"Tangled"

Usually a trailer for a movie ends up making the movie seem better than it actually is, but the trailer for "Tangled" actually doesn't do it justice. We get that it's going to be a story about Rapunzel, and that it's Disney so it's probably going to be good; the actual story, however, was much more complicated, and the movie was much better than I thought it would be.

Rapunzel (voiced by Mandy Moore, "License to Wed") is about to turn 18 years old and has lived in the same tower with her "mother" (voiced by Donna Murphy, TV's "Trust Me") her entire life - or for as long as she can remember, anyway. Every year on her birthday she sees mysterious flying lanterns from her window, and so for this year, on her 18th birthday, she wants to go outside and see them in person. Her "mother," however, tells Rapunzel that the world is not safe and that she will never be allowed out of the tower. When Flynn Rider (voiced by Zachary Levi, TV's "Chuck") climbs the tower in order to hide from some people that are chasing him, he meets Rapunzel, and she blackmails him into taking her outside and being her guide so that she can reach the lanterns. There is a lot she doesn't know, however, and she's about to discover everything she's been missing out on.

I only vaguely recalled the story of Rapunzel so I headed to Wikipedia to check it out. The Disney version pretty much takes the original Grimm Brothers story and turns it upside down, though a few things remain the same (ie, "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair" is used here as it was in many of the previous versions). In this Rapunzel, her hair is magical (it's cooler than it sounds, trust me) which is why her "mother" kidnapped her from the palace when she was a baby - her mother is actually quite old but has been using Rapunzel's hair's magical powers to stay young. What I also liked about this version is that Flynn Rider can't really be clarified as a "prince" - he's more of a thief, actually - so unlike the original "Rapunzel," she is the one who decides to leave her tower with him; it's not because he rescues her, although Flynn does help her escape.

Yes, see this movie. The characters in the movie were hilarious and memorable. Rapunzel has an adorable pet chameleon, and her "mother" (Mother Gothel) reminded me of a cross between Cruella de Vil and the witch from "Snow White," with a bit of Bette Midler thrown in. True to its form, Disney manages to make yet another movie that kids will enjoy and that parents/older people will enjoy as well. There were definitely many funny moments throughout the film, and it's actually the supporting characters (Mother Gothel, Flynn Rider, etc.) who end up stealing the movie, although Rapunzel is great also (and Mandy Moore's voice shines here too, throughout Rapunzel's songs). "Tangled" is a film geared towards all ages, and I predict it does well at the box office when it opens in November.

"Tangled" will be in theaters on November 24th.