This movie is powerful!  The message: dreams assumed impossible shouldn't be dismissed just because they seem that way.  Nothing's impossible.  If the negativity of the world has diluted your ability to believe in a dream, then this is just the movie you need to see!

This movie faithfully tells the classic Cinderella tale, with all of the grandeur of Rodgers & Hammerstein.

(—  In the daftly improbable event that you don't know the Cinderella story, please skip ahead!  —)

Cinderella (Brandy), a meek but good-natured young lady, is practically enslaved by her cruel and self-centered stepmother (Bernadette Peters) and stepsisters (Veanne Cox and Natalie Desselle).  She so wishes to leave, but the memory of her deceased father, who wanted them to be a family, prevents her.

Meanwhile, the Prince (Paolo Montalban) is being pressured to wed by his mother, the rather excitable Queen (Whoopi Goldberg).

With the help of Lionel (Jason Alexander), the tense and ever-agitated servant, the Queen plans a grand ball, at which the Prince will surely find his mate, or so she intends.  But he would rather fall in love his own way; in fact, he had already met Cinderella in the street, and was absolutely charmed.

Despite the Prince's dismay, the Queen insists that the ball proceed.  She reluctantly agrees that, if he doesn't find that special someone at the ball, that she will intervene no more.  Meanwhile, the wicked stepmother is preparing her daughters to blind the Prince with superficial trappings.  Cinderella doesn't agree, but is quickly scorned.

Cinderella desparately dreams of going to the ball, but her stepmother squashes her hopes.  As the others leave, Cinderella attempts to find comfort outside of reality, but soon remembers her pain (as I come close to losing composure over seeing a tear on Brandy's beautiful face).

Just as she could sink no lower, her fairy godmother (Whitney Houston) magically appears, and offers words of careful encouragement.  She does the usual pumpkin zapping thang, and sends Cinderella on her merry way, just slightly less dazzling than she was originally (Brandy is too beautiful for makeup).

Cinderella enters atop the grand staircase, and, not surprisingly, she becomes all the Prince can see.  They introduce, and shyness turns to a dreamy, whimsical dance that puts all others aside.  Outside, the magical couple discover just how much in common they have, to the horror of the stepsisters looking on.

Just when nothing could be more perfect, the clock strikes midnight, and Cinderella darts off the scene, as though the imminent conversion wasn't about to make her more beautiful.  (As predicted, it did, and my face lit up when Brandy's more natural beauty was restored.)

With a little help from her fairy godmother, Cinderella finally decides to leave her unloving family.

Naturally, the Prince is devastated at losing the love of his life.  The Queen tries to convince him that the mysterious young lady could only be as good as any other he might find at the ball.  However, he listens to his heart, and the King (Victor Garber) understands this, and encourages him to look for her.

The Prince sets out to find Cinderella by fitting the glass (ouch) slipper she dropped (and which, amazingly, didn't cease to exist,) on every young woman in the kingdom.  He and Lionel foolishly try it on the most blatantly dissimilar women, until finally coming upon Cinderella's home.

The stepsisters and stepmother all try on the slipper unsuccessfully, and then attempt to conceal Cinderella from the very persistent Prince.  He finally sees her outside, where they relive their original encounter, and live happily ever after.

(—  Plot spoiler ends  —)

Disney (and Brandy, and Whitney Houston) did an absolutely spectacular job on this movie.  The totally vibrant, storytale sets add a nice finishing touch to the impeccable choreography and cinematography.  In a very refreshing modern twist, the casting is about as colour-blind as you can get (to the point of total disregard for genetics).

All of the actors are superb.  Brandy is breathtakingly beautiful, and she sings every bit as good as she looks.  Her vocal performance is stunning (she practiced many hours over and above expectations, and it payed off bigtime).  Her character is extremely believable - this is also an enormous credit to Whitney Houston, for choosing the most perfect woman on the planet for the part.

Jason Alexander adds a lighthearted comedic twist.  Whitney Houston is a perfect fairy godmother; sincere, empowering, and just slightly silly.  In fact, all of the actors give an excellent performance.

Wonderful, fabulous, breathtaking.. the words to truly describe this movie entirely escape me.  This is a movie with universal appeal - and a lesson that transcends the world of fairytales.

I strongly suggest purchasing the DVD over the VHS, as the DVD includes a wonderful featurette on the making of the movie, which is better than most ‘making of’ segments I've seen.  You get to see Brandy candid; being her sweet, lively self.

You really must buy the DVD.. and if you're technologically impaired, then buy the VHS, because you have got to have this movie in your collection.  And if you have small children in the house, buy two, because they will play it until it plays no more.  I speak from experience; I lent it to my friend's young sisters.

I have eight words for this movie: buy it! Buy it! Buy it! Buy it!