365+ movies in 365 days: Day 215 -Disney's Tangled

For it's 50th animated film Disney borrows from many of it's classics to make this beautiful, but uninspired modern retelling of the Rapunzel fairy tale. There is the handsome rogue straight out of Aladdin. The magic kiss from Beauty and the Beast. The evil old lady from Snow White The animal side kicks from all the films. This time it's a feisty chameleon and a very determined horse; thankfully neither of them speak. And of course a princess who yearns for something more than what her current life offers.

Tangled tells the tale of Rapunzel with modern sensibilities. We are offered explanations for why Rapunzel has such long golden tresses and why she is kept locked in a tower. A new hero is introduced, Flynn Rider, a charming thief who doesn't come to rescue Rapunzel, he just wants to use her tower as a hideout. Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi had a lot of fun doing the voice work for the movie. And Donna Murphy as the evil old woman who kidnaps Rapunzel is a knock out as a sinister crone who can sing.

To make sure the film connects with young boys the story is includes multiple action scenes and quit a few fight scenes. A lot of people get knocked about with frying pans. The plot is very basic. Rapunzel has been kidnapped and locked away since she was a baby. This was done by the evil old woman who wants the magic of her hair to keep her young. Rapunzel yearns to go outside and experience life and Flynn Rider helps set her free and on the way she learns her true identity.

The film is derivative of all the Disney princess movies that have come before, but it is still done in a style of animation that only the Disney studio seems to manage. Nothing out of Dreamworks has quite the same magical touch as a Disney film.

The movie was illustrated to take full advantage of the 3-D effect and this made the scene with the floating lanterns quite wonderful.

It's not original, but it is still entertaining.

At The Movie House rating *** stars.