Frozen II

 Frozen II (2019)

Directed by Jennifer Lee, Chris Buck

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Plot: No matter how happy she is, or how many people she is surrounded by, Elsa (Idina Menzel) can't help but to feel unsettled. She keeps hearing this mysterious voice call out to her, and decides along with Anna (Kristen Bell), Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), Olaf (Josh Gad) and Sven, that they must travel to an enchanted forest to get some answers. It is in this forest that they find out the origin of Elsa's powers, and this adventure leads her on a journey of self-discovery. 

Characters: Characters and their development is a central part of this film's storytelling, especially compared to the first movie. Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff have to deal with the balance between duty and self. 

Elsa's character arc is about self-discovery and finding her true purpose, seeing that in the first film she feared who she was and the powers she possesses. She goes from a queen who suppresses herself to fulfill her duties, to a free, self-accepting woman who has finally found her place in the world. 

Anna's character arc is about independence and standing for what is right. When in the forest, she makes a tough decision to destroy the dam, which would flood into Arendelle, and right the wrongs of Arendelle's past. This shows her growth into a strong, decisive, and capable leader, and she is rightfully made queen.

Kristoff's character arc is a subplot about learning to support Anna while also giving her space to do what she needs. He struggles with proposing because he is unsure of how to do it in a way that feels right. With the help of the forest, he becomes more secure in his decision and asks the big question. 

Cinematography: The cinematography is Frozen II can be credited to its color palette and visual symbolism. Autumn tones are rich in the Enchanted Forest scenes, all shades of oranges, reds, and browns are represented and portray change and transition, further emphasizing the film's main themes of growth and transformation. It wouldn't be a Frozen film if we weren't meet with all kinds of blues and icy whites, as they define Elsa and her powers, but these colors shift towards elegant whites when she embraces her true identity at the end of the film. The contrasts between Arendelle and the Enchanted Forest reinforces the duality between the known versus the unknown. Colors are so important in animated films, especially Disney films, and makes the storytelling mythical and elemental. 

Score: You seriously cannot go wrong with Disney songs. Disney films have some of the best soundtracks I have ever heard in my entire life. The score in Frozen II carries it both emotionally and narratively. It reflects the shift in the tone of the film, straying away from the typical fairy tale to a mythical quest. Each character gets a song of their own, which are key to the storyline and the character's narrative as a whole. 

Underlying themes: I think the strongest underlying theme in Frozen II is that change is inevitable. Every main character faces change one way or another; Elsa feels called to something unfamiliar, Anna must learn to move forward in uncertainty, Kristoff wants to propose, and Olaf grapples with growing up. Change is something that a lot of people struggle with, but it is important to realize that sometimes change needs to happen in order to make things right, and move forward in a positive direction. Also, the changing of the seasons - the autumn imagery in the Enchanted Forest - and unraveling history all echo this underlying theme as well, proving that Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf are not alone on this journey. 

Final thoughts: The sequel to a Disney staple, this movie had a lot of expectations to live up too in my opinion. I didn't see this movie originally when it first came out, and I am unsure as to why, but watching it for the first time at 19 years old was great. It made me feel like I was a little girl again, watching a Disney princess on the screen overcome all of her hardships. These films are so important to show children, as they carry themes and topics that are crucial to developmental and social skills. The Frozen series has had such a big impact on the world as a whole, and it is so cool to know that Disney has that power to resonate with children so deeply. I loved this movie from start to finish, and will definitely be watching the third Frozen when it comes out! It has my recommendation!