Directed by: Craig Gillespie
Starring: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry
4/5
Let’s face it, Cruella de Vil has long been a bit of a stereotypical, maybe even unimaginative, villain.
First introduced in Dodie Smith's 1956 novel The Hundred and One Dalmatians, and then showcased several times on the big screen over the years, her motivations have always been the same – to kidnap Dalmatian puppies and make a coat out of their fur.
It's the sort of goal that is so outwardly evil it almost seems bizarre in hindsight. Why Dalmatians? Surely, you don't need to harm puppies to create a stellar coat? Well, the new live-action Disney film Cruella, with Emma Stone starring as the titular character, attempts to answer these questions and more in a wickedly entertaining origins story.
I've never been a fan of the 101 Dalmatians movies, but as this film makes clear, you don't need to be to enjoy it. If anything, Cruella could hold as a stand-alone for anyone who simply enjoys high fashion, bold characters, fast plots and, well, adorable dogs.
Set in 1970s London, Cruella starts at the beginning: the titular character's birth. Through scenes interspersed with voice-over, you're immediately enthralled by the young monochrome-haired character, originally named Estella, who lives by her own rules, doesn't mind making a little mischief and is confident enough to declare herself a "genius".
Despite the fact she's a skilled thief, fashion is where her heart truly belongs, so it isn't long before fate, talent and a bit of fibbing gets her an apprenticeship with Baroness von Hellman, excellently played by Emma Thompson.
As the head of a fashion house, Hellman does bear a certain resemblance to The Devil Wears Prada's Miranda Priestly, which is probably where the numerous comparisons between both characters stem from. And with Estella in the role of her understated yet talented assistant, this does give off the same vibes as the Meryl Streep film.
However, it isn’t long before a complicated history – and the need for revenge – has Estella unleash her alter ego, Cruella. This sets off a sequence of events that involve brilliant ensembles, high-speed chases, heists and daring fashion shows, all set to a lively and high-spirited soundtrack.
The plot is fast-paced to really pack in all the events, and that's a good thing, because a lull would have you wondering about certain plot holes. But it certainly does what it aims to do: show the legendary Cruella de Vil in a new, maybe even relatable, light, as an antihero whose reputation is tarnished by the media. She admits she may be a little "mad", but that's also what's needed to get the job done.
One of the biggest criticisms of the movie, made when it was first announced, was of its very existence. After all, there has been several unnecessary prequels over the years, each attempting to focus on famous, well-loved characters, as a cash grab.
"In every lull in the film, I found myself trying to figure out why exactly Cruella exists, entertaining as it is," The Verge reviewer Alex Cranz said.
A OScott of The New York Times wasn't a fan, either. "Its main purpose is to remind you that other movies exist, which might describe Disney's current business strategy as a whole," he said.
Writing for RogerEbert.com, Matt Zoller Seitz had issues with the script. "The Cruella screenplay is in that vein, or sometimes it tries to be. But it's a mess, and it often seems to pause to remind itself that it's supposed to have something to do with 101 Dalmatians," he said.
They're right. There's absolutely no need for this movie, as it fits the profile of yet another famous character origin story, led by a star cast. But, for the purpose of pure entertainment, I'm very glad it exists.
Cruella is in UAE cinemas from Thursday
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Company%C2%A0profile
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X
Price, as tested: Dh84,000
Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: Six-speed auto
Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Singapore
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Australia
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The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Enterprise-grade%20security%20and%20privacy%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Unlimited%20higher-speed%20GPT-4%20access%20with%20no%20caps%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Longer%20context%20windows%20for%20processing%20longer%20inputs%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Advanced%20data%20analysis%20capabilities%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Customisation%20options%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Shareable%20chat%20templates%20that%20companies%20can%20use%20to%20collaborate%20and%20build%20common%20workflows%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Analytics%20dashboard%20for%20usage%20insights%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Free%20credits%20to%20use%20OpenAI%20APIs%20to%20extend%20OpenAI%20into%20a%20fully-custom%20solution%20for%20enterprises%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
%3Cp%3EHigh%20fever%20(40%C2%B0C%2F104%C2%B0F)%3Cbr%3ESevere%20headache%3Cbr%3EPain%20behind%20the%20eyes%3Cbr%3EMuscle%20and%20joint%20pains%3Cbr%3ENausea%3Cbr%3EVomiting%3Cbr%3ESwollen%20glands%3Cbr%3ERash%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Sebastian Stefan, Sebastian Morar and Claudia Pacurar
Based: Dubai, UAE
Founded: 2014
Number of employees: 36
Sector: Logistics
Raised: $2.5 million
Investors: DP World, Prime Venture Partners and family offices in Saudi Arabia and the UAE
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup – Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
Results
5pm Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner No Riesgo Al Maury, Szczepan Mazur (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)
5.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner Marwa W’Rsan, Sam Hitchcott, Jaci Wickham.
6pm Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner Dahess D’Arabie, Al Moatasem Al Balushi, Helal Al Alawi.
6.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m
Winner Safin Al Reef, Connor Beasley, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
7pm Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 2,200m
Winner Thulbaseera Al Jasra, Shakir Al Balushi, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.
7.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh 80,000 2,200m
Winner Autumn Pride, Szczepan Mazur, Helal Al Alawi.
Directed by: Craig Gillespie
Starring: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry
4/5
