Rating: 
Summary: Great movie but the ending ruined it.
Review: If your gonna mess with history go all the way let her kept the crown and return to the ball. Why bother having her put on a fancy dress and crown only to have it wrecked? Lenin would have made a better villian. It seems the creators wanted to keep the mystery alive at the end but why? fear historians would attack them like they did to Disney for Pocohantos?
Rating:
Summary: good movie but plot is week and it is extremely inaccurate
Review: Anastasia is a very good animated film - still worth four stars even though it does have a weak plot, obvious animation mistakes, and is historicaly inaccurate. ~PLOT & ANIMATION~
The plot is weak to me because Anastasia was..oh, about 8 i think (in the movie only) when she fell off the train. She was 8 - and she doesn't remember anything? I know she likely suffered a concusion, but still. Also, she actually believes Dimitri has train tickets when they clearly say "CIRCUS" is bright letters. Altogether its just weak, and one more thing. Marie doesnt believe her at first until she recognizes her perfume. HER PERFUME? what? it could have been a very popular perfume at the time..it was PEPPERMINT! Anyways, the animation is good but the biggest mistake you will notice is when Pooka (the little dog she travels with) is crawling under the tablecloth at the Alexander Palace, look closely, he just runs through some invisible hole in the cloth. Good Movie and animation though - its still fun to watch! ~HISTORY~
hmmm - where do I start, well lets see, i guess near the begining. Okay, so their all joyfull at their clebration of the Romanovs ruling for 300 years in Russia (good, that facts rite!). Anastasia is 7 or 8 and the Bolshiviks (well I assume they are, I will give FOX the credit and just assume) raid the palace (um - no the guards wouldve likely taken them out or demolished them to a fairly small size especially considering the year and the revolution was not as big as a riot as it later grew to be). The Dowager Empress Marie is with Anastasia, trying to escape and Dimitri lets them out. She boards a running train but falls off remebers nothing and is sent to an orphanage. (none of this ever happened. They were not raided at their 300th aniversary party and Anastasia had just turned 17 at the time of the Romanov family's excution.) Next - Marie is in Paris? (try Denmark - thats where she escaped to and lived the rest of her life) Now the major inaccuracy is that the real Romanovs lived under house arrest for 2 years until 1918 when they killed by Bolskivks in the cellar of the Empative House (i didnt spell that rite). Also, Raspution was not the villian, the bolshivk party and lenin were. Respution was kept near the palace to heal the Tsarvish (Alexis) from his Hemophilia. If you are looking for a book to read or a movie to watch for real info try Nicholas & Alexandra (both book and movie), The Romanovs: The Final Chapter, Anastasia's Album, and The Last Tsar. For kids I would recommend Anastasia's Album. ~OVERALL~
good movie, buy it! its something you will want to watch more than once, try to find the animation thingys and the inaccuracys I pointed out.
Rating: 
Summary: Good movie, but......
Review: Coming from Fox, this movie is far better than anything Disney put out in the years between Lion King and Lilo & Stitch. This movie has some fantastic & very imaginative animation with some good songs and a good story. Unfortunately, the constant bickering between the main characters during the 1st half of the movie is quite uncomfortable to watch. For this movie, it would have played much better if the bickering was done with a more lighthearted approach. And I have to agree with Amazon.com that the use of a villian for (unfunny) comic relief was totally unnecessary. Whether for kids or adults, it would have been much better if the villian would have played it straight & maybe even gotten rid of his over-cutesy sidekick. Those 2 (major) problems are enough to bring this down from a 5-star movie to a to 3-star movie for me and makes me still-undecided as to whether I want to buy the DVD or not. It may be good enough to watch for the imagination, animation, story & songs, but may be better to rent than purchase.
Rating: 
Summary: This is my favorite movie!!!
Review: I think that this movie is fantastic and marvelous! I've been fascinated by the Romanov family, especially Anastasia, since I was a little kid. From the first time I watched it, I wanted to watch it over and over again. I love the plot and the characters.
The story is about the Revolution in 1917 in Russia, how the Imperial family was murdered, except for the youngest daughter, Anastasia. Anastasia ends up in an orphanage, her memory washed away from the shock of that night. Her only memory is of the necklace "Together in Paris". Ten years later, she joins up with con artists Dimitri and Vladimir by the name of Anya. Dimitri and Vlad are finding a girl to pretend to be Anastasia in order to win the reward from the Dowager Empress. In the mean time, they have to fight the evil monk Rasputin, who is determined to kill the last of the Romanov family.
The part I love about this movie is the romance between Dimitri and Anya. They start out the journey bickering, but they are actually falling in love with eachother without knowing it. I especially love the part at the end, when they are happily together. Though the movie doesn't have the true facts, I still enjoyed this movie. This is weird, but I really want a sequel to this movie!
Rating:
Summary: Great movie, but. . .
Review: I have to admit that I have mixed feelings about this film. On one hand, the story line was terrific, even though Rasputin was a bit scary at times. The songs were wonderful, and I especially liked "At the Beginning" (if that's the right name for the title.) The animation was superb, especially in the "Once upon a December" sequence. The characters were believeable and enjoyable, and I liked watching Anya's relationship with Dmitri go from constant bickering to genuine affection. The reunion with her grandmother was touching as well.
However, the historical inaccuracies in this film bothered me, especially since I've read a lot about the real Romanov family and know that their situation was nothing like what's portrayed in the film. I realize that this is a kid's movie, but I think the directors rearranged the facts a bit too much. To begin with, Anastasia was not a child when her family was murdered -- she was 17. The family's massacre took place in Siberia in 1918, not in St. Petersburg in 1916, as the film depicts. And Ansastasia's grandmother lived in Denmark, not Paris. Apparently the prouducers just thought Denmark wasn't impressive enough for a background setting.
Other than the distortion of historical facts, I enjoyed this film. I give it three stars.
Rating:
Summary: AN EMOTIONAL MASTERPIECE; A CELEBRATION OF LIFE!!
Review: The story of the lost Romanov princess has become a legend in itself; captivating the interests of people worldwide. To mould such a story into an animated movie was certainly no easy task; but what directors Don Bluth and Gary Goldman have achieved is an unique masterpiece you cannot help marvel at. The Little Mermaid had re-incarnated animation in 1989 and the following years saw a saga of animated hits from the mouse. But after the record breaking 'Lion King' and acclaimed 'Pocahontas', Disney began to lose its iron grip at the box-office. The rather disappointing Hercules did not help to hype up the position at all. Fox's first animated motion picture possesses a beauty and splendor comparable in every way to major Disney hits like Beauty And The Beast and The Lion King. It is dramatic yet spontaneous, humorous yet emotional; and although not historically very accurate, it indulges in a dramatic fictional narrative, combining an essence of traditional values and modern story-telling that give the movie a spectacular outlook. The visuals are extremely vibrant and poignant, with colorful spell-binding backgrounds in which are carefully blended the CGI sequences. Stephen Flaherty's music is rich and deeply melodious. From the Broadway styled 'Learn To Do It' to the Oscar nominated 'Journey To The Past', the songs are indeed memorable and leave a lasting impression on your mind. The tune that lingers on and on is 'Once Upon A December', its melody hauntingly beautiful and probing. And for those who love fast numbers, you will certainly adore the pop end title 'At The Beginning' by Richard Marx and Donna Lewis. David Newman's score, although short, is simply one of the best to ever grace an animated movie; its emotional gravity so astoundingly deep and soul-searching that it makes you forget it is an animated movie you are watching. Newman was honored with his first Academy Award nomination for Anastasia. As to why he did not win remains a big mystery to me. Anne Dudley's The Full Monty, which eventually won the best Musical Score in 1997, is at best tolerable and certainly pales before Anastasia's heavenly appeal. Fox's voice cast comprises of renowned on-screen actors and actresses, who have delivered praiseworthy performances. Meg Ryan is enthusiastic, fiery and brings surprising life to the character of Anastasia . John Cusack portrays Dimitri, and his voice adds amazing warmth and glow to the lines of the male protagonist. Other talents include Kelsey Grammer, Hank Azaria, Christopher Lloyd, Bernadette Peters and Kirsten Dunst. The best role probably belongs to Angela Lansbury who puts excruciating depth in the character of Anastasia's grandma, the Dowager Empress Marie. The main highlight of the movie is its sentimental appeal, cleverly mixing the elements of heart, emotion, sacrifice and depth that is sure to conquer any romantic heart. I repeat, there are times which make you forget that it is an animated movie you are watching, not a real one. The re-union scene where the Empress Marie says "Oh Anastasia My Anastasia!" is voiced with such depth that it brings tears to the eyes. To imagine the joy of a woman who has lost her son and her whole family during a revolution, who has been hurt countless times by imposters, to finally know that her grandchild is still alive! Fox's DVD offers a 1.33:1 pan and scan as well as a 2.35:1 widescreen picture. The anamorphic transfer looks very crisp and colorful. The Dolby digital 5.1 sound makes good use of surround, nicely highlighting the score and special effects. The special features offer an in-depth look at the making. Also included are a featurette, two trailors, two sing-alongs and a puzzle game. An unique masterpiece, Anastasia has marvelous music and an excellent storyline which depicts two very strong women. The movie, though, is geared more at the mature audiences. Ten-year olds will hardly understand the emotional moments or the occasional verbal clashes between the two protagonists during the first half of the movie. I highly recommend it to people who truly appreciate artistic and emotional beauty. Anastasia stands as a classic to be cherished now and forever.
Rating:
Summary: Better than Disney
Review: I was absolutely blown away when I saw this film! Fox has emulated Disney, not altering the formula but noticably increasing on the quality of the end result. The storytelling is magnificent. Naturally it is not historically accurate, but that comes as no surprise. The adaptation is liberal, and creates a very different story than the historical account. By removing a lot of the grimness of the revolution, the filmmakers could create a sparkling and grandiose mood to place their story into. The songs and score are of a caliber Disney has not matched to date, although I confess that the Alan Menken / Howard Ashman team of The Little Mermaid and Beauty & the Beast comes very close. The music was written in the tradition of the Broadway musical, as Menken and Ashman did, and sounds exceptional. I was especially impressed with the animation. There are no scenes where a particular character is draw badly, so scenes where the characters do not maintain their proportion to other characters, and no continuity errors. The drawing style is very similar to the older Disney - Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and that crowd. The characters are believable and entertaining; there are no "awkward moments" where a line seems badly written or placed, the songs are integrated perfectly into the dialogue, the layout work is exquisite, and the use of 3D technology is stunning and smoothly integrated. And Fox picked all the right people for the roles. Overall, this is an incredible film, even more astonishing considering it was Fox's first attempt at an animated film. And it's not just a children's film, as animation is too often considered; it is a family film: anyone can see and enjoy it. Smashing!
Rating:
Summary: this is the best movie i've seen (other than pearl harbor)
Review: this is the best animated movie i've ever seen, it beats even the little mermaid!!! who cares if it's historically inaccurate, it's the animation and voices that make it wonderful!!! i loved the song at the beginning and the song journey to the past. meg ryan does a wonderful job voicing anya, and john cusack makes dimitri irresitable!! if you are looking for something to watch with your kids, or if you're a teenager (like me) this is the movie to see. it's funny, romantic, and makes you wonder if this would've happened had anastasia survived. once again, if it beats the little mermaid (but not the songs, the little mermaid has the best songs), you know it has to be the best animated movie out there!!! plus, dimitri is hot!!!
Rating: 
Summary: HORRIBLE FACTS
Review: Most people think of Anastasia as the princess in the Twentieth Century Fox movie, Anastasia, but this movie is very misleading. The dates are all wrong, the bloody revolution is "glossed over" and Rasputin is "evil incarnate." If children want to learn more about Anastasia then it would be better to give them Hugh Brewster's book Anastasia's Album, and let them read about her. Only a few references are made to real life facts such as Anastasia was born at Peterhof, and the drawing "little Anastasia" makes for Marie, her grandmother, is identical to the one "the real Anastasia" drew for her father in 1914. I do admit that the music was nice. And the film was a wonderful fairy tale.
Rating:
Summary: It was 'okay' but not 'great'
Review: This is a cute movie, but not one that you (or your kids) want to watch over & over like The Lion King and Toy Story. A good movie - just not as likeable as the others I mentioned. My suggestion, rent it before you buy it. THis way you are sure it is worthy of being a part of your library.
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