35 out of 42 people found the following comment useful :- Clean, fun fairy tale, 21 August 2004
Author:
kellychitwood from Atlanta, Georgia
How refreshing to attend a non-animated, G-rated movie and enjoy it! As a
41-year-old woman attending with an 82-year-old friend, I expected a light,
pretty, romantic fairy tale, and that's exactly what I got. Never saw the
first movie, but the "catch-up" work at the beginning made that a
non-issue.
Surely, no one would go to this movie expecting to find the meaning of life
portrayed on the screen. Come on, folks, this is a Disney princess flick
with Julie Andrews and a G-rating; is anybody expecting deep
philosophy?
Chick flick? Of course! Especially appealing to young (under 18) chicks?
Definitely! Enjoyable to other adult women and men who just want a happy
trip to fantasy land with no worries about sex, blood, or blue language?
Absolutely!
Take this film at face value and you'll enjoy it. If you can't do that,
don't bother seeing it. There are plenty of other "profound" movies out
there to inspire, teach, or depress you! Go for a good time and you'll have
it.
30 out of 40 people found the following comment useful :- Princess Mia grows into her power, adding bite to this tween rom com, 10 December 2004
Author:
Colette Corr from Melbourne, Australia
What does it mean to be a princess? Besides wearing tiaras and twin
sets, dancing at balls attracting fame and fortune simply for being
beautiful? A princess is stuck forever in extended adolescence she
only has the trappings of power. Symbolically, at least, a queen has
real power, and does not necessarily need to be beautiful.
For hundreds of years, fairy tales have filtered through our
consciousness to involuntarily fuel our dreams. In the last century,
what began as cautionary tales to lecture children have been sugar-spun
into a Disneyfied notion of desire. But with Disney's latest, Princess
Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, the recent trend of recasting fairy tales
to reflect modern ideals continues, albeit with a gentler hand than
yesteryear's feminists.
Simply, it's not enough to be a princess anymore. Although ostensibly a
conventional tween romantic comedy, Princess Diaries 2 features a
heroine who is more independent than Drew Barrymore's character in Ever
After (1998) and less frustrated than Julia Stiles' Mary Donaldson
clone in the The Prince and Me (2004). And, even better, in Princess
Diaries 2, there are no handsome princes, just boys on the side.
I'm not a fan of much of director Gary Marshall's work although
Pretty Woman's a classic, Runaway Bride, Raising Helen and the original
Princess Diaries are very ordinary films. But in this enchanting
sequel, he and screenwriter Shonda Rhimes give us a character who's not
just beautiful, klutzy and funny. Mia Mignonette Thermopoulos Rinaldi
is growing into her power.
Princess Diaries 2 begins five years after the original at Mia's 21st
birthday party. After the schemings of John Rhys Davies triggers an
ancient Genovian law, Mia has one month to marry, otherwise she will
forfeit the throne. As two very different suitors court her, Mia relies
on her now affectionate relationship with her grandmother, Queen
Clarisse (Julie Andrews), to guide her. Meanwhile security chief Joe
(Hector Elizondo) woos the Queen.
There are hackneyed moments, the worst of which is a pajama party
featuring dozens of little princesses who are designed to reflect their
aspirant audience. Although enjoyable, this scene serves no dramatic
function, except perhaps to showcase Julie Andrew's expertise in
mattress surfing. The change in Queen Clarisse's character is also
unexplained she's transformed from being an acerbic biddy in the
first film to being the dream grandmother. However, this film is
entertaining, humorous and has a positive message. The cast and
characters are also strong, particularly Anne Hathaway as Mia, and
there's plenty of chemistry between her and Nicholas (Chris Pine).
Heather Matarazzo and Fat Louie the cat also make brief appearances.
Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement improves on the original, and will
be a particular hit with its target audience: tween and teen girls. But
this film's got enough substance to appeal to an older audience if you
let it. ***/***** stars.
19 out of 21 people found the following comment useful :- A feel-good movie, 26 July 2005
Author:
lilcutie18613 from United States
I remember seeing the first movie not expecting much from it, but when
I walked out I was pleasantly surprised! When I saw the previews to
this movie I thought "Oh god! Another movie ruined by a sequel!" I was
slightly wrong in my thinking, because this was in fact a cute,
light-hearted, feel-good movie. Maybe it's not as good as the first,
but I still thought it was rather enjoyable. Anne Hathaway is a great
actress and I'm so glad her talent was discovered and recognized. Julie
Andrews gave a great performance as the former Queen of Genovia. This
movie may have been predictable and a big ball of fluff, but what do
you expect to a sequel to a Disney movie where Pixar wasn't involved? I
would recommend this movie to anyone, just as long as you go into it
knowing it's different from the first. I'm just praying there won't be
a third movie.
5 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :- Love, Love, Love this movie, 23 June 2006
Author:
rlh8947 from United States
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
I love the Princess Diaries 2, I like it better than the original,
which is very rare for sequels. I admit, it is a bit cheesy, but
sometimes cheesiness works. Anne Hathaway is one of my favorite young
actresses, and oh my god the guy who plays Nicholas (chris pine) is so
hot! The chemistry between Mia and Nicholas is amazing, and the story
is sweet and cute. I love Hector Elizondo and I wish he had a larger
role in the second film, but he's still fabulous in it. I'm also so
glad that Mia stood up for women and refused to get married just
because the law told her too. I'm sure Nicholas would have married her
if she asked him, heck, Andrew was at the altar, but she wasn't
prepared to give up her life to make the men who made the law happy. I
can't say enough about this movie! Two enthusiastic thumbs up!
5 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :- Fun Chick Flick, 15 August 2004
Author:
teachergeek from USA
Anyone who liked the first Princess Diaries movie will like this. It's
sweet, it's funny, and there are gorgeous men and gorgeous clothes. My
best friend and I are in our late 20's and although it was predictable
as any chick flick is...it was well worth our 9 dollar admissions. We
loved it, and left feeling happy.
Mia arrives back in Genovia only to discover that due to a old law
still on the books, she has to marry in order to rule her country.
Unfortunately there is another candidate. Mia proceeds to deal with her
life with her usual mix of clumsiness and sarcasm, with best friend
Lily along for the ride. Memorable scenes include the ball, the parade,
the wooden leg, and the continuing romance between Joe and Queen
Clarice.
10 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :- Not Bad, but nothing to do with the books..., 15 October 2005
Author:
marugorlero2 from Buenos Aires, Argentina
The thing that disappointed me about this movie was the title. I have
read most of the Princess Diaries books and I really like them. So the
fact that the movie is called the same thing is annoying since it has
absolutely nothing to do with the books. If you have read the books and
want to see the movie just go in knowing that there is no relation
between the two whatsoever. They are two completely different things.
Once you know and accept this, you can enjoy the movie. It is pretty
nice, with good acting. There is also a scene where we listen to Julie
Andrews singing again! It is definitely a cute movie to watch and enjoy
with the family!
4 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :- Totally dreamy!, 20 February 2007
Author:
polar24 from Australia
More from Ms Hathaway and Ms Poppins as the newly crowned Princess Mia
travels to Genovia to fulfill all the roles of royal domestication and
to achieve every princess's dream - to get married! This is really an
add-on to the 2001 film with more cake-icing sets, ravishing costume
changes, and dilemmas of love and politics, all set to a funky dance
soundtrack.
Mia's school sweetheart has been replaced by two dashing handsome men.
One the heir and future prince of Genovia and the other, her
irresistible love-to-hate nephew. The love triangle forms the main
obstacle in the film for Mia and so this sequel plays more like a
guilty pleasure for fans of the first film than the coming-of-age story
it could have been.
The female leads are once again so much fun to be around and lovely to
watch on screen. Even more charming than her male suiters, Hathaway is
a knockout, and looks exquisitely ravishing in each scene. I was swept
away by the sparking chateaus and glistening make-up, but must say the
believability factor was definitely pushing the line in this episode.
I admit that despite my animosity at this puff-pastry of a sequel, I
still had lots of fun with it, and it shouldn't stop you from having a
really enjoyable daydream for a few hours. The sets, costumes and main
star are all gorgeous to behold thanks to the high production values,
For the most part, a pleasure for the eyes and a charming, enchanting
yet predictable bubble-bath of a fairytale.
4 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :- Not boring - not the original but not boring, 13 April 2005
Author:
David Cron from Las Vegas NV
The sequel is still funny and it's worth watching to hear Julie Andrews
sing again. The "mattress surfing scene is wonderful especially when
the Queen (Andrews) pops in and everyone thinks OMG the party's over.
But NO! Anne Hathaway is absolutely gorgeous, so guys will of course
enjoy the "eye candy" and the ladies have some pretty hunky guys around
too. The real story of this movie though is the fleshing out of the
relationship between Joe (Hector Elizondo) and the Queen. That's the
most interesting subplot in the story and the most enjoyable too. The
ending is somewhat of a predictable surprise. I found it to be
enjoyable. Not as witty as the original but still worth the watch.
4 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :- "good clean fun", 14 September 2004
Author:
TheDirector24 from Australia
Disney have proved yet again why they are a head and shoulders above
the competition when it comes to producing movies that aren't
admittedly brain food, but are "good clean fun", (if you'll forgive the
cliché), for kids. For every little girl who ever dreamed of becoming a
princess, this film is the perfect way to spend two hours.
True, it was grossly unfaithful to Meg Cabot's original novels, but
still managed to convey the charm and slick veneer that has come to be
associated with Disney, and the valuable message of independence for
little princesses everywhere.
For the more mature audience, this is a happy chance to revisit
childhood, or simply breathe a sigh of relief that what your child is
watching is not in any way compromising or damaging, and will not have
to be explained later.
Good message. Solid performances. Sweet (if bland and predictable at
times) story line. Great movie!
Highly recommended for two hours of escapism on a summer's afternoon.
7 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :- Teenage girls with no interest in plot, scripting or character depth apply within, 23 February 2005
Author:
gillard_stephen from United Kingdom
I will just say that the one good thing about this movie is that it's
really nice to see Julie Andrews singing again. There is no debating
the fact that she has an amazing voice. What does bother me is this
increasing trend of teensploitation movies that are appearing regularly
in the cinemas. Film makers appear to have found a genre that appeals
to the teenage girl who still puts the pillow case on her head and
dreams of the perfect wedding and boy are they sticking to it. Take one
virginally attractive young woman, give her no brains but an abundance
of good intentions, place her in a variety of bumbling situations and
add one completely plastic love interest. Acting school? Only add as a
very last resort if character's can't manage basic facial expression.
Completely ignore the only two interesting characters and their complex
love story to focus on the teen dream of the "perfect man," and the
fight to win him from the dark side. Even makes the first Princess
Diaries look like Citizen Kane. Very very Boring.
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The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004)
35 out of 42 people found the following comment useful :-

Clean, fun fairy tale, 21 August 2004
Author: kellychitwood from Atlanta, Georgia
How refreshing to attend a non-animated, G-rated movie and enjoy it! As a 41-year-old woman attending with an 82-year-old friend, I expected a light, pretty, romantic fairy tale, and that's exactly what I got. Never saw the first movie, but the "catch-up" work at the beginning made that a non-issue.
Surely, no one would go to this movie expecting to find the meaning of life portrayed on the screen. Come on, folks, this is a Disney princess flick with Julie Andrews and a G-rating; is anybody expecting deep philosophy?
Chick flick? Of course! Especially appealing to young (under 18) chicks? Definitely! Enjoyable to other adult women and men who just want a happy trip to fantasy land with no worries about sex, blood, or blue language? Absolutely!
Take this film at face value and you'll enjoy it. If you can't do that, don't bother seeing it. There are plenty of other "profound" movies out there to inspire, teach, or depress you! Go for a good time and you'll have it.
30 out of 40 people found the following comment useful :-

Princess Mia grows into her power, adding bite to this tween rom com, 10 December 2004
Author: Colette Corr from Melbourne, Australia
What does it mean to be a princess? Besides wearing tiaras and twin sets, dancing at balls attracting fame and fortune simply for being beautiful? A princess is stuck forever in extended adolescence she only has the trappings of power. Symbolically, at least, a queen has real power, and does not necessarily need to be beautiful.
For hundreds of years, fairy tales have filtered through our consciousness to involuntarily fuel our dreams. In the last century, what began as cautionary tales to lecture children have been sugar-spun into a Disneyfied notion of desire. But with Disney's latest, Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, the recent trend of recasting fairy tales to reflect modern ideals continues, albeit with a gentler hand than yesteryear's feminists.
Simply, it's not enough to be a princess anymore. Although ostensibly a conventional tween romantic comedy, Princess Diaries 2 features a heroine who is more independent than Drew Barrymore's character in Ever After (1998) and less frustrated than Julia Stiles' Mary Donaldson clone in the The Prince and Me (2004). And, even better, in Princess Diaries 2, there are no handsome princes, just boys on the side.
I'm not a fan of much of director Gary Marshall's work although Pretty Woman's a classic, Runaway Bride, Raising Helen and the original Princess Diaries are very ordinary films. But in this enchanting sequel, he and screenwriter Shonda Rhimes give us a character who's not just beautiful, klutzy and funny. Mia Mignonette Thermopoulos Rinaldi is growing into her power.
Princess Diaries 2 begins five years after the original at Mia's 21st birthday party. After the schemings of John Rhys Davies triggers an ancient Genovian law, Mia has one month to marry, otherwise she will forfeit the throne. As two very different suitors court her, Mia relies on her now affectionate relationship with her grandmother, Queen Clarisse (Julie Andrews), to guide her. Meanwhile security chief Joe (Hector Elizondo) woos the Queen.
There are hackneyed moments, the worst of which is a pajama party featuring dozens of little princesses who are designed to reflect their aspirant audience. Although enjoyable, this scene serves no dramatic function, except perhaps to showcase Julie Andrew's expertise in mattress surfing. The change in Queen Clarisse's character is also unexplained she's transformed from being an acerbic biddy in the first film to being the dream grandmother. However, this film is entertaining, humorous and has a positive message. The cast and characters are also strong, particularly Anne Hathaway as Mia, and there's plenty of chemistry between her and Nicholas (Chris Pine). Heather Matarazzo and Fat Louie the cat also make brief appearances.
Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement improves on the original, and will be a particular hit with its target audience: tween and teen girls. But this film's got enough substance to appeal to an older audience if you let it. ***/***** stars.
19 out of 21 people found the following comment useful :-

A feel-good movie, 26 July 2005
Author: lilcutie18613 from United States
I remember seeing the first movie not expecting much from it, but when I walked out I was pleasantly surprised! When I saw the previews to this movie I thought "Oh god! Another movie ruined by a sequel!" I was slightly wrong in my thinking, because this was in fact a cute, light-hearted, feel-good movie. Maybe it's not as good as the first, but I still thought it was rather enjoyable. Anne Hathaway is a great actress and I'm so glad her talent was discovered and recognized. Julie Andrews gave a great performance as the former Queen of Genovia. This movie may have been predictable and a big ball of fluff, but what do you expect to a sequel to a Disney movie where Pixar wasn't involved? I would recommend this movie to anyone, just as long as you go into it knowing it's different from the first. I'm just praying there won't be a third movie.
5 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-

Love, Love, Love this movie, 23 June 2006
Author: rlh8947 from United States
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
I love the Princess Diaries 2, I like it better than the original, which is very rare for sequels. I admit, it is a bit cheesy, but sometimes cheesiness works. Anne Hathaway is one of my favorite young actresses, and oh my god the guy who plays Nicholas (chris pine) is so hot! The chemistry between Mia and Nicholas is amazing, and the story is sweet and cute. I love Hector Elizondo and I wish he had a larger role in the second film, but he's still fabulous in it. I'm also so glad that Mia stood up for women and refused to get married just because the law told her too. I'm sure Nicholas would have married her if she asked him, heck, Andrew was at the altar, but she wasn't prepared to give up her life to make the men who made the law happy. I can't say enough about this movie! Two enthusiastic thumbs up!
5 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-

Fun Chick Flick, 15 August 2004
Author: teachergeek from USA
Anyone who liked the first Princess Diaries movie will like this. It's sweet, it's funny, and there are gorgeous men and gorgeous clothes. My best friend and I are in our late 20's and although it was predictable as any chick flick is...it was well worth our 9 dollar admissions. We loved it, and left feeling happy.
Mia arrives back in Genovia only to discover that due to a old law still on the books, she has to marry in order to rule her country. Unfortunately there is another candidate. Mia proceeds to deal with her life with her usual mix of clumsiness and sarcasm, with best friend Lily along for the ride. Memorable scenes include the ball, the parade, the wooden leg, and the continuing romance between Joe and Queen Clarice.
10 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :-

Not Bad, but nothing to do with the books..., 15 October 2005
Author: marugorlero2 from Buenos Aires, Argentina
The thing that disappointed me about this movie was the title. I have read most of the Princess Diaries books and I really like them. So the fact that the movie is called the same thing is annoying since it has absolutely nothing to do with the books. If you have read the books and want to see the movie just go in knowing that there is no relation between the two whatsoever. They are two completely different things. Once you know and accept this, you can enjoy the movie. It is pretty nice, with good acting. There is also a scene where we listen to Julie Andrews singing again! It is definitely a cute movie to watch and enjoy with the family!
4 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-

Totally dreamy!, 20 February 2007
Author: polar24 from Australia
More from Ms Hathaway and Ms Poppins as the newly crowned Princess Mia travels to Genovia to fulfill all the roles of royal domestication and to achieve every princess's dream - to get married! This is really an add-on to the 2001 film with more cake-icing sets, ravishing costume changes, and dilemmas of love and politics, all set to a funky dance soundtrack.
Mia's school sweetheart has been replaced by two dashing handsome men. One the heir and future prince of Genovia and the other, her irresistible love-to-hate nephew. The love triangle forms the main obstacle in the film for Mia and so this sequel plays more like a guilty pleasure for fans of the first film than the coming-of-age story it could have been.
The female leads are once again so much fun to be around and lovely to watch on screen. Even more charming than her male suiters, Hathaway is a knockout, and looks exquisitely ravishing in each scene. I was swept away by the sparking chateaus and glistening make-up, but must say the believability factor was definitely pushing the line in this episode.
I admit that despite my animosity at this puff-pastry of a sequel, I still had lots of fun with it, and it shouldn't stop you from having a really enjoyable daydream for a few hours. The sets, costumes and main star are all gorgeous to behold thanks to the high production values, For the most part, a pleasure for the eyes and a charming, enchanting yet predictable bubble-bath of a fairytale.
4 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-

Not boring - not the original but not boring, 13 April 2005
Author: David Cron from Las Vegas NV
The sequel is still funny and it's worth watching to hear Julie Andrews sing again. The "mattress surfing scene is wonderful especially when the Queen (Andrews) pops in and everyone thinks OMG the party's over. But NO! Anne Hathaway is absolutely gorgeous, so guys will of course enjoy the "eye candy" and the ladies have some pretty hunky guys around too. The real story of this movie though is the fleshing out of the relationship between Joe (Hector Elizondo) and the Queen. That's the most interesting subplot in the story and the most enjoyable too. The ending is somewhat of a predictable surprise. I found it to be enjoyable. Not as witty as the original but still worth the watch.
4 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
"good clean fun", 14 September 2004
Author: TheDirector24 from Australia
Disney have proved yet again why they are a head and shoulders above the competition when it comes to producing movies that aren't admittedly brain food, but are "good clean fun", (if you'll forgive the cliché), for kids. For every little girl who ever dreamed of becoming a princess, this film is the perfect way to spend two hours.
True, it was grossly unfaithful to Meg Cabot's original novels, but still managed to convey the charm and slick veneer that has come to be associated with Disney, and the valuable message of independence for little princesses everywhere.
For the more mature audience, this is a happy chance to revisit childhood, or simply breathe a sigh of relief that what your child is watching is not in any way compromising or damaging, and will not have to be explained later.
Good message. Solid performances. Sweet (if bland and predictable at times) story line. Great movie!
Highly recommended for two hours of escapism on a summer's afternoon.
7 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :-

Teenage girls with no interest in plot, scripting or character depth apply within, 23 February 2005
Author: gillard_stephen from United Kingdom
I will just say that the one good thing about this movie is that it's really nice to see Julie Andrews singing again. There is no debating the fact that she has an amazing voice. What does bother me is this increasing trend of teensploitation movies that are appearing regularly in the cinemas. Film makers appear to have found a genre that appeals to the teenage girl who still puts the pillow case on her head and dreams of the perfect wedding and boy are they sticking to it. Take one virginally attractive young woman, give her no brains but an abundance of good intentions, place her in a variety of bumbling situations and add one completely plastic love interest. Acting school? Only add as a very last resort if character's can't manage basic facial expression. Completely ignore the only two interesting characters and their complex love story to focus on the teen dream of the "perfect man," and the fight to win him from the dark side. Even makes the first Princess Diaries look like Citizen Kane. Very very Boring.
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