Enchanted is just that

Rating: 10/10 (24 November 2007)

My favorite Disney fairy-tale-type movie since Hunchback, best non-Pirates Disney movie since Monsters Inc and funniest Disney movie since Bringing Down the House.
This movie was just so great. Seeing a musical again was fantastic and it felt like a true Disney movie. Of course, Alan Menken's score was as good as ever and the songs really are memorable. The animation was very good and the story itself was great. I love how not once in the movie did I get the feeling of Shrek-like mockery. Obviously there was plenty of parts poking fun of past Disney titles, but unlike Shrek, this movie embraced the Disney past. Not once did any of the people go out of character or break the 4th wall. And with the exception of that unnecessary phone joke at the end, all the jokes were very funny.
Overall, the major two things I can say about this movie is that A) Alan Menken proved he still has it and B) Disney has set the bar high for both Rapunzel and The Frog Princess.
SPOILERS BELOW
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First off, the opening was brilliant. Having them zoom into the castle and have the traditional story-book opening (this time enhanced by pop-ups) was great. And having Julie Andrews narrate was the cherry on top. The entire beginning animation felt like it was right out of Snow White (or any of the other early Disney movies). The entire beginning was enchanting.
Unlike other movies, this one did not drop during the middle act. Seeing Giselle react with Robert and "reality" was fantastic. My favorite part was the show stopping musical number in the park. Amy Adams' recreation of the famous Beauty and the Beast/Gone with the Wind run up the hill scene was done perfectly. And at no time did I feel sponsorship in the movie. Obviously it was filmed (at least partially) in New York, so the billboards were there. But I was very surprised (and happy) that they didn't overlay other billboards with their own (ie, not putting a Mary Poppins sign instead of the Mamma Mia sign). Also, at no point did it seem as if the movie would date itself (except of course for that unneeded cell phone joke at the end).
And of course, the final act was as epic and as Disney as any past Disney animated movie. Once again Amy Adams was great as the heroine and Susan was great as the evil dragon. I think my second favorite scene in the show was the Ball (especially once the stepmother arrived). Susan Sarandon played a perfect mixture of The Evil Queen, Yzma and Maleficent. And the final montage I thought was a very nice way to end the film.
Amy Adams fit the Disney princess Giselle perfectly. I honestly don't think they could have gotten someone better than her. And it wasn't even that she was a plastic doll of glee. She really felt real and had moments where you can really sympathize for her. Patrick Dempsey fit the prince charming role great, James Marsden provided great comic relief as Edward and of course Susan Sarandon was a fantastic Disney villain.