Rated G. 115 Minutes. Good for kids ages 6 and up. Anne Hathaway, Julie Andrews, Hector Elizondo. Directed by Garry Marshall.

I didn’t see “The Princess Diaries” when it was released in 2001, so I was happy to watch this Special Edition DVD, released on August 3. The sequel, “The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement,” comes out in theaters August 13.

THE STORY: Amelia "Mia" Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) is a 15-year-old San Francisco High School sophomore. She's awkward, wears thick glasses, and has a dark mane of unruly hair. All the "popular" kids makes fun of her, but she still manages to keep her sense of humor. In short, she's a nerd -- but a nerd with lots of common sense.

Mia lives with her divorced mother, Helen (Caroline Goodall), in a cool converted firehouse where most of the space is devoted to Helen’s art studio. Helen is supportive and loving, but she’s failed to mention one important fact to her daughter – Mia’s father was prince of a European country called Genovia, which makes Mia a princess.

Mia learns this startling news when her grandmother, Queen Clarisse Renaldi (Julie Andrews), comes to town and asks to see her at the Genovian consulate. She explains that Mia’s father (whom the girl never knew) has died and Mia must accept her place as Princess and heir to the throne, otherwise Genovia will be ruled by a nasty noble family only interested in their personal gain.

The rest of the movie is devoted to Mia’s struggle to accept the whole princess thing and learn how to be a royal under her grandmother’s tutelage. But she’s still a nerd to her classmates – albeit a regal one – and she’s humiliated at every turn. Of course, there’s a love triangle involving a popular boy and the less-popular brother of her best friend.

WHAT I LIKED. It's hard to even find a G-rated movie these days, much less one that's smart, funny, and appealing to both kids and adults. This one works. Hathaway seems like a real kid with real problems, but she still manages to be fresh and funny. Her transformation from bespectacled geek to glamorous princess isn't overdone. It's just right, as she has her bushy eyebrows plucked, frizzy hair straightened, and bookish glasses replaced with contact lenses (much to her chagrin). In her debut performance, Hathaway is a delightful blend of charm, wit and beauty -- with great comedic timing.

The casting is great, with the superb Julie Andrews acting every bit the queen and Hector Elizondo stealing every scene as the queen’s security guy. He’s carved out quite a niche for himself playing butler-concierge types; this is pretty much the same role he played in “Pretty Woman,” also directed by Garry Marshall.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: Sure, "The Princess Diaries" is predictable, but sometimes that's ok. With all the "battle" movies and mind-numbing cartoons out these days, it's refreshing to watch a nice -- ok, schmaltzy -- flick every now and then. It proves you don't need car chases, gunfights, or scary storylines for an entertaining movie.

THE WRAP-UP: A fun, refreshing movie that appeals to all ages. While undoubtedly made for teenage girls, my 9-year-old son and I were both mesmerized by it, too.

SCORE: 3.5 out of 4 Reels.

DVD EXTRAS:

- “Livin’ Like a Princess” featurette (an animated history lesson on various real-life princesses), 4 minutes.

- “Princess Diaries 2” Sneak Peek, 6 minutes.

- Outtakes, 4 minutes. Funny, but not hilarious. Kids will like them.

From the original DVD: eight deleted scenes (and Marshall’s commentary on why they were cut); two music videos (“Miracles Happen” and “Supergirl”); feature-length commentary with Garry Marshall; feature-length commentary with Julie Andrews and Anne Hathaway; full screen and wide screen versions.

Computer users get a Screensaver, Image Gallery with 50 images, and printable puzzles, word games, picture frames, stationery, even a tiara.

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JANE'S REEL RATING SYSTEM:

One Reel – Pathetic. Even The Force can’t save it.

Two Reels – Tolerable. Coulda been a contender.

Three Reels – Pleasant. Something to talk about.

Four Reels – Wow! The stuff dreams are made of.

E-chat with me at jane@reellifewithjane.com - I LOVE to talk about movies! For more about me, check out www.reellifewithjane.com or www.janeboursaw.com.