Frozen II (2019)

Disney fans, rejoice! The two best Disney princesses - in my opinion, of course - are back again for another fantastic adventure. In fact, the entire main cast are back, an indicator of a great sequel.

And as it happens, the creative team are the same as that of the original. Same director, same screenwriter, same songwriters, the works.

Elsa (Idina Menzel) now enjoys a relatively peaceful life as Queen of Arendelle. Supported by her sister Anna (Kristen Bell), Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) and living snowman Olaf (Josh Gad), her powers are now kept at bay. She still has them, but she seems to be able to keep them under control, such that they do not cause the devastation they used to.

However, she is still troubled from time to time by a voice that it seems only she can hear. It is a voice that seems to be calling her away into the North, away from Arendelle and into the enchanted forest she has only ever heard about in stories.

Anna (Kristen Bell) and Elsa (Idina Menzel).

When the two sisters were younger, their father told them about the enchanted forest, where another group of people lived, in harmony with each other, and with nature, even with the four spirits - Earth, Air, Fire and Water - that governed over their respective elements and kept the world running smoothly.

However, following a major disagreement between the two people groups, the elements together banished the people of Arendelle from the enchanted forest, and enclosed the entire forest in an eternal impenetrable mist.

Elsa tries to fight the urge to go to the forest and seek out the voice that is calling her, but it becomes too strong. Of course, Anna, Kristoff and Olaf are not about to let her venture into the unknown on her own, and so the stage is set for another adventure.

I’d better not mention anything else about the plot here, I’ll let you discover that for yourself.

L-R; Elsa (Idina Menzel), Anna (Kristen Bell), Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) and reindeer Sven.

The screenplay, by Jennifer Lee (who also wrote the first film), is quite good as sequels go. All the characters are just as we would remember from the first time around, and react and respond just as one would expect in every encounter and situation. I would still say, as I did when I reviewed the first film a few months ago, that Olaf is definitely my favourite character in the film; he certainly has some of the best lines, and Josh Gad infuses the character with so much life and good humour that it is impossible not to laugh out loud nearly every time he speaks.

Married couple Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez are back again too, writing a whole new set of songs for this film. And their songs are just as good this time around as they were in the first film. Just as we had “Let it Go” in the original film, we have a wonderful new anthem in this film: “Into the Unknown”, which is not only a great example of how to write a Broadway-style song (as most of the songs in this film are. Who knows, maybe this film will be adapted to the Broadway stage just as the first one has been), but also a great example of how to sing such a song, as Idina Menzel once again belts it right out of the park with her amazing voice.

Even composer Christophe Beck, who wrote the score to the first film, is back again here, and bringing the same incredible level of detail and skill to this offering. Occasionally borrowing motifs from the original songs to highlight certain sections in a way that almost qualifies them as leitmotifs, he has constructed a mammoth score that almost runs for the duration of the film. This works well in animated films in a way that it doesn’t in live-action, and it doesn’t detract from the action or emotion of the plot at any point; if anything, it strengthens them.

Anna (Kristen Bell) and Olaf (Josh Gad).

The voice cast, it should come as no surprise, are fantastic. Once again, they all sing their own parts - this hasn’t always been the case in Disney musical films - and they all do a marvellous job at it. The interactions between the characters all seem incredibly lifelike, which given the fact they would have recorded their lines separately, only makes the quality of the performance all the more apparent.

Co-directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee have achieved the almost-impossible: they have made a sequel that stands up well against the original. It is even a great film in its own right. You don’t have to have seen the first film to be able to follow this one, but it certainly would help.

I would recommend seeing this film on the big screen if you get the chance, it is visually and aurally spectacular. If you miss out at the cinema, just make sure you watch it on as big a television as you can (with decent sound, too).

9 out of 10.

The Hangover (2009)

One of the most creative comedies I have seen in a long time, this film tells the story of a close brotherhood, and inspired not only one but two sequels (I will also be reviewing these two sequels in good time, so stay tuned).

Doug (Justin Bartha) is getting married to Tracy (Sasha Barrese), but before the wedding, he is having one final night to celebrate his singleness with his closest friends. Together with schoolteacher Phil (Bradley Cooper), dentist Stu (Ed Helms) and Tracy’s brother Alan (Zach Galifianakis), he is on a road trip to Las Vegas for a night of partying, drinking and gambling.

Everyone is on board with this relatively simple plan, except for Stu’s girlfriend Melissa (Rachael Harris) who is so controlling, Stu isn’t able to tell her the truth, and has told her they are going to a wine tasting weekend in Napa Valley.

Stu (Ed Helms), Alan (Zach Galifianakis) and Phil (Bradley Cooper).

But when they get to Vegas, as they celebrate with the first drink of the night, they get so drunk that, waking up the next morning, they have absolutely no memory of anything that happened the night before.

Usually, this wouldn’t be a problem, except for the fact that when they wake up, Doug is missing, and since none of them can remember what happened, they don’t even know where to begin looking for him.

And with a tiger in the bathroom, a baby in the closet, and a stolen police car as their transport instead of the convertible they drove to Vegas in, their night was obviously a lot crazier than any of them first thought.

The four guys enjoying their first drink of the night.

And so it begins: a race against time to retrace their drunken steps to find Doug again and get back to Los Angeles in time for the wedding, a race which sees them fleeing for their lives on more occasions than they might choose, as little by little, the pieces of the puzzle fall into place.

Jon Lucas & Scott Moore have written a very clever screenplay which, while the humour does resort to crudeness on a couple of occasions, is overall very cleverly constructed comedy. The characters are all very clearly defined, with more than their fair share of conflicts, both internal and external, and the ways these three characters relate to one another provides ample opportunities for humour as well. The film, as a result, feels like a very different type of comedy than the standard, stereotypical buddy movie we have all seen too many times before.

Lawrence Sher’s cinematography is absolutely beautiful, and not only because of the gorgeous landscape the film takes place in. Sher’s use of light and shadow, and numerous moments of visual contrast, is a wonder to behold, again separating this film from the stereotypes we have seen far too often.

Stu (Ed Helms) and Melissa (Rachael Harris).

Even the score is unlike anything one might expect from other films. Christophe Beck has cleverly scored this film - just the right amount too, it is by no means over-saturated with music - in order to highlight not only the comedic moments, but the various dramatic moments as well. It is so cleverly done, that the score more resembles a more serious dramatic movie rather than a comedy.

The performances of the cast - particularly those of the three leads - are exceptional. The three leads all possess excellent comic timing, and play off each other so well that it is easy to accept that they have an extensive history together as characters. There are other great performances too, but to mention the performers by name would potentially spoil a lot of the surprises that are in store, so I will not do so here.

Director Todd Phillips has made a very clever film here, a film that was much cleverer than I was expecting. If you haven’t seen it, it may well be worth a look.

8 out of 10.

Frozen (2013)

Inspired by 'The Snow Queen' by Hans Christian Andersen, this film follows the lives of two sisters, and tells the story of how far someone will go to protect someone they love.

Set in the land of Arendelle - modelled loosely on the country of Norway - princesses Elsa and Anna live with their parents. Elsa hides a terrible secret - she has a magical power that allows her to create and control ice and snow.

When the two princesses are children, this provides hours of amusement for younger sister Anna, but following an accident, the king and queen keep Elsa shut away from the world, and tell her she needs to learn to control her powers or someone else will get hurt.

Tragically, the king and queen are killed at sea in a terrible storm, and the two girls live alone - and separately - in the castle until Elsa comes of age.

Anna (Kristen Bell) and Elsa (Idina Menzel).

When the day of Elsa's coronation arrives, the gates of the castle are thrown open for the first time in years. Anna (Kristen Bell) also meets her sister for the first time in years.

At the party that night, Elsa's powers again rear their ugly head, and Elsa (Idina Menzel) flees in fear. As she runs, an endless winter falls over the entire kingdom of Arendelle.

Anna leaves her new fiancee Hans (Santino Fontana) in charge of the castle and kingdom and heads out into the wilderness to find Elsa, bring her back, and restore Arendelle to its former splendour.

Along the way, she is joined by Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) and his trusty reindeer sidekick Sven. They also meet snowman Olaf (Josh Gad), who was made by Elsa and has magically come to life.

Elsa meanwhile has shut herself off from the world in an enormous ice castle of her own making, vowing to never again return, as her powers are just too strong and too dangerous for her to be around other people.

Elsa (Idina Menzel) building her ice castle to shut herself off from the world.

The screenplay - written by Jennifer Lee - is absolutely fantastic, filled with great characters that audiences will love. Girls worldwide flocked to experience the story of the two princesses, princesses very different from the traditional Disney princesses of earlier films: Elsa with her flaws and dark secrets, and Anna as an otherwise normal young girl. The character of Olaf (the snowman) is one of the cutest, most loveable, adorable characters in any Disney film of recent years. And the story, very loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen's classic story, is filled with twists and turns that keep audiences guessing until the very end.

This film, however, is primarily defined by its incredible songs, written by married couple Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez. Every single song in this film is magnificent, and the voice cast who sing them do an incredible job bringing them to life. It didn't take long for this film to make the transition to the Broadway stage, with the addition of a few more songs; the Broadway show is also fantastic, but I should get back to the film.

I appreciate there may be many people out there who found the near-endless repeating of 'Let It Go' - the Oscar-winning song that added to the film's popularity - at the time a little wearing, but one cannot deny that the song is well written and the music well composed, or that Menzel's performance is absolutely breathtaking (this should come as no surprise, as Menzel is first and foremost a Broadway performer, and an amazing one at that).

Olaf (Josh Gad) dreams of what life will be like for him in summer.

Christophe Beck's original score is also well written, occasionally using themes from the songs to tie different scenes together, though usually going in a direction all its own.

The voice cast - who, incidentally, all sing their own songs - are all fabulous, in particular Idina Menzel, as already mentioned. I have to say, my favourite character in this film has got to be the snowman Olaf; Josh Gad is an amazing performer, and brings so much life to this wonderful character.

Directors Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee have made an incredible film here, as recognised by the wider community when the film won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. I must say, this is one of the best Disney films I have seen in a long time, and I have seen this several times now.

All that being said, I have no alternative but to award this film a 10 out of 10.

Muppets Most Wanted (2014)

Starting right where the previous movie left off, this film follows the continued exploits of the Muppets, as they embark on a world tour (though it's mostly in Europe).

A mysterious man named Dominic Badguy (Ricky Gervais) volunteers his services to manage the Muppets, promising them he can sell out shows for them all across Europe. Against their better judgment, the Muppets accept his offer.

Meanwhile, at a gulag in Siberia, the world's most dangerous frog named Constantine is escaping from his prison, and returning to his partner-in-crime: Dominic Badguy. Constantine looks exactly like Kermit the Frog, except for a mole on his cheek, and the fact that he speaks with a strong Russian accent.

Constantine is almost identical to Kermit the Frog in appearance.

And in a shocking case of mistaken identity, Kermit is arrested - believed to be Constantine - and Constantine masquerades as Kermit, as he and Dominic execute a series of robberies across Europe (in the locations where the Muppets are performing).

Hot on their tail is Interpol officer Jean Pierre Napoleon (Ty Burrell) and CIA Agent Sam the Eagle.

Kermit constantly protests his innocence to prison warden Nadya (Tina Fey), but she won't listen, believing him to be Constantine.

Meanwhile, Constantine is fooling almost all of the Muppets, despite the fact he is nothing like the real Kermit.

Dominic Badguy (Ricky Gervais) buddying up to Kermit the Frog.

Only a small group - Fozzie, Animal and newcomer Walter - feel something isn't right, and they embark on a mission to find Kermit, apprehend Constantine, and return everything to normal again.

The screenplay, by director James Bobin & Nicholas Stoller, is quite good, filled of course with all the classic gags audiences have come to love from the Muppets. The characters are all as clearly defined as ever, and the script accurately represents them as we know them. I especially enjoy Constantine's continued efforts to be seen as Kermit, as he watches old videos of Kermit and echoes back the phrases he hears. Of course, he doesn't do them right, but that's where the humour comes from.

The score by Christophe Beck is well suited to the film, using themes and melodic lines from the original songs - written once again by Bret McKenzie - to tie the whole film together beautifully.

The cast performances are fantastic, and it is difficult to pick a standout from among the human performers. All of them embody their characters with great skill, and given they are all from a background primarily in comedy, have great comic timing too.

Prison warden Nadya (Tina Fey) welcoming Kermit to the gulag with, of course,
a song, joined by the prisoners, including the Prison King (Jemaine Clement).

As with the previous film, there are many great cameos, some of them as short as one line of dialogue, or one line of a song. The best of these cameo performances has got to be Jemaine Clement - Bret McKenzie's former partner in New Zealand comedy duo Flight of the Conchords - as the Prison King, one of Kermit's fellow gulag inhabitants.

Director James Bobin has made a wonderfully enjoyable family comedy/musical here, one that I'm sure I will enjoy watching many more times. It's not quite as good as the previous film, then again, sequels rarely are. However, it's still a joy to watch, and the songs are brilliant.

7 out of 10.

The Muppets (2011)

The classic Muppets get a heartfelt reboot for a new generation.

Gary (Jason Segel) and his brother Walter (voiced by Peter Linz) live in Smalltown, USA. They have lived there all their lives, and have always done everything together. Now as adults, they still live together in the same house they grew up in. Oh, I ought to mention something here: Walter is a Muppet, though he doesn’t know that just yet.

But when they were younger, and saw The Muppet Show on television for the first time, Walter discovered what had previously been missing in his life. He became the Muppets’ biggest fan, and would give anything to visit the hallowed Muppet Studios in LA.

Gary and his girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams) are going to Los Angeles to celebrate their tenth anniversary. Knowing how much it means to him, they ask Walter to come with them, so that he can finally achieve his dream of seeing the Muppet Studios.

But when they get there, the building is deserted. The Muppets have completely disbanded, gone their separate ways, and the studios are about to be sold to oil baron Tex Richman (Chris Cooper), who plans to demolish the buildings and drill for oil underneath.

Walter overhears his plan, and he, Gary and Mary find Kermit the Frog and insist that he get the gang back together for one last show to try and raise enough money to be able to buy the studios themselves.

The screenplay, by Jason Segel & Nicholas Stoller, is actually quite good. There are so many beautiful moments in this film, especially for fans of the original Muppet Show, or indeed any of the classic Muppet movies.

The songs – written by Bret McKenzie, one half of comedy duo Flight of the Conchords – blend well into the score, by Christophe Beck, and move the plot forward while also deepening our understanding of the characters; this is the sole purpose of songs in a musical, and the fact that the songs in this film do this so well means that this film (as a musical) works precisely as it should.

Performances by the cast are adequate for the genre. There is nothing particularly spectacular about the acting of any individual, but the singing and dancing abilities of all involved are something to behold. This film is unashamedly a musical in the classic sense, with huge song and dance numbers similar to those you find in the Hollywood musicals of the 1940s and 1950s.

There are an enormous number of cameos in this film. I won’t go into detail of them, but will give you a list of names. So, we have Alan Arkin, Zach Galifianakis, Ken Jeong, Jim Parsons, Kristen Schaal, Sarah Silverman, Donald Glover, Emily Blunt, Whoopi Goldberg, Selena Gomez, Rico Rodriguez, Dave Grohl, Neil Patrick Harris, Judd Hirsch, John Krasinski and Mickey Rooney.

Add to that two hilarious performances from Rashida Jones as a television executive, and Jack Black as himself, and you’ve got one of the biggest casts of any musical I’ve seen for quite some time.

This film did have a sequel three years later, which I will be reviewing in due course, so stay tuned for that.

Director James Bobin has brought us a pretty good film, another entertaining musical for the whole family to enjoy. It brings a smile to my face every time I watch it, but also a tear to my eye every time I hear Kermit sing The Rainbow Connection (for the first time on screen since the death of Jim Henson all those years ago).

8 out of 10.