A Little Princess3 And A Half Out Of 5A Little Princess is a plot driven fantasy feature about a girl that stands for something that outs her on potential, power and tricks but lacks the force. There may have been various such features or tales that walks on a familiar path and rigid structure but its Alfonso's lens that lures the audience in for a second look. It is rich on technical aspects like background score, sound effects, art design, cinematography and editing. The camera work is impressive and is shot beautiful with a mild tone and perfectly balanced energy attained for providing a wider range. The adaptation by Richard LaGravenese and Elizabeth Chandler is smart, gripping and thought-provoking due to its layered concept and its sketchy and edgy characters that are as much as juicy as they are nutrient. Alfonso Cuaron; the director, as mention earlier, has done an excellent work on executing such mythical tale that could not resonate more with practicality and the society that we all reside in. The performance by the young cast is plausible and convincing throughout the course of it where Liam Cunningham and Rusty Schwimmer has done a decent work on supporting them. A Little Princess is a bold and mighty walk of righteousness that withholds the audience not for its ingenious modern take on old comic tales but the essence of those pages that it sums of.

Alfonso Cuaron's adaptation of A Little Princess is a film filled with magically realism, whimsy and sickly sweetness. It is a popular film for young girls and women for these reasons.In 1914 Britain has entered into the First World War. Sara Crewe (Liesel Matthews) is a British girl (even though she has an American accent), living in India. She is a kind-hearted girl with a big imagine, intelligence and a keen storyteller. When her father (Liam Cunningham) is called up to serve in the war, Sara is sent to the same boarding school her descended mother went to, the Miss Minchin's Seminary for Girls in New York. Sara quickly becomes a popular girl at the school because of her wit, storytelling and willingness to stand up wrongdoing. But when her father is declared killed in action Sara's wealth is taken away and the crude hearted headmistress (Eleanor Bron) makes Sara into a servant girl. Despite Sara's grief she sets out to keep her dignity and her charitable spirit.A Little Princess was weighted around a strong performance from a talented young actress, Matthews. She gave a heart felt performance and mixed with Cuaron's emotionally manipulating direction you felt her pain and sorrow as she suffers from grief and the enforced poverty but keeps her determination and spirit. There is a theme of the rewards of charity and kindness, that if keep those attitudes and do not the world grind you then your good deals will be acknowledged. It is story about a girl needs to keep her determination, hope, kindness and imaginable that strength of friendship.I personally love Cuaron as a director, especially for his work on Harry Potter and Children of Men. With A Little Princess he was in full manipulation mode and it very much like a Spielberg film in the emotional scenes to more comically toned involving the girls causing mischief, playing jokes to a scene where the bully of school is 'cursed' and sees the outcome of it. Unfortunately because of the The art direction and cinematography are striking and fitting for the themes of the film, that India is a bright, colourful wondrous place, to the more harsh, cold reality of the street of New York in the winter. Peter Doyle's score added to getting the audience sunk into this world, using Indian music, a traditional score, a choir and a song sung by a young girl.A Little Princess is an orphan story similar in the vain of Oliver Twist, Annie and The Matchstick Girl, a young girl forced into the big bad city. Like Annie and The Matchstick Girl Sara is forced into servitude and the emotional scenes on the streets was very much like The Matchstick Girl. Because of the boarding school setting and Sara's background it is clear why Cuaron was a sensible choice to take on Harry Potter.A big criticism is the setting. The film changes the location from London to New York to cater to American auditions (seeing that the film flopped in America that change was pointless) and the time from the Victorian era to 1914. By changing it to 1914 it made the scenario less believable, that Sara becomes slave labour when she should would be education and child labour is still being used when in most Western countries had at this point introduced some sort of compulsory education.A Little Princess truly is a family film, children of all ages will find something to enjoy in this whimsical film.7.5/10

I just wanted to say, that i enjoyed this film a lot, but at the end i was fuming mad and shouting at the TV. i was livid that all that Sarah went through it would have been fantastic that as her father was hugging her she turned just as the miss minchin was walking away Sarah turns and shouts she has stolen my locket and then the police go inside and find it and on opening it you see the fathers picture, and then the police drag the screaming miss minchin away in front of the rest of the school. then it would be a satisfying end, i would been shouting, yes you rotten cow now you will get what you deserve. So just wanted to vent this as I've just finished watching it.

This movie is perfect. One thing I noticed with those fun-sponges who hated this movie, is that they are all (I mean it, all of them) comparing it to the book.Forget about the book. I actually thought this movie was better, I who have read the book approximately 50 times, so this is a high compliment. Perhaps Alfonso Cuaron should have written the book, rather than Frances Hodgson Burnett.I can't remember when I first saw this film, but I suspect I was about 2 or 3 years old. As a child, I adored it. As an adult, I appreciate it even more. What you all need to remember is that there is a demographic for this kind of film. I suggest girls about 7 to 12 years old, but adults can also appreciate it, if this is their sort of thing. Also, you have to be prepared to cry.I can understand why someone wouldn't like the movie, but I what I can't understand is why they would give it a bad review. For example, I didn't like 'Black Swan', but I acknowledged it was a good movie. Alright, now my ranting is out of the way.It is beautifully filmed. Cuaron uses colour to show the juxtaposition of Sara's India with dreary and depressing New York perfectly, and the music is wonderful. Anyone who accuses Liesel Matthews of being a bad actress needs to watch the scene in the attic, just after she realises her father has died. She draws a circle around herself with chalk, mirroring the scene at the beginning where Prince Rama draws a circle around his wife to protect her. I never cry so much than when I watch this scene.Although the themes of the movie differ from the book, as I said earlier, I think these themes are better. For one, the theme of the book is that a girl is a Princess when they behave, when they are good and virtuous as Sara is. I find that a bit lectury. It's like the Santa Claus myth, trying to bribe/blackmail children into being good, but the theme of the movie, which is that all girls, even horrible ones, are Princesses is lovely. It is forgiveness before the wrong has been committed.I watch 'A Little Princess' every time I'm sick. You'd be surprised how effective it is. I suppose I cry the sickness out of me. Also, if you find the ending not too corny for your tastes, remember that this is a movie for children. Children want happy endings.