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71
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65
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64
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64
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63
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61
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60
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57
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55
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54
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54
Get Smart
53
Sex and the City: The Movie
53
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52
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51
Mamma Mia!
51
Step Brothers
49
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47
Swing Vote
47
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43
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42
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36
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36
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35
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35
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34
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31
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26
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24
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19
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83
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83
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82
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81
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80
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80
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80
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79
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78
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78
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77
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76
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75
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75
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74
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74
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73
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73
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72
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72
Transsiberian
72
I.O.U.S. A
71
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71
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71
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70
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67
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67
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66
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66
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66
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65
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25
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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
|
Ella Enchanted
Miramax Films
FILM:
MPAA RATING: PG for some crude humor and language
Starring
Anne Hathaway,
Hugh Dancy,
Cary Elwes,
Minnie Driver,
Vivica A. Fox,
Joanna Lumley,
Patrick Bergin,
and
Eric Idle
A fairy Godmother granted Ella (Hathaway) the gift -- and curse -- of obedience at her birth. As a result of this unfortunate circumstance, Ella cannot refuse any command, and is often left at the mercy of unscrupulous personalities. In a bid to regain control of her life, Ella goes on a quest to free herself from this mysterious curse. (Miramax)
| GENRE(S): |
Comedy
|
Fantasy
|
Romance
|
| WRITTEN BY: |
Laurie Craig
Karen McCullah Lutz
Kirsten Smith
Gail Carson Levine (novel)
|
| DIRECTED BY: |
Tommy O'Haver
|
| RELEASE DATE: |
DVD: August 24, 2004
Video: August 24, 2004
Theatrical: April 9, 2004
|
| RUNNING TIME: |
95 minutes, Color |
| ORIGIN: |
USA |

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
88
Chicago Sun-Times
Roger Ebert
A high-spirited charmer, a fantasy that sparkles with delights.

83
Entertainment Weekly
Lisa Schwarzbaum
The hoot and giggle of a girl-power fairy tale blended from potions of ''Monty Python,'' ''Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,'' and ''Shrek.''

75
New York Daily News
Elizabeth Weitzman
As an alternative to the slick, instantly forgettable fare usually made for kids and preteens, Ella Enchanted brings a little bit of magic to the multiplex.

75
San Francisco Chronicle
Ruthe Stein
The movie doesn't aspire to be art, merely to entertain adolescent girls, which is practically guaranteed by the luminous presence of Anne Hathaway.

70
The Onion (A.V. Club)
Scott Tobias
None of it would work without Hathaway, whose self-possession and lack of irony represents a throwback to old-fashioned Hollywood wholesomeness and glamour.

70
The New York Times
Dave Kehr
The messages blend seamlessly into the fantasy and comedy in what is surely one of the best films for older children in quite some time.

70
Washington Post
Michael O'Sullivan
In the end, it may leave its audience, young and old alike, just as charmed as its bewitched young heroine.

67
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Sean Axmaker
Tries to both spoof the fairy tale and retell it from a fresh angle. Curiously enough, its strength lies in the clever approach, and not the goofy comedy around the edges.

63
Chicago Tribune
Robert K. Elder
The movie's computer-generated castles, magic visuals and sloppy effects echo a low-budget fantasy movie on cable. It's glossy, shiny candy that tastes oddly familiar yet lacks sugary punch.

63
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
Liam Lacey
Hathaway may be in a royal rut, but the tiara seems to fit.

60
Washington Post
Teresa Wiltz
Good and entertaining fun.

60
Empire
Jo Berry
Anne Hathaway delivers another likeable performance in a tweenie treat that has enough smarts to keep older viewers engaged, too.

60
TV Guide
Angel Cohn
Audiences, especially preteens, will be enchanted by Ella.

60
Dallas Observer
Gregory Weinkauf
Offers considerable charm and an obvious desire to please.

50
Village Voice
Ed Park
Transpires in a somewhat chintzy fantasy kingdom lousy with more cameos than your typical Love Boat season.

50
Variety
David Rooney
The glue that holds the sweet teen-fantasy together is star Anne Hathaway, who continues to evolve into a luminous young lead.

50
LA Weekly
Staff (Not credited)
While the lovers here are sweetly believable, the film's murky giants-alongside-man effects shots are strictly Darby OGill and the Little People.

50
Los Angeles Times
Kevin Thomas
Likely to cast its spell primarily on adolescent girls, while their elders might well find it more than a little tedious in its familiarity and artificiality.

50
New York Post
Lou Lumenick
An ugly-looking mismash of a fairytale.

50
USA Today
Claudia Puig
It has a few moments of fun and whimsy, but it lacks the joyous spirit and intelligent humor of the children's novel on which it's based.

50
Baltimore Sun
Chris Kaltenbach
Ella Enchanted is one cute movie.

50
Charlotte Observer
Lawrence Toppman
The special effects look like a high school science project: The giants are clearly rear projections behind the real actors, and that snake is as rubbery as a garden hose.

50
Philadelphia Inquirer
Carrie Rickey
Too bad the filmmakers didn't trust the material. For Ella doesn't need music and references to other, better, movies to cast its unique spell.

50
Premiere
Glenn Kenny
Ella Enchanted seems squarely aimed at 12-year-old girls, or, I don't know, maybe 8-year-old girls.

40
Chicago Reader
J.R. Jones
This has wit and energy to burn, but I can't call it escapism, because tackiness and snarkiness are among the things I most need to escape.

40
Film Threat
Kevin Carr
Really doesn't take itself seriously. In fact, it so doesn't take itself seriously that it has a negative impact on the film.

40
The Hollywood Reporter
Kirk Honeycutt
Nothing un-beguiles a fairy tale more than forced whimsy and labored magic, which is precisely what plagues Ella Enchanted.

38
ReelViews
James Berardinelli
The result is an unappealing mess, made less bearable by uniformly lackluster performances and the cheesy special effects.

38
Boston Globe
Ty Burr
The producers of Ella Enchanted probably assume, correctly, that many more kids haven't read the book than have, and they're out to give that audience a slick, shallow good time.

30
Austin Chronicle
Marc Savlov
This might not matter so much to the youngest members of the audience, but for anyone over the age of 10, its strictly a colorful bore.


The average user rating for this movie is 6.9 (out of 10) based on 23 User Votes
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