A Movie Review: Into the Woods

Into the Woods. This movie takes a number of fairy tales and mashes it all together.  We have Cinderella (Anna Kendrick), Little Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford), Rapunzel (Mackenzie Mauzy) and Jack (Daniel Huttlestone).  They are brought together in one story when the Baker (James Corden) and the Baker's Wife (Emily Blunt) are informed by the Witch (Meryl Streep) that a family curse will be lifted if they recover items that all four previously mentioned characters possess:  shoe, cape, hair, and cow.

There is a joy to this movie driven by some fun loving dialogue and music.  "I was raised to be charming, not sincere," is a classic quote.  The music duet between Cinderella's Prince (Chris Pine) and Rapunzel's Prince (Billy Magnussen) is hysterical.  There comes a "but," however.  The movie takes a turn to the negative in the closing chapter of the movie.  Certain complications arise and the Baker's Wife pays the typical price that nearly always occurs across any movie genre.  It is actually a twist that sort of puts an unnecessary -- dare I call it -- sexist twist to this movie.