Sing out for Tangled, its adorable. As for composer Menken, the man is a rare earth commodity, needs a Nobel made for him

Rating: 9/10 (19 December 2011)

Princess Rapunzel (Mandi Moore) has been locked up in a tower since she was a baby. That's because Mother Gothel (Donna Murphy) stole her away from her royal parents shortly after her birth. Why did she do so? Because a magic flower that restores youth was given to the pregnant queen, since she was gravely ill, and Rapunzel's hair now has that magic, with the help of a special song. The young lady's only companions are her "adopted" mother and a darling little chameleon, Pascal. However, through the tower's windows, Rapunzel has seen that lanterns are launched on and only on her birthday. A coincidence, maybe? Perhaps. In any case, the Princess wants to go outside the Tower for her 18th birthday present. But, Mother Gothel won't hear of it. She sings a song about the perils of the world, from poison ivy to quicksand, and tells her daughter NEVER to ask such a thing again. Disappointed, Rapunzel tries not to cry. The next day, when MG leaves to gather dinner fixings, Rapunzel is surprised to find a young man, Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi) has scaled the Tower's wall to evade the Palace Guards. Flynn, you see, has stolen a crown, and is in trouble. Never having seen a man before, Rapunzel manages to knock him out with a pan and lock him in the closet. Thinking quickly, when Mother returns, the Princess sends MG away on a hunt for white dye, a three day journey. Its Rapunzel's plan to ask Flynn to show her the lanterns and, indeed, the world. It begins well. Mother leaves, Flynn helps the Princess down and the vacation starts. But, all too soon, MG returns, surmises what has happened, and is hot on her daughter's trail. Of course, she is not alone, as more men are chasing Flynn, too. Time after time, the duo is in peril. Will they escape and will Rapunzel learn who she truly is? This outstanding film is so adorable that every viewer will, in turn, sing out its glories to the next potential fan. Moore, Levi, and Murphy are terrific in their important roles and they can warble like the most melodic of birds. The supporting cast is fine, too, as is the animation, script and direction. As for the music, it is so exquisite that a special Nobel prize should be created for Menken, the composer. He is one rare earth commodity and he is ours, an American. (The lyrics are also quite nice). In short, untangle your feet from the couch cushions and go get Tangled at once. What a treasure it is!