Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
When her father enlists to fight for the British in WWI, young Sara Crewe goes to New York to attend the same boarding school her late mother attended. She soon clashes with the severe headmistress, Miss Minchin, who attempts to stifle Sara's creativity and sense of self-worth.
Alfonso Cuarón's 1995 adaptation is most distinguished by its lush, painterly cinematography — Emmanuel Lubezki's warm golden tones and magical visual contrasts between Sara's imaginative world and the grey austerity of the school are genuinely exceptional for a family film. The plot follows the source novel faithfully and competently but without major surprises, landing solidly above average. Acting is warm and earnest across the board, with Liesel Matthews charming as Sara and Eleanor Bron effectively severe as Minchin, though nothing breakthrough. The film has a distinctive visual and tonal identity that sets it apart from generic family fare, earning a respectable novelty score, but it remains an adaptation of well-known material. The ending is emotionally satisfying and delivers on the film's promise, though it leans into conventional sentimentality.