Ella Enchanted (film)
From AwardAnnals
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| Director(s) | Tommy O'Haver |
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| Distributor | Miramax |
| Anne Hathaway, the delightful star of The Princess Diaries, is Ella in the charming fairy tale adventure Ella Enchanted. On the day of her birth, Ella is given a gift by her Fairy Godmother—the gift of obedience, which is also a curse. Under no circumstances can Ella refuse anything she is asked to do, no matter how wicked it may be. Tired of being taken advantage of, Ella, with a talking book as her companion, leaves home to find her Fairy Godmother and return her unwanted gift. This simple errand soon turns into an amazing journey filled with… | |
Anne Hathaway, the delightful star of The Princess Diaries, is Ella in the charming fairy tale adventure Ella Enchanted. On the day of her birth, Ella is given a gift by her Fairy Godmother—the gift of obedience, which is also a curse. Under no circumstances can Ella refuse anything she is asked to do, no matter how wicked it may be. Tired of being taken advantage of, Ella, with a talking book as her companion, leaves home to find her Fairy Godmother and return her unwanted gift. This simple errand soon turns into an amazing journey filled with ogres, giants, wicked stepsisters, elves, and the plotting of Prince Charmont’s evil uncle who wants to take over the Crown and rule the kingdom. Bursting with colorful characters, music, wit, and whimsy, Ella Enchanted is a truly enchanting and heartwarming tale that will captivate the entire family.
Reviews
Amazon.com
Fairy tales and contemporary satire collide in Ella Enchanted, based upon the enormously popular young adult novel by Gail Carson Levine. Ella (Anne Hathaway, The Princess Diaries) received an unfortunate fairy gift in her cradle: No matter what anyone tells her to do, she’s compelled to obey. Despite this, Ella grows up to be a headstrong young woman who refuses to swoon at the sight of a charming young prince (Hugh Dancy). To get her gift removed, Ella braves a forest packed with ogres, elves, and giants to find her fairy godmother (Vivica A. Fox, Kill Bill, Vol. 1). Much like Shrek, Ella Enchanted is sprinkled with comic modern references; for some, this will make the whimsy too cute, while others will appreciate the snarky jabs. Also featuring Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride), Minnie Driver, Joanna Lumley, Eric Idle, and many others. —Bret Fetzer
Barnes and Noble
Viewers will be forgiven if they get a sense of déjà Shrek with this otherwise enchanting comedy based on Gail Carson Levine’s popular young-adult novel. Aggressively hip, this fairy-tale romance is set to contemporary music with anachronistic dialogue and featuring Anne Hathaway (The Princess Diaries) as Ella from Frell. At birth, Ella is given the gift/curse of obedience by a self-absorbed Fairy Godmother (Vivica A. Fox)—which compels her to literally obey every command like Hymie the robot from Get Smart (she obliges when a mean classmate says, “Bite me”). Ella possesses a good heart and a strong mind, which she will need when she finds herself at the mercy of her wicked stepsisters and embroiled in royal intrigue against medieval teen dream and true love, Prince Charmont (Hugh Dancy). Ella could have benefited with a little help from her costars, including underused Minnie Driver as a bumbling household fairy and Carey Elwes (The Princess Bride) as the good prince’s evil uncle. But former Python Eric Idle is always welcome as the film’s narrator and muse, and the assorted ogres, giants, elves, talking books, and scheming hench-snakes help the film to cast a whimsical spell. Be sure to check out the deleted scenes included on the DVD, where a satisfying extended ending gives some of the nastier characters their just deserts. Donald Liebenson
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Related works
Ella Enchanted: Original Soundtrack
“Ella Enchanted” showcases a hot lineup that includes the film’s star, Anne Hathaway, who makes her singing debut by appearing on teen heartthrob Jesse McCartney’s rendition of the Elton John/Kiki Dee hit “Don’t Go Breakin’ My Heart.” Hathaway also performs bouncy covers of the 1976 Leo Sayer smash “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing” and the 1977 Queen hit “Somebody To Love.” All three tracks were recorded specifically for the film.Additional highlights on “Ella Enchanted” include new tracks by singer-songwriter Darren Hayes, formerly of Savage Garden, (“Strange…
At her birth, Ella of Frell was the unfortunate recipient of a foolish fairy’s gift—the “gift’ of obedience. Ella must obey any order given to her, whether it’s hopping on one foot for a day and a half, or chopping off her own head! But strong-willed Ella does not tamely accept her fate. Against a bold backdrop of princes, ogres, giants, wicked stepsisters, and fairy godmothers, Ella goes on a quest to break the curse—once and for all.
In this incredible debut novel comes the richly entertaining story of Ella of Frell, who at birth was given the gift of…
