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The Princess Diaries (Full Screen Edition)Rating:
Release Date: 18 December, 2001 Retail Price: $19.99 Sorry, this product is not currently available. Cast: Complete Cast (12 total) |
The Princess Diaries (Full Screen Edition) Reviews
Anne Hathaway looks as beautiful as other Disney Princesses!
This movie was just as dreamlike and beautiful as Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty. When I saw Mia Thermopolis in the first scene, with curly hair and glasses, I knew they were trying to make her seem like an unattractive, unimpressive girl with no looks. But it really was hard to believe so! Even with those heavy glasses and thick hair she looked pretty! Julie Andrews as Queen Clarisse fitted the role like a key in a lock. Mia's relationship with her mother and her reactions to the biggest and most unexpected information about her own life were totally realistic. Her neighbour, the man who wrote plays all day, was so so funny!! I liked Hector Elizondo in the movie too. Another person whose role completely suited him. And the ending was almost touching. Mia makes her decision, whether or not to accept the throne of Genovia, based on her father's letter to her! Another thing that makes the movie an amazing fairy tale is Mia's wish of popping her leg up while kissing! It reminds me of those Disney cartoons where they talk of the 'kiss of true love' solving all problems forever!
Princess Diaries is for anyone in the family even remotely interested in dreamy fairy tales and queens and beautiful princesses!! Can't wait to watch part 2!
I love ugly duckling into swan movies
Why? Because I identify so much with them! Lets take Mia for example. Like me she has: bad hair, glasses, a bit geeky, and clumsy to boot. The only thing Anne Hathaway wasn't 'blessed' with during this movie was bad skin. Why not?!
I must admit I'm a sucker for a good Cinderella story, after all, what girl wouldn't want a hunk carrying her away from everything? (And doing stuff to her afterwards that Disney can't show?) This isn't that much of a Cinderella story, although it's loosely based around the idea. There is the fairy godmother, but there's no prince charming - the guys were not cute in this movie!
The only thing that stops this movie from becoming four stars, is the fact it's so slow!!! The first hour flies by, the second absolutely drags. It has a few funny moments, particularly when they're at the big fancy dinner, but that's about it.
I loved the fact that this movie was directed by Garry Marshall, the same guy who directed Pretty Woman. Even some of the same actors appear in this. Allan Kent who plays the waiter at state dinner says the words, "Happens all the time." He said the same words as the waiter in Pretty Woman. Patrick Richwood, who played elevator operator Dennis in Pretty Woman also appears as Mia's next door neighbour. Also, you may also spot Hector Elizonda, who was the hotel manager, Barney Thompson.
There's an underlying romance (since Mia wasn't getting any) going on between Hector & the fabulous Julie Andrews, which was hinted at during the movie, but never really brought forward. However, this relationship Queen Clarisse Renaldi and Joseph was not scripted. The dance scene and the underlying affection was added by the two actors. According to Hector Elizondo, "We felt that a romance after 50 was important to tell and it can be sensual and sexy while keeping your clothes on."
The scene where Mia trips and falls in the bleachers was real. Anne Hathaway had tripped while doing the scene, and director Garry Marshall thought it was funny, he inserted it in the final cut. Hector also played basketball several hours solo in the rain for the few seconds shown in the movie.
Two of my boyfriend's favourite women also appear in this, and they are Mandy Moore and Heather Matarazzo. Neither have really big parts, and Heather plays her usual role, of being a really little whine at times, and also a snob. Mandy played a blonde cheerleader, and once more, she sings a song during this. Why?! Why must she always sing in movies, to constantly remind she was a not-so-successful singer before this? Grrrrrr. She was a real cow in this movie, and thankfully, she got her come-uppance, cos I was about ready to strangle her!
The plot is predictable, and the extras are majorly fluffy, but what else do you expect from a Disney movie? Anne Hathaway held her own against the other bigger name stars, and really shone in this movie. And she did the ugly duckling/swan looks really well. It will be interesting to see how the sequel goes, as I don't really think they could have done much more with it than already done.
I don't think as some reviewers have mentioned this is a kiddie version of Pretty Woman. For starters, there's no handsome hunk to sweep the lead off her feet, in fact, the whole guy-lusting-after-girl-but-she-only-notices-the-popular-guy-at-school is really dumbed down, and hardly a major part of the movie. I think I prefer Pretty Woman though - Garry Marshall has never surpassed that movie.
This movie will never be considered a classic, and is pretty much forgettable a while after watching it. It's nothing special, although Anne Hathaway could do with a little nudge in the right direction, and she'll become a star.
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