Enchanted

My gut feel here is that poking fun or Disney should be left to non-Disney writers. Let the professionals do what they do best. Not that Bill Kelly isn't a pro, don't misunderstand me. I like his other work (see Blast From The Past).

This is a very form-fitting predictable Disney princess story. The twist is it starts out and finishes up animation. In the middle the characters are live. It's done is classic Disney fashion and flare, but that is not the problem. Actually there isn't so much a problem as there is an annoyance.

The good news is that the animated characters STAY in character through-out the movie. That is also the bad news however, in my opinion.

Patrick Dempsey is the only main character who is not animated. That too is a bit of a worry. His performance is pretty wooden, but perfect for his character. But, a little more emotion would have made the stark contrast between his characters and the others less annoying. Perhaps had I watched this with a child I would have appreciated it more.

Having said that, please let me also say that you SHOULD watch this with any princess in your life, regardless of her age. The little ones will most likely appreciate it most. But older ones may pick up a few new tricks too.

The quality of the animation and live action match was not quite as good as it was in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, but is was still pretty good.

Susan Sarandon showed how perfect she can be as a villain. Her work is perhaps the brightest light in this movie. I totally enjoyed all the fun she with this role.

Julie Andrews was a welcome voice for narrator, but sadly, there was not much to her part.

Timothy Spall (Wormtail for you Harry Potter fans) did a splendid job of playing both sides of the street in this story. The poor guy is type cast so often it fun to see him do something slightly different.

All in all, this is basically another in the long line of Disney princess machines. If that is your thing, then you'll like this. If it's not, you should most likely skip it.

But, if you can, watch this movie with a little princess and watch her imagination go into over-drive.

In The Valley of Elah

The Valley of Elah is where David defeated Goliath. Who is David in this movie and who is Goliath is still a bit unclear to me, but the story is referenced a time or two. I suppose on some level, the character of Tommy Lee Jones is David. Small by comparison. Simple and humble. His Goliath is a little more complex though.

Jones' character likens Goliath to a monster. When he tells the story to a young boy, it is intended to teach the boy how to face his "monsters". It may well be that the monster facing Jones' character is the truth. Or, it could be the Army. Or it could be the war in Iraq. I think he found if difficult to handle the truth.

His sons followed his example and served in the military. His youngest son served in Bosnia and then later in Iraq. Shortly after returning from Iraq, the son disappears. Was he AWOL? Was he killed by drug gangs? Was he lured away by a woman? Few clues are left behind. Seemingly.

Charlize Theron is almost unrecognizably thin in her role here a the only local police detective who helps Jones find his son. Once again she goes to great lengths to physically become her character.

Susan Sarandon plays the mother of the missing soldier. It is a small role, but heart-breaking. She is brilliant.

Many said this movie was anti-war and unpatriotic. Few characters in film history have been more patriotic than Jones' character. I did not find this movie either anti-war or unpatriotic. I did however, find it disturbing, and sad. Regardless of the truthfulness of the events in this movie, few can deny that soldiers today are far different than those of the greatest generation. War is different. The enemies are different. The problems are different.

This movie will most likely not change your opinions about Iraq, or Bush, or anything else. This is not a political movie. It is a gut-wrenching murder mystery. Opps, I just gave away one of the early questions. Sorry.

I can recommend watching this movie, because it is well-made. It is a very compelling story, even if you may not want to watch every scene. Some shots are pretty grisly. So, watch it with those who serve in your thoughts. Then go out and find a way to help them cope; either as a group or as individuals.