2008 Woodie Awards
'Enchanted' questions classic Disney stereotypes
By: Caitlin Foyt
Issue date: 11/19/07 Section: Lifeline
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The most clever and entertaining Disney movie in years, "Enchanted" puts a new spin on poison apples and glass slippers to appeal to a more modern audience.
The movie is an evenhanded combination of comedy, music, romance, and fantasy while being suitable for both children and adults.
'Enchanted' opens in an animated storybook kingdom called Andalasia where the princess Giselle (Amy Adams, "Talladega Nights") and her forest animal friends are searching for her true love.
It isn't long before she accidentally falls into her dream lover's lap, but the evil step mother, Queen Narissa (Susan Sarandon) has other plans for the couple.
She casts Giselle into a far away land where there is 'no such thing as Happily Ever After'-New York City.
The clueless princess is taken in by Robert Philip, (Patrick Dempsey, TV "Grey's Anatomy") a divorce lawyer and single father all the while she is sought out by her Prince and the evil queen's servant.
The film is more hilarious than it is anything else. Giselle is just like every one of Disney's love sick princess with the beautiful singing voice.
The character seems more ridiculous than ever even when a real life actress is portraying the stereotype. Amy Adams makes the whole movie work by tying together the theme of ultimately mocking the classic animated standard.
Some unquestioned norms of the classic Disney films are finally brought to light such as when Robert asks Giselle why she feels the need to marry her prince after knowing him for just one day or how it is physically impossible for her to be so happy all of the time.
Culture clashes are amusing such as when the evil queen's servant attempts to poison the princess with an apple martini and when the prince suspects the TV to be a magic mirror.
The centerpiece of the entire movie is the singing and dance number (another traditional Disney pastime) "That's How You Know," is an eye-popping performance in Central Park that is similar to something along the lines of "Be Our Guest" from "Beauty and the Beast."
Five out of five stars
The movie is an evenhanded combination of comedy, music, romance, and fantasy while being suitable for both children and adults.
'Enchanted' opens in an animated storybook kingdom called Andalasia where the princess Giselle (Amy Adams, "Talladega Nights") and her forest animal friends are searching for her true love.
It isn't long before she accidentally falls into her dream lover's lap, but the evil step mother, Queen Narissa (Susan Sarandon) has other plans for the couple.
She casts Giselle into a far away land where there is 'no such thing as Happily Ever After'-New York City.
The clueless princess is taken in by Robert Philip, (Patrick Dempsey, TV "Grey's Anatomy") a divorce lawyer and single father all the while she is sought out by her Prince and the evil queen's servant.
The film is more hilarious than it is anything else. Giselle is just like every one of Disney's love sick princess with the beautiful singing voice.
The character seems more ridiculous than ever even when a real life actress is portraying the stereotype. Amy Adams makes the whole movie work by tying together the theme of ultimately mocking the classic animated standard.
Some unquestioned norms of the classic Disney films are finally brought to light such as when Robert asks Giselle why she feels the need to marry her prince after knowing him for just one day or how it is physically impossible for her to be so happy all of the time.
Culture clashes are amusing such as when the evil queen's servant attempts to poison the princess with an apple martini and when the prince suspects the TV to be a magic mirror.
The centerpiece of the entire movie is the singing and dance number (another traditional Disney pastime) "That's How You Know," is an eye-popping performance in Central Park that is similar to something along the lines of "Be Our Guest" from "Beauty and the Beast."
Five out of five stars
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