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The Frog and The Princess Bayou Godmother - Mama Odie
From the new Disney movie about the frog and the princess, there's a new fairy godmother in town - Mama Odie. She's not your typical fairy godmother. Mama Odie is the cheerful side of the scary underworld dwelling Dr. Facilier. She's eccentric, witty and sassy 197-year-old magic Queen of the Bayou. Mama Odie guides the frog and the princess Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen in their quest to reverse Dr. Facilier’s spell. According to the story, in an old shrimp boat, oddly lodged upside down in a giant tree, Mama Odie and seeing-eye snake Juju lives in “the deepest, darkest part of the bayou.” Mama Odie (Jenifer Lewis) who could possibly help them. For those in need of help, Mama Odie will dispense spells, heyacalls and gris gris.
In the movie, Princess Tiana, Prince Naveen, Ray and Louis head out like in the Wizard of Oz following the yellow brick road, but in this case following the swarm of yellow fireflies through the swamps of the bayou to locate Mama Odie. seemingly at the time Mama Odie's powers seem limited. But, as we know this is a Disney movie, so they happy ending comes. Mama Odie pronounces Prince Naveen and Princess Tiana frog and wife. As the two kiss, magical dust whirls around turning them human again. By marrying Prince Naveen, the Tiana becomes a princess and by kissing a princess, the spell is broken. "Not bad for a 197 year old blind lady (one of the famous Mama Odie lines in the movie)." Audiences are sure to fall in love the frog and the princess, it's Bayou Fairy godmother Mama Odie, and her seeing eye snake JuJu.
The Frog and The Princess Villianous Voodoo Guru - Dr.Facilier
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The sinister, shady nemesis Dr. Facilier is a devious, dark villaness who has harnessed supernatural powers through voodoo. He's a scoundrel and equally a smooth operator who works his magical spells and uses his connection to underworld friends to get what he wants. I'm sure everyone will become transfixed by his lanky and scary being every time he's on the screen. His way of menacing, mysterious and dangerous charm shows in his shadowy figure. He's a threat who causes no shortage of mayhem and foolishness. He holds the power of dark spirits through an amulet that he wears around his neck. With this amulet, he can grant wishes, especially if those wishes are selfish in nature.
Dr. Facilier shows that he is complete menace and will prove to the audience what a menace he can be when conspiring against the frog and the princess - Prince Naveen and Princess Tiana. The haunting song "Friends on the Other Side" sang by Facilier,demonsrates his shadyness as lurker in the streets of New Orleans and lures unsuspecting tourists into his voodoo trap by offering to tell them their fortune. He controls demons and its truly will be one of the most memomorable characters in the movie.
Princess and the Frog takes a new and refreshing look throughout this movie. Featuring phenomenal cast, the movie, released on Novemeber 25th in New York and Los Angeles, Princess and the Frog is set to release in the US December 11, 2009. The cast includes Anika Noni Rose (as Princess Tiana), Oprah Winfrey and Terrence Howard (as Tiana’s parent Eudora and James); Bruno Campos (the self-assured Prince Naveen), Keith David (the villainous voodoo king Dr. Facilier); Jim Cummings (Ray, the firefly with the “Big Back Po-tch”); Jenifer Lewis (Mama Odie, Queen of the Bayou), Michael-Leon Wooley (Louis, the jazz playing Alligator), Peter Bartlett (Prince Naveen’s spiteful assistant); and Jennifer Cody (Charlotte LaBouff, Big Daddy’s daughter and a lifelong friend to Tiana).
*Please Note: Some of the scenes featuring Dr. Facilier in the frog and the princess maybe a bit scary for some children. After all, he is a Nah-lins witch-doctor. If you've ever been to New Orleans and heard or seen some of the "out of the box" folks you know just what I mean (I had family there, now in different parts of Louisiana due to Hurrican Katrina. I loved visiting New Orleans, but still would come across a few characters while there). While visiting one year, a young lady was offended by someone who cut her off and started chanting in the middle of the sidewalk talking about "Baby She, I put da roots on ya, yah-know. Ya dunt know who ye fool wit nah," and some other stuff. I kindly prayed to my God, Lord Jesus Christ and hurried on my way. So in other words, it can be haunting. Just keep this in mind if you're taking very young ones like toddlers who your kids who easily scare. You may want to take them to the matinee shows (while it's still light outside) to keep the scare factor minimized. If not, don't be surprised if they ask to come and sleep in the bed with you that night or the next few nights. Otherwise, this wonderful tale of the frog and the princess is sure to be a real treat...pinkie swear!