Rating: 
Summary: Almost Flawless
Review: Well, this is not really the drum I march to, but even Charles Dickens had a fondness for "Little Red Riding Hood." In some ways, this movie was a very bold effort. It took the classic story 'Cinderella,' and not only improved greatly on it, but left it within the boundaries of plausibility. The scenery is either gentle or spectacular at times, but always great! Barrymore is a well developed character. Her love for her father is made clear; she does her work as a servant with dignity; later she takes a dare to help a servant she cares about; when she falls in love, she dares to break a few rules; and she even falls into deep sorrow as well as deep rages at times. Most of the secondary characters are well handled. Henry is wonderful as a prince who develops humanly and morally. His parents are also handled well. They are disturbed by his growing desire for independence; they have clever one liners; ('I shall deny you the crown and live forever.'); they prove flexible as parents; they are given the pleasure of seeing parents stranger than they; and they rise to prove heroes in the end! Leonardo Da Vinci is handled not only greatly, but humanly as well. In a work of fiction, it can be a charming bonus to throw in some characters who really did exist. Leonardo's character not only makes demands on our admiration, but he also reveals to us he is human. (A certain term used in a conversation with Prince Henry will tell us that!) The 'Cinderella' basis was heavily improved upon. One stepsister is bad, but the other is good. The good stepsister is memorable. She is very gentle; she shows herself to be virtuous; and she helps rise to give us a happy ending. My only complaint about this whole movie is that the wicked stepmother and stepsister are not as well handled as they could have been. They are quite repulsive throughout the movie. Also, there is nothing redeeming in them that allows us to see them as human. Charles Dickens was usually careful not to do this. He either put enough redeeming qualities in his villains so we could see them as human (Alfred Jingle, Fagin, Bradley Headstone), or he used so much energy in making them so wicked and evil, that they were more fascinating than repulsive (Daniel Quilp, John Chester, Uriah Heep). But aside from that, this movie is a wonderful treasure. Buy this video. It will be some of the best money you ever spend.
Rating: 
Summary: Human spirit supplants magic wands
Review: This is the version of Cinderella that my future children will see. Ever After is a light movie that while, benevolent and warm, escapes the flippancy that one may expect from a flick that was targeted at an adolescent female audience. The beauty of this movie is its strict adherence to rational metaphysics; I've never seen a fairy tale presented this way. The good characters in this movie draw their power through books and knowledge, through fierce independence and relentless individuality. The evil characters in this movie are destroyed by their superficiality and parasitic reliance on the good. Compared to the message of most of these types of movies from Hollywood, Ever After is defiantly positive.
Rating:
Summary: Ever After
Review: very good cimematography,great story, loved it my favorite movie ever
Rating:
Summary: An Extraordinary Tale of Pure Delight!
Review: The opening scenes of the French countryside will make you wish you lived in France. In fact, you will feel very much a part of this movie as it will embrace your heart and captivate your attention. As I watched this delicious fairy tale for the second time...this very evening, it occurred to me that my need to see the movie for the second time was so I could analyze the characters and find out why this story was quite so human yet so magical. Drew Barrymore (Cinderella) lent an almost ethereal quality to the movie. She floated on the screen like an angel, even before she gets her wings. She will steal your heart with her acting! She plays a country girl or a queen with equal ease. Only Drew could have played this part so well. I found many contrasts in this movie. The idea of a greedy selfish woman chasing a rich man versus a man seeking the companionship of an intelligent woman who has inner beauty is contrasted quite beautifully in Ever After. A score fit for royalty fills out the film, carrying the emotions from light and carefree to deep and thoughtful, and sometimes even pensive. In some scenes, you must observe the facial expressions to completely appreciate the humor. You will laugh so many times you will want to watch it again. You will also laugh again the second time you watch it and will even appreciate the humor more. I could list 20 favorite witty lines at least. Cinderella is Danielle. To Danielle's stepmother, she is mearly a pebble in her shoe. To the Prince of France (Dougray Scott) she is a mountain of strength that inspires him to pursue his own dreams and "enlightens" him. While Danielle is trapped in a social nightmare as a servant girl, she is happy. The prince who has everything, is still trying to find himself. When Prince Henry and Danielle meet, she throws apples at him, not realizing who he is. When Danielle helps to free a servant from being sold into slavery with money she received at the time the prince "borrows" one of their horses to escape from the palace....they again meet and he is intrigued by her knowledge of a book her father gave to her just before he died. Prince Henry is not satisfied with his station in life so he seeks out ways to encourage his own happiness. He is destined to become king, yet does not desire the responsibility. Danielle is seeking love and has lost both her parents and her stepmother (Anjelica Huston) has lost the ability to love and is the child of an obsessive compulsive mother. One key to her character is when Danielle's father dies and all the evil stepmother says is: "You cannot leave me here." She has a human side and we somehow feel we want to like her, yet her words at times are chilling! Her daughters are quite different. Jacqueline sees through their mothers fake attempts at deceiving their stepsister and Marguerite knows how to increase the intrigue, yet almost stalks the Prince to gain his attention. Danielle on the other hand casts an intoxicating spell on the Prince that he cannot resist. There is nothing feminist about this movie. Yes, Danielle does enjoy reading and when she is given the choice of any book on a bookshelf she says: "I could no sooner choose a star in the heavens." She wants to educate herself, yet she does not demand that she be equal to the Prince, but does demand a respect for human rights. So perhaps that is what some viewers are picking up on. She is sweet and feminine and gains her man's respect so he naturally seeks her out as his equal. It IS about love! Love gives you wings so you can fly to the place you want to be. It is a decision of the heart, which should be considered with the intellect as well. Yes, some things are meant to be. You must see this movie! It is one of the most beautiful romantic comedies I have ever seen....twice in one night! The exquisite costumes and scenery are only the backdrop for sheer magic. Directors should take note of Andy Tennant's directing and I hope they will realize that with almost 700 reviews, a movie with this spirit is what we viewers love! Humor, romance, adventure, passion...this has it all. Escape for a few hours into the magical world only Cinderella can show you. I will be watching this movie many, many times. It deals with deeper issues and shows how people fall in love, the realistic way with magical results. No pumpkin or singing required ;>. If you enjoy Fairy Tales, I also reviewed the "Illustrated Book of Fairy Tales by Neil Philip. Nilesh Mistry has also illustrated the book to perfection. Cinderella is included in this world of tales. You might also enjoy "The Illustrated Book of Myths." Neil Philip has a Ph.D. in myth and folklore and has a great talent for giving insight into the cultural background of each story. Many stories have changed over time, yet they still hold true to the basic premise that evil is punished and good is rewarded. Fairy tales are filled with magic and wonder. They do in fact cast a spell on the reader. Secretly, I think adults enjoy these stories just as much as children do. I love the "book" aspect in this movie. It is just delicious! This is now my favorite Cinderella story. Reading by a fire sounds good to me.
Rating:
Summary: A Drew Barrymore Cinderella story!
Review: This is a GREAT movie version of Cinderella. It has a few minor changes from the original story; but it is a fully-fleshed out story. Drew Barrymore does a FANTASTIC job as the stepdaughter. The stepmother if perfectly evil, and yet at times, you almost feel sorry for her. There is a slight change in the way the stepsisters act, which i really like. One of them, although being rich and spoiled, still tends to be more on Cinderella's side. Throwing Leonardo Da Vinci into the story really made it great, as well! That extra little twist was perfect! :> I definitely recommend it! And the DVD includes the trailer, which uses 2 great songs as well (unfortunately, these 2 songs from the trailer are NOT on the soundtrack). Not really anything else extra on the DVD though, which was a little disappointing.
Rating:
Summary: Oh what a dream!
Review: If you visit my ABOUT ME area, you'll see that this is the first review I've written on a movie/DVD. I told myself I'll only write book reviews but then this movie truly left an impression on me that I couldn't help but share it to amazon readers. I love historical romance books and this movie seems to fit right into that catogory only it's in film. Inasmuch as I am embarrass to admit, I've watch this film more than 10 times, I've already memorized lines and occurances yet each time I watch it, I still could feel goosebumps. The cinderella remake added with more unexpected twist and adventure truly made this film one of a kind. The courtside, gypsy scene, the mask ball and of course, the ending is my favorite of all. It's heart warming the way Danielle cares for her servant & the way they love her in return. Even the wicked stepmom and sisters contributed tremendously in this film. What can a say, I have no complaints even after watching it more than 10 times. I only have pure admiration to everyone involved in this film. I wish there's more movie like this in the future. I also have the VHS version of this film but I enjoyed the DVD version better. DVD price is quite expensive,... No regrets however cuz the wide screen/picture quality/sound quality is much better plus the additional features DVD contains make this film an even more enjoyable treat at all times.
Rating:
Summary: Ever After
Review: I thought this is a great movie. I love it. I watch this movie over and over. All of the cast did a great job. I kind of wish everyone would live happy ever after.
Rating:
Summary: Cinderella - Faberella more like!
Review: I watched Ever After and spent the evening on a high. I laughed at parts and cried at others but no scene was more powerful than when Barrymore went to the ball and had her wings pulled off by her Wicked Step-mother. Although some of it was heart wrenching it reinforced my belief that there is actually love out there for everyone. It was a film that literally leapt off the screen and into my Heart!
Rating:
Summary: A Truly Likable Cinderella Adaptation
Review: Ever After is an awesome movie about what might've happened with Cinderella (even though she's basically fiction). Drew Barrymore is great as "Cinderella", and Anjelica Huston superb as her wicked stepmother. For Drama lovers, there's lot of dramatic intensity, plus romance. In the movie you'll find yourself liking all the good guys and (of course), hating the bad guys! And that's what a movie like this is supposed to make you feel. A great DVD!
Rating:
Summary: A Great Twist On The Fairy Tale!
Review: We all know the story of Cinderella and how her fairy godmother helped her get to the ball and find her prince. Well, this is the way it really happened. Daniel is a girl who loved her father very much. But when he died, her stepmother forced her to become a servant in her own home. When she is caught by the prince while freeing a servant, he mistakes her for a countess and falls in love. When her stepmother suspects something, she locks her up so she can't go to the ball. But she is set free by a friend and gets to the ball. But when she is exposed as a servant, the princes love is put to the test. Will he love her even though she is a servant? I reccommend this movie to girls ages 6 and up. Buy it today!
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