When it comes to some of the movies that I’ve grown up watching, one I always love to bring up – and so many of my friends often forget – is Enchanted. The wonderful Disney movie, starring the amazing Amy Adams, told the story of an animated princess getting thrown into the live-action real world and finding love along the way. And let me say that I loved this film as a kid – and love it even more now.
While the film felt like both a parody of the typical Disney film as well as a homage to them, it was like the perfect combination of both and something I watched over and over and over again without fail. And now, with the sequel, Disenchanted, coming out fifteen years later, I have to talk about these thoughts that were just abundant in my head that I needed to get out on my umpteenth re-watch of the original film. Let’s get into it.
Amy Adams Really Was Born To Play The Princess Role
Seriously. In all my life, I don’t think I’ve seen any other modern day actress quite fit the princess role than she does. It’s funny, because when I was younger, I had heard back in 2013, when Frozen first came out, about how Kristen Bell wanted be a Disney princess and she got her wish, but I feel like Amy Adams is in that category too, where she was meant to play a princess.
Not only is her voice magical – literally what it’s supposed to be for any Disney princess – but she just has this sweet persona. Granted, that could just be Adams’ natural talent as an actress where I would believe her in any role because she’s that good. I know that she did voice the animated version of Giselle in the movie, but I'd love to see her use her voice for a full-length animated Disney princess film instead of how it switches to live-action in Enchanted. She'd be amazing.
Why Didn’t Idina Menzel Sing Once During This Whole Movie?
This is the biggest sin of this movie. I love Enchanted with all my heart but you’re telling me that Disney got Idina Menzel to be in a live-action movie and they didn’t have her sing?! This is the woman who has been nominated (and won) several Tony Awards and yet, they didn’t give her one song? That is sinister. That is literally worse than putting pineapple on pizza – and I love my pizza!
Granted, Idina Menzel did end up voicing one of the most famous modern Disney characters ever – Elsa from Frozen – and “Let It Go” was stuck in the heads of literally everyone everywhere for years until it was “Into the Unknown,” but could you imagine a powerhouse like Idina Menzel singing with Amy Adams and having a wonderful duet? Need this. I think Menzel might be singing in the sequel judging by the trailer but if she’s not, I'll be very unhappy.
There Should Have Been More Animation
Look, I love CGI animation. We have gotten some true treasures out of it. Moana is one of my favorite Disney CGI films. Coco is one of my favorite movies ever. But man, this movie made me realize that I miss hand-drawn animation so much.
While I do enjoy the latest Disney films, there’s something so wholesome about hand-drawn animation and it takes so much talent. Granted, so does CGI animation, but I think it’s just nostalgia talking because I really do love the older stuff more, and maybe that’s why I waned more animation in the film. I loved Giselle’s world and everything she went through and the singing animals and all of that – give me more hand-drawn animation, I don’t want it to die.
James Marsden Is A National Treasure
It should be illegal to look that good in tights.
Jokes aside, James Marsden is a versatile actor who has done so much in the industry and has become one of my favorites to watch, whether it be in his X-Men films or in some of his newer stuff like the Sonic franchise, but him as a prince just fits.
It’s not even because he’s handsome – because don’t get me wrong, he is – but he just has that face and that persona that screams royalty and almost klutziness because his comedic timing in this film is on point, and makes me realize why he’s such a great actor.
As a kid, I was always so focused on Giselle but to be honest, watching Enchanted as an adult, I found myself laughing the most whenever I saw Marsden. I mean, that one scene of him getting literally run over by bikers in Central Park while singing makes my side hurt every time.
The Music In This Is Great And I Demand More
Why wasn’t there more music in this film?
We already talked about the sin that mentioned the inclusion of Idina Menzel and not having her sing, but let’s talk about the fact that there’s barely any music in this film.
We have three songs that can be considered musical songs in this movie – “True Love’s Kiss,” “Happy Working Song,” and “That’s How You Know.” All three? Bops. Songs I still sing along to. And I will always be upset that Enchanted didn’t include more.
The whole entire point of the film was to really lean into the parody/homage aspect that Enchanted was about the usage of music in princess movies and how it can sometimes happen at the most inconvenient times, and I wish they had stuck with all the music. I wanted more, so much more. Like, the beat in “That’s How You Know” is something I love and scratches my brain to this day.
I’m Jealous Of Giselle’s Sewing Skills
This is something really random but wow am I jealous of Giselle’s sewing skills. This girl could literally be given a burlap sack, The Little Mermaid-style, and somehow still turn this into a beautiful dress. I am like 100% convinced that if she got a job in the real world, it would end up being a designer for the Met Gala.
Can you please design my future wedding dress, Giselle? I pay in really good chocolate chip cookies.
This Movie Really Is The Perfect Modern Day Fairytale
On a real note, something I honestly adore about Enchanted is that while it is almost a self-parody to the life of princesses, it also isn’t afraid to share a real love story, and it’s almost a love letter to what modern day love stories are – how you can find love in the most inconvenient of times and places.
I mean, think about it. Neither Giselle nor Robert were looking for love at the beginning of the film. Giselle was ready to marry Prince Edward, and Robert was already with a girlfriend but these two gravitated towards each other despite being complete opposites and that’s something I really adore. It’s a sweet way of saying that life works in mysterious ways and love can come from anywhere – even from a literal animated world. Gotta love it.
While Disenchanted is almost here, I can’t help but look back on Enchanted with a smile and an open heart, and now, I can’t wait to see what the sequel brings – and hopefully, a song that’s just as fun to dance to as “That’s How You Know.”
