Meet Tiana, Disney’s New Princess

The  classic fairy tale, The Frog Prince gets a modern-day retelling in Disney’s  The Princess and the Frog.  Set in Jazz Age New Orleans, The Princess & The Frog is kind of a fractured  fairy tale. But in this tale the princess is not waiting for the prince to come and save her. Tiana  has her own dreams and is willing to work hard to achieve them for herself. Tiana’s works two jobs as a waitress in order to make enough money to open her own restaurant. Broadway star Anika Noni Rose (Dreamgirls) is the voice of Tiana, Disney’s first African-American princess.

The Handsome Prince Naveen

The fun-loving and carefree Prince Naveen  (Bruno Campos) is tricked into being turned into a frog by the  Shadow Man, Dr. Facilier.  Naveen hopes he will be human again after kissing a princess. Instead,  when Tiana kisses him, she is turned into a frog. They head down river together with the help of a trumpet-playing alligator named Louis and a Cajun firefly with dental problems  named Ray to find Mama Odie, ‘the old blind lady who lives in a boat in a tree’ to break the spell.  Of course,  along the way they fall in love. But in the movies as in life its the journey that make it interesting.

A New Kind of Disney Princess

With wonderful original music by Randy Newman and featuring the voices of Terrence Howard, Oprah Winfrey and  John Goodman, The Princess & The Frog is also Disney’s first hand drawn animated movie to come along in many years. The Princess and the Frog soundtrack is full of Dixieland Jazz and Zydeco music that really makes you feel like you are in New Orleans.

I was really  anxious to see this movie. A lot had been made of the fact that Tiana was Disney’s “first African-American Princess”. But when you look at it, most of the princesses in Disney movies are from European fairy tales. Besides, we don’t have royalty in American.  And I doubt that any of the little girls watching this movie will notice or care.

Little Girls (and Big Girls) Love Princesses

I went on  Sunday afternoon and  was surprised to see a group of about 30 little girls in the three rows behind me. Oh my… a Princess and the Frog birthday party!  Their parents were passing out super-sized  Slushees,  M & M cookies, candy and popcorn. The trailers had not even started when the seat kicking started. I could tell this was only going to get worse. There they were,  3o potential princesses  filled to the brim with sugar and the anticipation of a beautiful new princess, a handsome prince and a happily ever after. Their little legs were just twitching with excitement.  So I moved up a few rows.

It was a good vantage point to observe how these young ladies enjoyed the movie. They were ages 6-12 and not that it matters, but they were white. It didn’t seem to matter to them that Tiana was a different color. She was pretty, she sang and wore pretty dresses. When she turned into a frog, she had big frog eyes and long eyelashes. To them a princess is a princess.

What is Beauty?

Did you ever have one of those days when you felt ugly? Fat? Old? No matter what you look like or how much self-esteem you have, sometimes I think we all have those days (or weeks). Your hair is out of control…all your pants are too tight…there is a pimple the size of a Volkswagen on your forehead. Let’s just blame it all on HORMONES.

I am having one of  those days and I thought of a movie I watched on my flight from London last year-Penelope. It is a really cute movie that has some interesting things to say about beauty and how we can find it in ourselves.

Penelope [the pig-faced girl]

Penelope is a romantic fable that stars Christina Ricci as the title character.  Penelope Wilhern is the child of  wealthy socialites and is cursed by a spell that causes her to be born with the face of a pig. The spell can only be broken when she is truly loved “by one of her own kind”.

Her parents keeps her hidden in their estate and parades a succession of rich young men in front of Penelope (who is hidden behind a mirror) in an attempt to find her a husband that can  break the curse.  Even though they like Penelope for her  money, none of them can bear to look at her. But this doesn’t break Penelope’s spirit.  She is happy with her books and her gardening. What kind of curse is it that can only be broken by finding  husband?

Enter Peter Dinklage,  who plays an  sleazy tabloid reporter that wants a picture of the mysterious ‘pig-faced girl’. He bribes Max (played by the dreamy Scotsman James McAvoy) to pose as a prospective suitor. But the down-on-his luck gambler finds himself falling for Penelope, not for her looks, but for her personality. Because Max knows that he is unable to break the curse, her disappears instead of disappointing Penelope.

Her parents are devastated. So tired of letting them down, Penelope runs away  into a whole new world. She  goes to a pub that Max mentioned, drinks her first beer, rides on a Vespa and meets her very first friend,  the adventurous Annie. Annie is played by Reese Witherspoon, who also produced the movie.

I Like Myself  The Way I Am

With her face covered in her ‘signature’ purple scarf, Penelope eventually becomes an overnight celebrity. Instead of running from people to hide her face she shows the world who she really is-the person inside and not the ‘pig-faced girl‘ they saw in the tabloids.

I don’t want to tell you the whole story, you can rent it for yourselves on Netflix. I guess my point is more about being happy with ourselves and not letting the world define us by their idea of what is beautiful.

Remember the media sensation, Susan Boyle? She became famous overnight, not so much for her amazing voice when she sang on Britain’s Got Talent. But more so because she didn’t look like the audience and the judges thought a person with talent should look.  Even though she has a voice like an angel, the first thing people wanted to do want give her a make over. OK. She did need to do something about those eyebrows, but the focus of the attention was more on how she looked and not her voice.

When it comes to Chick Flicks, sometimes I would like to see more women who get the guy, not because she is the prettiest choice, but because she is the best choice. I love the movie The Mirror Has Two Faces because Jeff Bridges eventually falls in love with Barbra Streisand for herself  (ok…and I LOVE Barbra…she’s like buttah), not for her looks.

Don’t get me wrong, I am all for looking good, taking pride in my appearance and all that. I love mani-pedis, hair products, fashion and make-up. But that’s not who I am. It  makes me wonder, what do people think when they see me? Are they judging me by how I look? OK…I am not 23 anymore and I seriously need to workout and lose 25 pounds. But that’s not who I am.  I am more that the sum of my parts. So maybe I should take a page out of Penelope’s book and not worry about what others think or even judge myself by the pages of fashion magazines and just like myself the way I am.

I really want to hear from you.What are you thoughts?

Have you ever seen The Neverending Story?  OK, so  it is a children’s movie, but I loved it. Not because of Falcor, the big, fluffy flying dog, but because it visualized in movie form,  my love of reading books.

When I am really engaged in a good book, it’s as though I am part of the story. If I am really getting involved in an especially good book, the characters become like friends and you can’t put the book down until you find out what happens to them. Some people say they read in bed and it puts them to sleep. I never read in bed, because I will stay up until 4:00 in the morning to see if all is well with my new-found friends in the  book.  I play out the scenes and cast the characters with the appropriate movie stars and make a movie in my head.  And then the book really comes to life, just as Atreyu becomes  real to  Bastian .

Often I will read and enjoy a book and anxiously await the movie version. Wow!!! Two of my favorite things together. Movies and Books. It like chocolate-peanut butter pie. It’s all good! But sometimes it’s not so good. I am talking about how Hollywood can turn a perfectly good book into a bad movie. Or at least a movie that doesn’t capture the book.

The Blue Stockings Society hosted a Lit  Flicks Challenge about this topic. (So I guess I am not alone in this opinion). They also have a great list of movie adaptions you may want to check out. The Guardian’s 50 Best Film Adaptations

Fellow Chick Flicks bloggers,  Movie Viewing Girl and Cinema Coquette also have great posts about movie adaptations.   Here a just a few of the film adaptation that caught my interest.

Oh! The Disappointment

Cold Mountain

I enjoyed  reading Charles Frazer’s National Book Award winning Cold Mountain.  The story follows Inman, a Civil War soldier on his odyssey back to Ada, the woman he loves.  Nicole Kidman and Jude Law  are good as the lead characters.  And oh my goodness, when I saw Rene Zellweger’s performance as Ruby. I said to myself, Rene is going to get an Oscar for this.  And she did. She was really good. After reading Cold Mountain,  Rene was just the way I thought Ruby would be.

But something was missing. Kind of like an under-seasoned stew. You know it doesn’t taste right, but you are not sure if it need more salt or less garlic. But it needs something.

Lost in Translation

Memoirs of a Geisha

Zi yi Zhang (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero) stars with martial art mega hero, Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Tomorrow Never Dies) in the film adaptation of a very popular novel. Everyone was reading Memoirs of a Geisha. I enjoyed the story of a poor young Japanese girl who becomes a Geisha. The insight into this secret world and the culture were fascinating. But somehow, explaining how a poor father could sell his daughters into a life that many people, not of that culture might consider prostitution didn’t come across the way it did in the book.  In this case I have to say read the book first.

Sometimes They Get It Right

The film adaptation of Sue Monk Kidd’s  novel, The Secret Life of Bees was right on the money. The casting of that ADORABLE Dakota Fanning as Lily was perfect.  As was Jennifer Hudson, who proved she really can act in her role as Rosaleen.   Queen Latifah, Sophie Okonedo and Alicia Keys turned in stellar performances as the Boatwright sisters.

Ok…Yes, some minor plot elements were changed, a few scenes altered and even the final scene was changed slightly.  But none of that was enough to alter the story I read. This was one movie that was just like the movie that played in my head.

Didn’t Read The Book, But Loved The Movie

The Devil Wears Prada

Meryl Street was incredible as the boss from Hell, Miranda Priestly. The book may have been good, but how could you miss seeing all the GORGEOUS designer clothes in this wonderful movie. The Devil Wears Prada is a Chick Flick at its best. Full of wonderful female characters and shoes!
*See the real life Miranda Priestly, Anna Wintour in The September Issue. It is fantastic!

You Tell Me…

Confessions of a Shopaholic

The Nanny Chronicles

Revolutionary Road

The Reader

What did you think of the movie adaptation of these books? Which movie adaptation are your favorites? I would love to hear your opinions.

The best thing about a really good  Chick Flick is the strong female character. Whether its the young girl looking for loving in a  romantic comedy or the poor sick girl in a really sad tearjerker, or a chick who can kick butt in an action chick flick,  the leading lady is our heroine. She is the reason why we love Chick Flicks.

Looking For Love

1. Loretta Castorini (Cher, Moonstruck)
2. Elle Woods   (Reese Witherspoon, Legally Blond)
3. Sally Albright  (Meg Ryan,  When Harry Met Sally)
4. Buttercup (Robin Wright Penn, The Princess Bride)
5. Toula Portokalos  (Nia Vardales, My Big Fat Greek Wedding)
6. Danielle De Barbarac (Drew Barrymore, Ever After)

Looking for Some Action

1. Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)
2. Thelma & Louise (Susan Sarandon & Geena Davis)
3. Maggie, The Cat (Elizabeth Taylor, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof)

Classic Chicks

1. Lizzie Bennett  (Keira Knightly, Pride and Prejudice)
2. Emma  Woodhouse  (Gweneth Paltrow, Emma)
3. Joan March (Kathryn Hepburn, Little Women)
4. Margo Channing (Bette Davis, All About Eve)
5. Tracy Lord (Kathryn Hepburn, The Philadelphia Story)
6. Ilsa Lund   ( Ingrid Bergman, Casablanca)

I know…I know, there are hundreds of great characters, so please send me your favorites.

Image by sam_herd via Flickr

When it comes to male movie stars, I think you can generally break them down into two basic groups: The Pretty Boy or The Rugged, Manly Man.

The Pretty Boys tend to be the leading men in love stories, romantic movies and dramas. You know who they are…they are gorgeous. The Pretty Boy movie star is usually very well groomed and is likely to get just as many manicures, facials and plastic surgeries as his female counterpart.

Now the Rugged Type generally shows up in action movies with guns, fast cars and fist fights. They are the brooding, moody hunks with all the muscles and  a troubled past.

Sometimes a Pretty Boy can play rugged roles, like Brad Pitt in Troy. He was a muscled armour wearing warrior, but oh my was he ever pretty. Sorry Brad… you know I love you, but your are one of the Pretty Boys.

Call them what you will,  you know what I mean.  Old Hollywood however was full of  manly men who were both gorgeous and rugged.  Clark Gable, Gary Cooper and many others. But tell me, who who are the rugged male movie stars today? Don’t get me wrong, I like the pretty boys too. But is takes a manly man to sweep you off your feet!

That question was answered  after I saw the movie Australia, starring the oh sooooo rugged Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman.  Jackman, who was recently chosen as People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive redefines rugged manliness as the character “The Drover” in his new movie directed by Baz Luhrmann.  I knew he was ‘the hotness” when I saw him as the Wolverine in X-Men.

For most of the movie, Hugh was the walking, talking, horse back riding definition of ruggedness.  Sporting what one of my friends likes to call “frontier stubble” and grubby outback clothes, he was the exact opposite of a Metro-sexual. He took my breath away.

At just under 3 hours, Australia is almost 2 movies in one. There is the storyline of the cattle drive and and then the movie shifts to another story that involves World War II. If that seems like too much for you, keep in mind that you will have just under 3 hours of watching Hugh in all his rugged glory.

Check out some of Hugh Jackson’s other films

What do you think? Who are you favorite rugged movie stars?

The Cinderella story is one of the first fairy tales that we learn as young girls.  So it’s no surprise that we all expect to live “happily ever after” with our  handsome Prince Charming.  We all want the handsome guy to ride up on his white horse and…No, not save us, but add some excitement and romance to our lives.  Some of us are still waiting.

Until then, we have movies to show us the way it  should to be. That’s one of the best things about a Chick Flick.  No matter how bad things are, how cast down the heroine becomes, how many people or obstacles or wicked step sisters come between her and her Prince, we know that at the end of the movie they will end up in a passionate embrace.

1. Ever After – A Cinderella Story
Drew Barrymore’s retelling of the classic Cinderella story is so good you almost feel sorry for the wicked stepmother, played by Angelica Huston.

2.  An Officer and a Gentleman
Who can forget Debra Winger being carried out of that factory by Richard Gere?  Now that’s how love lifts you up where you belong.

3.  Sleepless in Seattle
Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks make romantic comedy magic with the help of a radio talk show psychiatrist and an adorable like boy.

4. The Mirror Has Two Faces
Barbra Streisand at her best, playing the ‘spinster‘ who enters into a marriage of convenience with gorgeous Jeff Bridges. But of course, Barbra  and love triumphs at the end.

5. Pride & Prejudice
Jane Austin’s romantic tale of two stubborn lovers who go from hate to love has been made into several movie versions. However,  I prefer the Kiera Knightly version, mainly because of the fine performances by Donald Sutherland and Dame Judi Dench.

6.  Bride & Prejudice
The beautiful Aishwarya Rai stars in the Bollywood version of the classic Jane Austin story.

6.  When Harry Met Sally
This looks like it is turning into a Meg Ryan list. But this movie about reluctant friends who fall in love over time is just plain wonderful.

7. The Princess Bride
A hilarious  tale complete with a fair maiden, a handsome, but poor farm boy turned pirate, a wicked prince, a giant and revenge.

8.  Something New
Sanaa Lathan plays  smart, successful business woman gets a major surprise in her life when she let’s go and falls in love with  handsome and charming gardener, Simon Baker.

9.  You’ve Got Mail/The Shop Around the Corner
Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks are at it again. This time in a modern-day version of the Shop Around the Corner. Email and instant messaging takes the place of letters, but the story of people who reveal themselves better on “paper” than face to face is endearing. If you have not seen the 1940 movie starring Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullivan, you are in for a treat.

10.  Sabrina: Audrey Hepburn is radiant as the chauffeur’s daughter who wins the heart of millionaire industrialist Humphrey Bogart. Don’t waste your time with the Harrison Ford/Julia Ormand remake.  After all, you can’t do better than Audrey.

What are your favorite movies with a happy ending?

Image via Wikipedia

This is the first post of my blog, so you should  know a few things about me. First of all,  I LOVE movies, especially old movies.  Movies starring great actresses like Kathryn Hepburn, Bette Davis, Barbara Streisand.  Romantic comedies with Meg Ryan or Sandra Bullock. You name it. I love movies, especially what is commonly known as the “Chick Flick“.

A Chick Flick can be many things. As many thing as there are women who watch movies. Anything from a movie featuring strong female roles, like Susan Saradon and Geena Davis in  Thelma & Louise  or Bette Davis getting ready for bumpy night in All About Eve to a movie featuring your favorite Hollywood hunk, like Sean Connery or Pierce Brosnan in a James Bond film. Staying home to watch a sad movie in your PJ’s, going out with your girlfriends for a Ladies Night at the Movies or date night. The definition is limitless.

And that’s what I want to explore, the world of the CHICK FLICK.