If you haven’t taken your kids to see Disney’s Frozen, you should. Since I’m not a parent yet, I “borrowed” my friend’s three year-old and six-year-old girls and took them to see the movie. Admittedly, I was just as excited as the girls were for the movie to start.
In Frozen, the fearless and optimistic Anna (voiced by Kristen Bell), leaves her home of Arrendelle in pursuit of her older sister, Elsa (voiced by Idina Menzel), who has fled because her magical powers has trapped the kingdom in an eternal winter. Anna teams up with mountain man, Kristoff (voiced by Jonathan Groff) and his reindeer, Sven to bring back Elsa and reverse the icy curse.
If you’re planning on going to see Frozen, here are 10 things you should know:
1. Get short
Before Frozen, there’s a new animated Mickey Mouse short called Get a Horse. It’s quite fun, especially in 3D and Walt Disney is the voice of Mickey!
2. Frozen is based on Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen“
The movie is a loose adaptation of one of Hans Christian Andersen’s most popular books, The Snow Queen,” which was first published in 1845.
3. The moviemakers did their research
Even though the kingdom of Arendelle is fictional, the movie’s art director, Mike Giaimo, and his team went to Norway and traveled by car, train and boat, visiting the country’s fortresses, castles, cathedrals, fjords and glaciers to gain insight for the movie. Animators and special effects artists also traveled to Jackson Hole, Wy., so they could experience deep snow. They wore different clothing and took notes on how snow affected the different outfits.
4. The 3D is Worth it
Sometimes you hesitate at the thought of paying extra for a 3D movie ticket, but in the case of Frozen, it really is worth it. The animation is stunning and comes to life throughout the entire movie, not just a few scenes. The snowflakes are simply brilliant in 3D.
5. The movie isn’t just for girls
The story is about two princesses, but boys will enjoy the movie just as much. There are plenty of action scenes to pique their imagination.
6. There are a few scenes some younger kids might find a little scary
There was a scene in Frozen which had growling wolves, and another scene featuring a giant, angry snowman (think updated Abdominable Snowman from the original Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer) that had the girls jumping out of their seats a little bit. I had to reassure them it was OK.
7. There is plenty of humor
There are a lot of funny jokes only adults will get, and some potty humor (literally) as well! You’ll laugh. Olaf the Snowman has a lot of memorable lines. Josh Gad did a great job bringing his character to life.
8. Be prepared to buy the soundtrack
The movie opens with a musical number and the songs only get better from there. You’ll leave Frozen humming the music and you’ll probably want to get the soundtrack. There’s also a great duet with Idina Menzel and Kristen Bell.
9. Run time
The girls mentioned they thought the movie felt a little long. In reality, Frozen is longer than the Disney classics of the ’90s, but it’s the same run time as Wreck-It Ralph and only a few minutes longer than Tangled and The Princess and the Frog. Total run time: 1 hour, 48 minutes.
10. The movie may be called Frozen, but it sure will warm your heart
The story has a bunch of twists and surprises, and also a lot of heart. Bring your tissues. You might need them in a few parts.
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