Encanto VS Frozen
Round 1: Characters
Top 10 Disney Characters We Want to Be Friends With
Memorable characters go a long way, and “Frozen” is packed as tight as an igloo. Elsa became an instant Disney icon and a favorite of five-year-old children across the world. Anna is a solid protagonist and was equally beloved, and the two sisters can often be seen together on merchandising. You simply don’t get one without the other. Of course, a Disney movie is nothing without a fun cast of supporting characters. Kristoff and Sven make a hilarious team, while Olaf serves as the next big cuddly toy character who probably made bank as a plushie. All are memorable in their own way, and they are voiced by a stellar cast of A-list celebrities. Despite being newer, “Encanto’s” cast of characters have already snuggled nicely into the Disney canon. Mirabel is a relatable underdog protagonist with a touching story, and of course everyone loves Luisa. She somehow manages to make a mental breakdown funny. Bruno is another great addition (even if his song is more popular than he is), whileAbuela is a surprisingly complex character that has kept people talking and debating. However, the cast may be a little too big for its own good, and the result is many sidelined characters who lack development and screen time. “Encanto” may have a strong cast, but there’s simply no competing with “Frozen” in this category. The cast is small and compact, and each character shines in their own unforgettable way. All are household names, and all remain icons all these years later. WINNER: Frozen 1 / Encanto 0
Round 2: Role of Magic
Top 20 Rom Com Characters Who Are Terrible Role Models
Both movies embrace magic as a core theme, and both have magical (and unmagical) characters. Elsa harbors secret ice powers that cause her to flee into the mountains. However, the resulting physical and mental isolation result in her powers spinning wildly out of control. Luckily, she eventually realizes that her magic can be seen as a gift instead of a curse. She ends the eternal winter after witnessing her sister’s heroic act and discovering the power of love. She saves Arendelle from herself, and in the process, learns to embrace that which makes her different. “Encanto” is also about the act of embracing, but in this case, the roles are flipped. All of Mirabel’s sisters and cousins are magical, having been given a gift from a special candle. But for some reason, Mirabel was skipped and remains magicless, which leaves her feeling ostracized from the family while living in the Casita with them. It’s not until the sentient house begins to literally fracture that Mirabel discovers her true calling, and that is keeping the family together. The Madrigals embrace the idea that people are more than their gifts, and it allows them to grow stronger as a cohesive unit. We’re sorry, but this one is a tie. Both messages are equally important and heartwarming, and it’s impossible to pick one over the other. WINNER: Frozen 2 / Encanto 1
Round 3: Adventure
Top 10 Greatest Adventure Movies Of All Time
What’s a Disney movie without a little adventure? It’s one of the core components of the company’s films, and “Frozen” contains a great adventure. Elsa flees into the mountains and builds herself a massive ice palace. Anna teams up with a reclusive iceman and his reindeer, and he takes her to see a family of talking trolls. Along the way, characters face the likes of wolves and giant snow monsters. The climactic battle takes place on a frozen lake in the middle of a blizzard while a power-hungry man stalks the sisters. It’s all very exciting, and it’s all very “Disney.” Contrast this with “Encanto,” which rarely ventures outside of its core setting. The only real sense of adventure is when Mirabel enters Bruno’s room, and “Encanto” briefly turns into “Indiana Jones.” Aside from that, the action is contained within the Casita and the surrounding town. There are no monsters to fight, no faraway places to explore, and even the primary antagonist is a concept rather than an actual person. Yes, this is all entirely by design, and they help strengthen the movie’s themes. However, many people watch Disney for the wild escapes, but with “Encanto,” and instead get a family drama with elements of magic realism. “Encanto” puts its own unique spin on the Disney tradition, but this subversion may be disappointing to some. On the other hand, “Frozen” is a typical Disney adventure. It has clear cut good guys and bad guys, cute animals, a variety of imaginative locales, and lots of excitement. WINNER: Frozen 3 / Encanto 1
Round 4: Emotional Impact
Top 10 Most Emotional Disney Callbacks
Disney movies typically pack an emotional wallop, and neither of these films are an exception. Both films are about familial relationships, with “Frozen” specifically exploring the sisterly bond. “Frozen” contains its fair share of emotional content, including the demise of Anna and Elsa’s parents, the betrayal of Hans, and especially the brief death of Anna. Its ending is a beautiful testament to sisterhood, with Anna sacrificing herself for Elsa and Elsa realizing the deep love that her sister has for her. The “act of true love” was not a kiss from a prince, but the sacrifice of a sister. No other Disney movie had tackled this theme to such a depth, and it proved a refreshing bit of storytelling. Anyone who isn’t blubbering throughout the last twenty minutes of “Encanto” cannot call themselves human. Many have praised the movie for its representation and the themes that it captures regarding family issues. “Encanto” contains a lot of heavy material, not to mention tear-inducing moments. The waterworks start with Mirabel finding Bruno’s dinner plate behind the wall and they never let up after that. Abuela’s tragic backstory leaves everyone sobbing, as does Mirabel’s doorknob and the re-building of the Casita. By the time the credits roll, everyone is desperately reaching for the tissues. “Frozen” is definitely a touching movie with its fair share of emotional heft, but it has nothing on “Encanto.” The latter’s difficult themes are universal, and it packs some of the saddest Disney material in years. WINNER: Frozen 3 / Encanto 2
Round 5: Soundtrack
There’s no denying the cultural blockbuster that was the “Frozen” soundtrack. It topped the Billboard album chart for thirteen weeks and has been certified triple platinum. Its biggest contribution to the Disney canon is undeniably “Let It Go,” which became a phenomenon and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. It’s easily the biggest and most defining Disney song of the 2010s. It was also the first Disney song in almost 2 decades to reach the Billboard Hot 100’s top 10. The only downside is that “Let It Go” vastly overshadowed the flick’s other tunes, no matter how catchy they may have been. “Encanto” does not have this problem. All of its original tracks entered the Hot 100, with “Surface Pressure” and “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” being particularly successful. Both have breached the top ten, making “Encanto” the first animated Disney movie in history to produce two top ten singles on that chart. And by hitting #1, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” has become Disney’s first chart topper in nearly 30 years; the last was “A Whole New World” back in 1993. Unlike “Frozen,” the success of these two songs hasn’t overshadowed the others. “The Family Madrigal” has also enjoyed some chart success, and “Dos Oruguitas” has received Oscar recognition. “Frozen” was the cultural force of its time, but it has since been dethroned. The success of “Encanto’s” soundtrack is unlike anything Disney has experienced, and it has solidified Lin-Manuel Miranda as one of the chief songwriters of our time. WINNER: Frozen 3 / Encanto 3 It’s impossible to pick one movie over the other. Both are equally great in terms of storytelling, characters, and themes, and both were the defining cultural phenomena of their time. “Frozen” is an undeniable classic, and “Encanto” is the hot new thing taking the world by storm. It’s a certifiable passing of the baton, and it’ll be exciting to see how both develop their legacies.
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