Frozen 2's Music Makes Me Cold,but Plot Warms More

"Frozen II" ’s Music Makes Me Cold, but Plot Warms More Than First

By: Ron Baxley, Jr.

Four (****) out of Five Stars 

I finally have been able to see “Frozen II” on Disney +, where it was said to have been added because of the recent pandemic so that viewers could see it earlier.

The plot definitely warms more than the first because it has more complications and sub-plots (no spoilers).

The music, however, leaves me colder than the first film. Nothing will probably beat Idina Menzel’s “Let it Go” anthem which was played everywhere the year the first film came out. However, Frozen II’s “All Is Found” is a suitable folk ballad which doubles as a lullaby and also explains a legend and backstory about a mysterious river. The sequel’s “Some Things Never Change” is sing-songey in the sense that a “Sesame Street” song is but it more forgettable. One saving grace of it is Kristoff doing his ever-charming voice for his reindeer partner Sven. “Aurora – Into the Unknown” is the icy stalagmite-covered crown among the sequel’s songs with its soprano or treble cry of “Ah-ah-ah-ah” from some force or spirit calling Elsa (Idina Menzel) into the unknown away from her home. Gad as Olaf’s silly songs were never my favorite but probably appeal to the children in the audience. Kristoff has a reprise of “Reindeers Are Better than People” but with different lyrics as he heads toward even more toward romantic love with Anna. In fact, his “Lost in the Woods” starts as a solo with electric guitar riffs and then builds with a duo with reindeer, and I found it more amusing than touching because all I kept thinking was, “This is like a Hal and Oates song from the 80s!” Kristoff is figuratively and musically Hal, and the reindeer is basically symbolically and musically Oates. Yet that may have been the intent. It was entertaining, to say the least. The rest of the songs, again, were just not as memorable.

 

By the way, not to get bogged down into fantasy tropes that this film has as my latest fantasy book, O.Z. Diggs Himself Out has (like I did in my last review), but "Frozen II" has the tropes of the elementals of earth, fire, water, and air. I had a descendant of O.Z. Diggs basically have to wield these within my book. Characters within “Frozen II” encounter these in different ways that I do not want to reveal too much and spoil too much. Interesting to me is the air spirit called Gale who tends to summon to the other world. As an Oz fan, I am always fascinated by the use of Gale which has to do with winds and also because it is the last name of Dorothy who travels via tornado to Oz. That is perhaps intentional as Gale is the summoner in this film. Another one I will mention is the salamander-like spirit for fire. I was so happy as an outdoor education educator with 15 years of teaching experience that they brought that into the film. This helps introduce history and ancient ideas about science (sometimes flawed and illogical) and also creative legends into children’s minds. As we all know, people once thought that salamanders came from fire because when people would put logs into campfires, salamanders who were already in them would crawl out. What a wonderful teachable moment happens with the introduction of this character. These spirits and this other world the characters are being summoned to will just have to be seen, and the explanation behind them further explored with a viewing. I was riveted by the plot of this one because of these facets – perhaps even more so that the first film. 

Because of some flaws in the music, I dock the film a star, but given that some of its music is great and the plot and characterization exceeds the first film, I give it four out of five stars. 

**** out of 5 stars

"Onward" 's Fantasy Tropes Versus My Own Tropes

“Onward” Goes Onward into Fantasy Tropes Where My “O.Z. Diggs Himself Out” Digs Further in More Specific Ways: A Comparison Review   *** ½ (3.5) Stars for “Onward” 

By: Ron Baxley, Jr.

Unlike a certain individual who did not like a version of her van with fantasy iconography allegedly used in the Disney-Pixar film “Onward”, I am not here to argue over alleged, so-called stolen fantasy tropes; rather, I am here to review the film while comparing it to my young adult fantasy book “O.Z. Diggs Himself Out”.

In “Onward”, two elf brothers inherit a magic staff from a deceased Dad in a kind of elven suburbia where my latest Oz-related book has a Cowardly Lion staff passed down from the original Wizard of Oz, O.Z. Diggs, through each generation where it eventually ends up with human soon-to-be apprentice-level wizard O.Z. Diggs VII – cursed to live in the Out World Southern U.S. with his family. (O.Z. Diggs was married in my 1999 “The Talking City of Oz” which was re-released as a self-published version around 2010/2011.) 

Ian Lightfoot, teen elf in “Onward”, is played as very shy and awkward by Tom Holland much as my O.Z. Diggs VII was when he was a young teen. Ian has a definite character arc of coming out of his shell as he progresses through the film as does my character (Holland plays Ian with a voice-cracking awkwardness which grows in confidence – a perfect casting fit for one who played Peter Parker and Spiderman). His brother, Barley Lightfoot (played by Chris Pratt), is boisterous and adventurous – more like O.Z. Diggs VII as a young adult. He becomes less selfish as the film progresses in ways that will have to be seen (Pratt handles being boastful with later being tender in good ways… perhaps from having played a damaged super hero with compassion for his friends, Star-lord, in “Guardians of the Galaxy”, and other roles before). If my character’s older self could have spoken with his younger self, it would have been like these two brothers interacting.

The fantasy trope of the wizard’s staff and the hero’s journey/quest the two brothers go in is handled well. I have a missing father with dementia who needs to be found in my aforementioned book. The brothers in the film have a deceased father they have only partially brought back to life via the staff and a spell as only a half-body from the waist downward. Ian, in fact, adds stuffed clothing to the top of the half-body to make it appear more life-like. 

In fact, comedies of errors ensue where motor-cycle gang Hells Angel pixies, who no longer fly or desire to fly with their not-so-angelic wings, think they’re being insulted by the half-Dad’s stuffed, faux upper body’s unintended pantomimes. These insults are from inanimate object clothing parts of him such as an aloof stuffed head with sunglasses which will not, of course, answer back (if only they had Powder of Life from the Oz series). The pixies pursue the brothers through part of the adventure as the result of the insulting parts of the elf brothers’ father, which are not real anyway, and other actions. By the way, I have what one reviewer called “redneck elves” in my fantasy adventure. Disney-Pixar has motorcycle-riding pixies and suburban elves.

Where I pull a lot of Oz lore and quite a few other fantasy tropes into my Southern modernization of Oz fantasy, Pixar pulls from a grab-bag of fantasy tropes, including aspects of Tolkien, the fantasy genre in general including fairy tales to the present day, Magic: The Gathering, parodies of J.K. Rowling and other fantasy authors, and Dungeons and Dragons among others (they got special permission from Wizards of the Coast to use some specific D&D aspects). Where I blend in and add to Oz lore and utilize fantasy tropes within a modern context, Disney-Pixar, at times, with this film, tends to throw a fantasy concept at the wall and see if it sticks. Seeing Smurf-like mushroom housing everywhere in the elven suburbia and the cutesy medieval fantasy in a modern context aspects make it seem more derivative than my own work (and the “Shrek” films did better satirical fantasy or parody elements than Disney-Pixar at times). Those mushroom homes do look like Papa Smurf is about to walk out of one of them, and Pixar has taken the cave-people put in a 50s context of “The Flintstones” and changed it to medieval fantasy characters put in the context of modern suburbia. For example, the aforementioned elf brothers and their mother have a yipping, bounding dragon who acts like Dino or a modern dog, and they have a modern pet discipline method of using a spray bottle on it. The gadgetry, brands, and architecture are also a blending of time periods as in “The Flintstones”.

Nevertheless, what I really enjoyed about “Onward”, among other aspects, was the introductory backstory of how they had arrived at the present day, and how magic was given up more and more for modern conveniences until it was all but gone. The quest to regain long lost magic does make for an interesting one. I found it fairly fascinating -- almost as if the Harry Potter series’ Arthur Weasley had gone berserk in the Ministry of Magic, had become power hungry, and forced everybody in the wizarding world to embrace everything Muggle/non-magic user and give up their reliance on magic as much (and not just for students outside of Hogwarts either). In “Onward”, I like the back-story and how they came to be there, just not the end result as much at times.

Next, Disney-Pixar has been under fire for having a homosexual minor (as in narrative position, not age) character, the cyclops cop Officer Spector, in a film intended for families/children. In one brief scene in which she has pulled over the brothers (who disguise themselves through magic) and their “faux father”, Officer Spector openly states that her girlfriend’s child has been causing her to pull her hair out. By the way, I am an author who is a Christian with great openness to my Judaic brothers and sisters and compassion for people of all sexualities, and I have a homosexual main character in “O.Z. Diggs Himself Out”. That character deals with some of the more lustful aspects of his sexuality in a non-self-hating way while keeping his faith. This is why I label the book as a young adult and adult book. “Onward” is advertised as a film for families and children, and the inclusion of the homosexual minor character has angered some family groups. What I do not necessarily care for in the film is that it is inclusivity for the sake of inclusivity’s sake. Pixar included a very minor character and gave her basically a homosexual one-liner to appear ground-breaking. They, in my opinion, seemed to do this to get brownie points with social justice warriors, not actually show a gay character with any complexity for any length of time.

As at least one reviewer stated on the back of my O.Z. Diggs... book, my work is more about transcending identity than identity politics:  

The single mother trope is explored within the film too with Laurel Lightfoot (shown with a spray bottle in a previous picture), the elf brothers’ mother who is dating a centaur. The single mother is played with a feminist sassiness by Julia Louis-Dreyfus but not to the point that she completely discounts her male counterparts. She is strong and compassionate, a nice blending.

Seemingly single Manticore (played by Octavia Spencer) starts as an overwhelmed owner of a tavern that has become more like a Chuck E Cheese than an adventurer’s guild. She was once the Manticore that led people on quests, but she is now more concerned with people’s orders and kids’ entertainment in her tavern that has become a family restaurant. Spencer plays the frazzled aspects very well, and I think we can all identify with somebody trapped in a dead end job that is no longer magical and not what one wants it to be.

Political correctness posturing with the minor gay character and trope-stacking aside, “Onward” is a good film that shows the true aspects of brotherly love while having a fully explored hero’s journey with an, at times, fun blending of the modern and the fantastic. 

*** 1/2 (3.5) Stars out of 5 (Fair to Good)

Birthday and Author and Books, Oh My!

I haven’t done a blogpost in a while, so as I edge closer to 50 on my birthday today, I will post some content (most of which I was asked to contribute directly through statements or interviews) that was cut from an article on me as an author (I was given permission to share it):

Author Ron Baxley, Jr., who claims he was an imaginative child and affirms that he helps foster civilization, says he believes in what original Oz author L. Frank Baum stated, "The imaginative child will become the imaginative man or woman most apt to create, to invent, and therefore to foster civilization."

Baxley also agrees with the late Ray Bradbury who stated that, "The intellect is a great danger to creativity... I’ve had a sign over my typewriter for over 25 years now, which reads 'Don’t think!' ”

Yet Baxley says he also thinks that Bradbury was more talking about the subconscious mind and that words that are buried there from the stories of the past, from your life, can be quite eloquent.

In fact, as Baxley is a published poet as well as a lyrical writer who uses a lot of imagery in his prose, he agrees with Gloria Naylor who stated, "Not only is your story worth telling, but it can be told in words so painstakingly eloquent that it becomes a song."

In short, Baxley, gleaning advice from these great writers, says to become the imaginative child you once were or maybe still are and do not overthink things and find the songs, the passed-down stories within yourself, and express yourself with lyricism.

Baxley adds that some of the best advice he personally can add as a writer is to be quiet, to observe, to listen, and to look for details and statements others might not otherwise notice and to express those using a literary voice that you have practiced as often as a performer sings, an artist paints or sketches, or a pianist practices his or her instrument.

Baxley said he hopes his readers will understand themselves better through his art of writing.

"I hope my readers will see that they are so much more than their identities and backgrounds, that they transcend those aspects of themselves. I also hope they will see that despite having differences such as physical disabilities or mental illnesses that they can rise above them as some of my characters have. Finally, I hope they see that good will ultimately win out over evil, no matter how much evil tries to fool itself or us," he said.

Baxley has shared his new work entitled Ziggy Zig-zags the Light & Dark Fantastic, Vol.1.

"I am over-joyed that my most recent project, Ziggy Zig-zags the Light and Dark Fantastic, Vol. 1, was awarded the 2019 Readers Favorite International Book Award finalist medallion in the graphic novel category, a medallion which now graces the 2nd Edition of the book."

The 2nd Edition of the Ziggy graphic novel is orderable wherever books are sold online and at brick and mortar bookstores as well as having immediate availability in the CSRA region and beyond in comics shops and independent bookstores from Columbia, S.C. to Barnwell, S.C. across to Augusta, Georgia and on down to Savannah, Georgia. 

This graphic novel, with the story and scripting by Ron and illustrations by Vincent Myrand, has been six years in the making from Ron drafting the story and the scripting from 2013-2015 to meeting the illustrator in 2015 to sign him on and to doing an early preview version of the graphic novel for a mini-tour with him in 2016. Then, there was discussing it with YBR Publishing, eventually signing on with them, and having them refine the hardback version until publishing it in mid-2019.

"From an animal shelter in Newberry in 2013, I adopted my Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Ziggy, who inspired the book along with tales of how his breed were horses for the Welsh elves and fairies. Ziggy and I had real life mini-adventures that helped inspire some of the sub-plots of the graphic novel that I first wrote as a story and then as a script. There are many books beyond the first volume that will be coming out that are based on the many adventures of the Corgi super hero," Baxley said.

Baxley's focus in this piece was to highlight mental health and anxiety -- something that affects millions of people on a daily basis.

"Ziggy Zig-Zags the Light and Dark Fantastic, Vol. 1 is so significant because the main character, Ziggy, deals with anxiety while also being brave. In fact, his dog tag has the elven runes for anxiety and valor on it. Throughout his adventures, he becomes very nervous, copes with his anxiety, takes deep breaths, steels himself, and moves forward.  That is a very significant message to send to children, youth, and adults who are coping with anxiety," Baxley said. 

Baxley continued, "Ziggy, the real-life one the character is based upon, has been like a fur-angel to me, and I want others to adopt shelter dogs in the hope that they will experience this joy. I feel like God sent this dog to me for a purpose as He does many things for others in various ways for a greater purpose."

Baxley quoted what Walt Disney stated about Mickey Mouse, “I only hope that we don't lose sight of one thing - that it was all started by a mouse.”

"Well, with the Ziggy graphic novel series, I will never forget that it all started with a Corgi," Baxley added.

Baxley has received opportunities all over the United States.

"I would be amiss not to mention such festivals and cons as Oz-Stravaganza in Chittenango, New York, the Michigan Oz Festival in Ionia, Michigan, and Lake-Collect-a-Con in Mt. Dora, Florida who have had me as a participating Oz author and/or special guest at their events for many years – particularly Oz-Stravaganza. I have been invited to participate as an Oz author at Oz-Stravaganza in Chittenango, New York, the birthplace of original Oz author L. Frank Baum for nearly a decade and was awarded in 2016 the International L. Frank Baum and All Things Oz Foundation Lifetime Membership for my contributions to Oz fiction. I have also been invited for half a decade or so as a special guest to the Michigan Oz Festival which also awarded me in 2017. I have even been invited as a special guest several times at Lake-Collect-a-Con events and have been a special guest author, guest author, or authorial vendor at cons and festivals throughout the country," he said.

Baxley says clear mental pictures come to mind as he is writing new material.

“I picture the setting and the characters while I am typing. As I can picture settings and characters so vividly in my mind, perhaps this is why I incorporate a lot of imagery within my writing. Also, I have always been a good listener of others. I think I incorporate combinations of things others have said and the way others speak in my head while I am writing. Other times, I draw upon my own vivid memories of living in the rural South and exploring other areas as well." he said.

Baxley left a note of encouragement to people dealing with mental illness and for those wishing to adopt shelter animals:

"I think anyone who struggles with mental illness should do their best to keep moving forward while looking for a support network for themselves and should also hold to their faith in God and Christ. Also, I think that anyone who is looking to get a pet should seek out his or her local animal shelter first. You never know what wonderful fur-angel may be waiting in the wings for you. As I have shown by continuing to move forward in life with my creative work alongside a Corgi who seems very much sent from above, so much joy is there for us in life from God. We need only seek that joy and seize it with gusto.”

This was the article in the weekly Bamberg, S.C. “Advertizer Herald” that the above content was cut out of:

My next authorial event will be at FarleyCon this Saturday, March 7 at the East Ridge Community Center in East Ridge, TN from 9-4:

Look for my new banner there near my table:

I am signing and selling Limited Edition, numbered prints (of 40) presigned by illustrator Allison Exley of Savannah from the picturebook we will be putting out in May of this year, Goldey Goosey of Oz, copies of the aforementioned graphic novel, and my young adult fantasy novel which combines Southern literature with the Wizard of Oz, O.Z. Diggs Himself Out. YBR Publishing may also be publishing a sequel to this book entitled, O.Z. Doesn't "Diggs" G.C.C. at Emerald City, sometime later this year.

I hope to attend several Oz festivals and cons later this year (TBA). I should also mention, for approximately the 10 year anniversary of the release of the first book in our Oz/Wonderland series, that co-author James C. Wallace II has re-released the first book, Of Cabbages, Kings, and Even (Odd) Queens of Wonderland and Oz with illustrations by Gwendolyn Tennille. The book can be found among my others in this listing here: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=ron+baxley&ref=nb_sb_noss_1 .