Review by JAM
Check out the full review at HollywoodTeenZine here or check out the version as it follows.
An amazing undertaking once again by Disney as it returns to the musical, hand-drawn animation from its past and nails the time, trend, and texture of old New Orleans in the brand-new Blu-ray and DVD release of The Princess and the Frog. Hollywood Teen'Zine was given the chance to explore the movie experience special engagement held last year and now get the chance to revisit the world of The Princess and the Frog once again as it arrives on Disney Blu-Ray and DVD.
Upon our arrival in the French Quarter of New Orleans we meet two young friends, Tiana (voiced by newcomer Elizabeth M. Dampier as a young girl, and the amazing Anika Noni Rose as an adult) and Charlotte LaBouff (voiced by the bubbly Breanna Brooks as a young girl and Broadway’s own Jennifer Cody as an adult) in the outstanding musical The Princess and the Frog.
Tiana and Charlotte are two girls with a multitude of differences which do not matter as their friendship grows stronger throughout this movie. Even with her life of privilege, Charlotte is the stable pillar and friend that our main character Tiana needs throughout the movie. Tiana is the dreamer who knows that hard work is needed to achieve the dream that she shared with her father, the opening of Tiana’s Place, a family themed restaurant. This dream starts with Tiana as a young child wishing upon a star for that dream to come true and her dream continues as she puts in the hard work by working multiple jobs.
At a masquerade ball Tiana, dressed as a princess, tries to capture her dream by kissing a talking frog, but instead this little kiss flips her whole world upside down as she transforms into a frog and throws her dreams of Tiana’s Place into the distance. The receiver of Tiana’s kiss, Prince Naveen (voiced by Bruno Campos), joins her in embarking on a search through the bayou looking for someone who can help transform them back into humans. Little did they know the adventure that lies ahead in the bayou was not a safe one.
Tiana and Naveen are faced with challenges from the schemes of Dr. Facilier (voiced by the kingly Keith David) and the dangers of an alligator pack in swamp. Things begin to turn around when they meet new friends in the bayou, including a trumpet-playing alligator with big dreams named Louis (voiced by the masterful Michael-Leon Wooley) and the scene-stealing lightning bug Ray (voiced by the jovial Jim Cummings). Ray has a huge heart, an eternally optimistic attitude, and does his best to keep the frogs moving in the right direction to make their dreams come true. They all work together to find the ancient Mama Odie (voiced by the jumping Jenifer Lewis) who may be able to help them all transform into what they want to be.
With all its twists and turns, this movie will have you wondering what is going to happen next and hoping that wishing upon that star will help everyone’s dreams becoming reality! The wonderful musical scores, outstanding scenery, and diverse characters will warm your heart throughout this beautiful movie.
Seeing the movie again outside of the theater reminded me of how great Disney did on their return to hand-drawn animation. The artistic backdrops that fill the screen are amazing, especially in the high definition format of the Blu-Ray disc; from the swampy bayou to the old architecture of New Orleans the scenic backdrops try their best to steal our eyes away from the action in the film. The Blu-Ray version is breath-taking and well worth the cost of the movie even if there were no extras included. The animation feels nearly lifelike and has a tendency at times to transport you into the movie itself.
The characters are crafted in a spectacular fashion that allows viewers to buy into their world and care about what is happening to them throughout the film. The growth of the relationship between Naveen and Tiana is well scripted, never too fast yet never too slow. Tiana, even as the heroine of the piece, continues her stubborn streak for a longer time than Naveen, but still has enough time to reach her epiphany before she loses the man she has grown to love. The assistance they receive often leads to hilarious hijinks and dilemmas that help them grow even more, including their time with Louis the lively alligator and Ray the resourceful firefly. And the required villain of the piece comes off just scary enough as Dr. Facilier sends his voodoo towards our heroes. Oh yeah, and John Goodman lends his voice to the project. It is films like this that embeds the meaning of fairy tales into the minds and hearts of little girls all over the world.
The Princess and the Frog Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital Copy combination is more of an experience than just a movie, and it comes highly recommended from Hollywood Teen'Zine and JamMovieReviews.
Bonus Features:
The DVD portion has the movie and a small sampling of extras included like the deleted scenes from the movie, the Princess Portraits game, audio commentary from the filmmakers and a music video from Ne-Yo that is included on the soundtrack as well.
The Blu-Ray disc also featurettes on the making of the new princess, the conjuring of the new villain, the return to hand-drawn animation, the Disney legacy, art galleries, and more. There is also a Digital Copy of the film for your personal enjoyment on the go as well. The Extras definitely add to the film’s enjoyment. The Blu-Ray bonus features include the following:
Deleted Scenes
The Making of a Princess
Conjuring the Villain
The Return to Hand-Drawn Animation
The Disney Legacy
Disney's Newest Princess
Bringing Life to Animation
Art Galleries
Music Video by Ne-Yo
The Princess Portraits Game
And More!
The Princess and the Frog from Disney hops onto shelves on March 16, 2010. Jump off your seat and grab a copy at your local store.
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