The Princess and the Frog

THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG (2009) - Dec. 16, 2009
A mostly enjoyable though kind of disappointing cartoon from Disney -- Disney's first traditionally animated film since Home on the Range, which is why it's disappointing that it's not better than it is.  The film has definitely proved that there is still a place for traditional animation (or at least there should be), as it looked really really good.  The story, involving a girl who is transformed into a frog thanks to a voodoo curse, was fine, if not anything really groundbreaking -- I can appreciate that Disney is trying to play it safe since this is their first 2D outing in a while, with traditional animation  lamentably being an oddity these days.  The problem is that the film really starts to lag a bit in its midsection -- with the two main characters as frogs, surrounded by overly-quirky characters in a visually unappealing swamp (at least compared to the film's vibrant rendering of 1920s New Orleans).  However it starts and ends quite well, and I was definitely never bored.  If nothing else, the film is worth it just for its dazzling animation.  **1/2