The Princess Diaries - 7/10

Live-action Disney - always a little bit concerning. Disney is usually at it's best with animation. Although, that being said, one of my favourite Disney films ever (a 10/10 in fact) is a non-animation film ... But we'll get to that another day. 

Until then, The Princess Diaries. 

Frankly, I did not have high hopes for this film. The title is not something that makes me think 'Yeaah, this will be amazing' - But it is on Netflix, and Gem said it would be fun. 

But what I didn't realise, was that it had this lady in it ...

Well gosh, that's not very Disney. 

But it does bring me to my first favourite thing about The Princess Diaries

1. Anne 'Catwoman' Hathaway. 

Admittedly, this was a decade or so before I would have her image burned into my mind as this ...

But even pre-Batman, there is a lot to admire about Miss Hathaway. To be honest, She is one of the main reasons the film is decent. 

Although, if you are hoping for a little bit of eye-smashingly sexy Anne Hathaway action, you are quite out of luck ... she does spend most of the film looking like ...

And I think it's reasonable to suggest that you'd have to be a special kind of broken if you watch the film thinking of her as 'sexy'. 

Definitely one to watch for her acting, rather than her ability to fit into tight spandex. 

2. 
Julie Andrews! 

Two amazing actresses manage to make this Disney film watchable. Now, Julie Andrews is obviously best known in DisneyVerse for being Mary Poppins - a film I have not yet watched, but I am told by many I should. Consider me still sceptical. 

Regardless, she is brilliant in the Princess Diaries. 

3. 
This is a case of my liking the film in spite of ... Lily. 

Holy crap, how annoying can a girl be. 

Look how happy she looks!! but why, Lily, why are you happy?!?!? I have no idea. You spend half the movie grumbling and whinging, the other half overly happy. 

Part of me was wondering whether the whole Princess thing was made up inside Anne Hathaway's head to deal with the fact that her best friend is Lily. 

Sheesh. 

Go away Lily. 

4. 

Nun: 911, I'd like to report an accident... They put me on hold!

Nun: Oh, for the love of God!

A blaspheming nun in a Disney film. Beautiful. 

5. 

Throwing darts at balloons filled with paint? 

Genius. 

And art, apparently. Who knew I could be an artist (although, my dart throwing isn't great, so perhaps not ...)

In fact, I'm so intrigued by this, that I'm tempted to try and make this part of my Stag Road Trip. 'The Road Stag'. I'm not sure Rob would approve, it's not the most manly of past times. 

So yeah, A decent 7 out of 10 for the Princess Diaries. It was good, it was sweet, it wasn't overly special. Would I watch it again? ... probably not. Would I watch Princess Diaries 2? Only for the sake of this blog, you lucky, lucky people. 

I'm not expecting any Princess Diaries moments in DisneyWorld in October ... But, if Anne Hathaway did want to make an appearance and say 'hi', I'd much rather she did so as Catwoman. 

Thanks Anne.

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all."