The Princess and the Frog

In the Brothers Grimm fable, the princess kisses a frog that turns into a handsome prince. But this latest Disney animated film doesn't tell that story. Set in 1920s New Orleans, The Princess and the Frog finds obnoxious Prince Naveen of Maldonia (voiced by Bruce Campos) being turned into a frog by an evil witch doctor (Keith David). Unfortunately, when spunky Tiana (voiced by Anika Noni Rose), a hard-working waitress who dreams of having her own restaurant, agrees to kiss Naveen, she's transformed into a frog as well! Determined to reverse the curse, the amphibians hop off to find an ancient voodoo priestess (Jenifer Lewis). Along the way, the pair befriend jazz-obsessed Louis (Michael-Leon Wooley), a hefty alligator who aspires to play trumpet on a riverboat, and romantic Ray (voiced by Jim Cummings), a love-struck firefly with a heart as big as the bayou. Complications arise with Tiana's friend (Jennifer Cody), daughter of the wealthy Mardi Gras king (John Goodman). Plus there's a backstory with Tiana's parents (Oprah Winfrey and Terrence Howard), who taught her that while it may be fine to wish upon a star, hard work is what makes dreams come true. In this fairy tale musical with a deliciously fanciful twist from directors/screenwriters John Musker and Ron Clements, the sparkling character of Tiana charms as Disney's first African-American princess. Gloriously illustrated with traditional hand-drawn animation, and backed by Randy Newman's catchy songs, this is heart-warming entertainment, sprinkled with Creole zing and dashes of Dixieland, gospel, and zydeco. Highly recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary (by co-writers/directors John Musker and Ron Clemens, and producer Peter Del Vecho), deleted scenes (12 min.), the “What Do You See: Princess Portraits” game, the music video “Never Knew I Needed” performed by Ne-Yo, and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are a “Magic in the Bayou: The Making of a Princess” featurette (22 min.), “Bringing Life to Animation” live-action rehearsal footage (8 min.), and a series of brief production featurettes including “The Return to Hand Drawn Animation” (3 min.), “The Disney Legacy” (3 min.), “Disney's Newest Princess” (3 min.), “The Princess and the Animator” (3 min.), “A Return to the Animated Musical” (3 min.), and “Conjuring the Villain” (2 min.), as well as art galleries, the BD-Live function, and bonus DVD and digital copies of the film. Bottom line: a fine extras package for an entertaining Disney animated film.] (S. Granger)