I held off seeing this one in protest to rising ticket prices but follow up a bad week with the start of an empty weekend and soon a parental unit shoves cash in my hand saying "get out of my hair and see a movie". So, I did. Turns out things weren't too bad.

Taking place five years after the events of the first one, the princess of Genovia is just graduating college and turning 21, and soon to inherit the Crown only to bump into some court intrigue. What follows is a combination of mild laughter from our still-clutzy princess, warm moments, and a visit to an enchanting little kingdom. On the whole the movie is an amusing family flick with some tear-jerking tendencies and just plain lots of fun (including the reference by Julie "Mary Poppins" Andrews as the Queen to her former flying days). As predictable and done-before as the plot is, watching you'll end up in a good mood. It's a nice little film.

For those that stay through the end credits there's an extra little extra in the form of a voice-over travellogue invite to Genovia by the head of security for the royal family. Oh, and harking back to my review of the first film, was I right about the new Star is Born part, or what?