This breathtaking adaptation of the popular fairy-tale is a great treat for fans of good old fashion romance set in the medieval times. According to Ever After, there was no fairy godmother or any pumpkin-turning carriages nor horse-turning mice- the mediator was actually Leonardo Da Vinci himself. As absurd as it may sound, this tale is convincing realistic with no hint of mystical or fantasy elements. The prince of France is arranged to wed the spanish princess against both their wishes for the political welfare of their nations. He chanced upon Danielle aka Cinderella (Drew Barrymore) more than once and finds himself queerly attracted to her feistiness and opinionated nature. All goes well except for the fact that Danielle is actually a servant pretending to be a countess and her stepmother, who is eager to marry off her bimbo daughter Marguerite to the prince, is no Mary Poppins.

Beautiful castles and eye-opening landscapes set this film starring Hollywood wild-child Drew Barrymore (Scream), whose versatility is once again on display. Her performance as the virtuous and assertive step-daughter of Rodmilla (Angelica Huston) is so charming it is reminiscent of Claire Danes' portrayal of Juliet, especially the scene when Danielle appears in her angelic outfit at the ball- wow! Drew, however, is not the only one perfectly casted for her role. Huston scores as the malicious stepmother who finds the nutra-sweet Danielle nothing but 'a pebble in her shoe'. Every nuance and gesture so articulately managed one will have no problem hating her character. Dougray Scott, who plays Prince Henry, is surprisingly suave and really quite compatible with Danielle. For those who can recall, Dougray has a small role in spring's blockbuster Deep Impact. You can also catch him next year in the sequel to 1996's phenomenon, Mission: Impossible.

With all the right elements, Ever After is actually quite a movie experience, comparable to Leo and Danes' Romeo & Juliet 2 years back. Despite the ultra-hip Mtv sounding soundtrack of its trailer, this film is nothing like the gen-x R & J. If you truly enjoyed The Man In The Iron Mask, you may find this romantic story very much to your liking. Fans of Drew Barrymore, there is no option for you.

BABE: PIG IN THE CITY

The original Babe was such a hit both critically and commercially it's no wonder the producers decide to make a comeback. Sadly, this reason alone fails to give the sequel enough a reason to be filmed. Babe goes to the city, attempting to earn some fast bucks to save the dwindling farm. He befriends homeless poodles, kittens, hounds, chimpanzees... bla bla. A thin plot that serves only to include varieties of animals into scenes. Instead of focusing on the farm animals we so adore in the 1st installment, the show features a little of them at the beginning and continues to bring in new animal characters that are more pathetic than cuddly. Not surprising, the farmer falls to the same fate as his wife takes over the sequel with her chubby cheeks, doing a crazy bungee acrobatic stun to top the movie's climax. If you're anticipating a sequel comparable to its prequel, keep Pig In The City at bay. The show stands better without a successor, that's for sure.

A BUG'S LIFE

Disney has done it yet again, thanks to PIXAR, the animation company responsible for the hit few years back, Toy Story. Bug's scores despite a plot equally weak compared to the other insecty animation, Antz. The trick lies in its incredibly hilarious script and eye-boggling stunning visuals. The suspicious parallels between Bug's and Antz serves only to display its superiority in almost all aspects of the feature.

Flik is the outcast individualistic ant who wants to make a difference. Thanks to him, the entire ant colony gets into hot soup when the food offerings collected especially for the menacing grasshoppers get spilled accidentally into the pond at the last minute. Flik is summoned to leave in search of warrior insects to aid their defence against the hoppy tyrants upon their next visit. He mistakens a motley crue of circus losers for a bunch of kickass 'warriors' and gives the ant colony a false hope till the bubble gets burst shortly before the grasshoppers' return.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus as the struggling insecure princess ant is most appropriate. However, the real scene-stealers are the circus-performers, mistaken for warrior insects, including an obese caterpillar, a stick-insect (David Hyde Pierce of Frasier), a male ladybird, 2 little bugs, a praying-mantis and a sexy black-widow. They're roles are so unique and bubbly they're like the buggy Spicegirls. Spilling their infectious comic antics with such precision and timing, the 90 minute feature runs like a wild cheek-toner. The cute maggots and kid-ants are equally adorable you crave to squeeze their fat cheeks whenever they are on. Such a far cry are these six-leggers compared to the brown rusty-looking ones from Antz, the latter falls flat in comparison. Loads of corny-cum-witty jokes strewn all over the colourful takes making this movie experience an all arounded aesthetic joyride.

Despite these qualities, the plot lacks true strength. Perhaps its only weakness, Bug's fairs fine as the pros so outweigh this con the latter becomes easily overshadowed. This feature is, afterall, targeted at the young and carefree bunch. Brace yourself for a totally wacky ride catered for the family. P.S: Don't leave the theatre till the credits' over - there's a cool behind-the-scenes blooper segment that's guaranteed to knock your molars out. Have Fun!

DISTURDING BEHAVIOR

Katie Holmes from the hip series Dawson's Creek seems to be following her costar Michelle Williams who starred in a B-rate movie as well (Halloween H2O). This disturbing movie is about parents in a town enrolling their troubled youngsters into brainwashing programmes in hope of 'curing' them. Masterminded by a typical middle-aged baddie, this program brainwashes them into surface-clean warped teens who have surges of violent streaks not unlike werewolves. Lasting fortunately for only 80 minutes max, this flick is hardly appetising with all its predictable scenes and tasteless violence... don't even mention the script. Enough said, this bomb is miles away compared to the 90s hip horror flicks such as Scream and I Know.... D-rate.

THE PRINCE OF EGYPT

Opening a little shy of Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan's romantic comedy You've Got Mail with US$4.27 million on its 1st Friday, performing slightly better than DreamWork's 1st animated feature Antz, The Prince Of Egypt is far from disappointing. This adaptation from the biblical book of Exodus tells a tale of Moses, a Hebrew chosen by God to lead his people out of slavery to the promised land. Raised the prince of Egypt with his brother Rameses after the Queen found him drifting in a basket in the river, Moses learns of his past when he grows up and sees the suffering of his slaves, who are in fact his own people. Rivalry between the close brothers entails when Rameses refuses to set his slaves free. With God's wonders, Moses manages to bring the long enslaved Hebrews out of Egypt away from the tyranny of the Pharaoh.

With double the time put into the special effects of this film compared to the production team responsible for recreating the Titanic, the effort and splendour in The Prince Of Egypt is clearly evident. The blend of 3D animation with the conventional rustic feel of 2D drawing conjures a picturesque visual experience unprecedented. Be it the awesome parting of the Red Sea, the majestic sets within the Egyptian Palace or the panoramic view of the canyons, this film is a fresh feast for the eyes. Coupled with a grand soundtrack enhanced by the familiar star voices of today's best actors, this meaningful tale that speaks of faith in God is powerful. Michelle Pfeiffer plays Tzipporah, the strong-willed wife of Moses, voiced by Batman Val Kilmer who is also the sound of God's words. Sandra Bullock, Ralph Fiennes (The Avengers) and Steve Martin (Father Of The Bride) are Miriam, Rameses and Hotep the Pharaoh's adivsor respectively.