Tangled

Great little movie, has all the expected parts of a Disney story. Girl with evil stepmom, orphaned guy, funny characters, singing, humour that would go right over kids heads so it is also fun for grown ups to watch. Our very sensitive child was okay watching it, even the dangerous scene where the big rock pillar almost falls on the as the escape ( à la Indiana Jones) was not too dramatic. I like how it pprtrays the wicked witch/ mother Gothel as a person that is essentially emotionally abusive. She keeps saying mean things and then goes, oh I am just joking. I hope this will stick in young girls minds and they will recognize this as bad behavior later on and not put up with it!

I grew up in the 90s, with The Lion King and Toy Story representing the pinnacle of Disney animation--the pinnacle of animation period, from any studio. With the pool crowding, however, Disney has had trouble since I've been a kid. Shrek took over; Kung-Fu Panda; Ice Age. Sure, Disney has been a major presence throughout, but it's had to put up with some stiff competition the past 10-15 years. For the record: I'm aware that there's always been competition. My point is, that for someone such as myself, Disney has always come first; no-one else could top them, even if movies from other companies make good money and get good reviews too. With these others I've listed, that has changed a little bit as I've aged. Plus I've paid less attention to so-called "kids movies", so the significance of Disney, to me personally, has waned. With Tangled, however, Disney seems to have finally found its footing in this modern era. Wall-E and other recent Disney flicks have proven themselves capable of holding their own, but the difference with Tangled--and what makes it so significant to me--is the general storyline of a princess rather than a robot or a pack of anthropomorphic automobiles. Lion King had this to an extent (although it was a Prince/King); Toy Story didn't have this, although the story illustrated the fact that CG animation could elicit genuine emotion. Tangled, although perhaps not as memorable as either of these favorites of mine (time, as they say, will only tell) but it marks a major return to form for the king of animation. Unlike other "kids" movies, Tangled--which is full of humor, drama, and character growth--does not incorporate inappropriate humor to attract adult audiences. Rather, Tangled's humor, despite the fact that the movie is aimed at a younger audience, is genuine enough that it doesn't _have_ to have kid-proof adult-humor (ie: kids see and hear it, but probably don't understand the double entendre) to attract adult audiences. That's what I love about this movie--it's funny without resorting to low-brow inappropriate humor. No, I'm not some angry parent who hates Shrek for its gross-out raunchiness (I in fact enjoy Shrek quite a bit); I just appreciate good, classic funny and Tangled has a plenty of it. Rather than take the easy way out, the writers and animators have done a wonderful job of making the comedy work. The dialogue is fine, but what really stands out is the character "acting". The horse, Maximus, is especially well "acted". His facial expressions and body language (that of another animal altogether, which is for some reason very hilarious) fit perfectly with every situation in which he finds himself. Pascal, Rapunzel's pet chameleon, also expresses himself very efficiently without having a line of dialogue in the film. As surprisingly good as Mandy Moore's voice acting is, the animated acting of Rapunzel herself is amazing. With just a look, a turn of the head, the way she walks, you know exactly what she's thinking. It's truly wonderful. Besides, the gags are all really funny too, without being raunchy. For instance, in one scene Maximus is hidden behind a peculiarly shaped and mossed-up rock, with a tree-branch conspicuously bent down--all of this with the effect of looking like a horse. All the sudden, Maximus jumps out from this situation. It may not sound funny on the page--and as I look at what I just wrote, I'm a bit unconvinced myself--but to actually see it is something else entirely. I was laughing when I saw it in the theater, along with my 35 year old aunt, 13 year old sister, and my 8 and 4 year old cousins. Pardon my random musings on this movie. I realize that it's not an in depth review, but as usual with any reviews I decide to make, I'm writing this for people like me, people who remember the Disney of _their_ childhood (not necessarily the "classic" Disney; Snow White, Pinocchio, etc); for the people who don't think Disney matters any more. It's like we've all grown up now, and no one bothers to watch a movie if it's not violent or R-rated. It's not gritty, it's not a representation of the real-world. It's a fantasy, a fairy tale, and so on. But so what? Who says that movies have to be that way to be deemed worthy of viewing? Tangled may be a "kids movie", but I like it quite a bit. I give it 5 stars not because I think it's a game-changing movie, not because I think it's perfect, or anything like that. Rather, it's a great "kids movies" that anyone and everyone can watch without feeling out of place. It's entertaining throughout, and that's what I look for in any movie. ** UPDATE FOR 3D VERSION ** [I apparently can't change this review to be specifically for the 3D version, so I'm just tacking this on here.] When I first bought my 3D TV, this (and Tron Legacy) were the first 3D Blu-Rays that I bought. Since then I've collected probably about half of the major movies that have been released in 3D, and of all of them (including Avatar) TANGLED 3D is my favorite in terms of stereoscopic 3D. The picture looks absolutely amazing and has impressed everyone I've shown it to. The 3D definitely adds to the experience, and the world really pops on screen (and "behind" screen). So if you're looking for just one 3D Blu-Ray to buy, this should be the one to add to your collection.

Love this movie! Came in great condition and gets watched on the regular! One of our favorite Disney movies!!

For Disney's 50th animated movie, they have returned to their roots, sort of. They had added a new princess to the long line of fairy tale heroines in their stable, dating back to Snow White in their first movie. However, instead of traditional hand drawn animation, they've chosen to make Rapunzel their first computer animated princess. While this doesn't bode well for those who want to see both forms flourishing side by side, Tangled itself is wonderful. When the queen was pregnant with Rapunzel, she became sick to the point of death. The only way to cure her was to find a magical plant. The plant was the secret of Mother Gothel (voice of Donna Murphy), who used it to keep herself eternally young. Mother Gothel soon discovered that Rapunzel's hair had that magical property, but if her hair was cut, it lost it. So she kidnapped Rapunzel and hid her in a giant tower. Over the years, her hair grew long and continued to restore Gothel's youth. Fast forward eighteen years, and it's almost Rapunzel's birthday. More than anything, Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) wants to see the floating lights that always appear on her birthday in person, but Mother Gothel is so controlling she won't let it happen. That's when fate enters the story in the form of Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi). He's the most wanted man in the kingdom, and he's trying to hide out in Rapunzel's tower. Only she blackmails him into taking her to see the lights. Where will this relationship lead? I must admit, I don't know much of the story of Rapunzel beyond the basics (young woman with long hair in a tower). A few times the thought crossed my mind wondering if something was in the original story or not. But as is usually the case with Disney, they take the basics and make it their own. While I'm sure most of the elements of the story are new, they feel like they've always been part of the story. The prologue, which sets everything up, is a bit on the slow side. But once the story really gets going, it's a complete blast. The plot was fairly obvious from the beginning, especially since it is a fairy tale. However, the story kept moving forward quickly, which kept me engaged. Plus, the Disney spins to the story made things much more interesting. And the humor was great. Pascal, Rapunzel's pet chameleon, and Maximus, the blood hound horse trying to track down Flynn, absolutely steal the show. Any scene they are an active part of is a complete hoot. The humans get some great laughs as well. I saw this with one of my roommates, and we were both laughing multiple times. The only complaint I've heard of the movie was the music. Yes, this is a musical in the grand tradition of Beauty and the Beast or Aladdin. The complaint I had heard was that the songs felt forced. I will admit that they didn't advance the story as much as they do in the movies I previously mentioned. However, I did feel like they were more a part of things than the songs in last year's Princess and the Frog. A couple of them are hauntingly beautiful (as you'd expect with Mandy Moore and Donna Murphy singing them), and there's one that is an absolute hoot. Zachary Levi does the singing for his character, and he holds his own with this cast. There's been some controversy with this film because they changed the name from Rapunzel to Tangled in an effort to attract boys. Trust me, this is a movie that boys will enjoy. It's got great action and the previously mentioned humor. In fact, I think the entire family will enjoy this one together. Yes, it does have romance to it, but this feel much like Aladdin to me, a movie that will appeal to everyone. The computer animation in this film is beautiful. They strove hard to create the look and feel of hand drawn animation with the computer, and the result is art like we've rarely scene in computer animation. Yes, it is still stylized, but it's a huge step forward. What I think surprised me the most about the film was how much I came to care about the characters. Flynn and Rapunzel are so nice, even though Flynn starts off as a thief. I really enjoyed spending time with them. On the flip side, I found Mother Gothel to be one of the most menacing villains in a long time solely because of her mind games on poor Rapunzel. I don't think she's scary enough to frighten young kids, but she is pure evil. If you are looking for a fun movie for the entire family, this is the film to see.

Love this movie!

Great family movie, clean and fun.

Since John Lasseter took over Walt Disney Animation Studios, a trend of quality has been noted in the features released since his commanding. Disney Animation Studios has a rich history and was one of the best (if not the best studio) in the animtion field. But since the 2000s, the studio became less and less succesful with awful movies that not only did not resonate with audiences but also were box office bombs. Since Lasseter took over the studio, only four films (Meet the Robinsons, Bolt, The Princess and the Frog and Tangled)had been released but each one of them are compelling and have pushed the studio up again. Following the phenomenal The Princess and the Frog (which also set the return of glourious hand-drawn animation into the studio), Tangled became Disney's 50th Animated film and I'm happy to report that is a sensational film that proudly fits that milestone. Struggling almost 8 years in production and costing over $260 million, Tangled had a very troubled production. Formerly knwon as Rapunzel, the title was changed in order to appeal to boys and to draw more money from the box office. While the title change is somewhat a debatable decision, it seems it worked because Tangled became a major box office success earning almost $600 million in receipts. Although the title was changed and the trailers showed a "contemporary" story, make no mistake: Tangled is a tradional musical fairy tale and is a really good one. I won't tell the plot here but let me tell you that the movie has a lot going for it: a compelling and likeable heroine, a brave and funny hero, adorable animal sideckicks and a memorable villain. Rapunzel is a very strong, free-spirited young woman who is easy to root for, the same can be said for Flynn Ryder the thief with a heart of gold. Pascal the chameleon and Maximus the horse are really funny and Mother Gothel is a very amusing villain. The animators and the voice actors have to be credited for doing such roundable palpable characters. The animation is simply amazing!!! It's the first time that a CGI Disney film can be up there with the Pixar catalogue. The humans are rendered marvelousy and the sceneries are breathtaking (specially the lantern sequence). But what struck me the most was how amazing Rapunzel's hair is. Is so beautiful and believable that really adds to the picture value. The score and the songs were done by legend composer Alan Menken and his new lyricist Glenn Slater. While the songs are good and serve their purpose in the film, they are far from memorable. They are not the best Menken has done and they are not at the same level as others like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast or Aladdin. Still the ones that I really like were "When will my Life Begin?", its reprise and of course the Oscar nominated "I see the Light" (which should've won the Oscar). Wrapping up, Tangled is an excellent film with outstanding animation, great characters and nice songs. An excellent Disney film. Video & Audio: Unsurprisingly by now, Tangled BD looks absolutely spectacualar. A lot of things can be said about the transfer but let me tell you that this disc is demo quality and will completely blew your mind. The same can be said for the 7.1 DTS-HD MA track which is dynamic, clear and potent. The DVD also boasts a fairly impressive transfer for SD and a good 5.1 Dolby Audio. Bonus Material: You have some deleted scenes, two storybooks openings, a 50th animated countdown (which is great), a making-of featurette, two extended songs and 9 teasers. While all the material is great, the making-of featurette feels really promotional and too short to be entirely valuable. I was hoping for a more compelling documentary that will talk about the music in the film, the anination and the production overall. Overall they are entertaining pieces but Disney could've done a lot more in the special features department. Sneek Peeks: You got some interesting Sneek peeks like: The Lion King: Diamond Edition (Coming this fall!!!) Winnie the Pooh (in theaters July 15, same day as Harry Potter) Cars 2 (in theaters June 24) Dumbo: 70th Anniversary (not release date but is definetely coming this year) The Incredibles on BD (already released) And more that for me are not worth mentioning. Also is worth noting that in an insert that came in the box, The Fox and the Hound: 30th Anniversary Edition and TFATH2 are also listed in a 2-movie collection 3-disc combo pack which will include a BD and a DVD for the original film and one DVD for the cheapquel. This set is going to be released this September. Final Thoughts: Tangled is another example that Disney is recapturing its magic again and delivering good quality animated films. With stunning video and excellent audio and a good (if lacking) assortment of bonus features, Tangled is a must-own title on BD. This set is great for the majority of us who won't buy 3D crap and doesn't care for digital copies. Tangled on BD comes highly recommended!!!

Without female companionship, it's hard to go see Tangled and still maintain an air of manliness and virility. So, abandoning all hope of preserving that façade, I decided to go all the way to the deep end of the lame pool and see it with my parents. And for once, the dearth of self-confidence that inspired me to long ago stop vying for success with the fairer sex paid off, because when the dust settled and the credits rolled, there was only one fact left standing, and it towered above all other thoughts and insecurities: Tangled was AWESOME! What a cast of characters! Zachary Levi, or Chuck from Chuck (for those of you who watch my favorite television show), is perfectly charming as Flynn Rider, the shallow and selfish thief whose good looks are rivaled only by Narcissus. Immediately likeable despite his negative qualities, Flynn Rider's journey toward empathy is one which is quickly obvious, and yet it is so flawlessly executed that I found his transformation transfixing at every turn. As for Rapunzel (Mandy Moore), well, I was pretty much in love with her the moment I saw her. The epitome of innocence, Rapunzel is a drop of sunshine in the darkness. Her unadulterated joy is contagious, infecting even the most jaded and cynical. It was a pleasure to see how people changed when touched by such a fair creature, whether it be a group of thugs singing about their dreams or innumerable citizens breaking out into dance in the streets. Again, Rapunzel's character arc was rather obvious: from an obedient girl afraid of the world to a real person living her life. And again, it didn't matter, because that arc was artfully crafted. Mother Gothel (Donna Murphy) is an understandable villain. I mean, Rapunzel's magic hair gives her eternal youth. If that's not a good reason for keeping your daughter in a tower, I don't know what is. The two characters of a different genus deserve quite a bit of recognition themselves. Pascal the chameleon makes for an excellent sidekick to Rapunzel. He's just about the cutest thing ever (right behind How to Train Your Dragon's Toothless), and his indignant looks are a great counterpoint to Rapunzel's innocent absurdity. Even Maximus, the head guard's horse, is an amazing character with a story of his own. He tracks Flynn Rider with brutal determination, but as per usual, ends up joining the team. Honestly, this movie has the perfect setup. You see, Flynn Rider is a character you can really get behind. Sure, he doesn't care about other people, but his charm makes him unarguably, well, charming. Oh, and Rapunzel is a character you can really get behind. The opposite of Flynn, she is trusting and cares deeply for everyone, and yet she has much to learn about the world. We love both characters from the beginning, and the traits that make each of them so great directly reflect the other's flaws, so when fate brings them together, we get to watch an incredible relationship blossom. Plus, there were a couple of little lines that broke the fourth wall in an amusing way. At one point, Flynn Rider calls Pascal a frog. Rapunzel, offended, points out that it's a chameleon, to which Flynn responds "Nuance." Bringing up the cliché of a princess and a frog is especially amusing, since Disney's last animated film was titled The Princess and the Frog. Also, like I said, Mother Gothel isn't particularly villainous during the film, just a bit attached to the idea of immortality. Now, when she argues with Rapunzel, she always complains that Rapunzel is "making her the bad guy." Well, I really wanted her to be the bad guy so I could cheer when she got her comeuppance, and then finally, much to my delight, she snaps, saying "You want me to be the bad guy? Fine. Now I'm the bad guy." To her, she was harkening back to those old arguments, but to me, she was talking directly to the audience, letting us know that it was ok to root against her. If I had one complaint, and I do, it would be that the songs didn't quite live up to my expectations. They were still excellent, but they were a bit more ponderous than some Disney tunes. With the exception of "I've Got a Dream," they were slow, character-heavy numbers that, while still of a high quality, lacked the pizzazz that got the Aladdin soundtrack stuck so firmly in my head. But the songs certainly didn't detract from the experience. The dialogue was sharp, the animation was beyond beautiful, and the movie was both touching and hilarious. And as an added bonus, there was a lot of great insight into human nature. I cared for those characters, and the film was able to jerk my emotions around however it wanted. My sides hurt from laughing, my eyes ached from tears. Flynn's charm and Rapunzel's joy didn't just affect the other characters; they reached right out of that screen and touched me too, and because of that, I give Tangled: 5/5 Stars The only truly sad thing about this movie was that Rapunzel ended up becoming a brunette. Oh, the humanity! Check out thenickelscreen on wordpress for more reviews!