Disney's Animation is Getting Back on Track

Rating: 7/10 (30 July 2014)

Seeing this near opening day, I had no idea Frozen would explode to be the #1 highest grossing animated film of all time. Like others, I was left disappointed by the trailers, and had "cold" expectations.
Turns out, it was a pretty good movie. Not the best animated film of all time, but I have no issue with its popularity.
In a sense, it is yet another deconstruction of the "princess" movie, like "The Princess and the Frog", "Tangled" and "Brave" before it. I'd complain, but the princess Disney films were always the worst ones. More importantly, the film also focuses on sibling relationships, Elsa's powers symbolic for severe introversion. The characters are cute, likable, and more complex than the typical 3D fare. The animation was among the best of 2013, especially for me, who finds something romantic about nighttime snowscapes.
There are problems, but most of it can be chalked up to the fact it is a family film. The characters could have been deeper and the musical numbers better, but they're not meant for an adult audience. Even the snowman, while unnecessary, was tolerable, and made my theater explode in giggles. And who am I to argue against the laughter of children? :P
Disney had a weak decade in the 00s, with giant bombs that sealed western traditional animation's fate and forgettable 3D titles. If it weren't for Pixar, they'd be worse than Dreamworks. But their latest works have been steps in the right direction. Frozen will likely go down as much of an animated classic as The Lion King or Beauty and the Beast. But whenever or not we entered the next Disney Renaissance remains to be seen.
P.S. - "Let it Go" and the scene that accompanies it are amazing~