This holiday weekend, I took my kids and a gaggle of nieces and cousins to see Enchanted, the new Disney movie wherein the heroine, Giselle, is forced out of her animated world by the prince’s evil stepmother. Once in the real, live-action world, plucky Giselle makes her way using all those Disney princess-ly talents, including making her own clothes, care giving, and generally cheering people up. While trying to sort out her situation, she meets cynical divorce lawyer Robert Philip, played by Dr. McDreamy himself, Patrick Dempsey, and his adorable daughter. Much soul-searching and hilarity ensue.

I’ve periodically complained about all the horrible children’s movies I’ve been forced to endure over the years (Barnyard, anyone?), but this movie more than makes up for that. It’s the delightful, charming story of a saccharine-sweet, yet loveable heroine who learns and grows when the going gets tough. Not since, hmm, let me think … yeah, not since 1991’s Beauty and the Beast have I enjoyed a Disney feature this much.

One of the best things about this movie, aside from Amy Adams’ spot-on performance as a wide-eyed, sweet-voiced, painfully naïve princess-to-be, is the way this movie pokes fun at all the Disney conventions, including those singing, cleaning animals, bursting into song for no apparent reason, the evil-stepmother with her poison apples, the dragon, and the one-dimensional prince.

The kids all loved this movie, and I did too.

Two thumbs up. Or, uh … five stars. Or whatever my top rating is.

Don’t miss it.