Beauty and the Beast 2017 Review

Well, goodness, I certainly kept you all hanging on this one. Thanks for being so patient with me.

I've now seen Beauty and the Beast in theaters three times. I watched it the first time on opening day, and loved it so much that I immediately bought tickets for after school that same day so my daughters could see it. ;)

My Funko Mystery Minis Beast and Belle enjoying the theater.

And the "behind the scenes" photo my friend took of me getting that perfect shot. ;) 

  

The big display in the lobby...

...and my three girls.

Trying to condense my thoughts on this film into one blog post has been a challenge. As you all know, I could go super deep into my Disney nerdism and give you a never-ending post about every little detail. However, I don't want to spoil it for those of you who haven't seen it, and I also don't want to bore everyone to death with non-essentials. ;)

I thought I should start off by saying that, obviously, this is my favorite Disney story of all time, so I might not be the most unbiased opinion out there. Of course, that also means I could be way pickier than the average viewer in some instances. So, consider yourself warned, and don't feel you have to agree with me on everything. ;)

Okay, on to the actual review.

Original image found HERE.

Things I LOVED: 

First off, the nostalgia of this movie was epic. Seeing a beloved cartoon come to life in such a beautiful, breathtaking way was magical. From the moment the opening credits began and Disney used the BEAST'S CASTLE (eep!!) as the "Walt Disney Pictures" castle, I was hooked. I felt like a little ten-year-old girl again, with the same wonder and excitement I had when watching the original release in 1991. And, of course, the moment the beginning notes of "Belle" filled the theater and Emma Watson, as a living, breathing version of my very favorite Disney princess, walked through the town singing those iconic words, I wanted to cry with happiness. :)

I loved the depth added to each of the characters in this new version. The Beast had this quirky, dry sense of humor that gave him extra dimension. He had some of my favorite lines and facial expressions in the movie. Maurice was no longer the bumbling, silly father of the animated cartoon, but a sweet, if rather absent-minded, older man with a haunted past and a quiet dignity. You could immediately see why Belle loved him so much.

I know that some of my acquaintances were worried by the "feminist" touches Emma planned on adding to Belle's character. I myself am not a feminist, but had no problem with the changes. The strength of Belle's character did not diminish the male roles around her, which is the trend I have seen again and again in many movies with feminist input. The changes made were consistent with Belle's original character. She was still portrayed as a loving, beautiful person with a strong personality and a brave spirit. I also appreciated that some of the additions to the story made her feel less like someone with "Stockholm syndrome," which is a common complaint about the Beauty and the Beast story.

Gaston and LeFou, played wonderfully by Luke Evans and Josh Gad, were given more character development as well. I thought Luke Evans' Gaston was brilliant and believable, yet even more despicable than the animated character. The second time I watched it, the audience actually cheered when he met his doom.

Um, hopefully that wasn't too much of a spoiler. I mean, you've all seen the cartoon, right? ;}

And honestly, the entire cast was just spot on. I felt that each of the actors embodied their characters perfectly. From the main characters, to the enchanted objects, to the townspeople, no one seemed miscast or out of place. Except maybe Lumiere, but I'll get to that later. ;) I loved the inclusion of interracial couples in the film, too.

It's obvious that the director and screenwriters paid attention to many of the plot holes pointed out about the animated version of Beauty and the Beast over the years. Many of these were addressed, including the problematic ten years of the curse referred to in the original "Be Our Guest," and how that would have made the prince an eleven-year-old child who didn't let a stranger in at the door. ;) Plus, what happened to Belle's mom? Why didn't anyone in the village know about their former ruler whose castle was within walking distance? These and other problematic plot points were solved. If you don't mind spoilers, you can watch a fun video that explains some of them in detail on YouTube HERE.

One thing that was NOT addressed was that the Prince was not given a name. I can actually understand why this happened, because there wasn't a great spot for it in the flow of the film. Still, it would have been nice for him to have an actual name. (I still don't hold to the claim that his name was originally Adam, since in the commentary of the animated film, the filmmakers talk about the fact that they never gave him a name. Just sayin'.) While this was a bit disappointing, it wasn't the end of the world for me. My 13-year-old was quite irritated by it, though. ;)

I also appreciated the beautiful costumes and sets of the film. I know many (myself included) had our doubts about Belle's yellow ball gown when we first saw photos, but it really was lovely in the movie. Simpler, yes, but it flowed beautifully and looked elegant on Emma. And while I loved the live-action version of Cinderella, the bodice of her ballgown was pretty plungy. It was nice to see a more modest version of Belle's dress for this film. Even Belle's simpler hairstyles and more practical shoes were fine with me. She looked like the type of girl ready for anything.

Things I Didn't Love:

There were a few things that I wasn't quite so enamored with, but they were pretty minor. One of those was some of the computer animation, especially for the Beast. I felt like the animation on the enchanted objects worked pretty well, but there were several scenes where Beast's animation felt unfinished or over-stylized. The best way I can think to describe it is that it's the type of animation that will look really fake in ten or so years...kind of like the animation of Andy and his mom in the first Toy Story movie when you watch it now in 2017. That being said, Dan Steven's acting was so wonderful and the character of the Beast so compelling, I found myself ignoring the animation, even when it was distracting, because I loved the character and the story so much.

I had my concerns about Ewan McGregor's "French" accent from the time I watched the very first trailer. He sounded like someone attempting a French accent and sounding more Mexican. In subsequent interviews, he even admitted the accent was a challenge for him, and explained that because of the way they instructed him to do it, it ended up sounding more Mexican than French.

I will say that the accent wasn't as bad as I thought it would be and didn't distract me as much as I thought it would. However, it definitely didn't sound as natural as some of the other accents. I thought Ewan's acting and singing were nice in spite of his accent challenges, though I must confess I will always prefer Jerry Orbach's Lumiere. ;)

I was also a little disappointed with the fact that they didn't actually show the full transformations of the Beast and the enchanted objects at the end of the film. However, after talking to my friend Sarah, I realized that I probably would have been disappointed by the transformations anyway. Maybe it was best that they left that to our imagination.

Things that Caused Controversy:

I feel like I can't do this review without addressing the "elephant in the room," so to speak. As most of you know, shortly before the film's release, director Bill Condon revealed in an interview that they had decided to make LeFou's character gay in this version of the film. There were heated reactions on both sides of the issue, and for a while, this was all people were talking about when Beauty and the Beast came up in conversation.

As most of you know by now, I'm a Christian, and as such, my standard for truth is the Bible. The Bible tells me that God's intention for love and marriage is between a man and a woman. However, I fully realize that not everyone holds this view. I can't expect companies with different belief systems to make movies the way I want them to, and I know that the Disney company has long supported the LGBT rights movement. I also know that Howard Ashman, the brilliant talent who co-wrote the original songs with Alan Menken, lived a gay lifestyle and died of AIDS before the film was completed, so this has always been a message close to the hearts of many involved in the original Beauty and the Beast. Because of this, I can't say I'm super surprised by their decision to include this in this particular film.

I do feel that the subject was handled tastefully. I don't know if my younger two girls would have even caught on to what was going on if we hadn't talked about it before. Going into the film knowing that LeFou was gay, I could definitely read into a lot of his behaviors, gestures, and facial expressions, but even this was more understated than overt. And really, a lot of it just reminded me of the cartoon character.

There are three main moments that might cause concern for those of my brothers and sisters in Christ who are still undecided as to whether to see the movie or not. (Spoilers ahead.)

First, at one point during the "Gaston" song, LeFou wraps Gaston's arms around him while singing, then asks Gaston, "Too much?" Gaston replies, "Yep." (Side note: throughout the movie, Gaston remains completely clueless to LeFou's feelings.)

Next. during the battle scene at the castle, Madame Garderobe (the wardrobe) attacks three men (Tom, Dick, and Stanley of "Gaston" fame) with ribbons and other accessories, dressing them like girls. Two of them run away screaming in horror, while one gives Garderobe a delighted smile. She tells him, "Be free!" and he trots off.

The other main scene is at the very end of the movie, when everyone is dancing once the curse has been broken. LeFou is dancing with a woman, and in the course of the dance, he switches partners and accidentally ends up dancing with the man who enjoyed being dressed like a girl. They spin once, giving each other a rather startled look, and the camera pans away. This, by the way, is the "exclusively gay moment" referenced in Bill Condon's interview.

On a more minor note, LeFou confesses to Mrs. Potts during the battle scene that he and Gaston are "so in a bad place right now," and Mrs. Potts tells LeFou he deserves better than Gaston. While this is obviously meant to play into LeFou's feelings for Gaston, it's subtle enough that it could even be taken as just two friends having a rough patch in their friendship.

After watching the entire movie, the conclusion I came to is that this subplot was minor and subtle enough that I had no issues taking my girls to see it, even though I personally wish it hadn't been included. For those of you who want a more detailed look at everything in the film, you can read Plugged In's review HERE.

I realize this is an issue that is sensitive and divisive, but I felt I couldn't do this review in good conscience without mentioning it. I know I have readers who fall on both sides of this, and I welcome discussion in the comments as long as it is kind and respectful.

The Music:

I thought I'd end with some thoughts on the music, since it played such a huge part in this film.

The singing was not as good overall as the original animated voice cast, especially Emma's singing as Belle. Her voice had a bit of a manufactured sound to it. She took breaths in odd places, which could either be her take on a unique interpretation of the songs, or just a lack of breath control. And there were several places in "Belle" that were in a lower key for her, as if she couldn't reach the original notes and they had to transpose it to fit her range. (Interestingly enough, the Broadway version of "Belle" is in a higher key than the animated version. Just in case you needed to know that random Beauty and the Beast factoid to make your life complete.) ;) Still, Emma wasn't unpleasant to listen to, and her voice had a kind of everyday girl quality to it that made her more believable. It sounded like a "normal" person singing to herself while walking down the street, rather than a professional singer.

Luke Evans, Josh Gad, and Audra McDonald all had outstanding voices. Since all of them have performed in musical theater before, that's no surprise. I have to admit, though, I kept picturing Olaf singing "Gaston" because Josh Gad's voice sounds exactly the same. (Seriously, someone needs to do an animated version of Olaf singing "Gaston." It would be hilarious. No one gives warm hugs like Gaston?) ;)

Dan Stevens is not known for his singing, but I thought he did a great job on "Something There" and his new song, "Evermore." I'd actually love to hear his singing without his Beast-synthesized voice. ;)

Speaking of new songs, this movie had three: "How Does a Moment Last Forever," sung by Maurice (and later Belle), "Days in the Sun," sung by the enchanted objects, and "Evermore," sung by the Beast. All three were written by Alan Menken. The first two were rather short, and their melodies were used two separate times in the course of the film. In addition to this, both "Gaston" and "Beauty and the Beast" got additional lyrics, unused in the animated film.

My favorite of the new songs was definitely "Evermore," with "Days in the Sun" coming in second. I wish both "Days in the Sun" and "How Does a Moment Last Forever" had been longer.

As much as I enjoyed the new songs, I couldn't help but compare them to the Broadway version of Beauty and the Beast. Not only have I memorized most of the Broadway soundtrack, but I had the privilege of seeing it performed live twice (not in New York, sadly). ;) And I have to say, on every count, I felt there was just a bit more to each of the additional songs in the play than in the movie. As beautiful as "How Does a Moment Last Forever" is, I think I prefer "No Matter What," the sweet song Belle and Maurice sing together. "Days in the Sun" is lovely and melancholy, but I've always loved "Human Again" and its inclusion of all of the characters, including little Chip. And as gorgeous as "Evermore" is, I can't help thinking of the heartbreaking "If I Can't Love Her" that the Beast sings after scaring Belle away from the West Wing. (Here's a recording of the 1994 Tony Awards Performance of Beauty and the Beast, which highlights some of these songs.)

And I'm sorry, but NOTHING can beat the amazing tankard dance during "Gaston" that was performed in the play. The movie's choreography was boring by comparison. (This video doesn't quite do it justice, but it gives you a little idea of how cool it was.)

The tone and pacing of the play was different than the movie, so I can understand why those songs wouldn't have worked for the live action film, but I loved every extra Broadway song as much as the originals, while the extra songs from the movie left me wanting more...either more verses or more depth.

Bottom line, the music from the movie was enjoyable. The orchestration was beautiful. I especially loved the inclusion of an instrumental version of "Home" (from the Broadway version) whenever Belle went to her room. The singing was nice, especially with the visuals. But I have to admit, if I was going strictly for a soundtrack without the visuals, I'd choose either the original or the Broadway version...and maybe Dan Stevens and Josh Groban's versions of "Evermore." ;)

Also, I hate to even bring this up, because I really was pleased with the casting, but I would love to see the Disney company cast actors who can act and knock it out of the park with their singing in the future. Emma wasn't bad at singing, but if they could have found someone who could really sing those songs the way they were meant to be sung, I think it could have been so much richer. But then again, I thought her acting was wonderful.

In spite of these few, nit-picky issues I had, I fell in love with this story all over again and enjoyed it thoroughly.

One of my favorite parts? The amazing, wordless acting in this scene right here:

Original image found on Pinterest HERE. 

I still get teary just thinking about how beautiful it was. :) The look of wonder on the Prince's face as he turned around and gazed at Belle, the same glorious music playing in the background from the animated version, the joy of true love and reunion after death...Eep! I'm going to geek out again!!

My other favorite parts were the Beast's facial expressions after he tried to ask Belle to dinner politely, and his reaction upon finding out her favorite book was Romeo and Juliet.

So, those are my thoughts on Beauty and the Beast 2017. I think I still prefer the 1991 version for the most part. Not only is it beautifully animated, but the casting is perfection and it's a huge part of my childhood. But 2017's Beauty and the Beast will definitely have a spot on the shelf right next to it. :)

Have you guys seen it yet? What were your thoughts?

We Loved Moana! :D

Last night, my mom, my aunt, and I all took the girls to see Disney's latest. And, as usual, Disney didn't disappoint. Moana was a great film with beautiful music, stunning animation, lovable characters, and a strong female lead whose motives of kindness and doing the right thing made her a heroine my daughters could look up to. 

I don't want to give any spoilers away, so I won't go into anymore detail, but I highly recommend this movie. There was pretty much no objectionable content, aside from some very mild toilet humor (that was actually kind of hilarious) and one unfinished "son of a..." phrase that stops right there. As this film strives to be a faithful representation of the Polynesian culture, elements of their beliefs are included in the film, but even as someone not holding to these beliefs, I was able to enjoy the film and the overall message it gave. I also feel that learning about other cultures is important, so that we can understand the worldview of others and where they're coming from. 

If you'd like a more in-depth review, you can check out Plugged In's take on the film HERE. 

I had hoped to have my review/comparison of the Disney Store and Hasbro Moana dolls up by today, in celebration of the movie's release, but we had company and a music practice that took up most of my blogging time (well worth the interruption on both counts). ;)

So, to tide you over, I thought I'd share a few photos from the movie theater, especially since Disney Store Moana joined us. ;)

The girls with the movie poster.

We each took turns posing Moana in front of the poster. This is my pose.

Little Gal did this one.

Middle Gal chose this pose. 

And here's Oldest Gal's pose.

Here is Moana waiting in line for our theater to begin seating. (Little Gal came up with this pose. I was especially thankful I'd brought Moana at this point of our night. Little Gal was having a tough time waiting, so playing with a doll made for a good distraction.) ;)

Moana, waiting for the movie to start. (And no, I didn't take this photo during the trailers, in case you were concerned. ;) It was during the "First Look" segment at Cinemark.) 

We had a great time, and the girls have been singing "How Far I'll Go" and "You're Welcome" nonstop ever since. The only song we didn't like? "Shiny." I think I could handle never hearing that one again, although it's not as bad with the animation. Definitely not one I'd listen to very often. :}

And here are a couple of photos from the upcoming review, with a few abbreviated thoughts from me:

This. Doll. Is. Gorgeous. Probably one of the most stunning Disney Store dolls I've ever purchased. A great gift idea for Moana fans or collectors. She retails for $19.95.

The hair shouldn't be brushed and will probably be a matted mess after a lot of playtime, but it's gorgeous right out of the box, and a spot-on representation of the movie. I love Moana's beautiful face and fuller figure. The only issue I have is that her legs are the rubbery click-knee legs like the older Barbies, and because her legs are so much thicker, it's rather hard to pose them. Also, because her legs are sticky, it's really hard to get her skirt back on correctly once she's undressed, because all of the little "grass" pieces get stuck to her rubbery plastic legs and don't want to point down like they're supposed to.

Other than that, no complaints. She is incredible. 💕 

Before I got my Disney Store Moana, I picked up one of the Hasbro ones in a local store. I was surprised to find the huge height difference between the two dolls. 

Hasbro Moana retails for around $12.97. She is much more posable than Disney Store Moana and has jointed knees instead of click knees. Her hair is not as nice (it matted pretty much right away), and her clothing is just printed on the cloth instead of separate pieces of material. I also personally prefer the amazing detail of the Disney Store Moana's face to the simpler design of Hasbro Moana. 

Of the two, I would pick the Disney Store version, but Hasbro Moana might be a better choice for younger Moana fans, as she's more posable and she's simpler to dress and undress. And even though her hair isn't as high in quality, I don't think the Disney Store Moana's hair will hold up to playtime much longer than Hasbro's version.

Many more details and photos to come in the official post, but I thought it might be helpful to share the basics for now. ;) 

I hope you all have a wonderful week and a blessed Thanksgiving with family and friends. :)

Media Musings: Zootopia

It has been an incredibly long time since I posted a movie review on this blog. I'd like to try to get back into that habit, at least every once in a while.

And what a great year for it! ;) Between the live-action version of The Jungle Book, Captain America: Civil War, Finding Dory, and Moana, there are a ton of movies to look forward to. Of course, I'm most excited about next year, when we finally get to see the live-action version of Disney's Beauty and the Beast. :D

Since it's been a while, I figured I should remind all of you that as a follower of Christ, my movie reviews come from a Christian worldview. Just so you're warned. ;)

Also, in my "negative elements" section, I try to mention everything I think might be an issue for some of my readers. Some of them may seem pretty trivial, but I tend to be overly cautious in this area.

I thought it would be fun to include my daughters in this review, so after I've shared my thoughts, I'll share theirs, too. :)

So, without further ado, let's talk about Zootopia. ;)

(Found on Pinterest HERE)

To be honest, I wasn't all that excited about this movie when I first saw the trailers. I didn't hate it or anything, but I didn't think it would be one of my favorites.

Boy, was I wrong.

Zootopia is so much more than a fun kid's movie about talking, clothing-clad animals. Which shouldn't be surprising. The most recent Disney films have done an excellent job at delivering a story that is both entertaining and thought-provoking.

As a parent, I can't tell you how much I appreciate this. I understand that sometimes it's okay to have entertainment without a purpose, but I've always preferred stories that entertain and give me something to come away with when I'm done.

That's not to say that they're aren't plenty of fun elements. I can't WAIT to get this on Blu-ray so I can pause it and take in some of the details and Easter eggs that I know are hiding. ;)

Zootopia tells the story of Judy Hopps, a sweet, small-town bunny with big dreams. She wants to be the first bunny cop in the large city of Zootopia, where predator and prey dwell together in harmony. Against the odds, Judy graduates at the top of her police academy class and gets the job she's always dreamed of. But soon, Judy discovers that things aren't as wonderful as she thought they'd be. Instead of being assigned to a case, she is given the job of "meter maid," in charge of giving out parking tickets.

But things are about to change. Through a series of events, Judy is given the chance to work on a missing mammal case, in which she must rely on the help of Nick Wilde, a fox with questionable standards of legality. But is there more to Nick than what there seems? Why are there so many missing mammals in Zootopia? Can Judy solve the case and finally get the respect she desires?


Positives: The overall message of Zootopia is the problem of prejudice and the conflict it creates. Characters have to set aside their preconceived notions about others who are different than them and work together. We see a clear picture of the hatred, confusion, and chaos that results when we respond to the differences in others with fear and suspicion rather than kindness.

Judy is a strong character of integrity and determination against all odds, a great role model for young girls.

Good examples of friendship, bravery, and reconciliation are shown.

The theme song, "Try Everything," has a good message about doing our best and not giving up, even when things are difficult, and even when we face the possibility of failure.


Negatives: This film has a few intense spots, some that made me jump. ;) However, my eight-year-old, who is pretty sensitive, wasn't too scared.

God's name is used inappropriately three times (which was probably my biggest disappointment in the film). And, while it's not a big deal to most, "butt" is used quite frequently. We weren't allowed to use "butt" when I was growing up, and it still makes me flinch each time someone says it. (I actually convinced one of my friends in high school to start saying "bottomhead" instead of the alternative, because it bothered me so much.) ;) I know that's going to be weird to a lot of you. ;) Just thought I'd bring it up in case it bothered anyone else.

Another thing that might cause an issue for some parents is a segment where Judy visits an animal "naturalist" club, where all of the animals are naked. Thankfully, none of them are anatomically correct. It is played for laughs, since they are all animals and shouldn't be wearing clothing anyway. I personally found the scene rather humorous and thought they did it fairly tastefully, especially considering what they could have done in a scene like that. But some parents may not feel comfortable with the whole idea (and understandably so).

Gazelle, the gazelle pop singer played by Shakira, wears a pretty skimpy costume and does a lot of hip shaking. She is also accompanied on stage by a group of muscular tigers dressed in tight, sparkly shorts. These guys dance around, shaking their hips and buns. There is also a cell phone app a couple of characters use in which they can superimpose their face over one of the tigers' faces and dance in the same manner alongside Gazelle. These are pretty small parts in the film, but I thought I should mention them.

While it is important to the story and not necessarily a "negative" element, there are a couple of rather intense scenes of bullying which might be worrying to younger viewers.

Oh, and if you're a DMV employee, you might take offense at the fact that all of the "Department of Mammal Vehicles" employees are sloths. ;)


Would I recommend it?  In spite of a few negative elements, overall I found Zootopia refreshing and entertaining. The themes and messages were woven into the story in a way that was real and thought-provoking without feeling "preachy." Setting the story in an animal world was especially clever because it played out more like a parable. I think this movie will provide an excellent conversation starter for families about prejudice and how we respond to others. It is so easy to fall into fear or suspicion when we encounter someone different than us. It's in our nature. But we all have a choice to do what is right, to respond in love and kindness. This was the main message I came away with.

There will never be a time when everyone in the world agrees. Whether it's a matter of race, religion, political preference, gender, or core beliefs, we all come from different backgrounds, cultures, and upbringings. And while there may be times when I have to stand up for what I believe is right, and it may conflict with what someone else believes, I can still do it in a way that is loving and respectful.

These themes weren't quite as apparent to the girls (especially the younger two), as you'll see in their comments below, but they all came away with the message Judy gave by example: to try things even if they are difficult and to never give up.

I wish so much that I could remember a parting speech that Judy gives towards the end of the movie. It summed everything up so beautifully and simply. I guess you'll just have to go watch the film and know that her speech is how I would choose to end this review. ;)

So yes, if you haven't guessed already, I would definitely recommend this film. There are several parts that might be too intense for younger viewers, but I would comfortably recommend it for at least ages eight and up. If you'd like a more detailed review to decide for yourself, you can check out Plugged In's take on Zootopia HERE.

Here are the girls' thoughts on the movies:

Oldest Gal (age 12...almost):

Did you like Zootopia? Yes, I did. It was such a good movie. It was so well made and so clever, particularly the part with all the tweaked Disney movie titles and company names.

What was your favorite thing about the movie? I loved all the action, suspense, and twists of the plot. I love all the characters, and how the movie always kept you guessing and gasping with surprise.

Who was your favorite character? Ffffttt...Favorite character? Are you kidding? They're all great! But it turned out that my "was going to be favorite character" was not who they seemed.

Would you recommend it to other kids your age, and why? I would totally recommend this to any kid, whether three or seventy. I would especially recommend this movie to a certain friend of mine who loves Nancy Drew and all things mystery. It is a great movie that everyone can enjoy: heartwarming, funny, and purposeful. It has a very strong and applicable meaning.

What would you say are the overall messages of the movie? Never give up, and even if others say you can't do things, that doesn't mean they're right. And just because other people with the same qualities as you made certain decisions, that doesn't mean you have to make them and it doesn't give you a right to group people together.


Middle Gal (age 10):

Did you like Zootopia? Of course, who wouldn't? It's totally awesome!

What was your favorite thing about the movie? My favorite thing was how a rabbit and a fox became friends. It was a little bit weird, because usually foxes eat rabbits. It was really funny, too.

Who was your favorite character? Who was my favorite character? Judy Hopps was my favorite character. (Lol, you guys will get the "answering a question with a question" thing when you see the movie. My clever gal.) ;) 
She's so clever and she never gives up and I wanna be like her when I grow up.

Would you recommend it to other kids your age, and why? Yes, but there is a startling part. I jumped in the theater.
It's fun, but not really scary. And it's awesome!

What would you say are the overall messages of the movie? Don't give up. Stick up for your friends. We all make mistakes, so always try again.

Little Gal (age 8...almost):

Did you like Zootopia? Totally! It's very, very funny and mysterious and it has a ton of Easter eggs in it. And also, Gazelle had more of a purpose in the movie than I thought. I thought she'd just be a background character.

What was your favorite thing about the movie? Everything! (Especially Clawhauser.)

Who was your favorite character? Judy Hopps. (I'm wearing an outfit right now actually that really looks like Judy Hopps in one part of the movie.)

Would you recommend it to other kids your age, and why? I would, because it has a very good message and it's very fun and funny. And there are really good characters.

What would you say are the overall messages of the movie? Never give up, just try again.

The gals at the theater :)

Thanks for stopping by and reading through our review. I hope you found it helpful. Will any of you be seeing Zootopia?

Official Zootopia Website

P.S. For any of you who are already Zootopia fans, you can get free shipping on all Zootopia merchandise at Disneystore.com until tomorrow! :D Use code GOWILD. :)


I am not supported by or associated with the Disney company in any way. Just a major fan of their animated movies. ;)

Disney/Pixar's "Inside Out" Mini Review and Random News from my Week ;)

Today, I took my girls to a movie on opening day for the first time. Mom and Mimi came, too. As you've guessed from the title, Inside Out, the latest animated masterpiece from Disney and Pixar, was released in theaters today. After reading the picture book at Barnes and Noble and reading the review on the Plugged In website, I decided it would be a fun one to watch with the girls.

Sadness was my favorite character. :) (Image found HERE)

Pixar did not disappoint. Inside Out was an incredible movie! I don't want to go into too many details and spoil it for all of you, but I would highly recommend this movie, especially if you have girls and wish to understand the mysterious inner workings of their minds. ;)

Like the Pixar films before it, the movie has plenty of laughs and poignancy. But even more important is the underlying message. In Inside Out, we are reminded that both joy and sadness are important for our development emotionally and have a place together as we experience life and make memories.

For those of you with young or emotionally sensitive children, be aware that there are some pretty emotionally intense scenes in this movie. The whole overall theme is loss, change, and how we cope with it. These topics are dealt with sensitively, but they definitely pack an emotional punch. Mom, Mimi and I were all in tears throughout various parts of the movie. My daughters did fine. ;) On the other hand, there were also several laugh-out-loud funny moments that helped balance out the heavier parts.

I also feel that, while children will get enjoyment out of this movie, adults will come away with a whole lot more on a deeper level. A lot of the overall themes may go over children's heads, especially the very young. But it's one of those movies that everyone in the family can find something to enjoy. It also can lead to some great discussions about emotions, how we communicate, and how we deal with change and loss. Just watch it. You won't regret it. ;)

If you'd like more specifics on content, be sure to check out Plugged In's review HERE.

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In other news, I thought I'd share a few photos from my week. :)

On Monday, I went to Mimi's and helped her with a few of her doll displays. Here's how they turned out:

Here's the kitchen display with her Lalaloopsy shelves overhead (which I hung myself). ;) 

Piper (#25)

Sicily Rose (#22)

Details of the table.

An adorable lemonade set.

The hutch.

The colorful kitchen shelves. :)

A closer look at the Lalaloopsy shelves.

Mimi's international doll display. :)

After working on my mom's doll rooms and my aunt's doll displays, I decided it was time to tackle my own. ;) That was Tuesday's project. 

I haven't arranged or dusted them since before Christmas (at least!). Also, we're in the process of rearranging my daughter's rooms, giving Oldest Gal her own room again. I told her that when we did so, I would let her use my top doll room. I figured now was as good a time as any to empty the room and figure out what I was going to do.  

Here's what they looked like when I started.

I love the way the top room was arranged, but it was so high up that it was almost impossible to see from the floor.

The middle room was a kind of game room/bedroom of sorts.

The bottom room was a bedroom with two beds. 

Here's what they look like now (except there are more things in the storage area underneath). ;) 

The top room was replaced by a display. I find that I actually prefer things this way. I was able to use some of my taller furniture and build things up behind the dolls. It was always really hard to see into that top room. Now it's much more open and visible. Tess (Gotz Little Sisters doll), Ella (Gotz Precious Day Elisabeth doll), Lucy (Gotz 16" doll), and Hailey (rewigged Gotz Precious Day Elisabeth doll) seem to like their new arrangement. ;)

The middle room has become a bedroom again for Emma (#41, on the bed), Hayden (#55, sitting on the floor), and Charlie (renamed GOTY Mia doll). I like its simplified look and all of the fun posters on the walls. :)

The bottom room is now a game room/sitting room for the remaining girls. Here we have Ava (renamed GOTY Jess doll), Maggie (Madame Alexander doll), Anjali (#47), Alice (#25), Rachel (renamed AG Julie) and Jenna (renamed AG Rebecca). I was pleased with the fact that I was able to fit six dolls in the room without making it look too crowded. :) 

On Wednesday, the girls and I took a rather last-minute day trip with my mom for a Toys R Us run. ;)

As is our normal tradition, we had lunch at In-N-Out...

...and dessert at Krispy Kreme. (Sorry you can't see the full sign...Dorothy Doe was NOT cooperating). ;) 

We had our usual fun watching the conveyor belt inside...

...and taking pictures of our toys in the "Doughnuts" words. ;) The doll next to Dorothy Doe is one that Middle Gal made out of pipe cleaners and yarn. 

The gals all had an original glazed donut and were kind enough to share with their friends:

Oldest Gal shared with her Tokidoki Unicorno...

...Middle Gal shared with her homemade doll...

...and Little Gal shared with Jane. 

Dorothy Doe got to share some of my donut, too. ;)  

I forgot to get a picture outside of Toys R Us, but we had a great time there. We also went to the local Target. Everyone found something fun to bring home.

Oldest Gal got a Frozen Fash'ems (she ended up with Kristoff, the one she wanted!).

All of the girls found these fun new toys called "MoonBeams". I'm hoping to get a review up soon. I couldn't find any sort of website on them online, but they're super cute and very reasonably priced. The girls have had loads of fun playing with them.

We also got Shopkins MicroLites from Target. :)

And since the Zelfs were on sale for $4.99 each (for either medium OR super), I decided to bring a couple more home for my collection. ;) 

We found some other goodies too, but I didn't get pictures of everything. :)

The rest of the week was spent at piano lessons for Middle Gal, picking up some dolls to restring for a fellow doll club member, at a playdate with friends this morning, and at the movie theater this afternoon. Whew! It was definitely a full week. ;) 

I think that's about all for now. Next week, I have jury duty, so things may be a bit quiet here on the blog. I hope to get some good writing done while I'm waiting around the courthouse to see if I've been selected, though. ;)

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! :) 

Frozen Blog Party: Frozen Blog Links and Giveaway Updates

Hey everyone!  Sorry if you were hoping for another post today.  Sundays are usually pretty crazy, so I knew I wouldn't have time for a "real" post. ;)

I wanted to thank all of you who have entered the giveaway so far.  At this point, we have 73 entries (including all of the multiple entries).  Keep them coming! :D

I also wanted to take a moment and say thank you for 340 followers!!  It still floors me that I ever passed 100, which was my ultimate goal when I began.  You guys are great! :D  I'm also getting really close to 900,000 pageviews, too, which is almost impossible for me to even process.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of you who read, comment, and follow this blog.  You make blogging so rewarding, and I appreciate each and every one of you. :)

I may not have posted anything today, but I have done some other Frozen-related posts in the past.  I thought now would be a good time to share those links so you have something to tide you over until tomorrow. ;)  Enjoy!

-Frozen Movie Review (theatrical release)
-Disney Store Frozen Fashion Doll Reviews (mainly Kristoff and Anna)
-Disney Animator's Collection Kristoff Doll Review
-Disney Store Toddler Anna and Elsa Doll Reviews

I'll be back later tomorrow with more Frozen fun. :)

Frozen Blog Party: Frozen Blu-ray/DVD Combo Review

On Tuesday, I was thrilled to finally get my hands on my own copy of Frozen on Blu-ray and DVD.  My copy was purchased at Walmart for $19.99.  It included two discs:  the Blu-ray disc with special features, and the DVD disc (which I haven't tried yet).

The Blu-ray cover art is nice.  It comes with a cardboard slip cover with iridescent accents.

 A look at the back.

A look at the inside.

When I opened my case, I was very disappointed to see that the tabs that hold the discs in place had broken.  My Blu-ray disc was actually loose in the case.  I've now watched it three times, and two out of the three times, it had a short glitch in the same spot.  The third time, it glitched in a different spot instead.  While it's not the most major glitch I've seen, I've decided I will still exchange it.  I want it to play without any issues, and I don't want it to get any worse.:(

 

 

 The blue tabs that were supposed to help hold the discs in place. :( I hope that in the future, the Disney company might consider investing a little more in their movie cases.  The plastic was very thin and fragile, and I'm thinking this may have contributed to the tabs breaking off.

One thing I thought was interesting was that this movie came with a digital copy code instead of a physical disc.  It's been a while since I've purchased a movie new, so this might not be any big deal to some of you. ;)  I was not able to get my digital copy to show up, but I'm wondering if it's partially because I'm on Firefox instead of Google Chrome right now (I'm still battling computer issues).  This isn't as detrimental to me since I don't have a smart phone or a laptop.  The only place I could watch it would be on my desktop computer, which is very close to my TV.  I might as well just stick to the Blu-ray. ;)

The movie itself was just as stunning as ever.  I loved the menu, which featured moving snowflakes with video clips of the main characters in their centers.  Watching the film itself on my own home TV was really fun.  There were so many details to enjoy.   And of course, the story was still amazing. :)

 This picture lists the special features included.  I have to say, I was really disappointed in the lack of special features.  I think the Disney/Pixar Blu-ray and DVD special features have spoiled me.  I love it when movies come with an entire disc of extras.  As someone interested in writing, acting, drawing, and music, I'm always fascinated by all of the behind-the-scenes information on movies and how they are made.  

Frozen's special features include the "Get a Horse" Mickey Mouse short that was released with Frozen in theaters, several "Let it Go" music videos (which I haven't watched yet because I prefer Idina's version in the movie), some deleted scenes, "The Making of Frozen", and a feature about "the company's 75 year journey to Frozen".  

From the titles, it sounds like there would be some pretty amazing information, right?  Um...not exactly.  Maybe my expectations were a bit too high, but I came away from watching the special features feeling disappointed.

The deleted scenes were fun and interesting, but there were only four of them (I would have loved to see more!).  They did have nice little intros by the directors, explaining why they were cut.  And after watching them, I definitely feel like they made the right choice in leaving them out.  They were good scenes, but the final cut works best.

The "D'Frosted: Disney's Journey from Hans Christian Anderson to Frozen", which was supposed to span a 75 year journey, gave me the impression that it would be this incredible in-depth look at both Walt's era and the current movie.  While the feature was interesting, it was not very long (twenty minutes or so at the most), and almost completely focused on the earlier attempts at the film.  Even with that, the main bulk of the feature was a look at some of the concept art by Marc Davis, and featured some interviews with his wife, Alice Estes Davis, who designed the costumes for "It's a Small World", among other things.  While the information there was interesting and informative, it left me wishing for more, especially about Frozen itself.

The special feature I was most looking forward to was "The Making of Frozen", which was supposed to be a behind-the-scenes look at the movie set to music.  And sadly, this was the special feature I was most disappointed about.  It was great to see Josh Gad, Kristen Bell, and Jonathan Groff (who, as Kristoff, only got one short song in the movie, but has an amazing voice) singing and dancing together, along with members of the cast and crew at Disney Animation.  There was even a short cameo from John Lasseter. :)  Unfortunately, the song was very repetitive and didn't say all that much.  (We've only watched it twice, but I'm already tired of it because of the amount of times my daughters have sung it around the house.  I'd rather they just sing the songs from the movie.)  But the biggest disappointment was that, aside from the visual walk-through of the studio during the song, there was absolutely no information about the making of Frozen.  This was done on purpose (the song has a little "wink-wink" moment at the end that I won't spoil here), but I think I would have been able to appreciate the humor of it more if it had been followed with some actual information, or if the disc had at least had a separate feature that shared some "making of" moments.  I also might have enjoyed it more if it was not called "The Making of Frozen". :}  I was expecting this really cool behind-the-scenes feature staged as a musical, but if it had been called something else, I probably would have gone into it with the idea of just enjoying a fun song.

I seriously doubt that anyone from Disney reads this blog, but if they did, I would beg them to consider adding more special features to their Blu-rays and DVDs.  And while I'm dreaming away, how about some audio commentaries?  I would love to have a cast and crew commentary on Frozen (and on Tangled too, for that matter!). 

I don't regret getting my copy of Frozen, because the film itself is enough of a gem on its own.  Still, it would have made it even more amazing if there had been some in-depth looks at the true "Making of Frozen". :}

Thankfully, in our computer-saturated world, we have other resources for bonus features.  I figured that some of you might have been similarly disappointed, so I thought I would link to a few of my favorite online "bonus features" (since we didn't get many on the Blu-ray). :)  Enjoy! 

Behind the Scenes:
Idina Menzel and Kristen Bell (Elsa and Anna)
Jonathan Groff (Kristoff)
Josh Gad (Olaf)
Santino Fontana (Hans)
Alan Tudyk (the Duke of Wesselton)
Soundtrack
Animation

Interviews:
Idina Menzel 
Idina Menzel #2
Kristen Bell
Jonathan Groff
Josh Gad
Santino Fontana  (this is one of my favorite interviews...Santino is so funny!) ;)
Alan Tudyk
Josh Gad, Kristen Bell, and Idina Menzel (These are partial interviews; you can find the full ones on YouTube as well)

If you're in the mood for still more Frozen fun, you can visit my Frozen Pinterest board HERE.

Hope you guys enjoyed the post and the links.  What are your thoughts on the Blu-ray?