While there have been complaints regarding the quality of the recent Pixar movies, the movies under the normal Disney license have been exceptionally good. Princess and the Frog reintroduced the fairy tale formula to Disney movies, while Tangled continued the fairy tale theme but showed how Disney movies would now be CG animated.  Wreck-It Ralph did not follow the typical theme, but was still well-received. And now, we have Frozen, the film that won two Oscars, made over $1 billion, and is considered to be Disney’s best film since the 1990s. Is this Disney’s best for the first time in forever, or should we just let this one go?

Anna and Elsa are the princesses of Arendelle, inspired by the likes of Scandinavian  culture. Elsa and Anna live in the same castle, but have been separated since they were kids, due to Elsa’s ice-related powers.  After their parents die, Elsa is to become queen of Arendelle, but is worried about revealing her powers at the coronation.  She unfortunately reveals her powers after an argument with Anna, over her new love interest Hans, and is persecuted for her powers. She runs away to the mountains and unintentionally unleashes an eternal winter on Arendelle.  Anna, feeling guilty for her sister’s state, attempts to find her sister and resolve the problem. On the way, she finds an ally in Kristoff, a guy who sells ice for a living, his reindeer Sven, and snowman Olaf, who was brought to life by Elsa’s unleashed magic.

While this movie does follow the traditional fairy tale elements many know and love about Disney, it tries to establish some new grounds. It dismisses the idea of love at first sight and a plot requiring a male hero coming to the rescue. Disney’s trying to fit in with the modern storytelling, as some prior elements of romantic relationship development have not aged well.

The true heart of the movie lies on the relationships between the two sisters. Even if Elsa and Anna are royalty, they still talk to each other like sisters.  Anna’s young, inexperienced, and adventurous, while Elsa is cautious and wants to make sure no harm comes to her sister or anyone else.

The comedic relief can be very hit or miss in Disney movies, and, thankfully, the dialogue between Kristoff and Olaf is not a miss. Olaf’s not as over-the-top loud and bombastic as other comedic Disney characters, and leaves the comedy to the quality of the dialogue.

Despite the beliefs of many, Frozen does have its flaws.  Anna is a great character to follow, but I wish there was more dedication to examining Elsa’s conflict. We don’t even know how Elsa got her powers in the first place, and I wish there were more scenes containing Elsa and Anna talking to each other.

While Disney villains are generally memorable, the one in this movie is pretty forgettable.  There’s a twist in the movie that reveals who the villain is, and while it certainly shocked everyone in the audience when they saw it, it didn’t surprise me when I considered earlier dialogue and how the plot was progressing. Regardless if it catches you off guard or not, the villain did not have a big impact. In short, I just wanted a lot more in this movie. This is most likely due to the fact that it is an animated children’s movie so it is no surprise that it is shorter than the average movie.

The film’s animation is eye candy.  Like Tangled, it is not typical CG animation, but instead feels like 2D Disney style animated characters and environments adapted to CG.  There’s a wide variety of gorgeous environments and lighting that add color and feeling to the film. Arendelle has plenty of colorful environments and characters, and I’d like to see a film try to top the snowy scenesdisplayed here.  The film seems to agree with Minnesotans that snow is a blessing to look at, but also a curse.

Obviously I can’t ignore the music in this movie, too.  While the past Disney films have had one or two memorable tunes, Frozen has brought out some huge Disney hits. They emulate the same feeling the 1990s Disney Renaissance music showed, whether it’s a duet on love, or a snowman that wants to live in the Summer, there really weren’t too many songs I thought were unnecessary or  annoying. I don’t think I need to talk about how fantastic “Let It Go” is.  It rightfully won the Oscar for best song, and chances are, even if you haven’t seen this movie you’ve heard this song.  Most of these songs are used in the beginning, so don’t expect to hear too much in the second half.

While the last few Disney movies have been steps in the right direction, Disney seems to have found their place again with Frozen. A well written story, gorgeous visuals, and memorable songs make it a must see. There are some flaws in character balance, but it wasn’t enough to make me despise the movie.  If Disney continues this type of quality in their films in the future, we might get a new Disney Renaissance.  Just don’t hire John Travolta to announce the name of the films actors.  Seriously, how does Idina Menzel become Adele Dalzeem?