Cinderella III: A Twist in Time (DVD, 2007)

Posted by CK-Auctions

It's easy to grumble about the direct-to-video Disney sequels. Believe me, I've spent so much energy and time lambasting the foul Eisner-era business practice that I fear it's become just another speck in the wall of white noise. The argument against these mutations becomes even more difficult when they turn out to actually be kind of...good.

While Cinderella (voiced by Jennifer Hale) and her Prince (C.D. Barnes) did go on to live happily ever after, the bitterness of defeat still burns within the Wicked Stepmother (Susan Blakeslee). After witnessing the power of a magic wand wielded by the Fairy Godmother, Stepmother and her vile children, Drizella (Russi Taylor) and Anastasia (Tress MacNeille), conspire to steal the miraculous stick, using the opportunity to rewind Cinderella's memorable night and position Anastasia in the role of the lucky future princess. Again penniless and pitiful, Cinderella, with her two mouse pals Jaq and Gus, fights to retrieve the magic wand and stop the wedding before it's too late.

Compare "Time" to the classic 1950 original, and you might as well bang your head into a wall. "Time" looks and feels like a DTV production, and makes no assumptions it can hit the heights of Walt's masterwork. The new film puts those expectations aside and simply tries to have fun with itself.

Technically speaking, the production is more assured than many might be expecting. The talented "Time" animators do manage to recapture, if not the depth, than the movement of the characters, taking the lead of the 1950 animation and smoothing it out for far lower ambitions. Much of "Time" is a color feast, brimming with golds and pastels that create a warm fairy tale environment for this story, and if the production didn't have the budget for widescreen grandeur, they do nail down a great atmosphere of friendliness to the picture. A vampiric business plan might have given birth to this film, but the production does their best to keep the show engaging and welcoming despite severe limitations.

Director Frank Nissen helmed the lovely "Pooh's Heffalump Adventure," and long ago was a contributing animator to the Canadian fantasy curiosity, "Rock & Rule." The filmmaker has a jovial way with his work, and a playful atmosphere infects "Time" early and doesn't let up. The picture doesn't waste a single moment getting to the story, and from there gallops off to relish some wicked villain behavior, a modest stab at song and dance, marvelous rodent slapstick, and various levels of misplaced magic. "Time" is light on its feet, and color me shocked to find that it contains some laugh-out-loud moments, most coming from the frantic mice Jaq and Gus, who deservedly get much more of the spotlight in the sequel, and even a song of their own.

Special attention must be paid to voice actress Tress MacNeille, who gives a rich, sweet reading of Anastasia that the film eventually comes to rely on in an unexpected way. MacNeille is an industry vet, perhaps best known for her stellar work on "The Simpsons" (once you hear the voice, you'll know exactly who she is). She brings vulnerability to the character along with a take on Anastasia's buffoonery that's worth at least one deep belly laugh. MacNeille is the gem of "Time."

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Posted by CK-Auctions

Enter into a world of princess magic when you watch this very surprising sequel to Disney's original, Cinderella.

All's well in the lives of Prince Charming and Cinderella. They are happily married and doing quite well for themselves. On the flip side there are Cinderella's most jealous Step-Mother and 2 step-sisters (Drisel & Anastacia)who are now doing all the work that poor Cinderelly used to do for them. Well I say good.... it's about time they feel what it's like to be treated badly, not that Cinderella ever treated them badly but they are finally seeing what it is like to be treated as a servant with little respect. Of course those three are not happy at all with their new station in life, afterall, they were living the high life before and are now reduced to mere servant's work.

So, the step-mother and step-sisters start thinking back on how Cinderella met Prince Charming and what went wrong. It was that dreaded glass slipper--- if only it did not fit Cinderella perhaps one of the step-sister would have been happily married and living in grand glory!

Well, as it happens, The Fairy Godmother's clumsiness prooved to be disastrous when she drops her magic wand and it ends up in the hands of Anastacia, the wickedly selfish step-sister of Cinderella. Anastacia comically uses the wand and discovers that it has magical powers, much to the surprise of her mother who demands the wand. Once in the hands of the step-mother, she decided on an evil plot to get her revenge on Cinderella. The poor fairy Godmother is turned into a stone statue where she cannot be of any help.

What happens next? Well, you really should get the movie and find out... it really is a magical adventure suitable for all ages, and it is surprisingly entertaining even for this mom to have watched, twice.

All your favorite Cinderalla characters make their apprearances in this movie which makes you feel like it's an extension of the original--- Disney did a wonderful job of keeping all the same voices for charaters that were made decades ago.

In summary, this movie was "Magically Delicious!"

This DVD has such great scenes, romance and fun. It is a classic DISNEY fairy tale with a magnificent twist. Cinderella breaks through a new spell to find her Prince Charming. It is a unique not to miss version of an old classic.
Gus, jaq and all the fun characters are here and you will love them too.
It is fit for all ages and a must buy. You will watch it over and over and your children will too.
I advise you buy it now!

I saw the Commerical of Cinderella III and I just had to get it. After buying it I have to say Disney has kicked butt! Cinderella III is the best yet in the Cinderella saga. It has everything. love, action, adventure, heroine vs. villianess and more.

Cinderella is enjoying her new life with her prince and friends like Gus, Jag, and Her Fairy Godmother. But when The Fairy Godmother's magic wand is lost and stolen by Cinderella's evil stepmother. She uses it to erase Cinderella's Happily ever after in order to get revenge on Cinderella and pursue her and her daughters wicked desires.

During the Movie Cinderella and her friends Gus and Jag (Those two loveable mice)must overcome great obstables to regain what is rightfully hers including her prince (who has fallen victim to her stepmother's evil intentions).

My favorite part in the film is the ride on the Evil version of the Pumpkin Coach with Lucifer (as an evil driver) who tries to kill Cinderella, Gus and Jag.

Even Prince Charming plays the hero Unlike he was in the 2 previous Cinderella Films where he was boring. He really makes up for it in this film. Including his pursuit on his horse to find Cinderella and Then at the end of the film he valanity defects the evil stepmother's magic from hitting Cinderella by his sword. Prince Charming has at last joined the ranks of Disney Heros Prince Eric (the Little Mermaid), Prince Phillip (Sleeping Beauty), The Beast(Beauty and the Beast), of Heroic men who "gets the girl".

The animation in the Movie is Great, sharp, clean and colorful. I'm glad Disney is continuing it's traditional animation. I would've hated seeing a CGI version of this movie. It was nice to see that animation is still very much needed still. Disney still has a fan here which grew up with it's animation.

I give this new Cinderella III a ***** (5 star) rating. It has everything. Great Animation, Great cast, great music. I highly recommand it for the WHOLE family. they won't be disappointed.

Bibbi...Bobbodi..Boo!

Lenell B.

This film bested all my expectations. I've seen Disney sequels before - the storylines are typically simple (even dumb), the characters lose momentum, become sillier, the voice acting is poorer, the characters never sound or act quite like they should to the originals, and the animation quality is always much worse than you'd see in the movies. This film, however, breaks the typical Disney sequel mold in almost every way.

Cinderella III - A Twist in Time (while I'll admit started out a bit hokey), quickly reestablishes the roles of the wicked step-mother and step-sister (and Lucifer) personalities with all their original villainousness. It then drops you in a magical "What If" scenario that was not only believeable, and true to the original characters and story, but expanded on them in a way that didn't really change who they were.

The Prince and the King especially become real people with real motives and personalities that we can not only identify with, losing none their original polish and bluster (respectively), but that contribute to the movie as a whole. Anastasia's character goes through a meaningful and remarkable transformation as well, critical to the premise of the other Cinderella II storyline [compare Cinderella II - it was your typical Disney sequel].

But it's Cinderella herself that really steals the show - she's as elegant and sweet as her original, but they make her even more appealing with some excellent bits of facial animation and situational drama that really make you feel for her. In two instances specifically that I can recall, the closeup animation on her eyes was as good as anything I've seen Disney put out. There's real pain and confusion in those brief moments that's absolutely perfect.

And lastly, I laughed out loud in a couple of scenes with unexpected and genuine humor. They did a good job of keeping the mice and the birds to a minimum, while putting their talking skills into perspective. The gem for me was the King's line to the Prince (when he thinks his son is really losing his mind), "I trust you, it's the talking mice I don't trust!" It was absolutely perfect.

Anways, I totally recommend this film to anyone who likes the original Disney films. It's worth adding to your collection... unlike many of the other Disney sequels I've been unfortunate enough to see.