Age Range: Ages 3 and up
Genre: Childrens animated
Runtime: Approx. 74 minutes
Cinderella III: A Twist in Time - Guide Review
Cinderella III offers another glimpse into Cinderella's happily ever after, except this time the whole story is changed, almost from the beginning.
It all starts when Anastasia sees Fairy Godmother and realizes the truth about what happened on the night of the ball. She steals the Fairy Godmother's wand and runs to her own mother. It isn't long before the evil stepmother realizes its power and begins to use it to accomplish her own royal agenda. The first thing she does, is turn back time to the moment when Anastasia tried on the glass slipper.
The Duke is speechless, and Cinderella is stunned, when the slipper fits Anastasia's big foot. She is whisked off to the palace, but of course the Prince recognizes that she is not the girl he danced with the night before. The situation is no problem for Mommy Dearest, though, as she recreates his memory with a flick of her wand.
The wedding plans proceed, but Cinderella decides she will not let Stepmother win this time. She sneaks into the palace and begins to search for the prince. With the help of her trusty mice and bird friends, she finally convinces the prince that something is amiss. Still in possession of the magic wand, though, Cinderella's stepmother may still be able to steal Cinderella's happy ending.
Why take a classic and timeless story and completely re-arrange it? Well, Disney makes a lot of money on those sequels. Overall, the story isn't too bad, and it is gratifying to see one of the evil step-trio undergo a change of heart.
Photo © Disney. All rights reserved.
Cinderella III: A Twist in Time - Note to Parents
Cinderella III is the typical fairy tale story with a happy ending. The movie does not contain inappropriate content, but it does contain the usual shallow notions about "true love." In particular, this movie focuses on the way two people can know if they are each other's true love - by touching hands, of course, and then they just know.
While the storyline is predictable, and somewhat annoying since they went and messed with one of the most classic tales of all time, the notion of the evil step-mother having the power to turn back time is intriguing (although, you would think she would have gone back to a time before Cinderella ever met the prince). Also, the animation is very princessy and the characters are familiar and beloved, so little girls will probably love the movie.
Cinderella III: A Twist in Time - Topics to Talk About
- Children may have questions about the idea of turning back time and how that would effect future events.
- What is true love, and how does one find it?
- Do things always end happily for good people? If not, how would a good person handle injustice or unfavorable events?
Cinderella III: A Twist in Time - DVD Special Features
- Bibbidi-Bobbidi Game: Grab the Fairy Godmother's Wand and Make Some Magic[/l]
- Cinderella's Ballroom: Choreograph Your Own Ballroom Dances - Even Use Your Own Photos To Turn Yourself Into A Princess
- Music Video: All New Music Video Featuring Hayden Panettiere
