Tangled

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Directors: Nathan Greno, Byron Howard

Stars: Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Donna Murphy, Brad Garrett, Ron Perlman (more)

Synopsis: In this new take on the story of Rapunzel, the princess (voiced by Mandy Moore) with a 70 foot-long mane convinces a bandit named Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi) to help her escape the tower in which she's been sequestered for her entire life by her captor, Mother Gothel (Donna Murphy). Of course, he only agrees to do so after she steals his bag of pilfered treasure and coaxes him to guide her on a tour of the outside world.

Why We're Excited: Frankly, it's a bit astonishing to think that it has taken this long for the House of Mouse to get around to Disney-fying this fairy tale. Then again, it's probably a good thing that it's being made now as opposed to years ago, or the story would not have painted Rapunzel as being on a quest to save herself - an idea that's probably a lot more palatable to modern parents and useful to the kids they're taking to see it. Beyond all that, it looks like it could be a lot fun - starting with what seems to be a perfect piece of voice casting in Levi, playing the devilish hero.

Why We're Not: Disney changed directors midstream on this project: Glen Keane, supervising animator for such Disney classics as Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast, originally helmed the project along with story artist Dean Wellins, and the team had a very specific and ambitious vision for it. But they stepped down in 2008, replaced by Byron Howard and Nathan Greno, the director and storyboard director of Bolt. Adding to the appearance of uncertainty on the studio's part, the marketing campaign has shied away from focusing on Rapunzel, choosing to target the boys who allegedly never showed up for The Princess and the Frog by focusing on Flynn, and changing the title from the crystal clear Rapunzel to the much more ambiguous Tangled. Disney has built its vast kingdom on selling the princess dream to children; shying away from that now seems a tad silly. That soundtrack had better be mesmerizing, or Tangled could stumble on its array of anxious marketing knots.

Trivia: According to Glen Keane, the movie's visual style is said to mimic a three-dimensional painting, and was greatly inspired by the Romantic painting "The Swing" by the French rococo artist Jean-Honore Fragonard.