Customer Reviews

Happily N'ever After (Full Screen Edition)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(14)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

I don't know why nobody else likes it, because I love it! This is one of my favorite movies, in fact I just gave my mom the idea to buy it for me since she needed a birthday present idea (and I hate making her spend a lot of money... so she bought this and tada great cheap present).
The characters are funny, the storyline could maybe move a bit faster but the little jokes are what made me laugh so much. Some of the jokes are very subtle, but when you notice them its great.

This movie amuses me a lot and I'm soon to be 22 years old. It's a cute, funny movie that (while it may not be up to the more mature sarcastic 'standards' of Shrek) is definitely worth watching over and over.

What I found interesting about "Happily N'Ever After" was its willingness to turn classic fairy tales upside down. What if the princess doesn't wind up with the handsome prince? What if Sleeping Beauty remains asleep after Prince Charming kisses her? What if Rupunzel's golden hair caused more problems than it actually solves? We rarely see this kind of intentional manipulation when it comes to fairy tales, and that made this film a lot more enjoyable. It helps that it has a prominent sense of humor, making it delightfully light and airy. I was reminded of Disney's "The Emperor's New Groove" as I was watching "Happily N'Ever After"; both are films that depended on their heavy-handed jokiness in order to be entertaining.

Fortunately, this method worked in both cases. While this film isn't exactly meaningful or relevant, it's still tells a humorous, good-hearted story. The jokes begin almost as soon as the film begins; an evil woman waves a magic staff, shooting lightening into the air. Just as the lightening forms the letters of the film's title, the reel stops, exposing the celluloid's square holes. That's when the story's narrator tells a joke, of which I only remember an announcement to move a vehicle with Narnia license plates. After that, the back story is established: in Fairy Tale Land, The Wizard (George Carlin) is in charge of maintaining the balance between good and evil in all fairy tales. Basically, he makes sure that every story ends the way it's supposed to end, with the princesses getting saved by the princes and everyone living happily ever after.

The Wizard goes on vacation, leaving his assistants--Munk (Wallace Shawn) and Mambo (Andy Dick)--in charge of his control room located in the top tower of The Prince's castle. I liked the layout: in the center rests a large crystal ball that acts like a television set (with a remote control, I might add); above it are the precious Good/Evil scales. Bored with the same, predictable fairy tales, Mambo finds the idea of tipping those scales increasingly appealing; he wants to see edgier fairy tales, ones that may be turned into something original. Munk, on the other hand, is loyal and orderly, and will not stand to have his dimwitted co-assistant ruin everything for everyone.

Meanwhile, we're introduced to the narrator: his name is Rick (Freddie Prinze Jr.), the lowly servant to the handsome but clueless Prince (Patrick Warburton), who obsessively reads a rulebook and follows its every idea. Rick's working day is no picnic. He washes The Prince's dishes. He shines The Prince's boots. He even flosses The Prince's teeth. Such unpleasant daily routines have turned Rick a bit world weary; stories ending with a prince saving the day doesn't necessarily make him the most qualified for the job. Rick may have a thing or two to offer a damsel, especially when it comes to the fair Ella, nicknamed Cinderella (Sarah Michelle Gellar). Unfortunately, Ella is too blindsided by her love for The Prince to see Rick for who he really is.

As we all know, Cinderella lives the life of a slave in the home of her stepmother, Frieda (Sigourney Weaver), and her ugly stepsisters. It's announced that The Prince is throwing a ball, and every eligible maiden is required to attend. Being the wicked, spiteful person she is, Frieda purposely overworks Ella, giving her no time to get ready for the ball. But, lo and behold, the fairy godmother shows up, ready to help Ella out in her time of need (in this version, the fairy godmother is made to be a bit senile: "I'm here to grant your wish to become a real boy," she says when she first arrives, paving the way for a couple of other verbal goofs). Once she arrives at the ball, she's given the warning that the magic will only last until midnight.

Yes, we've definitely heard this story before. But consider the moment when Frieda arrives at The Prince's castle; she overhears Munk and Mambo's shenanigans (highlighted by Mambo's near disastrous encounter with the crystal ball) and decides to take matters into her own hands. It now seems that every fairy tale will have new endings, ones that don't end happily. This is because Frieda manages to obtain The Wizard's magical staff, giving her control over Fairy Tale Land (this is actually where the film began). She then watches the stories unfold on the crystal ball, and when the endings approach, she forcefully tips the Evil scale. This is also done to Ella, who up until then had been having a wonderfully romantic evening with The Prince (the instant her ball gown transforms back into humble peasant clothing, The Prince immediately believes that his maiden has run off).

Thus begins fight to save Fairy Tale Land from an eternity of unhappy endings. But it won't be easy: Frieda has called forth all the fairy tale villains, including the Big Bad Wolf, Rumplestiltskin (who becomes her sidekick), the giant from "Jack and the Beanstalk," witches, and goblins. Ella is convinced that The Prince is the only one who will be able to save the day; that is, after all, how it works in all fairy tales. But Rick knows better, especially when it comes to The Prince and his ridiculous sense of superiority. He decides to join Ella, Muck, and Mambo in their quest to save their world and defeat the evil Frieda. If they hurry, maybe happily ever after will once again be the norm for fairy tales.

Such a plot description must cement my claim that there's nothing relevant about this film. "Happily N'Ever After" is an escapist film, presenting a story that's easily understood and free from depth or complexity. I'm not sure why I found such qualities enjoyable; I'm usually the first to condemn a film for being overly simplistic. Maybe I was taken by the over the top sense of humor, such as the reinterpretation of the Seven Dwarfs as militant survivalists. Maybe I recognized the inside joke of The Wizard's passion for golf; George Carlin has been vocal in his hatred of that sport. Or maybe I was generally in a good mood. Nonetheless, I'll recommend "Happily N'Ever After," even if it's only for the light subject matter.

Our story takes place in Fairytale Land, a kingdom populated by every fairytale character you've ever met. The balance between good and evil is maintained by a wizard (George Carlin) who makes sure that every story follows the book.

The time has come for Cinderella (Sarah Michelle Gellar) to have her fairytale ending. The Prince (named Humperdink. A nod to Princess Bride? Either way, he's voiced by Patrick Warburton) is hosting a ball on his twenty-first birthday. Cinderella is set to go and fall in love, just as the story dictates.

This doesn't sit well with Rick (Freddie Prinze, Jr.). He's a servant in the castle and has fallen for the beautiful Cinderella. Fighting a bad case of prince envy, he wonders why he never gets a happy ending.

While all this is happening, the wizard decides to go on vacation and he turns things over to his two assistants, Munk and Mambo (Wallace Shawn and Andy Dick). Mambo wants to add a bit of variety to the stories while the wizard is away, and the two start fighting.

Overhearing their fight is Frieda (Sigourney Weaver). She's Cinderella's evil step mother. She seizes the golden opportunity to take over the kingdom and tip the scales toward evil. Now it's up to Cinderella and a very reluctant Rick to return happy endings to Fairytale Land.

I'm always up for a good fractured fairytale, a genre that has become popular since the success of Shrek. I was looking forward to this one, but it failed to live up to expectations.

The biggest problem with the movie is the lack of development. Everything felt rushed, like it knew what it had to do and wanted to get it over with as quickly as possible. The characters were also shallow, and I never felt like I got to know them, which made it hard to root for them.

There were a few funny lines in the movie, but most of it was played surprisingly straight. The Prince was the one exception, with a great running joke about consulting his book before everything.

This isn't the detailed animation we are used to. It's stylized with lots of weird angels. It works, but considering what most studios are putting out, it is a bit surprising.

The voice cast does great, with one exception. There was something about Sigourney Weaver's voice that bothered me. It almost felt like she reading the script with. She showed hardly any personality.

Unlike many films that adults and kids can enjoy together, this one is strictly for the kids.

I absolutely loved this movie. It is a twist on Cinderella in the land of all things fairy tale. It is animated and it's voice cast stars Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. An excellent and adorable re-telling, there are parts that could have been a little more explored or expanded. This is not in the same vein of crude humor as Shrek movies, don't expect it to be, but the two sidekick wizards and the dumber than possible prince provide some sarcastic humor. A realistic twist on a princess movie.

*Happily N'ever After* tried to model itself after *Shrek*, straying away from the traditional fairy tales. How *Happily* was different was that Cinderella's evil stepmother took control of the tales' ending by letting the bad guys/villians win. However, *Happily* was just...well...boring!

The Wizard, who ensures balance among the tales, is off to a vacation. In his absence, he places the responsibility among his 2 goofy assistants. In the middle of their "playful" bickering, Cinderella's evil stepmother takes advantage of the situation by seizing the wand that controls balance.

In control, the stepmother bands together all the villians to take control of the kingdom and the "good" characters. Only Cinderella and the king's dishwasher escape. Together, they decide how to get the kingdom back. Along the way, they round up help from the 2 goofy assistants and the air-headed Prince Charming.

Overall, the story just didn't work (poor punch lines, little character development, etc.) Within 10 minutes, I was already looking at the time and wondering how much longer I'd have to suffer through this movie.

Version: U.S.A / Lions Gate / Region A, B(?), C(?)
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
MPEG-2 BD-25 / AACS
Running time: 1:27:05
Feature size: 19,46 GB
Disc size: 23,87 GB
Total bit rate: 29.80 Mbps
Average video bit rate: 22.67 Mbps

DTS-HD Master Audio English 3909 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3909 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Dolby Digital Audio English 640 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 640 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio Spanish 640 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 640 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / Dolby Surround

Subtitles: English SDH / Spanish
Number of chapters: 16

#Commentary by Director Paul Bolger
#Journey of the Characters in the Enchanted Forest
#From Storyboard to Fairytale: A Comparison
#Creating the Happily Story: Bringing N'Ever After to Life
#Deleted Scenes & Alternate Ending
#Games

This had a different twist to it from the traditional fairytale!!! But it was cute & funny. Kids and Adults enjoyed this one.

Fractured fairy tales are clever & fun. Turning the Disney ideal on it's head every once in a while is not just refreshing, but a respite from the contrived and formulaic themes that our kids, and more importantly, us parents, are subjected to so frequently.

Unfortunately, this movie just doesn't deliver in terms of entertainment. Despite the star power enlisted for the voices, the writing for this movie just couldn't hold up to the promise of the DVD cover. The jokes were lame, the dialogue boring, and the characters just unlikable. As an admittedly "easily-amused" moviegoer, I found myself distracted several times. My (at the time) 6 year old was equally unimpressed, repeatedly asking when it was going to be over.

This is the kind of DVD that you can have playing in the background when a bunch of kids come over for a party. Family friendly, generally harmless, but falling far short of entertainment. Fairy tales, fractured or otherwise should keep a child's interest while delivering some allegorical life lesson - a moral, if you will. This movie fails on both accounts.

I work at a movie store, so I get to rent the movies a week before their release dates. I'm 18 and I love watching animated movies--this one REALLY impressed me! I was laughing the whole time. The only warning I would give to parents is that there was quite a bit adult humor (that your kids may or may not pick up on) and I was a little surprised when Cinderella punched her evil stepmother in the face (no joke!)

Other than that-this movie would be great for adults and children-I certainly enjoyed it! :)

Fairy tales are classic stories that touch the hearts of many people, both young and old. "Hapily N'ever After" utilizes hip new computer animation to bring together a few fractured fairy tales to create a new and totally cute film suitable for most ages (this film is rated PG, which means it may have a few adult concepts or jokes that may not be suitable for very young children)

Film synopsis: Munk and Mambo are two lovable misfits in service to the most powerful man in Fairytale Land -- the wizard. It is the wizard's job to make sure all the fairy tales throughout the kingdom go according to planned, and completely by the book (no pun intended). However, the wizard decides to take a vacation, leaving the dimwitted Munk and Mambo to oversee the operation in his absence. Right around this time is when the beloved story of Cinderella is getting underway. Cinderella (who goes by Ella for short) is madly in love with the fabulously handsome (yet insipidly moronic) Prince Charming. Rick is one of Prince Charming's many servants, and he just happens to be madly in love with Ella (who seems to think of him as nothing more than a friend). Unfortunately, through the bumbling antics of Munk and Mambo, Ella's wicked stepmother learns of the power to change the outcome of all the fairytales in the kingdom, causing evil to triumph over good. As she siezes control of the wizards magical staff, she proceeds to undergo a hostile takeover, while crowning herself as Empress of Fairytale Land. Now Ella must work together with Rick, Munk, and Mambo to set things right...or else none of the fairytales will ever get their happily ever after...

Even though the plot is vaguely reminiscent of Cinderella III - A Twist in Time , that doesn't stop this film from being fairly cute and entertaining. It had a tendency to drag just a little, and at times the actors who are voicing the various characters seem a little off or mismatched to their character, but even so I really liked this movie. Sigourney Weaver steals the show as the vivacious evil stepmother. Her character is extremely expressive (thanks to the talented Ms. Weaver), and she also bares a striking resemblence to the statuesque Jessica Rabbit in Who Framed Roger Rabbit (Vista Series) . I'm not sure if that was planned or not, but either way the character is fantastic.

Sarah Michelle Geller, and her real life husband Freddie Prinze Jr. voice the characters Ella and Rick (who eventually manage to find love with each other. Awww...isn't that sweet). Andy Dick, with his bizarre and often adlibbed dialogue, is a perfect fit for the trouble making Mambo, who manages to entertain with a few well-placed snarky comments.

Bottom line, it's a fun re-working of quite a few jumbled fairy tales. If you can get through the few parts where the film lags a bit, then you will truly enjoy this good-natured romp through many beloved fairy tales.