Arts & Culture
“Enchanted” casts a spell over all ages
Arts and Review Reporter
In Disney’s “Enchanted,” recently released on DVD, we see the return of a few things that several recent Disney movies lack: great acting, a non-clichéd yet fantastical storyline and a return to classic, hand-drawn animation.
In “Enchanted” we follow the tale of Giselle (Amy Adams of “June Bug”), a princess from the magical (and animated) land of Andalasia. After finding her Prince Charming (or so she thinks) in Andalasian royalty Prince Edward (James Marsden of “X-men”), Giselle is set to get married. That is, until Edward’s evil stepmother, Narissa (Susan Sarandon) transports Giselle out of Andalasia and into modern day New York City, where she is no longer animated. Giselle meets divorce lawyer and single dad Robert (Patrick Dempsey of “Grey’s Anatomy”), who helps her find her place in the big city until Prince Edward can rescue her.
The transition from animation to live action (the majority of the film) is perhaps the most interesting aspect of the film. Instead of living in a magical forest with white knights, giants and talking animals, Giselle is now surrounded by cold and bustling New Yorkers, skyscrapers and cockroaches. She no longer inhabits a world where love conquers all and every girl gets a happy ending. Instead, she finds herself in a world where there are more failed relationships than lasting ones and instead of a happy ending, women get a house in the Hamptons in their divorce settlement. Giselle’s world and everything she knows is (at times) literally upside down.
What’s so refreshing about “Enchanted” is how tongue-in-cheek it is about itself, acknowledging and even breaking the stereotypes set by past Disney classics. I also was pleased by the return of hand-drawn animation that is used in the movie. If those scenes had been done in CGI, such as more recent Disney films like “Cars” or “The Incredibles,” the film wouldn’t have the same, classic fairy tale feel that it does.
“Enchanted” is simply a must-see. If it doesn’t make you feel like a kid again, it will at least leave you entertained by its memorable scenes or catchy musical numbers (three of which were nominated for Academy Awards). It may even leave you believing that happy endings really can happen in a world like ours.