Don't Rain on My Parade

Two or so years ago my friend Hilary facebook-ed me with a link to a video on youtube. We had been talking about Disney princess movies in our choir class, and I had been lamenting the lack of a black Disney Princess. I knew that Nola was supposed to be the one, but still. A real princess would be nice. So imagine my surprise when her link took me to a first glance at Disney's The Frog Princess!

Cut to two years later, after TONS of controversy, several storyline changes, and probably come very discouraged Disney executives. Finally, Disney's The Princess and the Frog came out, and I honestly believe the entire country (naysayers and supporters) was holding their breath to see if it would work. I'll admit, I had serious doubts. I was disgruntled by the fact that it seemed like she would be a frog the entire movie and I did think the prince could have been black, plus New Orleans did seem like a controversial place to set the movie. Still, opening night came and my best friend and I joined a theater full of 20-and-up students at the 9:35 showing of what was being hailed as "the best Disney movie since The Lion King." We agreed to count racist elements of the movie as it went. Roll camera.


The racist count was 4 by the end, but maybe not because there weren't more things that could be construed as "racist" but because the movie was soooo wonderful, we stopped counting and started falling in love. The praise was completely deserved, and I'm willing to add this movie to my infamous Top 10 Disney movie musical list... that's a big deal for me.

But this post isn't about the movie. You have to see it yourself, and I think if you have a soul at all you'll love it. It's beautiful and fun and touching all at once. I just want to address all the people who have written negative posts about the movie.


Dear Ms. Dargis, Mr. Morris, and countless other reviewers that have written similar responses to the Princess and the Frog,

I'm black and I live in Alabama. I would say that makes me pretty well aquainted with anything and everything to do with racism. But here's the thing. I've never related to The Color Purple. Or Hotel Rowanda, or Crash, or Cooley High or any other black reaction movies. I don't watch Good Times or the Jeffersons or even Everybody Hates Chris. I watch Gossip Girl and Glee. I love the Cosby Show and Fresh Prince of Bel-Aire. You know what those last two have in common. They're about black people. But they're not about being Black. Yes, I'm black and yes sometimes things happen that force you to remember the color of your skin. And that sucks. But that's certainly not every day of my life or even the majority of it, and it's certainly not my choice of entertainment topics. You don't see white people making movies about the Great Depression or various European hardships (you know, wars, famines, etc.). Because who wants to deal with those things all the time? I certainly don't, and I DON'T need another movie shoving down my throat that it's "not easy being black."

Fact: The Princess and the Frog is a Disney princess movie. About a princess. It's a fairytale. Of course it ends happily ever after. I just don't understand walking into this movie expecting Tiana to end up alone and fine because she's a strong black woman. You can be strong and black and fall in love, and, again, this is a cartoon movie. Forgive me for wanting the young girls in my life to believe in true love. What's more is that Tiana isn't even the kind of heroine that only cares about love. She's not Ariel. She's not Sleeping Beauty. She is a hardworker, and she gets what she worked for in the end. What more do you want from a movie?

I'm just so frustrated that reviews like you insist on tearing apart a movie that I believe served its purpose. If you walked into this movie expecting enlightenment on racial roles in Southeastern America or the plight of the Black woman, Precious was playing right around the corner. Please just do us all a favor, and spread your negativism to other movies. As for me, I'm going to encourage every little girl I know, red, yellow, black, and white, to go see this movie. It's exactly the kind of story I was looking for as a child, and that I found in the classic Disney movies. It just happens to have a princess that looks a little more like me. As far as I'm concerned, that's just an extra perk to an amazing movie.


With love,
<3

My Grown-Up Christmas List...

Sort of. I love that song, and I love any and all simple idealistic wishes for peace on earth and goodwill towards men. More than that, I love when people make real actual efforts to promote peace and are good to other men. But that's neither here nor there. This is a different kind of list.

Top 10 Christmas movies.

I love Christmas. It's my second favorite holiday, and I am pretty obsessed with it. I buy tons of gifts and decorate my apartment as though it's the white house or something. :-) Buttttt what I really love are Christmas movies. So without further ado, my top 10 list.

• 10) I'll Be Home for Christmas: Jonathan Taylor Thomas (aka everyone my age's childhood crush) is a privileged little jerk that travels across the country to try to win the affections of Jessica Biel (before Justin). Best scene: when the trucker woos his waitress lover. "Oh Marjorie! Oh baby, oh baby, oh baby!"
  

• 9) Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas. One of very few sequels I think Disney got right. Except, of course, it's not so much a sequel as a "between"-cle. Anyway, Belle discovers the angry organ and teaches him and the Beast (and the rest of the castle) the Magic of Christmas. Best scene: "As long as there's Christmas, I truly believe that hope is the greatest of the gifts we receive..." great song. Further proof that Belle is the best Disney princess ever. Plus fun new Piccolo character. hehe. One negative: Computer animation for the organ. creepy.
  

• 8) Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. Yes, I chose 2 and not the original one. Both are amazing. I'm just partial to New York. I love the Plaza and the whole ordeal with the house and the ridiculous coincidence that the same creepers from the first movie happen to be in NYC at the same time Kevin is there. Best scene: the pigeon woman and her love of the opera. Priceless, and so moving. negative: nothing quite as funny as the brother in the first movie "One... b... and 4." plus no Carol of the Bells.
  

• 7) A Christmas Carol (with Patrick Stewart): I just love a Christmas Carol (although not as much as my mother, who owns 4 versions of the movie, and watches at least 9 every year), and this one is the most classic to me. Clearly Patrick Stewart is the best Scrooge ever and of course the story is the ultimate Christmas moral: don't be greedy or a creepy dementor looking thingie will threaten your life. Best scene: "Are there no jails and poorhouses?" "Some would rather die than go to those places" "Well, if they're going to die, they better go ahead and do it and decrease the surplus population." Oooooh.
  

• 6) Elf: Some people don't like Will Ferrell. They suck, I love Will Ferrell. and this is my 2nd favorite Will Ferrell role (after Stranger than Fiction). So funny, and featuring the lovely Zooey Deschanel. Another wonderful Christmas moral, and lots of hilarious one liners. The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear. I definitely believe that. :-) Best scene: tie between when he runs into the lockers in the bathroom (haha) and the Santa encounter.
  

• 5) Miracle on 34th Street (1990's version). I'm a sucker for Mara Wilson (whatever happened to her?), and for the American court system. And the guy from the Practice. Best Scene: the proposal and unseen marriage. I'm a romantic.
  

• 4) It's a Wonderful Life: If you don't love this movie, you haven't seen it. Every time I watch it, I cry. Jimmy Stewart is amazing, and the entire story is just so classic. Best scene: Of course, "every time a bell rings, and angel gets its wings." I totally believe that.
  

• 3) Christmas Vacation: So so so so funny. There's a reason it's on everyone's list of favorite Christmas movies. Chevy Chase at his best, for sure. Best scene: the rant after Chevy Chase's breakdown. One day I'm going to learn it by heart. For now, I'm just going to laugh during it. haha!
  

• 2) A Christmas Story: Ralphie!! It's like the Wonder Years, but longer and cruder. Well, it has a voiceover like the Wonder Years. Plus the boy from Toy. "He had yellow eyes!" hehe. If you haven't seen this one, then you need to stop whatever you're doing and watch it. Immediately. Best scene: meeting Santa. or Christmas dinner. Or the f dash dash dash word. Or the tongue to the pole. Or the whole movie. Whichever.
  

• 1) A Muppet Christmas Carol. BEST. MOVIE. EVER. It has everything. Kermit as Cratchit. Gonzo narrating. Rizzo the rat. Michael Caine. and singing. Soooo good. Plus my favorite Christmas tale, as I've already said. Best scene: could never choose. Buuuut I really like the sad song that randomly shows up in the middle. "And yes, some dreams come true, and yes some dreams fall through."

That was too sad to end on.

"It's true that Christmas has never put a penny in my pocket, but I believe it has done me good and will do me good, and I say God bless it!"

With love
<3
Shelli