Enchanted

Since I am always looking for movie or book recommendations...I've decided to share some of what I've been watching or reading with you...in hopes that you will return the favor! hint, hint, hint!

That being said, I feel I have to begin by explaining that I must not have grown up past the age of 14. Whew...that feels good to get that out there! :)

Now let me explain, I am realizing that the movies/books/even some TV shows that I enjoy (when I have the time to read or watch), are often in the teeny-bopper genre. Hmmm....maybe I shouldn't be admitting this! :) But for this movie recommendation...that fact needs to be understood. Maybe it's the fact that these books or movies are often 'safe'...not filled with anything too serious or depressing or smutty or dirty or crass or anything of that nature. :) I understand that I will get mercilessly made fun of for this fact - but there you have it...I prefer the simple and pleasant!

Anyway, we rented the movie "Enchanted" this weekend (and yes, I was very much looking forward to watching it!!!) I'm trying to think of the best way to describe it...maybe...delightfully cheesy would best sum it up. It was cute and funny and slightly over-the-top at times, but I have to admit that I really liked it.

It's a cute story that starts out as a cartoon with the classic Disney storyline - a princess in search of her prince, the prince who rides in gallantly to save her from a perilous situation, helpful forest animals and a wicked stepmother/witch who tries to keep them apart by pushing the princess right out of her cartoon world and into real-life Manhattan. (okay, so the Manhattan part isn't so classic Disney...but made for an interesting story-line!) Giselle, our sweet princess is stranded and finds her way, (while finding herself and true love) in spite of being utterly naive to the ways of real life.

For some of the particulars...the story-line seemed kinda choppy in parts, like you were just supposed to know certain facts already, but the acting (in my opinion) was entertaining and the story-line was interesting. Again, this is a random Disney film and not some epic movie...so I'm pretty sure that no one will be receiving Oscar nominations for their roles or anything! My favorite by far though, was Amy Adams who plays the extremely innocent and always cheerful princess. She does such a great job! Patrick Dempsey is just a great actor, and the match-up seemed to fit very well. James Marsden plays the arrogant prince and pulls off the cockiness with a likable charm. My only problem (and this is completely a weird little nuisance to me) was that certain voices in animated movies don't seem to match a certain character. Susan Sarandon plays the witch in this movie and does well...but later she turns herself into a dragon and the voice just doesn't work for me. Random opinion I know...and just to ruin another movie for you...I was also bugged the entire time watching the new 'Charlotte's Web'...Julia Roberts voice as a spider??? That one just doesn't sit right with me either! Okay, enough of this random side-note and back to my review! :)

Garrett watched this with us...and though there were some scary parts, which we skipped through a bit, and a few parts that I was glad went over his head a bit...he really enjoyed it. We've been having a great time re-hashing some of the funny (okay, totally cheesy) parts. And just a warning...the songs are especially catchy and will get stuck in your head for quite some time!

So have fun watching...if you so choose. And feel free to leave any recommendations for anything you've watched or read too...and no, they don't all have to be at a third-grade reading level or have a teen sensation in the cast! I do read and watch real books and movies...just not this weekend!