Tangled or Why My Daughter Wants a Horse and a Chameleon.

Today was the last day of my glorious eleven day winter break. To finish with a bang The Wife suggested we grab The Peanut, throw her in the car, drive down to our local multiplex and pay a small fortune to take in a matinée. I thought the idea sounded just spiffy and I told her so (yes, I used the word spiffy and yes, I did get smacked for it).

The Peanut got a digital camera from Jolly Old Saint Nick last week and ever since has slowly been gathering a photographic record of every corner of our house from every conceivable angle. 'Studies in Dust Bunnies' I call it. When I tracked her down she had her new LaLa Loopsie doll suspended in midair over the open toilet bowl, attempting to snap a shot without getting her fingers in the frame. It would have made, I am sure, quite a surreal photograph, the interpretation of which would have been up for some serious debate. As much as I hated to interrupt my own little Andy Warhol, I called her out of the bathroom and asked her what movie she wanted to go see. The answer was as loud as it was immediate.

"TANGLED!"



This was not at all unexpected. We are big fans of Disney here, especially anytime John Lasseter is connected, and I had been wanting to see it as well. So after getting cleaned up, fed, and watered, we set out for the theater.

And forty dollars later there we sat, soft drinks and buttered popcorn in hand, to watch the film.

I was very pleased with the film. The animation was superb. Animated to appear as if a painted canvas had sprung into vivid, colorful three dimensions it was a feast for the eyes. The story was great, the voice acting spot on. The songs were catchy, typical Alan Menken. My daughter lacks the capacity to sit still when listening to music and she was be-bopping her way through them all. She had received the soundtrack several weeks ago and she was excited to be able to hum along as she watched.

The movie was stolen by two characters with absolutely no spoken lines whatsoever. The chameleon Pascal and the horse Maximus. When animated characters can pull me along in a story without even speaking a word, the animators have captured me (Yes, you, Wall-E!). The two animals comprise a lot of the comic relief in the film and they are rendered perfectly. As good as their human counterparts are, the animated animals make the movie for me. The Peanut felt the same way, although she did wander around the house the rest of the day practicing "The Smolder", the intense, pouty look the handsome lead character flashes in his attempt to woo Rapunzel into letting him go.

Tangled is a film I happily recommend to anyone looking for a fun and entertaining family trip to the movies. But be prepared for an instant request to run to the pet store after. My daughter already has plans (that will remain safely unfulfilled) to install a chameleon habitat above her bed. I can't wait to hear where she wants to keep the horse.

So I ask you...which is the better smolder?