Why we love movies

If you’re not an Amy Adams fan by now, it’s time to jump on the bandwagon.

I had loved her in Junebug, and thought that she was just absolutely adorable. Given the tons of crappy movies she had to do to get to where she is now [Cruel Intentions 2, anyone?], it’s only fair that she finally got her due. In Enchanted, she officially got catapulted to superstardom.

The thing about Amy Adams is that no matter what role she’s in, you want to believe her. You believe her as the pregnant, naive Ashley in Junebug, as fairytale princess Gisele stuck in the real world in Enchanted, and soon, as an American actress in 1939 London in Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. Her acting is so honest and so earnest that you can’t help but fall in love with her. And she can sing too! If you saw her performance in the 2008 Oscars, you can say for yourself that she truly is gifted.

Enchanted is such a fun movie. It reminds us why we love movies. Maybe I am escapist–but that’s what movies are for–as a means of escape from the complexities of the here and now. We want to disappear for a few hours and feel like we’re being transported into a completely different place where we interact with characters that you can fall in love with or detest completely that the emotions course through your veins as if you’re really in that situation. This is why I enjoy fantasy and science fiction–because you can just forget about your shitty day at work and pretend you’re soaring through space in a Firefly or dodging bullets in slo-mo and a killer leather jacket a la The Matrix. In Enchanted, it was such a feelgood, overall enjoyable film. It was funny, charming, heartwarming–hell, it even brought back a bit of the kilig that I haven’t felt in like, forever. I think it’s kind of sad that a lot of the movies out there today that we like or give credit to are the serious ones that highlight social issues and have strong dramatic characters. I mean, is that really what a movie is about? Giving a strong enough performance or tackling a controversial enough issue to warrant an Oscar win? What about the movies that tell you to lighten up? The movies that don’t need intelligent, witty banter penned in their scripts to get attention?

James Marsden plays the pompous yet dashing Prince Edward

I thought Enchanted was this kind of movie. All the right elements, enjoyable performances, and even well-composed musical sequences. James Marsden was so much fun to watch in this movie. Patrick Dempsey was his usual McDreamy self, which was probably how he got the role in the first place, so no surprise there. Susan Sarandon as the evil queen was also pretty neat.

Overall, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this movie. I have seen so many serious movies and gripping performances that I forgot what it’s like to just sit back and be entertained. Gisele’s philosophy isn’t entirely wrong: dreams can come true, true love can be found, and happily ever afters aren’t impossible. Animals can clean your house, bursting into song can suddenly turn people into professional dancers–hell, I’ll believe it all if Amy Adams tells me it’s true.