ARAB TIMES, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2021 NEWS/FEATURES 13 People & Places This image released by Amazon shows Camila Cabello, (left), and Billy Porter in a scene from ‘Cinderella.’ (AP) Film Film Upside-down fairy tale Film focuses on female-empowering message Stewart gains new view on fame playing Diana New ‘Cinderella’ for #MeToo era By Jocelyn Noveck the fi nest in the land. look in the mirror.” VENICE, Italy, Sept 4, (AP): Kristen Stewart has The most obvious problem in The plot moves briskly forward, long chafed at how her teenage “Twilight” fame heir love declared, their fair- updating “Cinderella” for a 2021 narrated in part by the Town Rap- robbed her of her privacy and a normal life, but don’t Tytale kiss accomplished, Cin- audience is, of course, its prem- get the wrong idea: It’s nothing compared to what per, who announces the ball where derella has an urgent request for ise that for a woman, marrying Princess Diana endured. her Prince. Can she get a lift to her Robert will choose a bride. A smit- “She was the most famous woman in the world,” well is the only goal; Life is lived ten Robert has already met Ella business meeting? through your man, whether you’re Stewart said Friday. “I have tasted a high level of And so, as princes are wont to in disguise, and convinces her to Cinderella, stepmom Vivian (Men- that, but really nowhere near that monumental, sym- do, he scoops his new love off her attend the ball so she can meet bolic representation of an entire people or nation.” zel), stepsisters Malvolia and Nar- wealthy potential clients. Stewart gained that perspective fi lming Pablo Lar- feet to carry her to his horse. But, like, she’s in a rush. “No, I can issa (Maddie Baillio and Charlotte As we already know, the evil rain’s “Spencer,” the latest cinematic look at the late Kristen Stewart poses for photogra- Spencer) or even the queen (Driv- stepmom will ALMOST keep Cin- Princess of Wales, which premiered Friday at the phers upon arrival at the premiere of walk, it’s faster,” she chirps. “But thanks!” er). derella from the ball. And the fairy Venice Film Festival. Coming out in between sea- the fi lm ‘Spencer’ during the 78th edi- Cannon addresses this by having sons of Netfl ix’s “The Crown” and with the Broad- tion of the Venice Film Festival in Ven- It’s a throwaway moment but godmother — sorry, Fab G — will way musical “Diana” about to open, Larrian’s up- ice, Italy, Friday, Sept 3. (AP) perhaps a nice example of both the Cinderella — she calls herself Ella step in. And the clock will strike side-down fairy tale focuses assets and fl aws of this new, de- here, because why defi ne a girl by midnight, a glass slipper will be on the three-day Christmas cidedly woke, pop-music infused the cinders on her face? — dream lost, and the Prince will go search- holiday in the early 1990s that “Cinderella” for the #MeToo era, not of marriage but of business ing. preceded Diana’s formal sep- written and directed by Kay Can- success, as a designer. In an early We won’t give away more de- aration from Prince Charles. non (and co-produced by James number, the servant girl comes tails, but there’s nothing so dras- Much has already been face to face with her imagined fu- said, seen and written about Corden, who doubles as a mouse). tic here that people won’t end up A feminist recasting of the famil- ture self, and she’s no royalty — Happily Ever After. Yet if there’s the collapse of the royal mar- she’s the owner of “Dresses By riage, Diana’s deep unhappi- iar story is welcome, of course, but a catchphrase here, it is not that: it ness and the cruel confi nes of the screenplay focuses so insist- Ella.” is “I Choose Me.” the British monarchy. “Spen- ently on its female-empowering Pragmatism If only this admirable message cer” doesn’t add new infor- message that it feels at times like Stewart But that’s a dream too far. In this weren’t reinforced so strenuously, mation or novel insights to we’re just getting hit over the head and knowing laughs weren’t so the Diana pantheon, allowing itself instead to imag- Washington Fletcher with it. kingdom, women don’t run busi- nesses. Everyone says this, espe- few and far between. Among these ine what transpired in those three days at the queen’s Thankfully there are also mo- laughs, there’s a good one about Sandringham estate in Norfolk, as the “people’s prin- ments, like this, that are rescued cially Vivian, who, we learn, once cess” unraveled. also dreamed of being more than a shoes, wherein Ella complains to Variety by playful chemistry between our Fab G about the uncomfortable “I think the really sad thing about her is that she — appealing leads: ebullient pop wife. We get a sense early on that as normal and casual and disarming as her air is im- Vivian’s cruelty — less cartoon- glass slippers. These are women’s mediately — she also felt so isolated and so lonely,” singer Camila Cabello as Cinder- PUT-IN-BAY, Ohio: The longtime tour ish than in other versions — stems shoes, Fab G replies: “Magic has Stewart told a Venice press conference. “She made ella, and newcomer Nicholas Gal- its limits.” production manager for country star Keith itzine as Prince Robert. Supporting from deep personal disappoint- everyone else feel accompanied and bolstered by Urban has died after falling from a stage ment, and that her fi erce desire to So, alas, does this new “Cinder- this beautiful light, and all she wanted was to have before an Ohio concert. roles are given a playful workout by pros like Pierce Brosnan as the marry off her daughters is born of ella.” But however it measures up it back.” Randy “Baja” Fletcher, 72, died to its predecessors (and inevitable This is the second 20th Century icon-in-crisis that on Aug 27 at a hospital after falling the king — going all in for the comedy bitter pragmatism. Larrain has brought to Venice, after he premiered previous day while preparing for Urban’s — and a touching but underused This nuance serves the fi lm’s future iterations), you can’t argue “Jackie,” a portrait of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis appearance at Bash on the Bay on the Minnie Driver as his stifl ed queen. message well, but the characteriza- with the lesson — for youngsters starring Natalie Portman, in 2016. Larrain said he de- Lake Erie island of Put-in-Bay, The Port There’s also a reliably eye-pop- tions can be confusing. It’s rather of any gender — that your destiny cided to profi le Diana because he “wanted to make a Clinton News-Herald reported. ping turn by Billy Porter as the fab- jarring to go from a moment where belongs in your own hands, not in movie that my mother would like.” Fletcher became Urban’s tour manager those of someone who chooses to in 2011 after working for music stars such ulous (“Fab G”) fairy godmother, Vivian seems to genuinely care Adored as Brooks & Dunn, Waylon Jennings, but alas, it’s only one scene plus a about Ella to where she viciously pluck you magnanimously from your own story and place you in The Chilean director said his mother adored Di- Randy Travis and ZZ Top. bit of narration. As always, Porter hurls ink at the dress she’s spent ana, dressed like her and even had her hair done like Urban told Billboard magazine that knows how to make an entrance, weeks designing. It’s also hard theirs. Fletcher had an “orbit of light” that once but for the most effective use of to pin down the stepsisters — are “Cinderella,” an Amazon Stu- her — the famous Lady Di feathered shag. But he you were in “would stay with you forever.” said the more he researched Diana, “I realized that “I loved him,” Urban said. “We all loved a star here, look to Idina Menzel, they nasty, or not? In any case they dios release, has been rated PG by she carried an enormous amount of mystery, and that him, and I’m grateful he chose us as his who lends texture to the usually get only kindness from Ella. When the Motion Picture Association of mystery combined with the magnetism she had cre- road family for 10 years.” one-note “evil” stepmother. And, one asks her if she looks pretty, America “for suggestive material ates the perfect elements for a movie.” Fletcher received the Country Music of course her clarion singing voice Ella says yes, but adds: “What and language.” Running time: 113 Indeed. Diana has been the subject of at least a Association’s fi rst Touring Lifetime — which we can objectively say is matters is how YOU feel when you minutes. Two stars out of four. (AP) dozen movies and TV series, from two US made-for- Achievement Award in 2017, describing TV movies about the 1981 royal wedding, released a his fi ve-decade career as “unparalleled.” year later, to a 1993 fi lm based on the book “Diana: His lone break from fi ve decades of tour- ing came in 1969 when he joined the US son, Tom, from Washington’s previous the woman testifi ed on Friday at the R&B When she asked him to use protection, Her True Story” to the 2013 movie “Diana” starring relationship.