Gliding across the ice, leaping into the air, landing with grace and beauty -- these are the things a teenage girl dreams of in Ice Princess. Unfortunately, her mother has other plans. She's obsessed about getting her daughter into Harvard to study physics, not figure skating. 

As an avid skating fan, I’m always impressed with the artistry, musicality and athletic skill of such rink stars as Michelle Kwan, Sasha Cohen, Todd Eldridge and Johnny Weir, and I’m pleased that Ice Princess highlights the hard work it takes to become a successful figure skater. Casey (Michelle Trachtenberg from Buffy the Vampire Slayer), a science geek, starts out rather shaky on the ice but ends up as graceful as a swan, thanks to rigorous training and practice, practice, practice -- plus help from her knowledge of aerodynamics. “I knew I was going to have to train a lot,” says Trachtenberg. “But I had no idea that it was going to be months and months of the most intense training sessions, as well as intense ballet classes and hours and hours of being on the ice.”

Trachtenberg is a revelation both on and off the ice. She’s matured into a lovely young actress whose soulful eyes draw us into her character’s world and make us want everything to come out right for her. Like the wonderful Scarlett Johansson, Trachtenberg boasts a well-modulated speaking voice that adds to her appeal. And she’s extremely photogenic. 

Another rising star, Hayden Panettiere (Raising Helen) also delivers an impressive performance here. Driven by her mother, the owner of an ice skating rink, to devote most of her life to figure skating, her character finally rebels. I love the way the friendship between these two misunderstood girls develops as they discover how much they’re alike, despite their different backgrounds. And keep your eye on Trevor Blumas (PAX TV’s Little Men), who portrays Casey’s love interest. His charismatic presence and sensitive acting should lead to bigger roles in the future.        

Perhaps the mother-daughter clash receives too much emphasis in Ice Princess. Still, it doesn’t hurt to remind moms (and dads) to let their children live out their own dreams and not the dreams of the parent. Oscar-winner Joan Cusack (In and Out) and TV’s Kim Cattrall (Sex and the City) show their courage by portraying these two generally  unsympathetic mothers. Because both actresses have such great comic flair, I suffered a bit of a shock seeing them in these mostly serious roles. Nevertheless, they are quite convincing -- and evoke some chuckles in their final scene together.     

Although I wanted more ice skating scenes, I appreciate the up-close-and-personal filming of those sequences in Ice Princess. Under the direction of Tim Fywell (I Capture the Castle), cinematographer David Hennings (Blue Crush) forged a special skating camera rig that followed the skaters’ every move. “Nobody’s created a vehicle like this before,” Hennings explains. “It allowed us to photograph the skaters at high speed and close proximity.”

I also think it was a great idea to cast real ice skaters in various Ice Princess roles. Michelle Kwan and Brian Boitano appear briefly as TV commentators; Kirsten Olson sparkles as the “shrimp” dynamo; Juliana Cannarozzo shows off her exciting punk style; and Jocelyn Lai floats across the rink in an aura of elegance.             

Did the film’s target group like Ice Princess? To find out, I asked two preteen girls who saw the film. Both nodded their heads and replied enthusiastically, “Yes!”  Naturally, I then wanted to know why. They answered in unison, “I love ice skating.”

My husband has his own theory about why Ice Princess rings a bell with preteen girls. “All you have to do is put ‘Princess’ in the title and you’ve got that demographic,” he says.  He cites The Princess Diaries as evidence. Maybe Meg Cabot knows that secret. She’s the storyteller behind both these films. Fortunately, the follow-your-dream message of Ice Princess is a timeless one, and although I'm not a preteen girl, I loved this movie. Believe it or not, so did my husband. 

DVD bonus features may not be as extensive as in many other Disney Home Entertainment offerings, but I always enjoy watching deleted scenes -- and the Ice Princess ones are no exception. The feature audio commentary is provided by actors Michelle Trachtenberg, Hayden Panettiere, Trevor Blumas and Kirsten Olsen. Two heartfelt music videos -- "Reach" by Caleigh Peters and "No One" by Aly & A.J.-- are also included.        

(Released by Walt Disney Home Entertainment and rated “G” as suitable for all audiences. Bonus materials unrated.)