Review of Enchanted

Let me first preface that I have a predisposition for enjoying Disney animated films. I'm not sure if its the child in me, or the fairy-tale stories, or what; but for whatever reason, I have a rather large soft spot for them. Enchanted is no different and has not swayed me from my position a bit. It left me wanting so much more. At first I was concerned with how the transition from animation to live action would really look like on screen, but my fears soon faded away the first time I saw Amy Adams pop out of a sewer in a giant wedding dress. How marvelous and enchanting she truly is, I thought; and how animated! How absolutely animated she is! It's really as if the cartoon has come to life--as if the New York City backdrop is just that, a fabricated, foreign backdrop. And then she started talking... And her voice, her facial expressions, everything: completely animated. After the film, David and Yen told me I absolutely had to see Junebug, and I certainly will after this performance. She shined the entire time on screen and she sold me. I actually believed she was really from some fairy-tale, animated world where dreams come true and everyone lives happily ever after. I loved her so much, I'm not even going to mention the other performances other than to say they were adequate and took nothing away from the film. I'll also note that the Central Park musical number is to die for.

I will, however, take a brief look at the story as well. I know what you're thinking: some cheese ball romantic-comedy mush that's over-the-top and kid stuff, right? Well, think again. This story is all grown up, philosophically and realistically. I really liked the existential observations the characters made, being in this odd conundrum. Both they and we learn something about love and fairy-tales; about reality and fantasy; but above all, we learn that it's ultimately a compromise between the two that finds us all true genuine happiness, forever... and ever.