Ella Enchanted By Rancosto on Nov 08, 2007 - Updated Oct 15, 2011

Ella Enchanted is another modernized fairy tale, with malls, Medieval Teen magazine, wooden escalators, and such. Ella, a beautiful young lady, has been given a "gift of obedience" that forces her to do everything people tell her. When Ella's father goes away on a trip, her step-mother and two step-sisters begin to abuse the "gift," making Ella serve them as a maid and even steal for them. When she thinks she's had enough, Ella leaves home and goes to search for her fairy godmother who had given her the obedience gift, hoping that she will take it back. As she travels, she meets Prince Charmont who likes her right away, but Ella is not so quickly charmed with him. She thinks he is no better than his uncle who forced all non-human races (elves, ogres, giants) to live in the forest.

The movie has its good and bad points. The obedience gift is a fresh new idea not seen in other Cinderella stories; I like it, as well as the way it is played out. Anne Hathaway is delightful as Ella, and Hugh Dancy makes a great prince. Bad points: Modernization does not always work, particularly the "pop" culture. The prince's "fan club" of crazed teenage girls is ridiculous and annoying.