If you know me, you’d know I’m a massive lover of the best fantasy movies. Whether it’s rewatching the world of Harry Potter or it’s checking out The Lord of the Rings movies for the first time, I’ve always enjoyed a good romp in the worlds of monsters, magic, and so much more. But do you want to know one movie I forgot about until now? Ella Enchanted.
I decided to rewatch the film after an extremely long day of cleaning, and I really forgot just how magical the movie is, and how good it makes me feel. But something else stuck with me after that made me want to write this—a specific aspect of the film that’s bothering me. And it might not be what you think, because it’s not an issue with the actual movie.
Let’s get into it.
First Off, The Film Is Still As Magical As I Remember
If you haven’t seen Ella Enchanted, please stop reading this article right now and check it out. I assure you, it’s just as much fun as you can imagine. If you don’t know what the film is about, Ella Enchanted follows the titular character as she embarks on a quest across her country to find the fairy that gifted her “obedience.” This gift means basically means Ella does what anyone asks her to do – and clearly, she wants that gone as she gets older.
The entire film is full of so many fun moments that made me smile and laugh the whole way through. To me, this is one of Anne Hathaway’s best movies because it was during one of the high points of her career, and her chemistry with Hugh Dancy is some of the best that I have seen in a fantasy film.
You can clearly tell this film was a product of the rapidly developing technology of CGI at the time and that the effects are alright-ish. But the magic, the fun, and everything in between makes this an enjoyable movie. But you want to know what bothers me?
How do we not have more jukebox musicals?
But It Makes Me Think Why We Don’t Have More Fun Jukebox Musicals Like This
I feel like there was a time when jukebox musicals were on top of the world. From the rewatchable Mamma Mia! to Jersey Boys, Happy Feet, and so many more, it kind of feels like they all…fell off.
Before you come at me—yes, I know that Joker: Folie a Deux was technically a jukebox musical, but I don’t really count that within the same field as this magical movie. Joker: Folie a Deux’s musical aspect was well done, but it was more there to cater to the story of the characters and the mania behind their mental health rather than really entertain the audience.
When I think of a classic jukebox musical, I think of songs that push the plot forward, make sense of the story, and aren’t just added there for the sake of being a musical. There have been a few in the last decade or so – like Rocketman, the Amazon Prime Cinderella, and the unnecessary Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again – but none have really reached the heights of what jukebox musicals once were.
And this movie is precisely what I think of when jukebox musicals pop into my head. It’s not overridden with songs, but enough where it adds to the story, gives you a pep in your step, and makes you smile the whole way through.
I Think With The Right Kinds Of Songs, Jukebox Musicals Could Still Work
There are many modern musicals out there that are considered jukebox musicals. From the new Michael Jackson show on Broadway to the Carole King musical to so much more – all of which I really think would work well adapted into a big-time movie.
But they don’t even need to be on Broadway to work. I mean, think of Glee. There are so many fantastic Glee covers, and the show in and of itself was just one long jukebox musical. While it certainly outstayed its welcome on television, it was huge for a long time, for good reason. If you have someone willing and capable behind the scenes to pick the right songs, you can make magic.
I’m trying to say that there should be way more jukebox musicals, way more often. We do get them occasionally, but they don’t stand out as much as they used to. Sure, there are plenty of great titles out there that have nothing to do with musicals, plenty of which are coming out as part of the 2024 movie schedule.
But sometimes, you need something like this to make you smile on a bad day – and I wish there were more films exactly like Ella Enchanted. Maybe one day we’ll get there. For now, I suppose I’ll rewatch this.