Tangled

Directors: Nathan Greno, Byron Howard
Writer: Dan Fogelman
Starring: Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi
Release Date: November 24, 2010
Length: 1 hour 40 minutes

Off a hot success from last holiday’s The Princess And The Frog, Disney gives us a new cartoon musical, Tangled, which tells the fairytale of the sheltered Rapunzel. Tangled’s animation is a mix of computer graphics and hand drawings which lets the audience enjoy the wonderful story in 3D while still keeping that old Disney musical feel. Mandy Moore voices Rapunzel, a princess who was kidnapped by an evil old witch at birth for her magical golden hair that keeps this old hag young. She is brought up by this wretched woman whom Rapunzel calls Mother in a tall tower of which Rapunzel has never left and is never allowed to ever. The witch discovers that if Rapunzel’s hair is cut, it turns brown and loses it’s powers so Rapunzel’s hair grows longer and longer and is never cut. The King and Queen who lost their beloved daughter, send up floating lanterns from the castle every year on her birthday. Rapunzel, watching from her tower window, has always wondered what they are and felt on some level, they were connected to her. She dreams of seeing these lanterns up close but she knows her “mother” would never allow it. The male lead of the story, the charming Flynn Rider is an escaped convict who has run away from the law and has found Rapunzel’s tower. He finds safety inside the tower just before a confused and petrified Rapunzel knocks him out. She finds a beautiful crown in his satchel that he has stolen and makes a deal with him that if he takes her to see the floating lanterns, she will give the crown back to him. The two go off on a wild adventure into the outside world Rapunzel has never experienced before. Children who are taken to see movies today are so unbelievably lucky and blessed. Perfect family films come out rarely, not every weekend like regular films and kids aren’t taken to see movies every weekend either. About 6 or 7 great animated films come out per year and that is just the perfect number of times a child goes to the movie theatre in a year. They are almost guaranteed to love every movie experience they have without taking into account that kids can enjoy everything much easier than adults can. Tangled is the cherry on top of a fantastic year in family films. Disney films – especially musicals – have never gone wrong before and they impossibly outdo themselves with each new film they produce. Tangled has all the traits of a perfect Disney musical. There’s a touching story of a girl with a dream, all-aged humor added subtly into many scenes, a cute and innocent romance played out beautifully, and last but not least, beautiful catchy songs kids will belt out while exiting the theatre. Singer/Actress Mandy Moore lends her beautiful voice and bubbly persona to Rapunzel and creates a wonderful chemistry with Zachary Levi from the TV show Chuck, who adds his charisma to the attractive character of Flynn Rider. Both cast members vocally carried the film so well and excellently brought a charming story to life. It is an automatic shoe in that kids will love this movie but adults will also walk away loving everything about Tangled as it is one of the most enjoyable films of 2010 and is definitely the family film of the holiday season. There is absolutely nothing that won’t fill your heart with delight during this movie. Don’t think twice about taking your kids to or seeing for yourself the wonderful Tangled.