Fondly pokes fun of All Things Princess while being All Things Princess.
Alan Menken, who's given us the music to such Disney classics as "The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast," "Aladdin," "Pocahontas," "The Huncback of Notre Dame," and "Hercules," incorporates some of those songs in the soundtrack and adds a few new ones with Stephen Schwartz that were inspired by the old standards of another era. As much as the dead-on allusions and the familiar formula, the music makes this feel every bit the Disney princess film. It even begins with a storybook opening, pages turning, and a voiceover narration by none other than Julie Andrews. And it ends (big surprise) with a dragon and a wedding. In between, it's just a fun clash of sunny optimism and stubborn old realism.
Video:
"Enchanted" is presented in two different aspect ratios, as I said, with the cartoon portion a letterboxed 1.85:1 widescreen that clips 3-4 inches off of each side. The live-action portion is presented in 2.35:1. The animated section has kind of an orange-yellow tint to it, which I'm assuming is intended to further distinguish it from the live-action part. Both sections look very good in 1080p, with the Times Square sequence so startling by comparison that it reminds you of Dorothy's first look at Oz. There's plenty of detail, and when the special effects kick into high gear you really notice how crisp the picture looks. Black levels are strong enough to pull detail out of the shadows and night scenes, and the edges are sharp enough in the live-action scenes to create a nice sense of 3-dimensionality.
Audio:
The featured audio is an English Dolby TrueHD, with additional options in English, French, and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1. The TrueHD is more dynamic, as you might expect, which you notice the minute Disney's Blu-ray intro shoots fireworks here and there. The rear speakers are used to support ambient sound and not just FX, though the spread across the front speakers could have been a little broader. All in all, though, the audio is excellent.
Extras:
I have to say right off the bat that the entire family loved the D-Files trivia search, which is a combination of trivia game and behind-the-scenes bonus features that are accessed and played during the film. It was an extremely fun way to rewatch the film. Unlike simple trivia contests or pop-up bonus features, the princess allusions are so integral to the film that this treasure hunt seems as rewarding as the film itself. But be warned that if you don't answer the question correctly, you don't get to see the bonus feature! Guess correctly, and you do. Score extra high marks and you get access to three extended special features: "So Close," "Making Ever Ever After," and "True Love's Kiss." Anyway, nice job, Disney, on this Blu-ray exclusive. This feature is narrated by William Huntley, who plays Grumpy in the film and who stops the film . . . well, because he can.
There are three behind-the-scenes featurettes on "Happy Working Song," "That's How You Know," and "A Blast at the Ball" that zero in on how the scenes were created. Six deleted scenes (roughly 7 minutes, only) are made more substantial by some heartfelt and helpful introductions by Lima, who actually tells you things that seem important. A two-minute blooper reel has some moments that will have you laughing out loud as well. For music lovers there's a Carrie Underwood music video that has her dressed like Giselle and going through the same animated-to-live-action transformation. And for kids, there's "Pip's Predicament," a pop-up storybook that's basically a prequel to the film (and stretches the imagination a bit).
Bottom Line:
"Enchanted" is a clever, funny, and ultimately heartwarming tale that fondly pokes fun of All Things Princess while being All Things Princess. Little girls will love it, but there's enough parodic poking and prodding to make the boys in the family go for it as well. And the parents? They'll be so busy recognizing allusions to all the Disney films from their childhood that they won't even notice if the kids are fighting.
Video:
"Enchanted" is presented in two different aspect ratios, as I said, with the cartoon portion a letterboxed 1.85:1 widescreen that clips 3-4 inches off of each side. The live-action portion is presented in 2.35:1. The animated section has kind of an orange-yellow tint to it, which I'm assuming is intended to further distinguish it from the live-action part. Both sections look very good in 1080p, with the Times Square sequence so startling by comparison that it reminds you of Dorothy's first look at Oz. There's plenty of detail, and when the special effects kick into high gear you really notice how crisp the picture looks. Black levels are strong enough to pull detail out of the shadows and night scenes, and the edges are sharp enough in the live-action scenes to create a nice sense of 3-dimensionality.
Audio:
The featured audio is an English Dolby TrueHD, with additional options in English, French, and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1. The TrueHD is more dynamic, as you might expect, which you notice the minute Disney's Blu-ray intro shoots fireworks here and there. The rear speakers are used to support ambient sound and not just FX, though the spread across the front speakers could have been a little broader. All in all, though, the audio is excellent.
Extras:
I have to say right off the bat that the entire family loved the D-Files trivia search, which is a combination of trivia game and behind-the-scenes bonus features that are accessed and played during the film. It was an extremely fun way to rewatch the film. Unlike simple trivia contests or pop-up bonus features, the princess allusions are so integral to the film that this treasure hunt seems as rewarding as the film itself. But be warned that if you don't answer the question correctly, you don't get to see the bonus feature! Guess correctly, and you do. Score extra high marks and you get access to three extended special features: "So Close," "Making Ever Ever After," and "True Love's Kiss." Anyway, nice job, Disney, on this Blu-ray exclusive. This feature is narrated by William Huntley, who plays Grumpy in the film and who stops the film . . . well, because he can.
There are three behind-the-scenes featurettes on "Happy Working Song," "That's How You Know," and "A Blast at the Ball" that zero in on how the scenes were created. Six deleted scenes (roughly 7 minutes, only) are made more substantial by some heartfelt and helpful introductions by Lima, who actually tells you things that seem important. A two-minute blooper reel has some moments that will have you laughing out loud as well. For music lovers there's a Carrie Underwood music video that has her dressed like Giselle and going through the same animated-to-live-action transformation. And for kids, there's "Pip's Predicament," a pop-up storybook that's basically a prequel to the film (and stretches the imagination a bit).
Bottom Line:
"Enchanted" is a clever, funny, and ultimately heartwarming tale that fondly pokes fun of All Things Princess while being All Things Princess. Little girls will love it, but there's enough parodic poking and prodding to make the boys in the family go for it as well. And the parents? They'll be so busy recognizing allusions to all the Disney films from their childhood that they won't even notice if the kids are fighting.
Average user rating (1-5):
[release]22984[/release]