The Next Right Thing with Covid-19
It’s been a confusing time, as of late. We’re facing an unprecedented moment in history and though I’m certainly no authority, I feel like I am somewhat of an expert on the matter at hand. There’s no sense in burying the lead any longer. I’m speaking, of course, about Disney Plus releasing Frozen II for streaming TODAY, a mere two and a half weeks after it came out on Bluray.
The whole world has been waiting for this moment since Frozen II was released on Bluray on February 25. The entire world, people! Far be it for me to overstate the importance of this phenomenon. I won’t mince words, I think we can all agree that we are facing a pandemic here.
Having previously reviewed Frozen II here on this bloggy, today I would like to dig in just a little deeper. Because I’ve got a fever and the only cure is more Frozen II.
The Next Right Thing
As good as Kristen Bell is as the voice of Anna, there is no denying she plays second fiddle to Idina Menzel’s iconic Elsa. That said, please consider Bell’s rendition of The Next Right Thing. This is a song that, when I was first introduced to it in theaters, I sort of let it pass me by without paying too much attention. The emotional background of the weighted story overshadows both the tune and lyrics. Plus, it comes as the final song in the movie (pre-credits). After Elsa’s showstopping, Show Yourself, any subsequent number would have difficulty making a mark. Oh my God, when that key change hits near the end… I lose it. Every time. I’ve never been able to withstand a strong, emotional key change.
The Next Best Thing, by all accounts, should be a good song. It hits at the movie’s lowest point near the three-quarter mark. Anna’s bummed in the doldrums and when we first see her scrunched against a rock wall. The image below does nothing for what is in contention for my favorite shot of the film. When you watch it and you see her there, it’s clear that you’re looking at a piece of art that should be hanging in the Natural Museum of Disney.
It’ll be all right, Anna. Just do the next right thing.
I’ve been thinking about this song way too much since Skye and I saw it in theaters back in December. Every time I hear The Next Right Thing, whether it be watching the bluray or listening to the soundtrack, or (as of today) streaming on Disney Plus, I struggle to get into it. By the time I think, “Hey, this tune is really working on all the right cylinders to get me to notice it,” the crescendo’s reached and we move on. So just what the doof is going on here?
I have a theory. And it’s a good one. The Next Right Thing IS a good song, despite paling in comparison to Elsa’s wowie zowies. Unfortunately, it also suffers from being misplaced in the film. A song of this magnitude and emotional wreckage should come much earlier. This should not be the one we are left with. There should be at least two other upbeat numbers to follow. As the movie is structured, it won’t allow for such joys. Thus, Anna is left holding the unfair disadvantage of bringing the conclusion into play. And for what it’s worth, she does this with aplomb inside a quite disjointed, self-convincer of a mostly melody-less melody. She does the job. She gets where she needs to go. She pulls herself up and, well, let’s just say her song works wonders for her.
Still, after all these viewings/listenings, I don’t have the faintest handle on the lyrics of Anna’s song. I know she sings about stepping at one point because when she does, her feet move and Skye sings along, “Step again!” in her perfect pitch. I also know that Bell does some wild, descending chromatic voice work somewhere near the end — gimme gimme those freaky pitch changes, yo! But when you add it all up, I dunno. It’s about overcoming your sadness or a mountain or something, I guess.
We literally just watched this part again. I tried (I really tried) to get a better grasp on it. But I think I was thinking about what I would write in this paragraph and I lost sight of the music yet again. Maybe I’m a lost cause when it comes to this song. Maybe I should just stick to Anna’s other one because, eh some things never change. Like the feeling I feel for the next right thing.
Frozen II is streaming right now on Disney Plus! Go watch it! Disney released this digital bonus gift three months ahead of schedule because, you know… Covid-19.
Stay safe, friends.
