Enchanting Disney fantasy rom com that's good but not great

Rating: Null/10 (14 December 2007)

Just seen this today at 3pm, and I left with smile on my face and a light, bouncy feeling after seeing it.
It starts with traditional 2D animation with our heroine - a new Disney princess Giselle who falls in love(as they do) with Prince Edward. Things are going well, until, on her wedding day, she's pushed down a wishing well by Edward's evil mother, Queen Narissa.
So she appears, in our world, as a real-life version, completely clueless to reality when she comes from a place where everything's happy and in song. Luckily for her, she is offered a place to stay reluctantly by divorce lawyer Robert.
The few songs sang by Giselle in this: a main, big Bollywood-looking scene, with a memorable stuck-in-your-head classic Disney songs, like That's How You Know, that could've easily have come from The Little Mermaid soundtrack, and Happy Working Song is obviously inspired by Whistle While You Work from Snow White.
I have to say, Amy Adams(Giselle) does the princess personality so well, it's excellent and very believable. I didn't even know she could sing! James Mardsen, as her Prince Edward is also quite good and funny as the empty-headed and handsome man searching New York for her, and Patrick Dempsey plays the cynical lawyer alright too. I especially liked how Susan Sarandon relishes the role of the villain Queen Narissa, but she was badly underused and most her plans were non-threatening and uninspiring.
Special effects wise, it very good. I really liked the scene where she's changing to 3D form in-between Andalasia and our world - it's impressive, with all the stars and stuff. During the Happy Little Working song number, the animals look quite realistic, and a CGI Pip the chipmunk looks good as well. The effects in the climax could've been better though, as it did look cartoonish(maybe that's the point?), and no where near as scary as it could've been I though. The makeup too(particularly for Queen Narissa nearer the ending when she tempts Giselle) was jaw dropping - seriously, this should win awards just for that alone. I loved the various costumes Giselle wore in New York.
There are references to other Disney princess films(Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella etc) and a climax that fans of those Disney films will be familiar with. Sure, I thought they could've been a lot more peril during the showdown between good and evil, though as that was a bit disappointing.
It's all together a good family film with some few funny moments and a homage and part spoof to Disney if somewhat cheesy in places and lacks the wit that would've made it better. Mum was afraid I'd taken her to see 'rubbish', when I assured her I hadn't, then she leans over after the first 20 mins in to say "I was wrong - this is good ... very good, actually" so she loved it more than I did. Good, but not great to me.