The Princess and the Frog (a review?)

As Disney Princess films go, I was pleased with the contemporaneity and twist on an old fairytale. The girls were largely enchanted - but of course, speaking of Enchanted, any Disney Princess film has that gem to live up to these days, and can't help but suffer by comparison. Add to that too many points where belief needed to be suspended in terms of social realism - would a rich southern white girl really be best friends with the poor black daughter of the woman who makes her dresses, for example? - and even the mouth-watering selection of New Orleans dishes featured in the movie couldn't save it falling a little flat.

But my main concern is the heavily featured presence of frogs in the film. Don't panic, I'm not frog-ist. But I'd hope I'm not racist, either. And I'm confused as to why, after all the (positive?) publicity about the film featuring Disney's first African-American princess reduces her to a green-skinned cipher, so that the audience's screen time looking at those African-American features is remarkably short compared to all the Disney heroines that have gone before.

And finally, like others have noted, the soundtrack could have done with an Alan Menken vibe - soaring ballads & more hooks - or even something even more jazzier; the Randy Newman music just wasn't great.

Oh. And what was all that gubbins about the star Evangeline & Ray the firefly's devotion to her? Pure hokum designed to wring every last bit of trite sentiment possible from an otherwise thin story - and yes, it brought a tear to my eye but I'm a crazy hormonal woman right now.

And - I'm presuming New Orleans wasn't ever actually like that, even pre-hurricane devastation. A pretty good advert for it, all the same, even if the race issues were ridiculously downplayed.

I think I'm done! Might I also just add, that we viewed the film in a faded, small movie theatre in a tired seaside resort. There was no blaring speakers, no overcharging for snacks, the kids were provided with special red cushions so they could see above the seatbacks in front, and best of all, they could play on the amusement arcade before and after. And a good time was had by all :-)

The mouths of babes....

It's a good job a) I'm pregnant, and b) I'm pretty confident in my body image anyway...I just had to share this gem

Sophie (5): "Mummy, your breasts are getting BIGGER!"
Imogen (3 and a half): "Yes, Mummy, they're as big as Katy's now!"

Perhaps I should add that Katy presents a kids' TV show called 'I Can Cook' that we regularly have to pretend to enact, and Imogen has previously observed that my breasts aren't as big as hers. (Or is this too much information...)

Just a rant

Just a quick one, as I'm going to try & cut down on unnecessary internet witterings & focus on other things. But REALLY. 'The Suspicious of Mr Whicher aka The Road Hill House Murders' - how did it garner so many amazing reviews?? It's basically a PHd thesis woven into a novel. Which wouldn't be too bad if it actually had a completely conclusive ending, which is doesn't. And, by the way, the first time I viewed a family tree I clued onto the syphilictic connection. Clues - the one good thing was the etymology the author presented to the reader- eg a 'clew' being a ball of yarn unwound by Theseus in the Labyrinth. Best thing about the book.

I guess I'm angry at my myself. I thought it would make me feel better, take my mind off my illness. I should know by now not to impulsively purchase something critically (over) hyped and (over) praised.

Speaking of giving up entrenched habits, Lent has already kicked in at our house. Husband isn't socially networking, but working, at his computer. Sophie thinks that she is not having pancakes next year, because poor people wouldn't be able to eat them so why should she. Imogen is looking forward to drawing her favourite foods on her Lent worksheet - strawberries, ice cream and vitamins!