Back again, as enchanting as ever
Ah, the hiatus. A magical period in which some things take precedence over others. Liz and Valerie have had many things on their respective plates, and will continue to figuratively overeat for what seems like the rest of their lives. Even so, updates will be made; they may simply be more sporadic than one might like.
Today, Liz and Valerie want to talk about the new(ish) movie Enchanted, which they had the pleasure of seeing this weekend. Amy Adams plays the main character, Giselle, your typical fairy tale heroine on the cusp of marrying Prince Charming, aka Prince Edward, aka James Marsden. Unfortunately, Giselle is shoved into a magic fountain and ends up in New York City, wearing a voluminous wedding dress that makes navigating the busy sidewalks something of a challenge. She meets up with Patrick Dempsey, whose daughter convinces him to take in the overwhelmed princess-to-be, and hijinks ensue.
When Liz and Valerie first heard of this movie, they were not impressed. It sounded, well, extremely stupid. The whole "cartoon in the real world" thing has been done before, and never in a terribly satisfying way. Well, your humble narrators are pleased to report that Enchanted is actually very funny. As in Liz and Valerie were laughing a bit too loudly at certain parts, probably eliciting strange looks from other audience members. Luckily, most other people were laughing, too, so it probably wasn't too noticeable.
There is nothing cinematically innovative to report, but that's fine, because this isn't a movie looking to break new ground or win an Oscar for camera work. This movie is at its best when it pokes fun at all the clichés in the Disney arsenal, from absurdly short courtships ("What's a date?") to improbable musical numbers ("Oh, you know this song, too? I don't know this song...") to talking animal companions. And yet, at the same time, it manages to be everything people like about a Disney movie without feeling forced or contrived.
Some critics have found the performances of the cartoon characters (i.e. Giselle and Prince Edward) to be a bit over the top, but Liz and Valerie think they are perfect for what the film is trying to accomplish. There is one scene in particular that underscores Giselle's character arc, but in the interest of avoiding spoilers it will not be discussed. The only spoiling thing that can be said is that the grand finale, the climax, the coup d'etat, is rather anticlimactic given all that preceded it. It's almost like the writers realized the movie was going to be too long and chopped off its ankles.
Liz and Valerie heartily recommend this movie, to adults and children and even to jaded tweens and teenagers, provided they can loosen their grips on the angst that plagues their daily existences. It may be funniest to adults, who will better understand all the references and jabs than their younger counterparts. But like Giselle, the movie manages to maintain its innocence even as the threads of experience can be seen weaving their way into the fabric of the film.
Today, Liz and Valerie want to talk about the new(ish) movie Enchanted, which they had the pleasure of seeing this weekend. Amy Adams plays the main character, Giselle, your typical fairy tale heroine on the cusp of marrying Prince Charming, aka Prince Edward, aka James Marsden. Unfortunately, Giselle is shoved into a magic fountain and ends up in New York City, wearing a voluminous wedding dress that makes navigating the busy sidewalks something of a challenge. She meets up with Patrick Dempsey, whose daughter convinces him to take in the overwhelmed princess-to-be, and hijinks ensue.
When Liz and Valerie first heard of this movie, they were not impressed. It sounded, well, extremely stupid. The whole "cartoon in the real world" thing has been done before, and never in a terribly satisfying way. Well, your humble narrators are pleased to report that Enchanted is actually very funny. As in Liz and Valerie were laughing a bit too loudly at certain parts, probably eliciting strange looks from other audience members. Luckily, most other people were laughing, too, so it probably wasn't too noticeable.
There is nothing cinematically innovative to report, but that's fine, because this isn't a movie looking to break new ground or win an Oscar for camera work. This movie is at its best when it pokes fun at all the clichés in the Disney arsenal, from absurdly short courtships ("What's a date?") to improbable musical numbers ("Oh, you know this song, too? I don't know this song...") to talking animal companions. And yet, at the same time, it manages to be everything people like about a Disney movie without feeling forced or contrived.
Some critics have found the performances of the cartoon characters (i.e. Giselle and Prince Edward) to be a bit over the top, but Liz and Valerie think they are perfect for what the film is trying to accomplish. There is one scene in particular that underscores Giselle's character arc, but in the interest of avoiding spoilers it will not be discussed. The only spoiling thing that can be said is that the grand finale, the climax, the coup d'etat, is rather anticlimactic given all that preceded it. It's almost like the writers realized the movie was going to be too long and chopped off its ankles.
Liz and Valerie heartily recommend this movie, to adults and children and even to jaded tweens and teenagers, provided they can loosen their grips on the angst that plagues their daily existences. It may be funniest to adults, who will better understand all the references and jabs than their younger counterparts. But like Giselle, the movie manages to maintain its innocence even as the threads of experience can be seen weaving their way into the fabric of the film.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home