I haven't seen a Disney movie in the theatres since I was my daughter's age. I've never really felt a burning need to do so. But I love Zachary Levi, and I thought, 'well, my daughter's got the attention span and loves princesses of
any kind, let's give it a try.' (For a few weeks shy of three, I think she did really well, too. She's still recanting the story of "Parunzzel" and wants to know why we can't watch it on TV.)
I think the movie is brilliant. Although I loved The Princess and the Frog, I thought it was a little dark with all the Voodoo and creepy shadows. While Tangled has it's scary moments, they aren't spooky. Its witty and charming and I'm not just sayin' that because Zachary Levi is in it! The scene at the 'Snuggly Duckling' pub was a hoot. And it's not just the dialogue, but the animation as well, because Maximus, the horse of the Captain of the Guard, and Pascal, Rapunzel's pet chameleon, have so much personality that they become main characters too. I even thought there was a nice little twist to the ending that I didn't see coming.
I love that this is another installment of a Disney movie where the princess can fend for herself. (You can count those on one hand.) She may have a lot to learn about the world after being locked away in a tower, but she's not going to accept anything at face value. It's also one of the few Disney animated movies where there isn't a dead parent. (Think about it, there aren't many. The only other one I can think of is Mulan
... EDITED TO ADD: Sleeping Beauty -thanks, Amy!)
The music is also fabulous. It's not Newman's incredible jazz score from
The Princess and the Frog, but it's Menken at his best. Mandy Moore is not a bit pretentious or over done, something I respect about her. She's perfect (as my daughter would say). And Donna Murphy, who plays Mother Gothel, knocked it out of the park. I actually mistook her for Vanessa Williams while watching. Zachary Levi even gets a few bit parts to sing, and it's a shame they didn't give him more, because he really can sing.
Every once in a while a song really resonates with me, such as 'Home' from the Broadway production of Beauty and the Beast. Such is the case with 'I See the Light'. It's beautifully animated to be sure, but the lyrics are haunting and the song brings tears to my eyes.
It was smart and funny and everything you could want out of a Disney movie. Like my kidlet, I can't wait to see it again.
At the start of the month I read a blog post by Julie over at A Tale Of Many Reviews about a self-published author with who's books she had fallen in love. I had a similar experience, and her article started me thinking about how self-published authors don't get nearly the recognition they deserve. Yes, there are some truly awful self-published books out there, but there are also some terrific ones that deserve acknowledgement.
For example, I highly recommend Wendy Raven McNair's YA superhero teen love story trilogy, Asleep. The writing is a rich and compelling with a strong central female character. I reviewed the first two books on Girls Just Reading this year (Asleep Review, Awake Review) and am anxiously awaiting the third and final installment, Ascend. 
