Enchanted (Blu-ray) (2007)

"...[a] witty, exuberant musical comedy whose parody and nostalgia serve a sweet and affecting romance.  Andrea Gronvall, Chicago Reader
"...that rare comedy that will appeal to the whole family.  Ann Hornaday, The Washington Post
"...charmingly reworks all the old favorites while incorporating fresh twists of its own.  Lawrence Toppman, Charlotte Observer
"...[a] buoyant, all-ages entertainment that Hollywood has been laboring to revive...but hasn't managed to get right until now...  Scott Foundas, L.A. Weekly
"A full-blown musical that commutes between Disney's patented cartoon universe and the "real" world with cleverness and grace...  Todd McCarthy, Variety

Editor's Note With a fine cast and fun in-jokes, Disney's ENCHANTED is sure to cast a spell over both children and adults. It begins with a 2-D animation sequence reminiscent of the company's beloved past. Surrounded by dozens of cute animals, Giselle (voiced and later played by Amy Adams) sings about her desire to find her one true love. Meanwhile, a handsome prince (James Marsden) overhears her, and they meet and fall in love. In many Disney movies, this is where the story ends, but ENCHANTED is just starting out on its journey. The prince's wicked stepmother (Susan Sarandon) can't stand to lose her throne, so she pushes Giselle down a well, and the beauty ends up in the real world. Gone is the animated fantasy, and a live-action Giselle lands in the middle of Times Square in New York City. Her optimism and perkiness put her at odds with the New Yorkers she encounters, but she gets help from a cynical divorce lawyer (Patrick Dempsey) as she waits for her prince to rescue her. Fans of Disney classics from SLEEPING BEAUTY to BEAUTY AND THE BEAST will be glad to see their favorite films referenced in ENCHANTED. Jodi Benson (the voice of Ariel in THE LITTLE MERMAID) makes a brief appearance, and the evil queen threatens to kill Giselle with a poisoned apple à la SNOW WHITE. Though it reminds the audience of past favorites, ENCHANTED boasts its own script that is at once intelligent and heartwarming. But the true highlight of the film is the acting by the fairy tale couple. Marsden (HAIRSPRAY) couldn't be funnier as the charming prince, while Adams (an Oscar nominee for 2005's JUNEBUG) gives dimension to the heroine. As a result, ENCHANTED is a film that deserves to sit on a shelf with Disney's classics.

	Amy Adams
	Idina Menzel
	James Marsden
	Patrick Dempsey
	Rachel Covey
	Susan Sarandon
	Timothy Spall
	Alan Menken - Original Music By
	Barry Sonnenfeld - Producer
	Bill Kelly - Writer
	Christopher Chase - Executive Producer
	Don Burgess - Cinematographer
	Gregory Perler - Editor
	John Kasarda - Art Director
	Julie Andrews - Narrated By
	Kevin Lima - Director
	Stephen A. Rotter - Editor
	Stephen Schwartz - Original Music By
	Stuart Wurtzel - Production Designer

Total Film
3 stars out of 5 -- "[Adams] prances, dances, witters and warbles with enough energy to outlast a whole warren's worth of Duracell bunnies....[She's] every iota the Disney princess made flesh..." 01/01/2008 p.52

Entertainment Weekly
"[ENCHANTED has] an unironic affection for classic Disney fairy tales of old, salted with modern smarts....Festooned with extravagant set pieces..." -- Grade: B 11/30/2007 p.115

New York Times
"[A]n unexpectedly delightful revisionist fairy tale....Ms. Adams proves to be an irresistibly watchable screen presence and a felicitous physical comedian..." 11/21/2007

USA Today
3 stars out of 4 -- "ENCHANTED is the very definition of charming. The film anchored by an entrancing performance by Amy Adams and a strong ensemble cast, is cleverly written. The situations are funny, and the story feels effortlessly entertaining." 11/21/2007

Rolling Stone
3 stars out of 4 -- "Adams is the wish your heart makes when you want a storybook princess for the ages. She's wicked good." 11/29/2007 p.91

Empire
3 stars out of 5 -- "It's a cute idea....Amid the fish-out-of-water gags and big musical numbers, there are nods to Disney movies past....Amy Adams is just wonderful." 01/01/2008 p.61

Sight and Sound
"[A]n affectionate postmodern satire....It displays a sophisticated yet breathless enthusiasm for the old-school fairytale certainties..." 01/01/2008 p.69

Los Angeles Times
"ENCHANTED is as good as its name. An adroit combination of wised-up and happily-ever-after..." 11/21/2007

Ultimate DVD
3 stars out of 5 -- "Absolutely charming from start to finish....You simply can't help falling under its spell." 05/01/2008 p.69

ReelViews 8 of 10
With Enchanted, Disney is opening a new front in the ongoing animation war. Call it "live action animation." While this is certainly not the first motion picture to blend drawn creations with real life actors, no movie to date has approached it quite this way...Enchanted's most obvious asset is Amy Adams, who is probably best known for her scene-stealing work in Junebug. Here, she outshines everyone around her, including the intentionally low-key Patrick Dempsey. Dempsey, whose career was resurrected by the television show Grey's Anatomy, has begun to do movies again and he exhibits a more mature version of the charm that made him a hit with teenage audiences during the 1980s. Meanwhile, Susan Sarandon gets to wear an outrageous costume and spout over-the-top dialogue - something she hasn't gotten a chance to do since The Witches of Eastwick...Enchanted earns its label as a "family film" by virtue of its ability to captivate audience members both young and old. The storyline, tone, and approach are strictly animated but the filmmakers' decision to present most of the action using real people makes Enchanted feel more unique than might otherwise be the case. Enchanted may not be great cinema, but it's worthy of its title. - James Berardinelli

Chicago Sun-Times 8 of 10
It's no surprise to me that Amy Adams is enchanting. She won my heart in "Junebug" (2005), where she told her clueless husband: "God loves you just the way you are, but he loves you too much to let you stay that way"...You should have seen "Junebug" by now, which means you will not be surprised by how fresh and winning Amy Adams is in "Enchanted," where her role absolutely depends on effortless lovability...She's so lovable, in fact, she starts life as an animated princess in a Disney-style world. The birds, flowers, chipmunks and cockroaches even love her and do her bidding. Listen, if you could employ the roaches of the world, you'd have a hell of a work force...The princess is named Giselle, she has a beautiful singing voice, and although she resists singing "Someday My Prince Will Come," I think she's always humming it to herself...The movie has a sound background in Disney animation, starting with director Kevin Lima ("Tarzan," "The Goofy Movie") and the music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, who composed songs for the soundtracks of Disney's "Pocahontas" and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." More important, it has a Disney willingness to allow fantasy into life, so New York seems to acquire a new playbook. - Roger Ebert