My So-Called Homeschool

(Click image for a preview of the movie)

The girls have been waiting with held breath for our review copy of Cinderella III, A Twist in Time from Special Ops Media. Me, not so much. I’m not a huge animated Disney fan — what IS the dude’s problem with nuclear, two-parent families? Have you noticed that nearly all Disney families are missing one parent or the other? And what’s the deal with making movies about historical characters (Pocahantas) or great pieces of literature (Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules) and butchering them? OK, off my soap box.

I was, however, pleasantly surprised at this movie. Cinderella is a classic and it’s hard to sequel that. I haven’t seen Cinderella II, so can’t say much for it’s quality, but III was quite nice. I love “what ifs” and this was well-done. What if the wicked stepmother got ahold of the wand and turned back time? What if Anastasia fit the slipper? If love is fated, will it happen anyway? I could see the plot from a mile a way, and the kids could a little bit — “Touch her hand! Touch her hand” every time they got near — but it wasn’t a distraction, it was just Disney. The music was lovely, and Anastasia was almost pretty in her song about her dream of someone to love. I like that the Prince still got to rescue the princess — in today’s feminist world, that is often an anathema — but also liked that the Cinderella had gumption and rescued herself as well. It was a nice balance.

Overall, it got thumbs-up all the way around at the So-Called household.