Film Review - "Frozen 2"

Frozen 2
Directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee
Starring Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, and Josh Gad

The first Frozen was an unprecedented success turned worldwide phenomenon. It solidified a new era of high quality films from Walt Disney Animation, the likes of which hadn't been seen since the nineties. Naturally, a sequel was inevitable…questionable, but inevitable. Sequels have always been a challenge for the House of Mouse. Aside from the fact that most of them went direct-to-video, and done by their secondary animation studio DisneyToon Studios, not many of them have gone over too well with critics and fans alike.

…but that's just me being devilishly misleading (Suckers!). Frozen 2 is one of the best sequels Disney has ever produced, and while not necessarily better or worse than the first, it is certainly worthy of sharing its namesake.

Frozen 2 takes place three years after its predecessor, and finds Elsa (Menzel) ruling the kingdom of Arendelle with her sister Anna (Bell) at her side. When Elsa starts to hear a mysterious voice calling out to her, she initially tries to ignore it, but soon begins to follow it. This leads to her unintentionally awakening some unknown forces of nature, which threaten the safety of the kingdom.

Together with Anna, Olaf (Gad), Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) and Sven, Elsa ventures north to find the Enchanted Forest and the voice that is calling her. What they discover there will reveal secrets about their kingdom, their parents, and the origin of Elsa's powers…

Where Frozen was a very traditional Disney animated musical, Frozen 2 is more an epic, drama-feuled fantasy-adventure. They feel like such different films, it's hard to compare the two, but they compliment each other nicely. I don't think anyone was clamoring to know where Elsa's powers came from after seeing Frozen (Wether you watched season four of Once Upon A Time or not…) but it does make for an interesting premise of a sequel.

The film does a great job of building on the relationship of Anna & Elsa, as it should. After the first film focused on the two of them trying to rebuild their bond, this film sees that bond tested. Can these sisters retain the relationship they have as life forces them to grow, and to change? That's the big theme of the film. Growth and transformation, and if you forget don't worry, Olaf will mention it. A lot. Jokes aside, that's very powerful message that can resonate with audiences of all ages. That message is really represented well in the relationship of Anna & Elsa.

Frozen 2 also does a great deal of world-building, and creating a mythology for the kingdom of Arendelle. It's not a totally unique concept they set up for the magic in this land (It's definitely gonna draw comparisons to a popular animated series), but it works for Frozen. There's obviously a mystery to uncover, and you might be able to solve it before the third act, but it's executed well with some twists you may not see coming.

I guess if I had some criticism about the story, the method they feed information to the viewer is not as effective as I think they wanted it to be. This isn't really a spoiler, but we learn "water has memory", and Elsa can manipulate it to create ice sculptures of past events. Visually it looks cool, but as far as the golden rule of "show, not tell" they probably could have done a *liiiiittle* more "telling". Some viewers (perhaps younger children) might get a bit confused. So I guess what I'm saying is I wanted a deeper dive into the film's mythology.

Idnina Menzel is Elsa. She has a voice like no other. It's magical, it's maternal, and it commands your attention. Really no one can sing like Idina Menzel. There's a sort of "fragile strength" in her voice that I think perfectly matches Elsa's character. Her magic makes her the most powerful person in this world, but she's full of self-doubt, and longs to find her place in it. Kristen Bell delivers a truly powerful performance as Anna. Frozen was more Anna's story, and Frozen 2 is more Elsa's, but that doesn't mean Anna doesn't get her share of character development. A lot of intense, dramatic moments fall on Anna's shoulders, and Kristen Bell delivers it all. She's naive and sassy, but insecure and emotional. Anna is probably one of the more fleshed-out of the Disney Princess characters, and she's brought to life by Kristen Bell's amazing performance.

Thanks to the poor release plan of a certain holiday special, everyone now either loves or hates Olaf. Me, I like him fine, and he's got a lot of great material here. Surprise, some of the biggest laughs in the film are from Olaf, and Josh Gad brings him to life with an unrivaled comedic delivery. Olaf is naive, but he has heart, and the screenwriters know how to balance that. Combined with Gad's voice work, Olaf (wether your like it or not) is one of the best Disney sidekicks. Jonathan Groff has one of the best voices a man has ever had. That's just a fact. Kristoff in this film however, is underutilized. He's relegated to a subplot of constantly trying to propose Anna with not much success, and yeah, it's not that interesting. But Kristoff is still a great character, and Groff does great work voicing him. Plus he actually gets a song in this film, and man what a song…more on that later.

As with any animated sequel, you get some new characters. The problem is, none of them really get any attention. The one that stands out the most is Lieutenant Mattias, played by Sterling K. Brown, and that's probably why he stands out the most...because he's voiced by Sterling K. Brown. Evan Rachel Wood plays Queen Iduna, Anna & Elsa's previously unheard mother. She has some really nice moments, but overall is not a particularly memorable character.

Alright the music. The soundtrack of Frozen 2 is more consistent in quality than Frozen's, but it's not necessarily a stronger one? That probably doesn't make sense, let's just say the music is great. Elsa has two great songs in the film, "Into the Unknown" and "Show Yourself". You've definitely heard "Into the Unknown" in all the marketing, but they've kept "Show Yourself" under wraps, and there's a reason. When you hear the song and see it with the visuals, you'll realize it's this film's "Let It Go", not "Into The Unknown". I see it definitely getting a Best Orignal Song nomination at the Oscars. Olaf's song, "When I'm Older" is so damn delightful. It's "In Summer" to the next level, and I think any aging millennial will here this song and burst into nervous laughter. Ok, Kristoff's song "Lost In The Woods" is incredible. That's really all I can say. Just like "Show Yourself", when you hear the song with its visuals, you'll understand. The last song I want to touch on is Anna's second song in the film, "The Next Right Thing". It's not a song kids are going to ask you to play on repeat for the next ten years, but it's an incredibly quiet, but powerful character moment for her. Incoming Bold Statement: This scene alone should get Kristen Bell some acting nominations come awards season. That's how good it is. The stigma of animated films be damned.

Speaking of animation, why don't we talk about the animation in this animated film?? It's breathtaking. It's gorgeous. I am amazed at how much the technology had advanced in just the six years since Frozen came out. The detail on Olaf's snowman body, the realism of the water, and the way they bring Elsa's magic to life, it's well, magical. Some of the magical sequences provoke memories of the likes of Fantasia and Silly Symphonies from the early days of Disney. Frozen 2 shows why Disney still is the king of animation. The evidence is right there on the screen. The way they produce lighting and textures, I just stated how much I missed hand-drawn animation in my Klaus review, but when computer animation is this great, I can button up for a little bit.

Frozen 2 may not have been a necessary sequel to make, but it's a good one. It's mature, epic, and entertaining. It's filled with amazing vocal performances, gorgeous animation, and beautiful music, which is really the recipe of any great Disney film. But that hasn't always been the case with Disney sequels. Frozen 2 is the exception to the rule. It's worthy to stand side-by-side with the original film, ensuring that the Frozen phenomenon will continue to live on for years to come.

So, I'll see you in five years for my review of Frozen 3, and stay tuned for a lip-dub to…whichever song from this film I can't get out of my head…and that's like three of them…

Film Review - "Klaus"

Klaus
Directed by Sergio Pablos
Starring Jason Schwartzman, JK Simmons, and Rashida Jones

There's two things we don't get a lot of these days: Traditionally animated-films, and good Christmas films. Klaus, Netflix's first original animated film, which hit the streaming service earlier this month, is a near-perfect film in both regards.

Jesper (Schwartzman) is a selfish, lazy trust-fund child coasting through the postal academy by doing the minimum of the bare minimum. His father, in an effort to teach him a lesson, assigns him to be the postman of the town of Smeerensberg. Smeerensberg is an absolutely miserable town, populated by two constantly feuding families, The Krum's and The Ellingbow's. Jesper's father tells him he has one year to deliver 6,000 letters while there or he's cut off from the family fortune.

Desperate to make his quota and escape the horrible town, Jesper discovers Klaus (Simmons), a reclusive woodsman who has a large stock of handmade toys. Jesper gets the idea to have the children of Smeerensberg write letters to Klaus asking for toys. Soon this reluctant partnership turns into an unlikely friendship, and both Jesper and Klaus start to bring out the best in each other. Their actions soon start to change the mood of the townsfolk, particularly the children, much to the dismay of the heads of the feuding families.

So, yes, Klaus is another Santa Claus origin story. It's a mostly* original take on the story of how he came to be. After all these years it's kind of hard to do something new with Santa in film I think, but there were story elements in Klaus that were surprisingly fresh and original. The script does things with the character that I don't think have been done before, which is really nice. That said while Klaus is the titular character, the film is really Jesper's.

Let's talk about Jesper for a second. His character arc is fairly predictable, and I guess to an extent the screenplay is as well. Naturally Jesper starts to become less of a jerk and more selfless, and begins to question his original motives, and you can figure it out from there. But it's all executed so wonderfully you don't really care. The characters are just so likable and you really get immersed in their story and their world. You really believe in the friendship of Jesper and Klaus, which is the heart of the film.

Jason Schwartzman has played jerks and nice guys before, and he's perfectly cast as Jesper, a guy who transforms from the former to the latter. As far as finding actors to play your Santa Claus, JK Simmons is unexpectedly inspired casting. He's got the gruff seniority and warmth which blends together for a great take on an iconic legendary figure. Rashida Jones plays Alva the schoolteacher turned fishmonger, because none of the kids in town will come to school. Again, this is perfect casting. Her voice is so sweet and nurturing, but she also brings the edge of cynicism that the character needs. Classic Anne Perkins.

Joan Cusack plays Ms. Krum, head of the Krum family, and once you stop hearing a cranky Jessie from Toy Story, she's a delightfully wicked antagonist. Will Sasso plays Mr. Ellingbow, who doesn't really stand out too much until he's sharing scenes with Cusack. Finally Norm MacDonald has a small but memorable role as a ship captain who gets a kick out of busting Jesper's chops.

Guys the animation in this film is gorgeous. The character designs are top-notch, the backgrounds and scenery are amazing. This film made me sad that traditional animation is no longer as big as it used to be, because this film is a testament to the beauty of the medium. It harkens back to animated films of the nineties. As a matter of fact many former Disney animators from the Renaissance era worked on Klaus. The lighting and the textures are so remarkable it takes the animation to a whole new level, like a pop-up storybook come to life. It really gives the film a magical, Christmastime feel.

If I had one criticism to make, it's the use of modern music in the soundtrack. The Heavy's "How You Like Me Now" is used in one scene, and it works fine but it shakes the tone of the film for a minute. "Invisible" by Sara Larson is used a lot throughout, and more effectively, but again modern music/pop song affects the tone of the film.

Klaus is a wonderful film that can get you in the Christmas spirit, and remind you of the wonder of classic, hand-drawn animation. It's a touching story about friendship and selflessness, with wonderful characters brought to life by superb voice-talent. I suggest you give it a chance this holiday season. It's easily one of the best Christmas films we've gotten in years. Shortly after one viewing, I'm anticipating a rewatch very soon. It might just become a new holiday tradition.

Also dare I say it, it may make my Top 10 Films of 2019-goddamnit I still have to write Top 10s for 2012 and 2018…

*Ok so a postman, tells the story of how a Santa Claus character came to be, which has said character delivering toys to a miserable town, and the powers that be in said town end up not liking it…and there's a female schoolteacher love-interest…where have I…son of a-

Film Review - "Jojo Rabbit"

Jojo Rabbit
Directed by Taika Waititi
Starring Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Scarlett Johansson, and Taika Waititi

A lot can factor into who a person is or becomes, from who they spend time with, to what they're exposed to by the media. Our environment can shape our identity in extraordinary ways. But environments change, and how we respond to those changes can also shape us.
Jojo Rabbit, the latest film from Taika Waititi, has its main character experience such changes in one of the grimmest environments our world has ever known. This makes for a truly clever, bold and bittersweet film.

The film tells the story of Johannes "Jojo" Beltzer (Davis), a ten-year-old boy living in Nazi-Germany. Jojo is blindly devoted to his country's government, with dreams of becoming a Nazi, and even having a version of Adolf Hitler (Waititi) as an imaginary friend. One day, he discovers Elsa (McKenzie), a Jewish girl being hidden in his home by his mother Rosie (Johnasson). Unable to turn her in, as it would result in trouble for him and his mother, Jojo agrees to let Elsa stay provided he teach her "Jew secrets" for his self-published expose'. Elsa is more than happy to "enlighten" him and they form an unlikely friendship, much to the chagrin of Imaginary Hitler, and Jojo's beliefs are put into question.

This is truly one of the most unique stories put to screen in recent years. Germany during World War II is a setting that's not foreign to filmmaking, but for comedy, outside of the works of Mel Brooks it's really never been done. It's also unique in that hardly ever before, has this period in history been told in film from the perspective of a child. That gives it almost a bizarre innocence to it, while also heightening the tension of the situation. I will say that while this is a comedy, it's no "Springtime for Hitler" romp. There are extended comical sequences but they're seamlessly intertwined with the emotional, dramatic sequences.

That's a credit to writer/director Taika Waititi. One hang-up I initially had with his last film, Thor: Ragnarok, is that too many dramatic moments were immediately undercut by a funny line or gag. That is not the case with Jojo. The comedy is used as counterweight to the drama, and doesn't take away from it. It shows how much Waititi is a master of the craft of tone, and storytelling. Speaking of story, his script offers a lot more than "Nazi's are bad". It's a story about loving one another, what makes a person good or bad, and like I mentioned earlier, how we are effected by the environment were brought up in.

As far as that second point, each of the major players is given proper character development. Jojo learns that Elsa, a Jewish girl, isn't bad as he has been led to believe. We as the audience know Jojo is a Hitler Youth, but we see he is just an innocent little boy, who really doesn't know any better. The Nazi's in the film are portrayed as radical, incompetent buffoons, but some of them may just have hearts (which I'll get to). The world of Jojo Rabbit isn't straight black and white, as far as "The Jews are good and the Nazi's are bad." and that's a bold and human way to approach this story.

These characterizations are brought to life by a truly amazing class. The film is carried by the two stellar young talents, Roman Griffin Davis and Thomasin McKenzie. Davis, in his first film role ever, turns in a wonderful performance as Jojo. The audience can truly sympathize and root for Jojo as he goes through this journey, while also having a few laughs at his expense. It's one of the most charming child performances in recent years. McKenzie is a great foil to him, making Elsa very tough and cynical, while at the same time fragile and sincere. Each of these characters have an edge to them but at the end of the day are just scared kids in a dark period of time.

Scarlett Johansson as Jojo's mother Rosie is absolutely delightful, almost like a beacon of sunshine in this gloomy world. She's warm, charming, and comical, but you also feel her pain as a single mother to a Hitler Youth, while she herself resists the Nazi regime. That's a lot for one supporting performance and Johansson nails it (Oscar nomination, anyone?). Speaking of Oscar nominations, Academy Award Winner Sam Rockwell gives perhaps my favorite performance in the film as Captain Klenzendorf. He's so much more than a moronic caricature of a Nazi officer. There's actually dare I say, heart to him, as we see in his scenes with Davis. I could easily see Rockwell getting another Oscar nomination for this.

Taika Waititi is really something else as Imaginary Hitler. He's hilarious, but also a threat to Jojo's character development. Waititi does a great juggling act of playing this imaginary friend that acts as a young man's way of feeling less alone, and a young man's struggle to follow his heart or his government. Imaginary Hitler is, for lack of better phrase, Jojo's inner demon, and Waititi knows when to play the comical side and the serious side of the character. Archie Yates as Jojo's best friend Yorki is the most wonderful scene stealer. Stephen Merchant has a brief but chilling role as a Gustapo agent. He does get one gag about "Heil Hitler"ing everyone he sees but his performance is 99% tense.

As far as way Jojo is filmed, there's some really great shot composition on display. Many frames of the film look like bizarre pastel World War II paintings from some alternate universe (I say bizarre because there's an imaginary version of Hitler in them), and the over-saturation in some shots gives the film a Wes Anderson vibe. Michael Giacchino scores the film, and he gives us some of his usual fine work. The music he composes for Jojo is both sweet and somber, akin to his work on Up.

I would dare to say Jojo Rabbit is a must-see film. It can put a smile on your face, but also give you a harsh reality check. At a time where so many actions are driven by hate and prejudice, this film (which takes place in a time where actions very driven by hate and prejudice) reminds viewers the power of love and hope. It's a perfect balancing act of comedy and drama, that's wonderfully written and performed from beginning to end. If you haven't seen it yet, get to theater now before Tom Hanks' take on Mr. Rogers, and another character named Elsa swarm the box office…