa to come with her before Elsa unwittingly shoots a piece of ice into her heart.

    The most important bit, for me, was the ending.

    (Spoiler alert)

    Where Elsa is led to believe she killed Anna, and is about to let Hans kill her because she feels she has nothing left to live for. Where Anna, freezing and helpless on the Fjord, runs away from Kristoff to save Elsa. She's not just running away from him, she's running from what she believes to be the only thing that could save her. At the time, having no idea that an act of sisterly devotion could save her as well, she gives up her only chance to save the sister she's been separated from for fifteen years. I believe this is another very important lesson, or at least message, to show children.

    Another point: Elsa had very extreme mental neuroses, yet young girls adore her. She unintentionally hurts people with the powers she was always supposed to keep hidden; but she lets them get out of control and she hurts the people she loves, and she makes many of bad choices because she can’t deal with her issues. Just like real people. Yet in the end, atones for all her mistakes and begins making amends with her sister. Little kids see and look up to this incredibly strong girl, no, queen, with mental issues doing things in spite of their issues, and she is deserving of love.

    Romance takes a back seat to familial and platonic relationships in this movie, which I thought was incredibly refreshing. The bond between the sisters, no matter how thin it is stretched and how worn it is from years of no communication, cannot be broken. These are two very strong female characters that put each other before their own safety, and I think that is a very good message to send. I respect your opinion, although I may disagree with it. I hope, if you have any further issues with the film, you could reply to this message with them. I would be interested in hearing your thoughts!

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    1. Very thoughtful review. Especially your analysis of Anna and Elsa's relationship and Elsa's "very extreme mental neuroses." I wonder how deeply young girls really think about the values conveyed--more likely they just like the songs and visuals and don't really internalize the conflicts and issues presented. I did write more about the film in a subsequent post. Since the film's made $1 billion, it's obviously succeeded, but I still think it worth considering underlying messages, and especially, discussing them with children to better enable them to look beneath the surface when consuming all sorts of media.

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    2. It also teaches girls that flirting with another man while engaged is totally okay. Anna and Kristoff were flirting and almost got MARRIED (at the trolls' encouragement) when Anna was engaged to Hans. Luckily for them, Hans turned out to be a villain. Very convenient.
      Also, what's up with the bestiality joke in Fixer Upper? This is a freaking kids' movie, for crying out loud.
      All of this is coming from a big Disney geek who usually LOVES Disney movies, although the last two Disney Princess movies have been extremely disappointing

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    3. fray ray ok... how exactly was Anna and Kristoff flirting? She was complaining of freezing and he couldn't even put his arm around her rather he lead her over to steam coming from the ground to get warm. She was so surprised by the trolls that she was taking in their words of wisdom, as she had had no one else to talk to in forever. all the while Kristoff telling them "that's not why were here we need help. she's engaged." Not to mention that from the second they met he was annoyed with her and pretty much thought she was an idiot to put it plainly. Olaf had to point it out that Kristoff had clearly fallen for her and sacrificed his own happiness to save her. when he saw the town's situation was worsening is when he went storming back in to town(pun INTENDED!!) to save Anna only to fall short by seconds. or so he thought

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    4. I disagree with the original post...the trolls told her that fear is her enemy and love is the way..they accepted her from the beginning.
      Her parents on the other hand took her natural gift and told her to hide it. To hide who she is and to compact away any strong emotions. That's why she got messed up.
      Beyond that, my husband who is 21liked it, my daughter who is four loved it (and immediately understood the parents died and accepted it), my 42yr old mother liked it, my 18yr old male friend liked it, his 19yr old wife liked it, and me at 22yrs loved it....
      Oh and anna is to blame for the whole thing. If that girl had listened just once during the whole movie none of the bad stuff would have happened,.

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  9. i really enjoyed this movie. I really don't see how you could dislike it. I would like to point out that disney was trying to say to not lock yourself away.

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  10. cannot disagree with this article. I found something wrong when I'm watching this movie last night. And this article pleasantly represents all of my feeling...

    You should add the scenes when Olaf's head is separated from his body and treated as humor. Also when Olaf was walking and hit a crystal ice that's stabbing his chest to his back. His reaction just: "Opps...haha I'm impaled"

    What the... Why Disney have to add these scary scenes and treat them as a sick joke for.....kid movies???? 0_0

    *and Disney movie have to always ended with kisses ~~~~~

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    1. Olaf was a snowman! And kids know that. We don’t give kids enough credit for their insight. Snowmen can roll around without heads and be okay-I like humans. It’s not traumatizing or scary.

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  11. While Frozen did have it's good and bad points, I'm surprised no one has mentioned one of the most prevalent, albeit symbolic, themes in this movie: anxiety and fear. Elsa has major anxiety issues for the majority of the movie, fear actually being a driving force behind her powers, and on several occasions her sister ignores her feelings. Without giving much away, there's a scene where Anna wants to get married to someone she literally just met, but Elsa says no. Because of this, Anna throws what I can only describe as a selfish temper-tantrum, verbally attacking her sister in front of dozens of other people while Elsa, hurt by what she's said, is just trying to get away from her, holding herself and slouching over as she tries to walk away. Anna does not only lack the decency to respect her sister's feelings, because she is visibly uncomfortable and hurt by what she's saying, but she shouts and yells and makes a scene in front of everyone in the room.

    As if this wasn't bad enough, Anna in herself is a very naive character, and I would go as far as to call her self-centered. There are many instances where Elsa displays severe anxiety, fear, and depression, but because Anna thinks she can help her, she chases her, stating that everything will be fine now that she's here and that she 'understands now'. Elsa continually tries to get away from her, telling her she wants to be alone, but Anna persists, and even chases her down. While it may seem irrelevant to some of you, in context not only is Anna ignoring her sister's fears and feelings, but she's also acting like she can fix it; that Elsa's fears and anxieties are a problem that can she can fix.

    Now I don't know about you, but as a teenage girl who has had horrible anxiety disorders for most of her life, this is a terrible message to display to young kids. It treats anxiety like it can be easily solved, such as Elsa's 'epiphany' in the cop-out of an ending, and that people with it are just people who need to be fixed, when it's actually a process that can take a long time. Not only does it just shrug off Elsa's anxieties and problems in several scenes, but Anna, along with other characters, even go far as to guilt trip her for her anxieties (such as Anna talking about how she felt that she wasn't friends with her sister anymore because she never played with her and telling her to come out of her room in 'Do You Want to Build a Snowman'), blame her for her problems which she can't help( Anna attacking Elsa verbally for isolating herself and acting distant towards others, people blaming her for the snow that she can't help and calling her a monster), and try to force her to own up to her problems (Anna once again trying to force Elsa to come home and fix the weather, even when she says she can't and she's afraid, not to mention a scene where Elsa is violently attacked and dragged back to her kingdom unconscious). Anxiety is a serious issue, and the themes of victim blaming in this movie are extremely hurtful for those who had legitimate depression, anxiety, and introversion, but this movie just shrugs them off and treats them like simple-fix problems.

    I admit that this could have been a better movie, I'm not saying it's terrible. However, it has many bad messages, and if you're taking someone to see it who has anxiety and introverted problems, then this movie might hurt their feelings more than you think.

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  12. I succumbed to peer (parent) pressure...and allowed my daughter (6) to see her first-ever PG movie. There was little to recommend this film, in my opinion. The soundtrack was inane...overly sweeping and emotional. I found all of the characters profoundly unlikeable--with the girls leading the pack. And the animations were super ugly--they looked like Botoxed 70-year-olds.

    The snowman and the reindeer were the only characters with any charm.

    Plot was sloppy and held together with off-brand tape. All the Disney themes were present: orphaned children, prince-crazy girls (how old was that many-hungry redhead...14???). The lyrics of the songs are entirely too adult.

    The ONLY thing I can say in favor of this movie is that there was minimal "snark" (although some) and freshness...and it was much lighter on the innuendo than other Disney movies (although it was there.)

    I agree wholeheartedly with the reviewer. My advice to parents considering this for their littles would be "Let It Go".

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    1. The Classic Disney Princesses were wayyyyy better than Elsa and Anna. Elsa looked like she was 20 and sounded like she was old enough to be Anna's MOTHER.
      And don't even get me started on Anna. She gets engaged to Hans, whom she has only known for less than 12 hours and then, while engaged, flirts with another guy, Kristoff (whom she has known for two days, at most). Not to mention, she almost MARRIES him (despite still having a FIANCE), at the insistence of the trolls. None of the other DP movies had this issue. Is this really what we're teaching children these days? Absolutely disgusting.

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    2. Fray Ray go watch the old disney films please....Cinderella knew the Prince approximately 5.03minutes long enough for one dance..
      Snow white woke up to a man who originally broke into her home kissing her...
      Aurora danced with a stranger in the woods and declared it Love..
      Ariel..omg..this 16yr old saw a guy on a boat, changed her body, sold her one valuable asset, abandoned her family and then bold face lied saying she didn't know...,
      Belle,.bestiality. .,Stockholm syndrome..
      Jasmine..well she's not that bad but sexuality. .
      Anna was 18and had a hard life and was wonderful. Anna i think was about 15 self centered and attention deprived with a bunch of stories of true love in her head..... their the most relatable princesses yet. .Also Hans was a poke at the usual princess thing..she didn't flirt with kristoff. . She basically didn't like him the whole movie...

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  13. I don't agree, first, he didn't try to kill them he tried to kick them out of the palace because elsa was upset and angry or whatever, the snow man monster doesn't look scary it looks like a marshmellow with ice spikes on it

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  14. this movie is really bad. so glad i did not let my children see it. the parents die. the guys try to kill the queen with spearguns. the prince tries to kill the queen and princess. yeah, that really sounds like a harmless movie for children.

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  15. What's WRONG with you people?? You're scared of a snowman in a CHILDREN'S movie and you have supporters. I swear to God, this is exactly what's wrong with the world

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    1. If sensitivity to frightening characters presented to children is "exactly what's wrong with the world," may I suggest you pick up a newspaper? Perhaps greater sensitivity to childhood innocence, as well as more general regard for others' peril would bring more consideration and caring generally.

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    2. Wow, northern, you're really good at persuasion. No wonder so many people agree with you.Uh, but I want to point out one thing. Did you that this was an EXPRESSION or that she was literally saying that's what's wrong with the world. Come on, use your head.

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  16. Hmm, the politeness and respect of commenters often reflects the validity of their thinking. I said little kids would be frightened, and yes, it's possible that even some adults are sensitive to threatening characters. Anyone can disagree, but only certain types of people will do so in crass terms.

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  17. That"s not true frozen is the best movie ever it is not scary nor bad for kids it is the best movie I have ever seen :(

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  18. The kids that I babysit (ages 5 & 7) absolutely adore this movie. As did I. The girl keeps singing the songs all day and dressing up as Elsa. They weren't scared in the least bit. I think I find it isn't scary because the "scary" parts are chase scenes as opposed to monsters under the bed, and you're more or less cheering the protagonists to "get outta there!" As a kid, what traumatized me were movies/shows with monsters or creeps lurking in the dark or your closet or something. That gives you something to think about later.
    If you want "too scary" for kids, how about looking at the scene in Lion King where Simba WATCHES HIS DAD get TRAMPLED by the stampede. That's depressing, scary, and yet still a fantastic story.

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  19. I Am A 27 Year Old Grown Woman And I Absolutely Loved This Movie...I'm Sorry, But I Really Think You Have Too.Much Time On Your Hands And Completely Over Thought This Movie...When There Are Actual Real Problems That Our Children Face Daily, You're Worried About Snowmen Being Too Scary And Some Off The Cuff Humor...Please....Most Kids Don't Pick Up On What You Dubious Themes...They Are More Interested In The Pretty Princesses And The.Catchy Songs...I Think Disney Does A Wonderful Job In Adapting Stories To Movies That Kids And Adults Alike Will Love...If You Want Scary You Should Read Where The Fairy Tales Actually Came From In The Originals...That Would Be Something To Get Worked Up Over....I Just Think It's A Little Ridiculous To Interpret Frozen The Way You Have...But You Are Entitled To Your Opinion...

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    1. And I think YOU have way too much time on your hands if you're capitalizing every single one of your words.....

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    2. oh, come on, that was probably just a typo. Deal with the internet, dude.

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  20. plus let it go song (everyone knows) 90% of the time everyone sings it wrong

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  21. My daughter is 5. She has seen it a dozen times. Every moment is a teaching moment. As we watch the movie together I teach her about not fearing what you don't know. When she asks why they lock Elsa up, I explain that they are afraid. She also understands olaf is a snowman and NOT REAL. Which is why the impaling jokes are hilarious. If you look at any movie you can find criticisms, but one that teaches you lessons about being yourself and loving your family no matter what is a pretty good movie.

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  22. Amazing movie! My 6yr old daughter, 7yr old son and even my 13yr old son LOVED IT! As per usual all the Negative Nancies and Debbie Downers will over analyse every little thing. I've learnt over my lifetime that if a particular movie etc doesn't appeal to someone for conceited reasons, (I'm not even sure what a botoxed 70yr old is supposed to look like) they will use every way they can to attempt to destroy it. If you like children's animations, this movie is beautiful. Also my 13yr old son has high functioning autism, ocd and anxiety issues and he loved it. But he is a very bright child and understands that not every one thinks and behaves the same.

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  23. Ugh. I haven't watched it but it looks terrible.

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  24. Please see my follow-up post, written after "Frozen" won the Oscar for Best Animated Picture. (http://brightlightsearch.blogspot.com/2014/03/frozen-wins-oscars-captivateslooking.html). The film's messages are still questionable, but clearly families disagreed with my view. I'd rather families go see a Disney movie, and that girls sing "Let It Go" than most of the other stuff they consume and sing! Why not notice and discuss potentially questionable messages, and teach your children how to critically analyze media around them? At the same time, parents shouldn't assume that Disney (or any "kids'" movies) always promote lofty values, and must act as gatekeepers against the national assault on innocence. (See my book, Saving Childhood.)

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  25. As I read this, I started to question whether you had ever seen a Disney movie? You complain about monsters, really?!
    I know you made many, many, many other points that while I'd love to address will have to be another time.
    The reason I'm shocked is every Disney animation heck... Every Disney MOVIE I can recall has a bad guy that can somewhat be monster like.
    Let's see,
    Alice in wonderland- Red Queen
    Sleeping Beauty- Maleficent
    The Little Mermaid, Ursula
    Alladin- Jafar... Shall I continue?
    And with each of these characters I've mentioned they have their own type of minions/followers that can be goofy, or scary depending on the scene.
    So I feel like your blog wasn't thought through completely.
    Also you complained about the loss of their parents. How quickly you attack the scene, yet have you forgotten Lion King when Mufasa dies? Or how about Bambi when his mother dies?? Really?!
    All I'm saying here is before you go and complain about certain things, perhaps you should really look into Disney movies. If you're going to knock one, you might as well not watch any of them, EVER... Cause the all have scary villians. Hard losses. Quirky side kicks that make no sense, but provide comic relief. And a happy ending. The rest is filler.

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  26. I love Tangled. Frozen, on the other hand, was a complete mockery of traditional Disney. Brave and Frozen are tied for the worst Disney Princess movie I've ever seen.

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    1. You're entitled to your opinion, but oh my god, PLEASE DON'T SAY THAT. Yes, Frozen is a mockery of traditional Disney. That's supposed to be a good thing. Have you seen Snow White, Cinderella, or Sleeping Beauty, where the princess falls in love with a handsome prince she's only known for a day, and lives happily with said prince? That's a bad message for small children. Whereas the naive Anna, who doesn't know any better due to being shut away for her whole life, falls in love with Hans straightaway. And she pays the price for that. It's trying to teach girls not to trust and love someone you don't even know. I think that's a really good thing to teach children. Also tying into that is the plot twist, changing it from the cliche ending where the brave, heroic prince swoops in to save the helpless princess. It shows that no girl needs a man to save her and that she's perfectly capable of her own heroics. Also, I LOVE Brave and totally disagree with you on that, but that is your opinion.

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    2. No one has mentioned Princess and the Frog... voodoo? demons dancing trying to take his soul and drag him off to where ever? whew... now that one did creep me out, but that's because i understand the innuendos and its my job to teach my child what things are and right from wrong so on... brave... eh. not my thing but it sure was sweet. MY favorite People say Ariel changed for her man... No she wanted to be human and then fell in love with one. she made sacrifices (tho foolish in the way she went about it) to chase her dreams. but for all the negative messages pointed out in all our Disney collection, there are just as many positives. Olaf's dream is impossible... he doesn't care and still holds on to them. i like when grown ups and young adults can calmly embark on conversations to express our many different opinions. i do agree with yours! My son is 8 and Love is an open door is his FAVORITE song! my girls 3&7 , yes please know true love can come in all shapes and sizes and there is more than one kind of love. you do not have to wait for a man to bring you happiness or true love. Mind you Kristoff worked super hard just for a kiss! after everything they went through together he gained some R-E-S-P-E-C-T for Anna! WHEW i could go on and on!

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  27. i am in high school and really enjoyed the film and everywhere i go there is people singing the songs but i doo agree with some off your points.

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  28. I'm 20 years old, single, with no kids and I saw this movie twice in theaters, once in English and once in German when I came to Germany to study for a semester. I absolutely love this movie.

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  29. It sounds to me like Elsa is a typical introvert and Anna is a typical extrovert. Introvert's energy is drained by being around people and very often they only get to 'be' themselves when they are by themselves recharging from the energy that extroverts have 'stolen' from them. Many of the great prophets of the east spent years, essentially doing nothing, or that is what it might seem, to an extrovert. But in truth the inner world of an introvert is a very rich and fertile place and which does not always need to be stimulated from the outside. In some cultures young girls are isolated from everyone for a period of time, when they reach womanhood, so that they can in essence 'find' themselves before they end up giving of themselves to everyone from their families to their community.

    Are your feelings for the movie really a critique of the story, or a critique of introverts? I find many extroverts just don't get introverts and often are very frustrated by the fact that introverts just don't seem to need the same amount of external stimulation that most extroverts do.

    In this move, there were positive roles for both introverts and extroverts, the young women found that a true act of love does not have to be romantic, that sometimes what appears good, can turn out to be evil and what can appear evil can turn out to be good. This seems to me valuable lessons that children of all ages can benefit from. The world is not as black and white as we would like it and sometimes teaching kids that there are areas of grey is not a bad thing.

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  30. I would like to point out that if you have watch Disney movies you would realize that in almost every single movie there is a missing parent or dead parent(s). I challenge you to name one that has 2 normal, never dying parents, that aren't separated. As for your scary point, the wolves were the only scary thing, and my 7 year old sister thought it was funny when Anna hit the wolf with the banjo and that Christoph was determined to correct his name even in a Near Death Experience. Also, to all the people complaining about Olaf, the impalement thing was a joke, he is a SNOWMAN! He doesn't have bones, muscled, blood, flesh, none of it! He can't really feel pain, and not one child has decided, "Oh, I am Olaf I shall go impale myself with an icicle!" I mean really. Come on. Also, what plot holes are you talking about? Elsa is born with ice powers, she ACCIDENTALLY hurts her sister, her sister is healed, but Elsa is told her powers are dangerous (she is told this by a very wise rock, but if you look at Cinderella and the talking mice, it isn't unusual for Disney), then she has to learn to control her powers so her parents do the best they can with her, and in order to protect people they lock her away. Obviously you haven't seen Tangled, Shrek(even though it's dream works), and snow white! If you plan on telling me that almost killing your best friend/little sister, then getting locked away for your and other people's protection is not traumatizing to the point where you are a little messed up in the head then YOU need help. Then when she is at her coronation she almost freezes the royal object things, then she finds out her sister is getting married to a man she just met, and his big family is coming to stay, causing Elsa to worry about killing/freezing/hurting someone, even after she has worried about it all day! I will gladly tell you the rest of the movie, since you obviously watched it for the sole purpose of criticizing it, but I feel as though this is enough. If you have any more "plot holes" you let me know. If you find anything else wrong with the movie you let me know. Cause you have no idea what you are talking about, not to mention that GROWN ADULTS care enough about the movie that they waste their time arguing about it and actually getting all hissy on each other because of a KIDS MOVIE that was made to be funny, but also has meaningful lessons such as girls don't always have to depend on guys to save the,.

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  31. "I've STARTED talking to the walls . . . " started as in just begun. The isolation is finally getting to her AND she IS talking about it.

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  32. Finally some one says everything I´m thinking! I agree with you! I see every one here in Brasil loving the movie,the song, the plot. I saw all the flaws that you saw! I think the plot is very poor. Mainly the part when the parents shutout the girl whom is different. Is that the message we want our kids to learn? If you are different you´re going to be put away??? Come on!
    Loved your post!
    :)
    Gisele

    @kidsindoors

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  33. What an EXCELLENT review! I wish more parents were aware of how distructive today's twisted Disney "antyfairtails" are. I am thinking about writing a protest against massive polluting of the minds of yound children with horroresque "children movies" that can cause a devastation in a young psyche. I feel sorry for actors and producers like Angelina Jolie harming the kids with movies like "Maleficient" and other disturbing remakes of old-fashioned fairytales.
    Also, it amazes me how oblivious or maybe already desensitized the public is about the problem...

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    1. I know this is just your opinion but I do want to correct what you're saying. I do get that you'll probably not agree but

      Having been a little kid about five years ago myself, I would say, a lot of times parents over analyze movies. I remember when I was little, my mind was NOT "polluted" I've watched most of the newer disney princess movies and contrary to your belief, I do was not "scarred by horroresque movies that cause devastation in the young physique."

      Now after that quote, can you please tell one incident WHEN A DISNEY MOVIE HAS MADE A CHILD'S PSYCHE DEVASTATED.

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  34. I wish I had read your review before letting my 5 yr old daughter see this movie. I would have never let that happen. She is crazy about this movie and absorbing all the negative messages. She has become increasingly uncontrollable and tries to behave like Elsa. Shuts herself in a room even at the slightest disagreement with us. I guess its time for me to talk to her and explain the weird behavior patterns shown in this movie.

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    1. I agree! My daughter picked up some weird Elsa behaviors and phrases too. "Leave me alone!" and storming off, something she had never done before. There are more examples, but anyway, she only was allowed to watch it because I felt pressured by my family whose children adored the movie etc. Total mistake. After watching this piece of crap movie (I agree more than 100% with the reviewer!!), I showed my daughter Tangled which was recommended by Common Sense Media. Then we bought the Disney Tangled novel and read that. Rapunzel! What a fantastic role model, with a personality and was consistently kind and good to all. I wish so much that Tangled had been better advertised as it is just a superior movie in every single way. Great Review and btw, that never-ending snow monster chase was scary as hell!

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  35. Yeah, I have to admit that this is a weird reaction. Though this is the only time I've heard of a kid behaving like this after a disney movie.

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  36. I think Frozen is one of the worst Disney movies I have ever seen. There were too many massive holes in the plot, characters with no back stories, and the flow was unnatural. I would also call this movie uninspired and un-inspirational. Tangled on the other hand was wonderful, flowed well, well put together. It seemed like maybe Frozen was pushed through the animation process too quickly with resulted in an unfinished, underdeveloped story. Perhaps Disney is entering one of their low points again such as periods in the 1970's and 1980's; I won't mention certain movies because some people's nostalgia limits their ability to properly analyze films.

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  37. Dude, were you even paying attention

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  38. To the movie? This post is completely ridiculous

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  39. While listening to and reading the sing a long to the song 'let it go' .... Ive notice this song particularly the first half seriously promotes 'rebelion' and 'misbehavior'. While your saying "no way, it's a song for kids their minds in no way will comprehend the song lyrics in that manor" I can assure you the #1 mistake of parenting is not giving our kids enough credit as to if they 'do not' understand their misbehaviors. When in fact children know exactly what they are doing while conscientiously or subconsciously have motive to their wrong doings. Children's minds are ever growing and easily manipulated.

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    1. I completely agree. I'm really bothered by the behaviour my daughter began emulating after watching this movie, and about that song/scene and character in particular. We're normally really careful about this. Sigh.

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    2. I completely agree. I'm really bothered by the behaviour my daughter began emulating after watching this movie, and about that song/scene and character in particular. We're normally really careful about this. Sigh.

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  40. The reviews are glowing as brightly as the ice castle Queen Elsa waves ... ifrozencastle.blogspot.com

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  41. Did anyone notice the beach scene where olaf is singing(summer) and his "friends" are shown in the background... and the girl made up of sand and the bird is actually doing something awkward?!....

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  42. Wow, you seem to have connected all your negative symbolic emotions to this movie where my experience was completely different and positive, you will most likely delete my comment as well due to it not agreeing with your negative views being manifested into finding a symbolic relationship with this movie to your walls surrounding your heart. The moral to the entire story is LOVE HEALS, FEAR destroys. Controlling parents who love thier child and yes are doing as best as they know how, keep thier daughter from facing her fears and keep her hidden in fear to be who she is away from who she loves so she can keep them safe. A child, learning. Parents trying, yet making a big mistake. Hold it in, be the good girl you are meant to be? NO LET IT GO! BE FREE! BE YOU! And the marshmallow snowman was not scary, my 19 month old is in love with the movie, yet all other movies I have tried have scary angry scenes which upset her, from the scary teeth on the seal in happy feet to the beginning of monsters inc. When they are being mean. But the cute marshmallow snowman doesnt even turn a cheek for her. Sorry that I completely disagree with the negativity you experienced throughout this movie but I agree with my 19 month old. This is the best disney movie I have seen so far. From the way the talking turns into songs to the deep positive symbolic messages it sends to our children. I only listed a few of the insanely many beautiful messages I keep experiencing every day I watch it.

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