The Princess and the Frog

Disney’s 2009 feature was its 49^th canonical animated film. Based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale “The Frog Prince,” The Princess and the Frog was written and directed by Ron Clements and John Musker. Starring Anika Noni Rose, Bruno Campos, Keith David, Michael-Leon Wooley, Jim Cummings, Jenifer Lewis, John Goodman and Oprah Winfrey, the film grossed $267 million. It was also nominated for Best Animated Feature and two songs were nominated for Best Music, Original Song.

In 1926 New Orleans, Tiana (Rose) has a dream to own her own restaurant and works two jobs to be able to save enough money to do so. Elsewhere, Prince Naveen (Campos) of Maldonia arrives and runs into Dr. Facilier (David), a voodoo witch doctor who tells him he can make Naveen’s dreams come true.

Disney had two firsts with this film: the first black princess and the first princess to be an American citizen. Those are very important milestones along with the film being widely considered the start of a second Disney Renaissance. And it’s a great film to kick it off, even though it’s only pretty good.

Tiana and Naveen have some good intertwining character arcs. She has to learn to have her eyes set on her dreams but at the same time, not let life pass her by. And on the flip side, Naveen has to learn to at least have a work ethic and not spend his life being a lazy good for nothing. The funny thing is Tiana completely misunderstands that it’s not even more hard work she needs at first, just showing just how badly she wants that restaurant.

As a villain, Dr. Facilier is really good, albeit considerably stupid. He’s great at formulating plans and talking his way into people’s trust and out of a jam. Until the end that is. Because his Friends on the Other Side were only his friends until they realized he wasn’t of any more use to them. He was stupid for thinking he could control them and get them to go along with his plans when they were doing all the controlling.

Then there’s Ray, who is the best part of the film as he thinks a star is his one true love. And then proceeds to completely prove Timon from The Lion King right. He got stuck up in that big bluish black thing. 
#25