'The Princess and the Frog'

'The Princess and the Frog' (G) **

Writers: Ron Clements, John Musker and Rob Edwards
Directors: Ron Clements and John Musker
Voices: Anika Noni Rose, Keith David, Bruno Campos, Oprah Winfrey, Terrence Howard, John Goodman, Jennifer Lewis

"The Princess and the Frog" is admirable for the fact that it goes back to the charming hand drawn animation of old Disney in the midst of these CGI, stop motion animation films recently. It is also admirable for having the lead character, a Princess, that is African American and other characters that are also African American. There hasn't been a lead character that was African American since "Song of the South" which caused needless controversy. The only thing wrong about "The Princess and the Frog" is that it is safe and dull with mostly unmemorable songs. I couldn't get into it and I loved "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast" which are ten times better and more alive. "The Princess and the Frog" has a great setting taking place in a colorful and alive New Orleans with a couple of good Jazz songs and I mean good old Dixieland Jazz. I like a couple of those Jazz numbers but I don't really recall them and I mean actually an hour after I left the theatre. The characters are also a little too quaint even though the Princess is independent and strong willed. The main villain is also cliched and seen before and reminded me of the bad guy in the 1975 Bond movie "Live and Let Die". It might come off as a stereotypical black voodoo character and the film has already gotten outed by some Christian group. That is pure baloney and not the problem with this movie. I just think only real little girls will like this and I found it pretty unimaginative, dull and safe. I am glad though that little African American girls will have someone in a movie they can look up to.