[spoil]I get that they wanted a twist. What happened doesn’t bother me, it’s how it was presented. It was a cheap play for shock value. Throughout the film there is no buildup or hint. I was even looking, since I knew what was coming. It literally comes from left field and is not justified at all. I still say a villain wasn’t needed in this movie.[/spoil] Still love the movie though. The voices are so pretty, and I can’t stop humming the songs.
Really? As for me, [spoil]I thought the whole “Love Is an Open Door” sequence was meant to feel so saccharinely “perfect” that it would be obvious he couldn’t be the one. Plus, with him having all those brothers and complaining to Anna about how they treated him as “invisible”, it seemed pretty clear he would want to marry in for power, sort of to prove something. But that, again, may just be because I knew beforehand that he was a villain that this seemed obvious to me, idk if it actually is.[/spoil] You’re right thought that the movie probably could have done fine without a villain, I still feel like the conflict needed to be stronger.
I guess I’ve changed my opinion a little bit.
[spoil]I liked how it was unexpected (at least to me), but I wish there were more little pieces of evidence before that. Maybe the thing about his brothers was supposed to be one, but there could have been something more.
It reminds me of an episode of the show Columbo. It’s called “Last Salute to the Commodore.” I’m not sure if anyone else has seen it. It’s about a homicide officer, and usually you know right away who the murderer is, but in this episode this one guy looks like the obvious murderer, but he ends up getting murdered himself, and at the end they reveal the real murderer, and it’s a guy who hardly gets any screen time and nothing really seemed to point to him until they went through the motives for all the suspects in the very last scene. It seemed so random. I wish they would have looked at the motives for all the suspects more throughout the episode. I didn’t like that timing.[/spoil]
[spoil]Oh, I agree it was perfectly clear he wasn’t the prince/boyfriend/male hero. I just feel like, looking back, there was no reason for him to be a villain until it was revealed. Truly great plot twists make perfect sense in retrospect. IMO they could have just left some breadcrumbs. He acts like a great person throughout the film, if not “the one”. He distributed blankets, was concerned for the people, would not just kill Elsa, and didn’t want her to kill innocent men in a rage. Unlike someone like Gaston, he acted truly galant and generous until the end. If he acted neutral or we didn’t see much of him, or they made hints, it would be perfect. I just truly believe it was a sloppy decision made at the last minute simply to have a Wreck-It-wralph-esque twist. Except, that the one in WiR was perfectly set up, timed, and makes perfect sense in retrospect.[/spoil] The true plot twist: Jennifer Lee is the M. Night Shyamalan of animation! Not regarding the quality of her work of course(WiR and Frozen are great), but with these plot twists. Gah.
Yeah… come to think of it, I think I agree. [spoil]Like you said, with him being generally kind and hospitable throughout the movie, and not just to Anna but to Arendale in general, makes him suddenly becoming the ‘completely evil and devious’ Disney villain in the twist feel really forced, especially in his sudden want to kill Elsa, when it seemed like he would’ve wanted to work it out.[/spoil]
[spoil]Wouldn’t it be great and interesting if instead, Anna fell in love with Kristoff, and then Hans had to deal with this. Just a simple breakup, and now Hans needs to move on. There would be 2 problems with this, though. 1)The plot becomes too invested in Hans, rather than in the sisters. 2)Love triangle ensues. Oh God thank you that they didn’t have one in the film as I feared.[/spoil] Possibly I’m rambling or being whiny. just think it was forced, tacked-on, and undeserved.
Yeah, I can see what you’re saying. It’s an interesting thought, though, and I am curious to know how differently the movie would feel with that change. But you’re right, it maybe does shift too much of the focus onto romance than on the sisters. I’m personally glad there’s little emphasis on romance in the movie. I mean, I’m glad there’s some at all since it’s fun, but considering there isn’t any in the original story, I’m glad it’s kept to a minimum.
I thought Kai and Gerda fell in love in Snow Queen? I could be wrong. But yeah, I love a]Anna/Kristoff. Kristoff looks like my boyfriend, and he said Anna’s enthusiasm was like me. 
I love them! So cute. And I’m also glad they didn’t have two big romances, or distract from the sisters. The balance of romantic love and filial love is perfect.
I’m not sure where I would rank [spoil]Hans[/spoil] among the others. I like his subtle manipulation and twist, but he’s only shown as evil for such a short time. It’s hard to really get a feel for his villainous side. He isn’t that complex either, but easily COULD be with a bigger role. The main antagonist of Frozen is [spoil]Elsa’s powers[/spoil] so he isn’t supposed to be the main villain pushing the plot though. It’s a minor subplot really.
That’s an excellent point. I’m glad that is it minor, since my only complaint about the film is something that doesn’t really matter. But then, there’s the problem. In my view, the plot twist exists only to[spoil]break off an engagement[/spoil] in a clean, easy way, rather than putting the characters in a delicate situation.
You know, I still can’t wait to see that upcoming Lego movie.
The Lego Movie (2014): Cute and felt very sincere. I think it’s a fun take on the “underdog becomes hero” trope and had some great gags, although sadly most of the best ones are spoiled in the trailers! The animation is phenomenal, it looks like stop motion. It’s a sweet movie and worth watching even if it’s a bit zippy at times.
Rock-a-Doodle (1991): Okay, so this is on Netflix Instant right now and I’d been meaning to watch more Bluth movies, so I saw it last night. It has got to be, without a doubt, one of the most strangely-constructed, confusingly written animated movies I’ve ever seen, lol! But the excellent animation and voice work (I was so glad to hear Eddie Deezen as the voice of the magpie) made it watchable. Just… don’t go in expecting a great story. I assumed it would be a straightforward movie about a rock singing rooster and a team of animal friends tagging along but it was instead deeply mystifying. 
I still don’t even know what happened!
Just watched the Oscars. First ever best animated feature win for Disney Animation Studio today! I must confess I kind of hate the academy, though. Foreign Language films and animated films are NEVER given a chance to win best picture. Oh, they’ve been nominated. But it’s almost out of pity, out of hypocritical shame. Will Smith described the nominees for Best Picture as “inspiring and original.” However I find quite the opposite. With the exception of a few years in history, the academy usually selects for its best picture very generic films that follow a very basic formula, allowing for very little creativity or genius. Typically the winner will be a drama about horrible circumstances, such as this year’s 12 Years a Slave. Or they insert fictional characters into a tragic real-world event, such as Titanic. Then there are under dog films where a “loser” or street rat rise above their situation, such as Slumdog Millionaire or 42. Very rarely(only twice if memory serves) are fantasy films given a chance to win. This may seem proper, given that they are unrealistic compared to the aforementioned films. However, film is the same as a book in that it exists to look at life through the lens of fantasy. Some may find it easier to find meaning in the epic adventures, tragedy, and inner strength of Harry Potter or Aragorn than of heroes, real or not, put into realistic situations. Although it can be seen as escapism, film is also looking at things from a different perspective. Facing our fears in real life isn’t as epic, fulfilling or black-and-white as vanquishing evil. While the academy chooses to see “realistic”, drama-ridden stories as superior, one has to wonder what the basis of this is. They seem to look more for a formula, than for an art-form. If the hero is placed in a realistic setting, set against great odds, suffers tragedy, and overcomes it in a three step arc with uplifting music and friends made along the way, the film will win. But I find the term “realistic” quite debatable, and arbitrary. Certainly there were real slaves in America, and their suffering was all too real. But a film’s portrayal of their tragedies and triumphs are every bit as exaggerated, changed-to-be-happy and UNREALISTIC as any fantasy could be. Although something like Harry Potter is not in a realistic setting, and magic is not real, the characterizations and interactions are all too realistic. Harry is an orphan, taken in by a family that does not love or appreciate him. This only changes when he is introduced to people like him, who are not judgmental, but sympathetic and kind to him. He meets Hermione, who is a mudblood, a biological status that is seen as inferior by characters such as the Malfoys. They even hate people who associate with mudbloods, such as the Weasleys. Does any of this sound familiar? Even, realistic? Anyone who is familiar with racism, sexism, and religious discrimination may find this horrifyingly familiar. The addition of interesting plot elements such as magic and a Nazi-like cult do not detract from, but add to the realism of this world and the characters that inhabit it. Now I’m not saying by any stretch of the imagination that Harry Potter should have won best picture. But I realized I used to consider the Oscars “purer” and better than the Golden Globes because they had fewer awards, and only awarded one best picture. But now I think the Golden Globes, while less exclusive, is better in any ways. They give creators of foreign language and animated films, documentaries and the like much more consideration. Gosh, Beauty and the Beast won best picture at the Golden Globes! The Oscars is entirely closed off from considering animation, foreign language and animated films in the same breath with their critical darlings, these generic Hollywood dramas that follow a simple, three-step formula. In being so separative and superior in their groupings of films, and insistence upon nominating films that will never be allowed to win due to formula, “realism” and creativity, the Academy have made themselves into a Pure Bred association that exists to pat complacency and repetitiveness in Hollywood on the back, and turn away anything different, because it isn’t “good enough”. I love to say that the strength of a story rests not on the realism of the setting or plot, but the strength of the characters and our connection with them. The lead in a story can be worlds away from me, be a different species from me, if I can connect with him. Realism should refer to the character and how he deals with morality and dark situations that lack morality, leaving room for creativity with story and setting. This probably reads like a simple rant, so I’ll leave with my favorite quote of all time. “It is important to draw wisdom from different places. If you take it from only one place it become rigid and stale.”-Uncle Iroh, Avatar the Last Airbender
Yesterday I watched Philomena, The Book Thief and Saving Mr. Banks in a row, the last three nominated films I had to watch before the ceremony. It was a close call, but I made it!
Anyway, though my personal favourite was Philomena, I was aware it didn’t stand a chance, and glad it was 12 Years a Slave the one with the big triumph.
So, as this is an animation forum, I should mention I was glad Frozen got its two awards (a historic event, as it was Disney’s first win in forever).
Still upset because Monsters University wasn’t nominated and Despicable Me and The Croods were. Ugh.
Amen. That was so dumb. I don’t love any of the three, but MU is so much better than the other two.
Is anyone else excited for Divergent? I am so excited for it!!!
Also agreed that Monsters U should have gotten a nom. Haven’t seen The Croods, but I liked Despicable Me 2—I just don’t see it as Oscar-nomming material above Monsters U in the least. I also need to see Ernest and Celestine.
The Wind Rises (2013): I finally saw this (The Oscars reminded me that it was now being shown in limited theater screenings). I loved it!! In some ways, the plot could maybe be thicker, but it’s IMO up there with Miyazaki’s other movies. Beautiful animation and score and it leaves you with that sentimental, heart-swelling feeling that all the best Ghibli movies do. Looked great on the big screen too. See it if it’s playing in your area!!
I will always be bitter about this.
I saw Atlantis: The Lost Empire tonight. Best part of it was the character design. But overall it was a weak film with way too many supporting characters. I do appreciate though that Disney was breaking out of it’s conventional house style, from an aesthetic and story perspective.
Mom had preordered Frozen for me. And my sister and Craig took me to see The Lego Movie on my birthday weekend.
Both of these titles–they were good movies.
I got to rewatch The Lego Movie with a set of friends who’d never seen it. Much more enjoyable on a second view