Okay, Mom-friends…here goes.  Truth is…I haven’t seen the movie Frozen and I don’t plan to see it anytime in the near future.  So, when you talk about how adorable it is and how it’s a must see, when you tell me that you rushed to buy the DVD the day it came out and your family knows the movie line by line, and when you share that it’s your go-to drive time music (even if the kids aren’t in the car with you)–I will smile, but I just CANNOT relate.  Sorry 😦

I’m not anti-Disney, too busy, or boycotting any number of supposed agendas, etc…it honestly just doesn’t look that interesting to me.  I know–GASP!  My children (a boy and a girl) have both seen the movie, we own the CD (a birthday present to my daughter from a friend), and I think I’m pretty familiar with the basic story line.  My kiddos (and their friends) sing the songs around the house and in the van (they do seem to be very catchy tunes.)  Once I even played the music during a snowman themed church event to the delight of dozens of girls AND boys–it’s obviously a big crowd pleaser!  I have read countless articles and blog posts about the wonderful and not so wonderful (depends upon the viewpoint of writer) themes in the film.  Plus, I’ve heard numerous raving reviews from young and old alike about the movie.  Still…nothing.  My husband even wants to see Frozen to find out what all the hubbub is about.  To which I have to say, “Watch it with the kids.”  It’s just not my cup of tea.

I should admit that I’m not a huge fan of children’s movies or animated flicks of any kind.  But as a Mom, I’ve had to watch several more than my fair share (we’ve all been there!)  Many times, to my surprise, I find that I actually end up enjoying the movie.  There are even a few…like The Incredibles and Megamind…that I would watch repeatedly.  Most recently we’ve seen The Muppet Movie and Sherman and Mr. Peabody.  Both two thumbs up!  So, I really can’t explain my reluctance to sit down and watch Frozen.  No biggie, right?  Move on.  But just when I thought that most of the hype surrounding this movie had sort of died down (like maybe I was in the clear of being “outed” as the only Mom on the planet who had not seen it), a funny thing happened to me at Wal-Mart….

While in the party section, a desperate woman wandered into the aisle, frantically looking from side to side and up and down.  She left her children near the end cap display (two in the cart and an older child to monitor the group.)  I couldn’t help but feel like I was in the way somehow–clearly she was on a mission.  It was about this time that one of her kiddos said, “Mom!  That looks like Frozen blue!” and pointed to some “icy, blue-toned” colored plates and napkins.  The woman quickly snatched them up.  She moved closer to me and said, “Where can someone find snowflakes in the middle of summer?”  Not sure if she was speaking to me or just to herself (or both)…we started to make small talk.  She was trying to put together a Frozen themed birthday party and wasn’t having much luck.  Apparently this shopping adventure was taking a little more time than she had planned and while Frozen toys were readily available, she was scrambling to find the right table accessories and decorating supplies.  All I could offer were a few measly sympathetic head nods along with a suggestion that maybe she could arrange rhinestone stickers in the shape of a snowflake if she couldn’t find what she was looking for…and then…the record scratch.  You know that moment where time stands still…it usually happens when you can’t believe what someone has just said or done…immediately followed by everyone staring at you.  No, the record scratch moment wasn’t in response to my rhinestone snowflake suggestion (?) –it was a reaction to what I said after that, “I’m sorry if I’m not much help.  I haven’t seen the movie.”

The look of disbelief on her face took me by surprise…suddenly I was stammering to say that I’d heard nothing but good things about the movie and that my kids really liked it…especially my daughter!  In a last-ditch effort I threw out there that she should try a larger Wal-Mart or maybe Party City…I wished her luck and couldn’t get out of the aisle fast enough!  I scrambled past her cartload of kids–who were also wearing shocked expressions and staring at me.  Yikes…what just happened?  Heart beating frantically, I realized that I felt guilty for not having seen the movie! Obviously, this was a big Mom fail on my part to say the least.

As I share this, it all seems pretty silly.  Angst over a movie, I mean.  But I guess that I while I don’t really plan to see it, I do understand the huge impact that it’s had on this generation and their parents and families.  I can see it now…Frozen will be its own category on Jeopardy someday.  It will probably show up as movie trivia during the previews at the theatres for years to come.  Down the road we’ll have a whole army of baby girls named for the movie characters.  Suddenly, Annas and Elsas (and maybe even Olafs for the boys) will fill up classroom name lists and sports team rosters!  We’re not just talking about national impact, either.  Frozen is a major hit and a force to be reckoned with worldwide.  I hear that there are plans for a Broadway musical and maybe even a sequel.  The merchandise is everywhere and there’s probably much more on the way.  And I will have missed out on all of this!

Oh well.  Let it Go….