So I Finally Saw The Princess and the Frog

...and I was kind of underwhelmed.

It's not a BAD movie by any means. Just unimpressive. I mean, there's nothing here I haven't seen in any other Disney cartoon - and, usually, it's done better (although the annoying animal sidekick is almost NEVER done well). The most standout thing in the movie is the black Disney princess, but she's not really a great character, as her biggest fault is that she's TOO diligent and hardworking.

(I guess they were really desperate to avoid any racist accusations)

My favorite part of the movie takes place less than ten minutes into the flick. Li'l Tiana's talking to her dad about opening a restaurant, and the dad gets all misty-eyed talking about how good food can help bring people together.

Here's the exact quote:

"You know the thing about good food? It brings folks together from all walks of life. It warms them right up and it puts little smiles on their faces."

I seriously love this moment. Mr. Tiana (I don't know his name, and I'm tired of looking every little thing up on IMDB) looks at food in a different light from most. It's not just about filling stomachs, it's about filling SOULS. Food can do more than fulfill a biological necessity - it can transcend it's definition, become sublime.

Food can be art. And this is awesome.

I firmly believe that ANYTHING can be art, if the creator is willing to make his chosen medium (food, pottery, even video games - I'm looking at YOU, Roger Ebert) something relatable across the spectrum of human experience.

So, yeah, Tiana's dad's a pretty cool guy - humble, devoted, and brilliantly passionate about what he does.

Then the plot remembers that he's a parent in a Disney movie and bumps him off. Oh, well.