Star Wars: The Last Jedi thrills fans and entertains everyone else

   Movie Title:   Star Wars: The Last Jedi (With Bonus Content)

Grade:  A

Rating:  PG-13, 152 minutes (That’s a whopping 2 ½ hours!)

In a Nutshell:  YES!  This is the EPIC movie we were hoping for!  I admit it...I almost cried when that famous musical score and crawling script began.   

Fans have been waiting with great anticipation for The Last Jedi (Star Wars) I love it when movie-goers dress up in costumes to watch the film in theaters.  It makes it so fun for everyone.  I knew I was in for a great time when the entire audience I watched the movie with erupted in cheers as soon as all of the trailers ended and the words “Lucas Film Ltd” appeared on the screen.  So fun.  Yes, if you’re not a nerdy fan like me, you’ll still be entertained.

As the umpteenth movie in the franchise, you’d think they would start running out of cool ideas, but this movie packs a powerful emotional punch and features new characters and creatures that will leave you wanting even more.

Rian Johnson really adds his unique voice and perspective to the franchise.  There are plenty of thrills, laughs, and twists to add to this canon.  Yeah, I used the word canon….this film franchise is practically scripture.  Ha ha  The movie itself even refers to the Jedi “religion.”  Godspeed Rebels!

Uplifting theme: 

• Hope.   
• “Strength is mastery. Weakness is folly.” – Yoda (Frank Oz)
• Heroes and leaders
• Good vs. evil
• Power, control
• “The force is energy between all things that creates balance.” – Luke
• Hubris vs. humility
• Peace and purpose

Things I liked:

• Great action sequences.  Really great.  Satisfying lightsaber fight scenes.
• Lots of humor.  Yay.  I appreciate it when movies don't take themselves so seriously and can poke fun at themselves to play with the audience.
• Mark Hamilton as Luke Skywalker said he was kind of surprised by the direction and unique vision of the director for his character, but he does a fantastic job, probably his best performance ever.  Just when you’re wondering how Luke Skywalker could have possibly survived on that rugged island, he shows you!  Ha ha
• Adam Driver gives a compelling performance, as always.  There is an impressively deep level of his performance.
• Tons of cool surprises!
• Porgs.  Totally adorable.
• Several respectful nods to past movies and their content.
• The scene with the red salt ground was striking.  All of the locations are really stunning and imaginative.
• I thought it was so sweet and touching at the very end of the movie when the credits were rolling and the screen said “In loving memory of our princess, Carrie Fisher.”   I remember seeing her perform on stage when she was a young teenager.  She sang a song with her talented mother Debbie Reynolds.  My mother was a nightclub singer many years ago.  Too bad I have a terrible singing voice.  It would have been so much fun to sing with her on stage!
• Daisy Ridley was great, of course.
• I've always liked Domhnall Gleeson. The banter between him and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) towards the beginning of the movie was hilarious.
• The wonderful cast includes Andy Serkis, Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong'o, and Laura Dern. 

Things I didn’t like:

• It’s sad to know that Carrie Fisher will not get to enjoy all of the movie release parties and fanfare for this new movie. 
• In the beginning of the movie, it looked like Kylo Ren had stickers on his face or something.  Futuristic bandaids?  I liked it much better when they  showed how his face was (sort of) repaired.

• Movie critics seem to have mixed feelings about the side story with Finn (John Boyega) and Rose (Kelly Marie Tran).  I thought it was fine.
• Two of my sons said that the more they thought about the movie, the more they decided they didn't like it.  Hmmm...
• SPOILER: I thought it was interesting that they decided to "save" Princess Leia by having her use special powers of the Force to have her fly Mary Poppins style back into the ship after dying out in space.  Given that Carrie Fisher has died in real life, I wondered why they didn't just end her character as well.  I know, I know...she had to have more scenes for the story.  Still....
• I have a lot of unanswered questions.

                                 

Funny lines:

• “Read them, you have? Page turners they were not.” – Yoda, talking about the ancient Jedi manuscripts.    (I thought that line was awesome.)
• “Every word of what you just said was wrong.” – Luke Skywalker

Interesting lines:

• “I know one truth – it’s time for the Jedi to end.” - Luke
• “The greatest teacher is failure.” - Yoda

Tips for parents: 

• Children who haven’t seen prior Star Wars films may be confused, but they’ll still be entertained.
• All of the Rebel leaders are women, including many shots of young, 20-something females flying planes and bombers.  Girls will feel empowered that they can do anything.
• A LOT of destruction, shooting, and high (yet bloodless) body count.
• Shirtless Adam Driver in a scene.
• Some profanity.
• Snoke is pretty scary looking.  Of course he's played by the amazing Andy Serkis who also brought us Gollum the Lord Of The Rings 1/4 scale figure.

Fun, new Star Wars Merchandise:

Funko POP! Star Wars: The Last Jedi - Porg - Collectible Figure (styles may vary)

Star Wars Star Wars: The Last Jedi Deluxe Figure Play Set

The Art of Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Star Wars Episode VIII The Last Jedi 2018 Wall Calendar

LE3D 3D Optical Illusion Desk Lamp/3D Optical Illusion Night Light, 7 Color LED 3D Lamp, Star Wars 3D LED For Kids and Adults, Death Star Light Up     
           

                                            @trinaboice 

Rogue One rakes in 290 million opening weekend!

Movie Title:      Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Grade:   A

Rating:  PG-13, 133 minutes

In a Nutshell:  I’ve been looking forward to this movie ever since I first knew it was "a thing" many, many months ago.  Yep, I'm a bit of a Star Wars nerd.  

For those of you who aren't, the newest installment in the Star Wars universe takes place before the 1977 Episode IV and five years after the events of “Star Wars Rebels.”

The movie brought in an impressive $290 million worldwide during the debut weekend. Wait until it opens on Jan. 6 in China!  Cha-ching!  Have you bought any Disney stock?  

Star Wars’ Episode VIII is scheduled to open one year from now.  Can't wait!!!

Uplifting theme: 

•  "Trust goes both ways." - Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones)
• Friendship, trust, loyalty, right vs. wrong, unity, respect.
• "I am one with the Force.  The Force is with me." - (Chirrut Imwe (Donnie Yen)
• When we're part of something bigger than us, our actions have meaning and purpose, even if we never live to see the fruits of our labors.

Things I liked:

• The CGI and motion capture work are unbelievably amazing.
• The new characters are great.  There are also tons of fun prop creatures.  K-2S0 is instantly likable, voiced by the delightful Alan Tudyk.
• The brief references to prior Star Wars movies are there for you to pick up on, but they’re not overpowering.
• The set pieces look so tangible and real.
• Felicity Jones is terrific in everything.  She went through special martial arts training to prepare for her action sequences and has even been praised for her excellent trigger control on the weapons.
• Director Gareth Edwards does a great job showing scale.  He did a great job at that in his last Godzilla (2014) movie too.
• Lots of great action sequences.
• James Earl Jones!  We love you!  Welcome back!  Darth Vader with his light saber…classic awesomeness.
• Girls will be happy to see another female protagonist in this one, as well as in last year's feature Star Wars: The Force Awakens
• Ok, so that’s an interesting mind-reading, lie-detecting creature.
• Incredible motion capture work creating Grand Moff Tarkin and a young Princess Lea.  It was especially fun and crucial to see Peter Cushing in this film, as his presence was linked to the Death Star.  Well done, Lucas Films!
• Why the Death Star is capable of being destroyed is addressed in this movie.  This film answers a question that has bothered fans for years.   
• Hammer-head space ship.  Wow.
• One thing I've always liked about the Star Wars movies is that the people look real, not like glamorous celebrities acting.  Fingernails are dirty, hair is greasy, clothing is grimy. 

Things I didn’t like:

• It is well known that this film had many re-shoots and you can kind of feel it.  Some of the editing is choppy.
• The first 25 minutes of the movie are spent showing you a ton of planets and characters.  Be patient.  They'll all tie together eventually.
• I would have liked to see more back story behind some of the new characters so that we care about them and feel more invested in them. 
• What’s up with Forrest Whitaker’s voice lately?  It was noticeably weird in the movie Arrival too.  Is he just trying new things or what?
• Darth Vader is only in this movie for about 4 minutes.  What????
• This is the first Star Wars film to NOT be scored by John Williams.  The new composer, Michael Giacchino, only had 4 ½ weeks to compose the music for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.  Fans of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 might recognize his style.
• Jyn Erso has a Storm Trooper doll.  Wait, what?  Um…why?
• There are a TON of things in the trailers that are NOT in the movie.  What the heck?

Funny lines:

•  “This is a rebellion, isn’t it?  I rebel.”  - Jyn Erso
• “Don’t choke on your aspirations, Director.” – Darth Vader
•  "Congratulations.  You are being rescued.  Please do not resist." - K-2So
• "Are you kidding me?  I'm blind!" - Chirrut Imwe (as they put a bag over his head so he won't see.)
• "There's a problem on the horizon.  There is no horizon!" - K-2S0

Fun Facts:

• Two of the the working titles that were considered for Rogue One were “Red Cup” and “Dark Times.”
• To fill out the hangar, cardboard wings were used on some of the space craft.
• This is the very first Star Wars movie to actually mention the name of the film in the movie itself.
• This is the first Star Wars movie to not use or show Obi Wan in any form.
• This is the first Star Wars movie to not feature an opening crawl.  Ah, sad.
• Members of the British Armed Forces were hired as Extras to give the battle scenes more authenticity.
• The fake name that was used to secretly ship the films to theaters was “The Alamo” to discourage any would-be thieves.

Easter Eggs you might have missed:

 Interesting lines:

• “What will you do when they catch you?  What will you do if they break you? Will you continue to fight?  If you keep fighting, what will you become?” – Saw Gerrera   (these lines were in the trailer, but not in the actual movie)
•  "You're confusing peace with terror." - Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen)
• "There is only one kind of prison.  I sense that you carry yours wherever you go." - Chirrut Imwe
• "Rebellions are built on hope." - Jyn Erso

Tips for parents:

• There are some subtitles you might need to read for your young kids.
• There is a lot of hand-to-hand fighting, shooting, and destroying of things.  You’ve seen Star Wars before, right?

Star Wars releases a trailer for its newest movie!

The first official teaser trailer for Rogue One: A Star Wars Storyarrived Thursday morning. The nearly two-minute spot reveals more of the plot line from the much-hyped spinoff, showingFelicity Jones as a Rebel spy tasked with a desperate mission to steal the plans for the Death Star before it can be used as a weapon by the newly formed Galactic Empire. Oscar-winnerForest Whitaker also appears throughout the trailer in what appears to be a Darth Vader-like black Empire suit of armor. The film hits theaters in December 2016.



I can't wait!

Star Wars mania

Star Wars mania is still going strong!
I know several people who have already seen it 4 times!  

One of my sons is serving a church mission in Nicaragua where everyone is excited about the Star Wars movie and merchandise.  Here are some pictures he shared with me.

What's happening in YOUR country?   I'd love to see some pictures!
Please share your comments and pics and even your thoughts about the film!

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens is everything you wanted it to be!

Movie Title:     The Force Awakens (Star Wars)

Grade:  A+

Rating:  PG-13, 2 hours 16 minutes

In a Nutshell:    YESSSS!   Episode VII is everything you hoped it would be!  I loved it!  The fans that filled the theater to capacity where I watched it cheered and cried and loved it too.  It has just the right amount of “old stuff” with respectful nods to the past, yet it’s also full of new, interesting characters, creatures, and special effects.  It's beautifully shot and will saturate your eyes with awesomeness.  Every frame could be turned into a popular movie poster.

With plenty of humor, action, lightsaber duals, space chases, and exciting thrills, it FEELS like a great Star Wars movie.  Everything looks real, not a bunch of hokey CGI or fake green screen trickery.  How do I get to be an Extra in the next movie?!!  Did I ever tell you when I played an Extra on a telenovela that never made it to the screen?  It was called "Saints and Sinners."  I played a Congressman's wife. So fun!

In the words of Supreme Leader Snoke, “There’s been an awakening. Have you felt it?”  In a word, YESSSS!

Uplifting theme: 

•  “Don’t give up hope.” – Rey
• “The crazy thing is it’s true.  The Force.  The Jedi.  All of it.  It’s all true.” – Han Solo
• “Feel the light.  It surrounds you.  It will guide you.” – Maz
• “May the Force be with you.” – Leia
• “Hope is not lost today.  It is found.” – Maz
• Like Rey, we don't realize the greatest inside us.

Things I liked:

• The audience immediately liked the new characters, yet applauded and cheered like crazy when former characters made their appearances on the screen.  Director and writer J.J. Abrams has successfully created new characters that you care about.  He has done a great job with the Star Trek franchise and now the Star Wars phenomena.  He shows great respect for what has been and knows how to make new episodes fresh and new.
• Familiar characters, but with a new twist, like a Storm Trooper with a heart.  It's seriously impressive how well they kept the secrets about this script and cast before releasing the film.
• I love the small details.  For example, Rey makes this really cool bread that only appears on screen for about 10 seconds, yet it’s memorable.  She also eats a really cool piece of fruit in the bar scene.
• Cool new creatures we haven’t seen before.
• I love that Daisy Ridley (Rey) can cry so easily without having her entire face turn red like mine does.  She just releases dainty, yet believable tears at the perfect time, a director’s dream.  She is an unknown actress who is brilliant in this film.  She is the heart and soul of this movie.  How refreshing and wonderful to have a female heroine and one who is good and kind.
• Supreme Leader Snoke is pretty darn cool.  I want a bad guy to look creepy and amazing at the same time.  Mission accomplished.  Even more is that he is voiced by Lord of the Ring's talented Andy Serkis who gave us the unforgettable Gollum.
• Maz is awesome!  My fave!  She is voiced by the lovely Lupita Nyong'o.
• The scenery is beautiful and believable with great sweeping vistas.
• See it in 3D if you can! 
• It makes WAY more sense to have a droid with that roller ball base, so he can get around on the sand and even stairs, unlike R2-D2.  R2-D2's unrealistic transport mode always bugged me.  BB-8, the new droid, also has some fun features, like the cigarette lighter that elicited laughter from the audience when he holds it up to show his enthusiasm for something.  Did you know funnyman Bill Hader is the voice of BB-8?  BB-8 is cute, but not overly like Jar Jar Binks who annoyed the heck out of everyone.
• Welcome to stardom, John Boyega (Finn).  He does a great job and is quickly likable and enthusiastically charismatic.
• SPOILER ALERT:  It was great to see Mark Hamill again as Luke Skywalker.
• Great sound effects and that epic sound track by John Williams!  Check out this fun video that Jimmy Fallon and "The Roots" made with some of the cast to pay tribute to the epic music:

Things I didn’t like:

•  It cracks me up how everyone can understand what BB-8 says. 
• Some things are brushed off without explanation.  That being said, fans have been critical of some of the previous episodes that told us what was happening, rather than show us.  I like that this movie shows us!
• Leia (Carrie Fisher) should be dressed more like the queen that she is, but doesn’t until the end of the movie.  I used to adore her mother, the talented Debbie Reynolds.
• Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) has some serious anger management issues.  Ha ha  He does an excellent job and I appreciate the good script-writing that gave us a villain with motivation and depth.
• Don't be impatient that there is a cliff hanger at the end.  You already know that there are more episodes coming to complete the trilogy, so don't leave the movie disappointed.  Enjoy this one.

Funny lines:

•  “Women always figure out the truth.  Always.” – Han Solo
• “I’ll show you the dark side!” – Kylo Ren
• “So, who talks first?  You talk first?  I talk first?  It’s just hard to understand you with all that apparatus.”  - Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac)
• “Look how old you’ve become.” – Kylo Ren

“Something far worse has happened to you.” - Lor San Tekka played by award-winning Max Von Sydow, who was also featured recently in the movie "The Letters", which is also in theaters currently.

• “Don’t do that.” – Leia

“Do what?” – Han Solo

“Anything.” – Leia   

• “You know you can’t trust those little freaks.” – Han Solo
• “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.” – Han Solo
• “This is not how I thought this day was going to go.” – Han Solo
• “Whatever you do, don’t stare.” – Han Solo

“At what?” – Rey, Finn

“Any of it.” – Han Solo

• “That light saber…it belongs to me.” – Kylo Ren

“Come get it.” – Finn

The line that got the audience to cheer the loudest:

“Chewy, we’re home!” – Han Solo when he steps onto the Millennium Falcon.  It's so great to see Harrison Ford revisit his role as the lovable Han Solo.  He and Chewbaca banter back and forth and it was more than wonderful to see the two of them together on screen again.

Tips for parents:   

• The language is clean and there is plenty of action and fun creatures to keep young kids entertained. 
• There is a lot of violence and fighting.  Umm…it’s a Star Wars movie.  It might be interesting to talk to your kids about which kind of fighting affects them more or has more of an emotional impact: close-up light saber duals or the big space battles?
• There are plenty of heroes in this film.  Ask your kids who they are and how they show bravery, courage, loyalty, teamwork, and hope.
• There are common themes that run through all of the episodes.  Help your kids identify some of them: good vs. evil, fatherhood, power, loneliness, hope, mentorship, etc.
• Ask your kids how marketing affects them.  Invite them to point out all of the merchandising they have seen.

'STAR WARS' MAKED OVER $100 MILLION: Star Wars: The Force Awakens broke box office records, raking in more than $100 million on its first day in theaters, according to studio estimates. The previous record holder was the second installment of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which made $91 million on its first day. The Force Awakens also broke preview records, selling $57 million in tickets.

Sneak Peek into the new Star Wars movie

I'm sooooo excited for the new Star Wars "The Force Awakens" movie!  They just showed a special Sneak Peak at this year's Comic-Con and now you get to see it too!   Enjoy!

Sneak Peek into new Star Wars movie

‘ROGUE ONE’ TO SHOW DEATH STAR RAID

The new Star Wars film—Rogue One—will take place between Episodes III and IV and focus on the raid to steal Death Star plans, according to details released over the weekend. A teaser for the Star Wars prequelRogue One leaked online Sunday from the Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California. 

The teaser was shown to the audience who gasped at seeing the original Death Star looming over a planet with Obi Wan Kenobi saying from A New Hope : “For over a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic. Before the dark times… before the Empire.”

Jupiter Ascending is visually impressive with a messy script

Movie: Jupiter Ascending

PG-13, 2 hours 5 minutes

Grade: A- for visually amazing

              C- for story and dialogue

In a Nutshell:  Wow.  Talk about sensory overload.  The special effects are amaze balls. I went with some friends to see this in 3D at a Galaxy DFX theater which enhances the sound and offers those awesome reclining chairs.  One of the ladies I sat with said she had to close her eyes several times because she couldn’t take it all in.  I wonder if you get a free vomit bag with your ticket when you watch this in those Dbox motion chairs.

This fantasy adventure feels like a visit to the cantina scene in Star Wars with crazy aliens coming together to fight over power and the ownership of planet Earth.  One of the scenes looks like it actually could have been filmed on Star Wars’ Naboo. The script is messy, but the costumes, set design, make-up, and CGI are extremely creative and impressive, surely eating up most of the reported 175 million dollar budget.  The Wachowski brothers (one of them is now female) brought us the epic The Matrix magic, but have now created a story that mere earthlings can’t quite comprehend.  Even still, it’s an entertaining ride if you don’t mind the odd moments.

Uplifting Theme:

·         “It’s not what you do.  It’s what you are.” – Stinger Apini (Sean Bean)

·         What would you do with your time if you had an endless amount of it? What price would you be willing to pay to get more time?

·         There is an awkward exploration of capitalism, greed, and morality.

Things I liked:

·         If you like action, this movie includes the non-stop variety.

·         I LOVE LOVE the hover boots that make Channing Tatum look like he’s ice skating through air.  I hope I can buy a pair on Amazon soon.

·         Beautiful aerial views of Chicago.

·         There is a somewhat humorous attempt at explaining crop circles and dinosaurs.  I always wanted to know the scoop on those two things.  Now I know.

·         I loved the see-through floor on Balem Abrasax’s space ship.

·         I didn’t know Tuppence Middleton was so pretty when I first saw her in The Imitation Game.  Her character as Kalique Abrasax in Jupiter Ascending looked obviously fake in the beginning, so I was glad when we got to see her true beauty later on. 

·         There was so much to see that I would like to study some of the images frame by frame.

·         The gay robotic bureaucrat scene was odd, disturbing and funny at the same time.

Things I didn’t like:

·         Mila Kunis plays Jupiter Jones who falls in love with Caine in less than 30 seconds.  It’s embarrassing how quickly she throws herself at him.  Caine, by the way, is played by a blonde Channing Tatum.  He goes shirtless for a longer than necessary and the blonde scruff makes you wince just a little bit.  Two good-looking people should create sparks, but their romantic dialogue falls flat.

·         One of the guys I watched the movie with noted that the musical score by Michael Giacchino was too overpowering.  That could have been because we were in a sound-enhanced screening, so it’s hard to know if others will experience the same effect.

·         There were some attempts at humor, but not nearly enough successful ones.  Want to see a sci-fi fantasy flick that will make you laugh out loud a LOT?   Guardians of the Galaxy!

·         Mila Kunis’emotional range as Jupiter Jones is pretty small in this movie. Even after her entire world is shaken, all she can muster is a “Holy Crap.”  Years ago I took a jungle tour of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands.  The tour guide’s name was Jupiter.  He explained to us that it was because he was so “far out.”

·         I adored Eddie Redmayne in The Theory of Everything and hope he wins an Oscar to go with his Golden Globe for it, but his performance in this film was odd and vacillates between monotone whispers and screaming, with nothing in between.

·         The elephant man alien appears out of place in what should be serious dramatic moments.

·         SPOILER ALERT: There is an icky Soylent Green moment.

·         Why were there so many bald women in this movie?

·         There is so much going on in the action sequences that it’s often hard to figure out exactly what’s going on.

Interesting lines:

·         “Technically speaking, I’m an alien, and from an immigration perspective, I’m an illegal one.” – Jupiter

·         “Off the record, I will tell you that you are a man of rare courage and I pray that your aim is true.” – Diomika Tsing (Nikki Amuka-Bird)

Lines that make you sneer:

·         “Men do not like smart women.” – Jupiter’s uncle

·         “My mom says true love is just a fairy tale for little girls.” – Jupiter

·         “I will never complain about the DMV again.” – Jupiter

·         “I am not your mother.” – Jupiter

“No, my mother never cleaned a toilet in her life.” – Balem Abrasax

Tips for Parents:

·         Some profanity, but no F-bombs.

·         You see the naked backside of a female and male in two different scenes, as well as a girl in her tiny underwear.  (She has amazing abs.)

·         There is a short orgy scene, but you don’t see details, other than faces.

·         There are sexual innuendos, lots of violence (some bloody), and evil motives.

Great news for Star Wars fans!

Great news for Star Wars Trilogy Episodes IV-VI (Blu-ray + DVD) fans!

The official Star Wars website by Lucasfilm and Walt Disney Co. just announced who some special cast members will be for the "Star Wars: Episode VII" movie that will begin filming soon.   Fans will be pleased to see original stars Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford!  The cast will include fresh faces, as well as a return of some of our favorites.

            
Star Trek director J.J. Abrams will lead the film's setting to take place 30 years after 1983's Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi    We'll also see Peter Mayhew back as the lovable rug, Chewbacca, as well as Kenny Baker in the role of R2D2.

The talented John Williams will score the music, as he created the original trilogy's famous themes.  I heard him speak on a radio show when he shared a story about a conversation he had with director Steven Spielberg.  Williams had just watched the raw footage of Schindler's List to help him prepare the music for it.  He was extremely touched and said to Spielberg "This movie is fantastic and so powerful.  You're going to need a better composer to score it."   Spielberg responded "I know.  But all of the good composers are dead." 

With such talent working on this new new installment in the Star Wars franchise, it should be a hit!  My sons used to watch Star Wars every Friday night when they were little.  They would fall asleep in front of the TV with smiles on their faces.   I can't wait to see this new episode!

 

Frozen will warm your heart

Movie Title:  Frozen

Grade: A+

In a Nutshell:  Magical.  Visually stunning. Old school Disney romance with a modern feel, similar to Tangled.  This one is worth buying on DVD for the fam.  Somehow this is going to be made into a Broadway musical some day, right?  The detail and humor are Disney perfection.

Uplifting theme:  Love IS an open door.  It’s a bit of a dramatic illustration of believing the mistaken notion to “conceal it – don’t feel it.”  Embrace yourself and your unique strengths and weaknesses. Of your worries and stresses - let it go.  Girls, your handsome prince may not wear a suit with epaulets.  Not all Disney villains are evil...some are just misunderstood.

One of the best surprise themes in this Disney heroine/romance movie is that you don't have to marry a handsome prince to be happy and if you do find your true love, he may not be the handsome prince you imagined.  Another empowering theme for young girls is that romantic love isn't the only one that will break evil spells.  (SPOILER ALERT) It's the pure love between sisters and the sacrifices they make for one another that changes them and the story.

Things I liked:  Idina Menzel 's beautiful voice…yes please. All of the snow-filled animation is simply gorgeous from the delicate snowflakes to glittering snow packs to icy palaces, foggy breath, windy flurries, and a lively snowman.  You can hear the snow crunch and you feel like you’re IN the fog and cold snow storm….watch it in 3D if you can!  The human movement, facial expressions, and Kristoff’s awesome hair are all amazing.  We’ll probably see Kristoff’s boots for sale in the Ugg store pretty soon.  Elsa’s cute figure is inspiring and yet false advertising at the same time.  Kristen Bell did a terrific job too.  Who knew she could sing?  Who knew she studied opera while growing up? She's been holding out on us!

If you LOVE the music from this movie and can't get enough, I've got great news for you!  They released another version of the movie intended as a "Sing-A-Long" where audiences can join in on the music.  Also released are some songs that didn't make it into the movie.  You can watch those at:  http://www.buzzfeed.com/hnew92/6-bonus-songs-from-frozen-that-you-need-to-hear-9qja

Things I didn’t like: The African chant music seemed out of place until a friend of mine explained it wasn't African, but actually Scandinavian.  Oh!  My son (the animation student in college) thought the artwork was so elegant that Olaf the Snowman seemed out of place and a bit of an annoyance a la Jar Jar Binks in Star Wars.  My sister disagreed and thought Olaf was a welcomed comic relief, connecting the two sisters to their childhood relationship.  Speaking of Olaf, lovable Josh Gad, who voices the enthusiastic snowman, praised Disney’s animation talent by saying “If there’s something snow can do, Disney animators have absolutely discovered it!”  The Art Direction team was sent to Norway for inspiration for snow-filled mountains and even costuming on the film.

Funny line:  “We finish each other’s….sandwiches.”

Things to look for:

• Famous artwork on walls in the palace.  I especially love the Fragonard. 
• Drool on Anna’s mouth when she’s asleep
• Aurora Borealis.  That’s on my Bucket List for things to see before I die.
• The axe in the beginning scene.
• Romantic robot dancing from the movie Hitch when Anna and Hans sing “Our mental synchronization can have but one explanation.”
• Anna sings through the keyhole
• So much to see in the troll scene!
• Flynn and Rapunzel from Tangled have a cameo performance!

Insightful quotes:

• “Only true love can thaw a frozen heart.”  – Pabbie/Grandpa
•  “Some people are worth melting for.”  - Olaf the Snowman
•  “Don’t know if I’m elated or gassy, but I’m somewhere in that zone.”  - Anna
•  “You sacrificed for me?”  “I love you.”  - Anna & Elsa   (something all sisters should say to one another)
• “The heart is not so easily changed, but the head can be persuaded.” 
• "People make bad choices if they're mad or scared or stressed."  - Troll 

Tips for parents:  No bad language.  Thank you! Enough action for the boys to be entertained, beautiful music for the girls to sing along to, and thought-provoking character development for adults to enjoy.  Thanks to YouTube, you’ll be able to watch some of your favorite songs and scenes again until the DVD hits store shelves.  LOVE LOVE LOVE this movie.