Encantada

There is little more I could add to the stellar comments and reviews for this film. While it is not perfect (probably some expository songs were cut out to reduce time, particularly in the case of secondary characters), it left me smiling and happy, and I even bought the soundtrack on iTunes. One thing I didn't notice mentioned (probably it was noted elsewhere) was that in the beginning Giselle and Edward defeated an evil troll. Isn't this a reference to the upstart Shrek? I love how, instead of making fun of Disney lore this film gently nudges it and updates it. I hope the very tired Disney fairy tale mocking genre is slain by this film.

I finally saw this film nearly a month after its debut. Because of this, there are oodles of other reviews and many of them encapsulated the plot very well, so I won't even try. Instead, from the standpoint of a middle-aged man, I loved the film. Some of this might also be because I took my teenager with me and since she got such a kick out of the film, I couldn't help but like the film. I thoroughly enjoyed ENCHANTED and am glad I saw it. However, after it was over I thought to myself how would others like the film? After all, I am a real softie and like romantic films--what about teenage boys, guys who only cry at John Wayne flicks or rabid feminists? I seriously doubt these audiences would have appreciated the film nearly as much, say, a group of young girls or people who just love the Disney cartoons it parodies. Still, for the right audience, this is a sweet and magical film that is sure to please.

Combining elements of modern day Manhattan with romanticized fairy tale settings, "Enchanted" tells the story of Giselle (Adams), your typical Disney leading lady living in a cottage, singing with innocent creatures, awaiting the day she would meet her prince charming. He turns out to be Prince Edward (James Marsden), a dashing debonair who happens to be the stepson of the wicked witch Queen Narissa (Susan Sarandon). They meet, fall in love in a whim, and decide to marry the next day.

Problem is, step-mom wouldn't allow anyone to take over her throne so she poses as an old woman and pushes a clueless Giselle into a well that transports to - ahem - our world, where her quixotic perspective sets her apart from everyone else. Her city misadventures eventually lead her to Robert (Patrick Dempsey), a divorce lawyer separated from his wife and trying to raise his daughter Morgan (Rachel Covey) by himself.

While awaiting to be rescued by her Prince Edward, Giselle bonds with father and daughter, with him teaching her a thing or two about dating, and her teaching him on the positive aspects of love.

While obviously an attempt to satirize the genre it carved its name on, this Disney flick helmed by Kevin Lima does it in a way that's not in a mocking manner as Dreamworks animated films usually are. Rather, they are handled with affection that makes the fairy tale angle a rather sweet and funny affair. The interweaving elements of live-action and animation blend alright and don't feel unbalanced.

Of course, you can say that this movie really belongs to Adams, who with her cheerful nature, makes it easy for one to feel for her character by providing depth and giving an additional dimension to Giselle. The supporting cast pale in comparison although they do have their moments, especially Sarandon who easily hams it up during a climactic event.

"Enchanted" doesn't necessarily mark a return of the old fairy tale magic conspicuously absent in recent Disney films; but it has the charms and clever wit - not to mention star Amy Adams bubbly charisma - to win over audiences outside the target demographic.

First off, I want to say that, there is a comment on this thread where someone calls Enchanted disturbing, should be rated R, etc. It is obvious she did not see the film. This reviewer is high, and, this review should be removed.

Enchanted was a surprisingly great, fun modernized Cinderella tale, including 3 show- stopping musical numbers where the test audience applauded after each song.

Amy Adams is perfect, James Marsden, once again, as he was in Hairspray, was very appealing. I felt Patrick Dempsey was good, if not a tad old for the part, and, his fiancé was OK, nothing spectacular. (in fact, I feel this movie would have worked a bit better if Dempsey had a good girl "friend" vs a fiancé).

That being said, I loved the message this movie teaches to children, that is, get to know someone before saying "i do" (as is the message with way too many princess movies, and is the reason why too many suffer youthful failed marriages.

Enchanted was great fun, and very funny! A must see!

In honor of the Thanksgiving holiday, I will post a family film review. Who better to deliver in that genre than Disney with their new animated/live action hybrid Enchanted. This movie is very cute and quite good at being both wholesome for the kiddies and tongue-in-cheek for the adults. You need to appreciate a studio being able to poke fun at itself. By using the classic stories of Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty, all made famous in their own right by the Mouse House, we are given some big laughs. The acting is very self-referential and broad as far as the fairy tale roles that make the journey into our world's New York City go. Screenwriter Bill Kelly gives the cast some great lines and set pieces to play in, ultimately showing us that the storybooks aren't always right. True love does exist, but not necessarily with the one you first think. The message is good, the songs are good, the animation and acting are good—Disney came through with this one. Along with Meet the Robinsons, Mickey and friends may be turning the ship around into a new renaissance.

We are ushered into the story with some 2D animation of Giselle, a pretty girl looking for her Prince Charming. That man is in fact Prince Edward, recently being led by his stepmother's henchman to battle ogres and partake in adventure to keep his mind off a wife. You see if he marries, Queen Narissa loses her crown and he becomes King. She is having none of that and will cross into evil stepmother/queen/hag territory to trick Giselle into falling through a portal to our world. Now a fish-out-of-water, she must find her way back to her love, that eventually comes looking for her along with her best friend Pip the squirrel and the evil witch's lackey Nathaniel. It is on this path that she runs into divorce lawyer Robert Philip and turns both his and her life upside down.

I love how the fantasy world comes into ours so awkwardly. Giselle's ability to call on all the animals of her meadows allows her to do the same in NY, only the creatures she gets are rats, pigeons, cockroaches, and flies—yet they all do the work anyway—it's priceless. Also, when she breaks into song, all the people on the streets join along and have a blast being part of the huge choreographed numbers. Her innocence is very precious and trying new things always gets her new lawyer friend in trouble, yet helps those in her wake. Patrick Dempsey plays that friend to great effect. He sees what she is doing and can't help but fall for her joyful, inability to see cruelty in the world. Playing the straight man to her craziness leads to wonderful moments of laughter as well as those full of poignancy and compassion, giving the kids in the audience something to think about and lessons to learn.

While Dempsey's evolution as a man is something to appreciate, it is the transplants that shine. Amy Adams and James Marsden play Giselle and Prince Edward respectively. They bring the happy-go-lucky mentality of Andalasia to our disenchanted realm. The over-acting is great and the culture shock fantastic. Adams is gorgeous and has the chops to make the aloofness work, but also change later on into a human being that sees what reality brings. When she tells Edward that she was thinking instead of singing, his reaction really hits home on the vast void between storybook fantasy and the real world. As for Marsden, his childish actions are truly funny; a borderline simpleton, he believes in chivalry and when he is told a suspected villain is really a friend, he just flips a switch and is OK with it. His smile is infectious and his vacant expressions indispensable to the film working on the dual levels it does.

Everything works here to bring a wonderful family-friendly story to life. Complete with its pop-up book bookends, Enchanted is truly magical. I don't know how it could ever have worked as a complete animated work, as I have read it originated as, so thankfully they took the plunge to expand it with live action. Crossing between the two worlds is seamless—2D characters turned into humans or 3D computer generated animals. With many instances ripe for a wrong turn, the filmmakers seem to come to all the right decisions. Working in older Disney yarns and playing each story thread to its effective conclusion leaves us with a tale that could become a classic amongst the ones it appropriates. So, if you are looking for a way to spend a couple hours with the whole family, Enchanted is definitely a great way to go.