Rating: 
Summary: Clumsiness is charmful ?
Review: The movie had a nice idea but how come a girl so clumsy is charmful and sweet? She is portrait like someone who should be locked in a mental institution, she is as clumsy as a toddler getting into things all the time that becomes annoying like the boy who acted in One Fine Day with Michelle Pfeiffer and George Clooney. Watch " Legally Blonde" the girl is sweet and naive, learns to be smarter but never clumsy like that, so much that she is really charmful. This Princess Mia is an insult to the actress.
Rating: 
Summary: A pleasant surprise. . .suitable for the entire family.
Review: In this day and age, it is very rare for an entire family to be able to sit down and view a movie together. "The Princess Diaries" is a wonderful exception to that rule. The plot can best be described as "My Fair Lady" in a teenage setting and stars the incomparable Julie Andrews in the role of the Queen of "Genovia" who must -- quickly -- try to transform her granddaughter from a shy "nerd" into someone who will be the next monarch.Compared to most of what is out there today -- even for youth -- this movie is almost entirely without offensive material, yet still manages to produce a solid plot and great humor. Recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: great yet bleh.
Review: I loved this DVD, that is , the first time I saw it. After that it got really boring. There wasn't enough action. I would not buy this if you are into action.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Movie!
Review: I saw this movie at the movie theater and I also own it on DVD.
I love the movie, I think it has a great story line and I love Julie Andrews!!! I also love the extra features that this DVD has on it!!
Rating:
Summary: Good for pre-teens, and those who think like them
Review: I gave this movie 2 stars because my pre-teen daughters loved this movie, so it must have some appeal. The appeal completely escaped me, however. This movie is basically a re-make of "Pretty Woman" i.e. insecure female is given stuff and thus is empowered. I have a hard time seeing any of this as "uplifting" "inspirational" or anything else critics called this movie. For one thing, the main character does nothing to earn the power, prestige or material things she gets in this movie, they are handed to her because of an accident of birth. This wouldn't be so bad if the main character exhibited some personal growth along the way. Sadly, she does not. The implication seems to be that she was always a vibrant, competent person, she just needed some encouragement to bring that out (oh yeah, and a make-over because as we all know people who look plain don't deserve any recognition). If she had such great potential, however, why does it require the resources of a small country to bring it out? When we wonder this, the movie throws in some predictable, old-hat slapstick "comedy" to make Mia more sympathetic (and bore the parents of the target audience). Or, perhaps we are to believe that now that she is a princess her awkwardness is endearing? The bottom line is, Mia comes across as pathetic in the beginning of the film and stays that way to the end. The most offensive scene for me was when Mia's Grandmother exploits her royal station and convinces a none-too-bright police officer to excuse her from a fender bender. Rather than show responsibility and accept the consequences of her actions, Mia calls her grandmother, "The coolest queen ever." Previously, the movie had hinted that popular people shouldn't abuse people less popular than themselves, but then it tells us that using one's birth station to manipulate others and avoid responsibility like a spoiled brat is "cool." What kind of message is that for kids? Why are "royal" persons above consequences for their actions? Isn't that why America fought a war to get rid of queens and such nonsense? In conclusion I found very little to enjoy in this movie, and hope it does not signify a future trend in Disney's movies.
Rating:
Summary: 60% In Comparison to the Books
Review: The three stars I am giving this are not necessarily a bad thing, on a scale of 100%, they would equal about 55-60%, ... . I have long been a fan of the Princess Diaries, they capture growing up with humour and gently express teen dissatisfaction. However, try to put Mia's complaints of having size 10 feet and being a willowy 5'11" into a movie. Much of what made the books so wonderful is lost in the process. Plus they choose the beautiful Anne Hathaway (who looked good even with the dorky glasses and bushy hair & eyebrows), who is not a large person at all. Sure, she has her complaints of retainers and lack of love inetests, but the movie Mia's character is cheerful and determined while book Mia is sarcastic and failing (mostly just Algebra, but she's also not quite living up to her grandmother's standards). Another odd choice in casting is the elegant Julie Andrews as the grandmother, who was described in the books as quite frightening, having tattoos on her eyelids so she wouldn't have to put on mascara all the time and being threatening. The movie tries to incorporate too much, throwing all three books into just one film so that it's too fast-paced to really be that enjoyable. Not to mention that they pick the ugly guy to be Mia's crush and the attractive guy to be the one who's always secretly loved Mia. Most of the jokes about Mia's mother dating Mia's Algebra teacher is non-existant, there is no mention of the pregnancy or the marriage. The film also take too many creative lincenses. Instead of living in a Greenwich Village apartment, Mia and her mom live in a refurbished firehouse in California. Mia's mom isn't a slob, as she is in the books. Mia never complains and is pretty much just a scared teenager in the film, just the opposite in the books. And why is Mia fourteen in the books and sixteen in the film, anyway? It still manages to be good, there's no swearing or things you wouldn't want your kid to see. It will appeal to virtually all ages, and has good messages throughout, but it didn't impress me as much as the books did.
Rating:
Summary: Best Movie of 2001 but what about PRINCESS DIARIES 2 in 2003
Review: This was the best film of 2001 I saw this in Branson last summer with my sister and mom and she had to buy the soundtrack right away but what next? how about a sequel? according to upcomingmovies.com and comingsoon.net the cast hasn't got a sequel signed yet but I hope they get it filmed this December for a August 2003 release in but the little plot that I've been rumored about is that Mia will be going to college. I really hope they don't replace Anne Hathaway with Christina Ricci no that won't happen, will it? anyways there is a possibility of a sequel but in the mean time enjoy the first one and have hopes for a sequel....
Rating:
Summary: Sweet relief
Review: What a relief! No swearing, no kids with bleak attitudes, no unconcerned and self-absorbed parents - just a nice movie with Julie Andrews and an ugly duckling who does the much-expected swan metamorphosis. The only flaw I can find is that the director and/or screenwriter tried to pack too much into it, leaving some points unexplored. Choice moment: Hector Elizondo's character telling Queen Clarice that she "has worn black too long". And then, they dance.
Rating:
Summary: Charming
Review: I love the movie...what else can i say? It has charm and wit that is nearly impossible to find lately. The purity and physical comedy is a breath of fresh air. ...Anne Hathaway, who plays Mia, was merely 17 when the film was shot (as well as all of the other actors who played teenagers, all of whom were under the age of 18, an unlikely occurance being that most portrayals of adolescents are executed by adults in most recent works). In addition, she truely is a clumsy girl, and in fact fell durring her audition. The scene on the bleachers where she falls hard is not acting...Annie fell and they decided to keep it. The falls are something that really does add to the charm, and the fact that they're so real, makes them that much more ammusing. All actors play their roles beautifully, Garry Marshall has put together a true gem, and has chosen the ever regal, Julie Andrews for the part of Queen Clarice...a role that is seemingly meant to be played by this actress. He also made the excellent choice of choosing the fresh face of Anne Hathaway, who has the ability to light up the screen with her smile - again something so rare in this day and age. This is a film you can watch again and again and simply feel refreshed and happy. I reccommend the DVD, there are great audio commentaries as well as a cute featurette for all you behind the scenes lovers (another thing that adds to the charm, the viewer is brought into the lives of all involved in the film; a feeling of family unionship is very apparent). This is one worth checking out.
Rating:
Summary: Utterly predictable
Review: Director Garry Marshall seems to be in the same situation as Ivan Reitman with "Evolution". Both directors have produced quality, popular material in the past, but seem to be on cruise control right now. They figure if they crank out the same formula, people will gobble it up. I'm sorry, but this picture seems to take the lazy way out wherever it goes. We hear of this fictional country called Genovia, but except for gluing some pears on some flowers, we get absolutley no feel for what this country is about. I imagine Julie Andews' British accent makes it "foreign" enough. And gee, can we get more shots of what a klutz this 20-year-old playing a 15-year-old is? What seems to be a fairly normal gawky kid going through her teen years is repeatedly beaten over our heads to show what an ugly duckling she is. Since Anne Hathaway has model-quality good looks, it seems the movie had to work extra hard to convince you how much of a misfit she is before her "transformation". It didn't convince me. And of course all the snobs are cheerleaders. And of course the guy she likes is a real jerk. And of course the guy who's just a "friend" turns out to be the quality human being. And of course Hector Elizondo has to do EXACTLY the same role as he did in "Pretty Woman", the Garry Marshall movie that tried. And of course there has to be the big question of whether she will become a princess or not? Anybody not able to guess what the answer will be? The movie is not horrible; the people that put it together are too talented for this. But it seems that people who want G-Rated entertainment will accept almost anything, and are happy with it BECAUSE it has nothing offensive. While this movie succeeds in not offending me with the usual things that knock out a G-rating, it did to some degree offend me that I knew exactly what was going to happen next during the entire movie.
| 
