{my inner child is never more than one enchanting day away}

Just when you thought old fashion animation was a thing of the past, Disney returns to the big screen with a twist on a familiar tale, The Princess and the Frog.  And with this return comes the traditional 2D (hand-drawn) style of animation that Disney is known and revered for.  Aw what a breath of fresh air!  It's a departure from all the CGI that we've become accustom to and quite honestly CGI is all that some of our children know. They have no real knowledge of the magic and artistry that goes into the creation of classic animation...the magic that sets a child's imagination to run free and dream in color. 

The Princess and the Frog, set in 1920s New Orleans, is about an African American girl named Tiana (voiced by Anika Noni Rose) who works as a waitress while living amid the grandeur and opulence of the French Quarter.  Her plans to open her own restaurant are derailed when she meets the frog Prince Naveen (Bruno Campos) who mistakes her for a princess and summons her for a kiss to break the spell put on him by voodoo magician Dr. Facilier (Keith David).  However, the kiss doesn't break the spell but rather turns Tiana into a frog herself.  In order for Prince Naveen and Tiana to be turned back into humans they must find the good voodoo priestess Mama Odie (Jenifer Lewis)...and as in all Disney princess movies, they make a few friends along the way, a trumpet playing jazz loving alligator named Louis and Ray the cajun firefly.

Academy Award-winning composer Randy Newman penned a series of original songs inspired by the sounds of New Orleans; jazz, zydeco, blues and gospel. 

There are so many things about this film that touch my spirit...mainly the setting .  New Orleans is easily one of my favorite cities. The history. The music. The people. The food.  Oh the food!  It all holds a special place in my heart...it is, after-all, the spirit of New Orleans.  This film is sure to be a nostalgic, heart-warming, feel good treat that showcases the by-gone beauty of a pre-Katrina New Orleans.

The Princess and the Frog is in theaters today in New York and Los Angeles and opens nationwide December 11th.