Animation, Part 2

Movie: How to Train Your Dragon, The Hidden World
Nominated for: Animated Feature
How I watched: In Theatres
When I fell asleep: No way!
When it had me: Ever since I learned Dragons were cats
When it lost me: I stayed in it
What I have to say: This was a well done, if heart breaking conclusion. I always feared they would go The Fox and the Hound route, which they essentially did. I hate a movie when best friends are super happy and then it gets revealed that they somehow don't belong together and must say their good byes. Like, forever good byes. It sucks. Angelina was devastated; this whole franchise has been her favorite world for a really long time. Also, we have a cat that look s exactly like Toothless. Sad though it was, we enjoyed it a bunch.





Movie: Toy Story 4
Nominated for: Animated Feature
How I watched: In Theatres
When I fell asleep: Nah
When it had me: Key and Peele's characters
When it lost me: I had trouble getting into this one
What I have to say: As much as I have loved the Toy Story movies, I just did not see the need for another one so I was reluctant going in. It was weird that they took Woody's steadfast loyalty and turned it into unhealthy codependency in this film. I might have preferred if they didn't cast that pall over all of the other films. It made me feel like all of our possessions are stuck in abusive relationships with us. Like my toaster maybe would really like to travel but it couldn't break its habit of people-pleasing me. Overall the movie was enjoyable but I'm still not sure they convinced me it was needed. I'm surprised that this one got a nod over Frozen 2, which I thought was a stronger overall installment.



Movie: Frozen II
Nominated for: Original Song
How I watched: Arclight
When I fell asleep: No way
When it had me: The characters
When it lost me: Nah
What I have to say: I wasn't sure about a second Frozen. The first one was a revelation as far as reframing the notion of true love. I was afraid another one would just fall short. However, this movie stayed sharp and refreshing! There is a 1980s Peter Cetera-style music video that made me howl with laughter. That gem was enough to justify the whole installment! 
****SPOILERS****
Kristoff and Anna are in love but there are some bumps in the road as she tries to juggle her desire to take care of her sister and him and Olaf and herself. There is a point when Kristoff says, "My love is not fragile." I gasped out loud in the theatre and felt a deep burning in my stomach or my soul. I mean either the popcorn was giving me indigestion or I just realized that Kristoff had expressed something that my heart has always desperately longed to believe. The notion that you can be in love and still have your own life and follow your heart and sometimes not make your love your first priority and that will be ok and he won't just get pissed and leave? Well, it's another revelation for people pleasing Autumn and certainly not the way "successful love" is most often portrayed on screen. Later he swoops in almost as if he is there to save her but all he says is "What do you need?" And then proceeds to help her. Why am I now in love with an animated character??? I'm still utterly shocked that a sequal can make me feel these deep feels.