Cinderella III: A Twist in Time

As a sequel to the 1950 Disney classic, Cinderella III: A Twist In Time picks up just as the contented couple with the footwear fetish is about to celebrate their first anniversary. But as Cinderella (voice of Jennifer Hale) and her fair Prince (Christopher Daniel Barnes) musically muse over their perfect year together, her wicked stepmother (Susan Blakeslee) and stepsisters Anastasia (Tress MacNeille) and Drizella (Russ Taylor) are bemoaning their miserable, housekeeper-less existence.

So it is no wonder when the tetchy trio accidentally gets their hands on Fairy Godmother's magic wand they decide to use its power to improve their own unhappy situation -- oh yeah, and get power, riches and revenge too.

Turning back the clock until the moment of the great slipper try-on, the cunning Stepmother makes sure the shoe fits Anastasia this time. Whisked off to the palace to make wedding plans, the mother of the soon-to-be royal bride tucks the wand up her sleeve with the surety she can overcome any nuptial obstacles they may encounter.

Meanwhile Cinderella and her broken dreams are left behind. Still, the plucky heroine is determined to put the pieces of her happily-ever-after plans back together again. With support from her bird and mice friends, she too heads for the castle, armed only with the magical power of true love.

Like most of the direct-to-DVD spin-off tales made from theatrically released animations, Cinderella III lacks some of the luster, story and style of the bigger budget projects. Yet despite musical filler, slapstick antics and mild peril, the film does offer some positive messages. While the light entertainment is sure to please most young Disney Princess fans, parents will more likely appreciate the movie's slight plot twist, which puts a new face on the evilness of the wicked stepsisters.