Nightscrawlers

Thought I'd post about this movie since I couldn't find any current post in existence.

From Wikipedia (bold parts by me):

The Princess and the Frog is an upcoming 2009 American animated family feature film and presented by Walt Disney Animation Studios. It will be the 49th animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics and the first 2D-animated film by Disney since 2004's Home on the Range. It is being directed by John Musker and Ron Clements, directors of The Great Mouse Detective, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Hercules, and Treasure Planet, with songs and score composed by Randy Newman and with the voices of Anika Noni Rose (as Princess Tiana), Oprah Winfrey, Keith David, Jim Cummings, John Goodman, Jenifer Lewis, Bruno Campos, Michael-Leon Wooley, Peter Bartlett and Terrence Howard.

The film, which began production under the working title The Frog Princess, will be an American fairy tale, Broadway-style musical set in the French Quarter of New Orleans. A prince named Naveen from the land of Maldonia is transformed into a frog by the evil scheming voodoo magician Dr. Facilier. The frog prince mistakens a girl named Tiana for a princess and has her kiss him to break the spell. However, the kiss doesn't break the spell, but instead turns Tiana into a frog as well. Together, the two of them must reach the good voodoo priestess of the Bayou, Mama Odie, while befriending a trumpet-playing alligator and a hopelessly romantic firefly along the way. The film will open in limited release in New York and Los Angeles on November 25, 2009 before expanding into wide release on December 11, 2009.
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I cannot begin to say how excited I am for this film, and how much hope I have that it will mark the return of good animated Disney films. Also, it marks the return of 2D animation to Disney, which should never have been abandoned in the first place (stupid execs thought films weren't working cuz they were in 2D and 3D was the new rage, but it was actually the pathetic plots that didn't work, not the animation technique).

Trailer in different languages (I love comparing the dubbed versions of movies):

In English: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2jFd8hO58M
In French: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVUlVF6cZu4
In Italian: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9iIQa9d6Ek
In Latin American Spanish: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjHOBRUJAe8
In Castilian Spanish: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8jP3NHfV5g
In German: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2sfvJEbdRM
In Portuguese*: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-1z_Ae3Z0s

*No Idea if it's from Brazil or Portugal


PS. Yes, I know it is also Disney's first African American princess, but I really don't want to go into the controversy this has caused, which I find distasteful and unnecessary.

I can't tell you how excited I am for this movie. Why? because it's based in my favorite city in the world!!!

It's about time Disney tried to go back to what it's best at. Now we have to wait and see if they've succeeded.

wizardelfgirl wrote:
PS. Yes, I know it is also Disney's first African American princess, but I really don't want to go into the controversy this has caused, which I find distasteful and unnecessary.

Is it a controversy because there's no such thing as an American princess, unless you count Pocahontas?

Agreeing with Wizardelfgirl there...the controversy thing is too irrelevant/stupid unessecary to get into without needless fur flying, methinks. But I'm very excited for the comeback of great-looking 2D animation...even if all the effects are computer done (Brother Bear looked great, but the story left something to be desired, so....). I think this movie has incredible potential.

The Drastic Spastic wrote:

wizardelfgirl wrote:
PS. Yes, I know it is also Disney's first African American princess, but I really don't want to go into the controversy this has caused, which I find distasteful and unnecessary.

Is it a controversy because there's no such thing as an American princess, unless you count Pocahontas?

Well, technically, she will be a princess at some point because it's a given that she'll marry the prince. And she's American, so she'll be an American princess.

Obviously that's not the controversy we're talking about, but it's an interesting point.

Hmmm...but really, what is it with all the controversy crap? It's frustrating!

Makes me wonder what would have happened if they tried to make a movie like Aladdin, oh, I don't know...any time in the last ten years, given how woefully inaccurate the movie was in its portrayal of Muslim characters (Jasmine's outfit, anyone?)

But it's hard to say that they're ignoring minority groups intentionally. They've pretty much covered all their ethnic bases...except for us Mexicans, but I'm honestly not offended. Yeesh.

Aladdin was rather O.o in anycase, since originally Aladdin has always been seen as a Chinese fairy tale.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aladdin

Thanks for that, Puppygirl...but according to that article--and other sources, it's a Middle-Eastern folk tale SET in China. Aladdin--or the character he was based off of--is an Arab living in China...

Anyone seen the movie? I thought it was beautiful, a worthy comeback both for 2D animation and Disney classics. The music is catchy, the characters are endearing and actually have souls at last, and overall the plot is well-balanced. Minor plotholes here and there, but nothing unforgivable.

Obviously most of you will see it in English so this will make no sense to you, but in terms of dubbing it's one of the best Disney has done since the 90s. Lately Disney had been using star talents for the Latin American version of their movies that had no experience on voice acting and sometimes not even experience on acting in general. This time they called real professional voice actors (the only two star talents they called actually have ample experience on voice acting) and their work was flawless and beautiful. I hope they keep doing this for their next projects.