Sticking with Disney, let's talk about that one animation and live action hybrid film they did. No not
Who Framed Roger Rabbit and not the Chip N Dale Rescue Rangers film either. No I am talking about that film starring Amy Adams and James Marsden which while looking and feeling a bit like the Walt Disney Animation Studio films before going all CGI, its not part of the canon. Probably just as well because much of this film is live action with the animation parts being quite short, but still kind of counts as a hybrid film in a way. It got a sequel too which is interesting. I guess the best way to describe these two films (or the first anyway) is that its trying to poke fun at Disney with the usual tropes a fairy tale film they do, usually goes. They should really do more of these kinds of films, but for now let's look at these two films, the first of which almost certainly put both Adams and Marsden on the map more if they haven't been on the map already:
Enchanted
Our first film begins in the very much animated fairy tale kingdom of Andalasia. There the evil and ruthless Queen Narissa (played and voiced by Susan Sarandon and is a parody of Maleficent and the Evil Queen) is desperate to protect her claim to the throne which she knows, she will lose once her stepson Prince Edward (played and voiced by James Marsden) gets married to his true love. She sets him up with hunting trolls to keep him far away from the throne, while a young woman called Giselle (played and voiced by Amy Adams and is a parody of the Disney Princesses that come from fairy tales like Cinderella and Snow White) dreams of finding her happily ever after with a prince. It isn't long before the two meet and in a desperate attempt to keep them from marrying, Narissa sends Giselle to the live action world of 2007 New York. Navigating this new world, other animated characters arrive in this world too, and it isn't long before Narissa's plans may still be in jeopardy. I think overall, this film sets out what it was always intended to do; to be a parody of fairytales and Disney films based on fairytales. It quotes all the tropes, has all the makings of one and even though much of this film is cringy, it works in the way it was intended to work and that's really what anyone would be asking when going to see a film that makes fun of its distributing company while at the same time, also trying to do its own thing. 8/10
Disenchanted
Following the previous film, Giselle and her new family move away from the busy world of New York and find themselves in a little suburban town. With life being quite tough for them to begin with there, they soon settle down. But then, Giselle gets a wand which quickly turns the town into a fantasy world where everyone, including Giselle, become fairytale characters. Desperate to try to get things back to how it was, Giselle sets about doing just that before she too becomes a fairytale character. I will admit, I don't really remember that much from this sequel and from what I do remember, it's not as charming as the first. If anything, it feels more like Disney trying to cash in on the first one's success by making a sequel that falls into that area of Disney films that only exist because they felt more things released is better than putting quality in their work. But all that aside, its not a bad film by any means. Just could've been worked on a little better. I mean with the original cast returning and the likes of Maya Rudolph joining the cast, its quite surprising that it ended up being at best, ok. Not much more to say there. 6/10
And there you have it. Two decent films that may not win everyone over, but are still worth a watch if you just want something that pokes fun at a genre of films and a company known for making films of that particular genre and usually doing a fine job of it. Plus its a parody done right because it's focused on only two things which are both interconnected. That's how a parody should go and not be so many things thrown in all at once. 7/10
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