![]() ![]() In supporting roles, we have a devilish Johnny Depp whose screen time as the Big Bad Wolf is quite limited, and a perfectly cast Christine Baranski as the evil step-mother in cahoots with her non-Cinderella daughters played by Lucy Punch and Tammy Blanchard. As Cinderella, Anna Kendrick once again proves she is an exceptionally talented singer, and James Cordon anchors the production as the nice guy village baker we are rooting for. He also shares the screen with Billy Magnussen (playing the younger brother) in the most audacious of the musical numbers, "Agony". Chris Pine (as the Prince) is flat out hilarious, and with a twinkle in his eye, spouts lines such as "I was raised to be charming, not sincere". Emily Blunt also handles her vocals very well and offers up some of the film's most witty dialogue. She is especially fun in her entrances and exits, and while wearing the most impactful of all the costumes. Streep is extraordinary as the witch (both nasty and beautiful) and does a terrific job with her three main songs. Oh, and by the way, don't expect any fancy dance sequences – this is pretty serious stuff with plenty of angst amongst the characters. Additionally, in typical Sondheim fashion, the songs aren't catchy and melodic in the manner of most movie musicals instead the lyrics propel the story and help shape the characters. And much of the dialogue and lyrics is aimed directly at adults and will be a blur to kids. Filmed seamlessly between an elaborate sound stage and a couple of park locations, the film has a dark and eerie feel to it that's probably too intense for younger children. With a secret agenda, the witch offers the couple a way to break the spell, and that's what ties-in the four tales and provides a reason for adventure and song. These four are intertwined with the saga of a baker (James Cordon) and his wife (Emily Blunt) who discover they have been unable to have children due to a long ago spell cast by a wicked witch (Meryl Streep). The story revolves around 4 classic Fairy Tales: Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, and Cinderella, in a style much more similar in tone to the edgy Brothers Grimm, than the cuddly Walt Disney traditionals. In fact, there is nothing typical about director Rob Marshall's (Oscar winner for Chicago) screen adaptation of the smash Broadway hit from Stephen Sondheim and James Lupine. It's filled with lessons of morality and responsibility, but certainly not a typical parable. It's a bit frightening, but not a typical monster film. It's a fairy tale, but not a typical fairy tale. ![]() It's a musical, but not a typical musical. ![]()
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