PicoBlog

The movie theater in my town has two screens, which means the vast majority of movies don’t stay there long as the theater continuously cycles to the latest releases. This also means that if I’m particularly busy for a couple weeks coinciding with a movie’s release, I’m probably not seeing it in a theater. All of this is a roundabout way to explain that I didn’t see Frozen 2 in the theaters when it came out. I only got around to it once it got an accelerated release on Disney+ in March because of COVID.

I was not completely sure what to expect. I had enjoyed Frozen like most everyone else, but a number of things had cooled the anticipation I had for the sequel. There were the good but not great reviews, the disappointing (by Disney’s standards at least) showing at the Academy Awards where it lost Best Original Song and shockingly wasn’t even nominated for Best Animated Film, and an anecdotal lack of buzz in my social circles.

As it turns out, all of these people were wrong! I was thoroughly enthralled by Frozen 2, a decidedly more mature, darker, more entertaining film than the first one. Elsa and Anna’s journey into the Enchanted Forest and the lessons they learn about the inevitability of change, perseverance through grief, the sinister corruption of ignorance and mistrust, and the power of self-acceptance and discovery makes for a nuanced, thoughtful movie. And the soundtrack! There’s not a bad song here. “Lost in the Woods” is a fun ‘80s ballad, “Into The Unknown” is solid, and “The Next Right Thing” is weighty and moving. The crown jewel is the climactic “Show Yourself,” Elsa’s showcase song that sits at the heart of the movie. In terms of lyricism and story importance, raw talent, and musicality, it sits unrivaled above every other song in Frozen 2 and easily lands amongst the best songs Disney has ever offered.

“Show Yourself” (written by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez) is one of the last full songs we hear in Frozen 2, and it carries the weight of the entire story. While Elsa has accepted her powers since the first film, throughout the sequel she’s still trying to understand who she is really meant to be. This manifests in a mysterious voice that calls to her during her journey, finally leading her to Ahtohallen, a mythical glacier Elsa and Anna’s mother sang to them about as children. Elsa has conquered the four elemental spirits that give the Enchanted Forest its name and powers, but the people of the forest believe in a fifth spirit that governs over them. From the softly delivered opening lines of “Show Yourself,” it’s clear Elsa also believes this fifth spirit holds the answers to her questions. The hopeful, if uneasy, longing as she implores this spirit to “show yourself” are moving in their sincerity, and the anxiously building piano in the background underscores this.

(Before we get too far into this, here’s an aside of two things I learned watching Into The Unknown, a documentary about Frozen 2 on Disney+ I watched because we’re in a pandemic and what else is there to watch:

First, we could have had an even darker, more adult Frozen 2. Adults loved the first test screening shown to members of the public, but apparently younger kids were confused and put off, resulting in simplification and lightening some of the mood. This goes to show children ruin everything, even things specifically made for them.

Second, THEY ALMOST CUT “SHOW YOURSELF” FROM THE MOVIE. MULTIPLE TIMES. A major plot point of the documentary is the struggle the moviemakers had making this song work. They almost cut one of the best songs in Disney canon from the film. What would I be writing about now if they had?)

Enough credit cannot be given to Idina Menzel for “Show Yourself.” One of our greatest living performers, Menzel not only has unreal vocal range, but stage-tested mastery of conveying emotion in her words. “Are you the one I’ve been looking for all of my life?” she asks this spirit, and the gravity of Elsa’s plea is felt in every word. The words “show yourself” are an ask here, someone begging to understand. As the second verse begins, the piano accelerating further and Elsa growing more certain, Menzel projects more confidence onto her. It’s a character’s entire emotional journey put into one song in a way that doesn’t feel forced or hurried, a monumental writing achievement.

Musically, the building of the instrumental is completely natural and thrilling as well. Percussion and strings find their way in, matching the mounting excitement of Elsa. “You are the answer I’ve waited for all of my life,” she proclaims. “Show yourself” is now a demand, one delivered forcefully across a series of high notes delivered like only Menzel can. The bridge of the track is a beautiful passage of music, all flowing strings and long, held out notes as Elsa looks for the space where this spirit will reveal itself.

And then it does.

“Show Yourself” shifts gears completely, growing much more orchestral as a choir erupts into a reprise of “All Is Found,” the lullaby from the sisters’ youth. It’s an ambitious musical transition that pays off completely. Elsa’s mother appears to her, voiced by the equally gifted singer Evan Rachel Wood, to welcome her. “Come my darling homeward bound,” she sings, before Elsa/Menzel absolutely belts “I am found.” It’s the powerful reveal of what Elsa, and the audience, have grown to suspect over the course of the story: Elsa is the fifth spirit.

The final delivery of the chorus, in a new key and now with fully triumphant choral and orchestral backing, takes the words from earlier in the song and imbues them with powerful new emotional meaning. “You are the one you’ve been waiting for all of your life,” Elsa’s mother tells her. Finally, this is an answer. It’s more than acceptance of the power inside, it’s a discovery of purpose for Elsa and validation of everything she is as a person. This moment is the through-line truly connecting Elsa’s journey from Frozen to Frozen 2. It’s an overwhelming emotional breakthrough in the film, and a moment I still get emotional about if I think about it too much. The final instance of the words “show yourself” then is not a plea or a demand, but encouragement to be the fully realized self for all of the world to see.

That all of this story, emotion, and talent is packed into one song is breathtaking. “Show Yourself” is the heart of everything that makes Frozen 2 work. It’s complex and involved, rewarding listeners from a musical and emotional standpoint. It’s one of the best songs Disney has ever offered.

And I know I can’t make this proclamation without backing it up, so below you can find my list of the top 5 Disney songs:

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