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Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated The Princess and the Frog (2009) in Movies

Mar 26, 2020 (Updated Mar 26, 2020)  
The Princess and the Frog (2009)
The Princess and the Frog (2009)
2009 | Animation, Comedy, Family
Dark Voodoo Magic
The Princess and The Frog- holy crap this movie is dark, very dark. Voodoo, magic, death, transformation and more.

The plot: Hardworking and ambitious, Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) dreams of one day opening the finest restaurant in New Orleans. Her dream takes a slight detour when she meets Prince Naveen (Bruno Campos), who has been turned into an amphibian by evil Dr. Facilier. Mistaking her for a princess and hoping to break the spell, Naveen plants a kiss on poor Tiana -- thereby turning her into a frog as well. The pair hop along on an adventure through the bayous to seek the help of a powerful voodoo priestess.

A very dark disney film, the darkness film since "The Black Cauldron". I mean their was "Beauty and The Beast" and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame". But damn this movie was dark.
  
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Becky G recommended Mulan (1998) in Movies (curated)

 
Mulan (1998)
Mulan (1998)
1998 | Action, Animation, Family

"The last one I have to say this because I heard they’re doing the live action for it, and it’s Mulan. I grew up watching, obviously, the Disney movie Mulan. That was [a different kind of] Disney princess because technically she wasn’t a princess, she was a warrior. At a very young age — something about her being able to keep up with the men, and be one of the boys, and be respected for that in the end was one of the coolest things to see — and also the sacrifice for her family. I come from a very big family and my family’s everything to me. Now watching it, it’s like a movie that gives me goosebumps still, and I get very emotional watching it because it just reminds me a lot of myself I guess."

Source
  
Scarlet Princess
Scarlet Princess
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Death was a hefty price to pay for vodka.

I mean with an opening line like that you know it’s going to be a great book right?!

Regular readers will know I’m a bit of an ElBin fangirl and often devour their books in 1 or 2 days. Scarlet Princess was no exception: I kept my kids fed and held down my full-time job for the day but the rest of the time was spent reading this amazing return into the Lochlann world.

Scarlet Princess is the first in the Lochlann Feuds series which is based approximately 20 years after Autumn’s Reign, the final in the Lochlann Treaty series. However, you don’t have to read the Lochlann Treaty in order to read Scarlet Princess: the world building, plot and characters shine just as brightly for this to be a standalone novel.

“It’s a lotus flower. They’re rare, complex flowers. Difficult to keep alive.”

“That doesn’t sound like anyone I know”

Scarlet Princess introduces us to Rowan, the Princess of Lochlann and her cousin Davin, whom we briefly met in the Lochlann Treaty. The cousins give the impression that they either go looking for trouble, or trouble just finds them! Therefore, it shouldn’t be so surprising that when we meet them, Rowan and Davin are just about to find themselves imprisoned in the neighbouring kingdom of Socair.

Sadly, Socair and Lochlann don’t have the friendliest history so getting home will be no easy feat for the cousins, if they can escape death first.

“Amicable and accommodating, Princess. I wonder if you are capable of either.“

Rowan is, without a doubt, a product of her parents: with her fiery red curls and equally fiery attitude it is easy for us to assume that Rowan takes after her father but then you find yourself internally shouting (or externally- no judgement) “why did you do that?!” and suddenly you see her mother's emotional, impulsive nature.

The smart mouth and the booziness? Well that’s just what makes Rowan, Rowan! And we love her for it!

“Am I boring you Princess Rowan?” He sighed.

“Always”

As Rowan’s journey continues though we see that she has been deeply affected by her parents’ quest for love. Our princess is quite closed off to love and is happy for a marriage to be arranged for her. At her young age Rowan equates love with warring kingdoms, losing children, losing husbands: ultimately, she equates love with loss.

Maybe that is why Rowan hides behind a mask of sarcasm and glib comments, seldom ever facing the reality of her predicament until it is too late.

I didn’t want the kind of love that could break you.

Behind her sarcasm though it is clear Rowan cares deeply about issues such as poverty and equality. She is forced to see that her life is very different in Lochlann, where villagers are not suffering and are looked after by their leaders; women are not seen as quiet mice who need protecting as they are in Socair. Maybe, just maybe, her life in Lochlann wasn’t as bad as she thought? But will Rowan ever see Lochlann again?

Besides, I never had been good at making the smart choice.

The cast of characters surrounding Rowan are equally as amazing as our princess. Davin is a ladies’ man just like his father, Iiro is authoritative one minute but then casually tortures his brother sensibilities the next and Mila is a great friend who comes swooping into Rowan’s life – there is definitely more to Mila than meets the eye though.

Rowan’s escort through Socair and the poor soul on the other end of most of her sarcasm is Lord Theodore, her captor and the heir to the Elk clan. Theo is fair where Rowan is fiery; stoic where she is scandalous and the tension between them …. oof it’s enough to make you swoon!

“You know when something just catches your attention and you can’t explain it?“

I loved revisiting Lochlann only to be immersed in the Kingdom of Socair: the mysterious enemy lurking behind the mountain. The 9 clans created a whole new dynamic from the previous books and the plot arc could have easily got lost within all the clan politics but it flowed beautifully.

All I will say is that I really shouldn’t trust Robin and Elle with happy endings – they will always rip it away with a few chapters to go. These two are the Queens of cliff-hangers!

Grab your copy of Scarlet Princess on August 27th 2021. Devour it in one day and then join me anxiously anticipating the sequel, Tarnished Crown in November 2021.
  
AM
A Multitude of Dreams
Mara Rutherford | 2023 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
10
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Favorite book of this year
Title: A Multitude of dreams
Author: Mara Rutherford

My favorite read of the year would be A Multitude of Dreams by Mara Rutherford. In the beginning of this book it takes place during the after math of a horrible plague called the Mori Roja which basically causes the patient to bleed out and die. Only ways people can survive the mori Roja are to die and be reborn, never come in contact with the plague or be immune.

Princess Imogen of Goslind has been locked in the palace with many other higher born citizens for the past four years during the plague she wants to be set free same with many others but the king will not allow that. After Nico impersonating a prince shows up they quickly learn being locked up is what helped them survive so long but it is no longer possible when the food runs out.

 When Nico realizes that Lord Crane is a reborn and learns of his plans he decided to impersonate a prince who died on his way to meet the princess for a marriage agreement. He died by a reborn. He does this to try to warn and save the people of the palace but he has no success when Lord Crane and other reborns invade the palace killing many.

This being the best book I read of 2023 I am having a hard time choosing just one part I loved the most in it. I did enjoy that Princess Giselle got the karma that was coming for her it was one hundred percent deserved. The story was really well written and extremely hard to put down. Another part I loved were all the moments between Jocelyn and Princess Imogen. Honestly only part of this book I disliked was that Jocelyn and Imogen didn't end up together. I thought they would because they were giving off more that friend vibes with the kisses and stuff.

When it comes to the characters my favorites were Jocelyn and Princess Imogen. I loved them from the beginning. One character who gave bad vibes and I knew couldn't be trust was Lord Crane. I could just tell there was something up with him. On the other hand Nico and Colin were both very trustworthy from the beginning. I didn't like Giselle, Henry or Branson either. Princess Giselle I could tell she was a backstabber. Henry I could tell he had an alternative motive and couldn't be trusted. Same with Branson. This book had a very good character development.

I recommend reading this if books based during or after a plague interests you. I also recommend if you enjoy books about vampires.
  
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
1977 | Fantasy, Sci-Fi
A New Hope is the first movie I remember watching that wasn't animated. It was the first video tape my parents ever bought. It's my favorite out of all of the Star Wars films, and a great introduction to the world of Star Wars. It's got everything: Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin, young, attractive Harrison Ford, and bad ass Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia.