Jul 31, 2008

"Enchanted"

For those of us who got irritated aplenty by Oscar fillers such as "The Happy Working Song" due to the Writer's Strike and refused to digest anything Disney after that, I actually managed to tread where no man ... or Disney-affronted woman, at least ... could go before.


I actually did watch the movie.

Enchanted brings back many memories of old princesses and their happily-ever-afters. A time when you actually wanted to sing long complicated melodies to express happiness. Those were simpler times.

It is a collision of those days of Disney-galore and modern day Manhattan when the evil stepmother bestows the worst fate on our princess in entire Disney history: she sends them to the real world. Where people have lost their faiths in princesses, castles, prince charmings and especially happily-ever-afters.

Enter divorce attorney McDreamy and his adorable young daughter to be rescued from the disillusioned by the slightly disoriented princess from Andalasia where she was to marry her Prince Charming. One thing leads to another and you find her cutting up tapestry to make dresses. The good news is she's not the least bit psychotic, even though everyone thinks it.

Disney had a golden era. It's plain as day that it isn't coming back the way it was, with third generation graphics, CGI-produced brilliances such as Horton Hears a Who, Shrek and Toy Story. It's a different kind of an illusion now. Not with fairy tales maybe, but with a fairy-tale-ish version of how we can recreate the world we're losing faith in.

So the verdict is, that despite it's cheesy melodies and irritatingly insect-filled "Happy Working Song" it still manages to stick to your hums (Alan Menken's gotta be given that credit - not a lot of people can forget classics like Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Hunchback of Notre Dame etc.) and the sweetness of big-eyed Amy Adams can grow on you if you recall the times you wished you were a princess in a land of far far away.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed your review of 'Enchanted' - I was one of those poor souls who was driven to distraction by "The Happy Working Song" during it's Oscar broadcast.

I prefer the older Disney movie soundtracks (The jazz infused Aristocats and the awesome songs from 'Jungle Book')Those were the glory days.

Majaz said...

Thank you for enjoying the review, Natasha. Somewhere millions of other distracted souls felt the same torture.

I prefer old soundtracks too. Even relatively recent ones were fairly decent. The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and yes, not ashamed to admit it, Mulan and Tarzan!

Unknown said...

you're much more tolerant of big eyed sweetness than i ever could be. two more minutes into the movies and i'd become diabetic.
disney's problem isn't the growing cynicism of the world (hel-lo, we still read chick lit and watch things like ps i love you), but it's ability to completely forget plot, balance, and a certain amount of believability while making a feature length film.Their purpose is to find out what sells, and mass produce it. Pixar is disney's heart and soul. Hannah Montana and the High School Musicals are Disney's brains.Which tends to focus exclusively on dimwitted tween girls. Lucky for these pervs, they're as plentiful as influenze germs.

Majaz said...

I absolutely agree with you. Tween flicks can be the worst role models ever. But can we help it? Remember when we were teens too, Hira. Granted not as stupid as to love Hannah Montana but did we not cry at Kuch Kuch Hota Hai?

Anonymous said...

you lot just did not see the disney magic in this extravaganza!!
granted, the plot was a bit...weak - not the princess being hurled into the real world but her meeting the jaded divorce attorney who ended up believing in true love and marrying her...yawn. however, amy adams was brilliant!!!
take it from a girl who spent a lifetime memorizing every breath of a disney character...that actress had all the princesses moves down to an art!
james mardsen wasnt bad either...and the songs. ok so alan menken has yet to repeat his old glories but 'the happy working song' delivered exactly what it meant to- the return of snow white! only not as irritating.
and 'ive been dreaming of a true love's kiss' was nostalgic... watch the movie again!

Majaz said...

I did enjoy it, Rej. James Marsden was indeed reminiscent of Prince Charming. In a tongue-in-cheek way!