Little Women (1994)

The classic story of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott comes to the screen in this magical adaptation starring some of the biggest stars in the world of cinema including Winona Ryder, Kirsten Dunst, Susan Sarandon, Claire Danes and Christian Bale.

Set in the 1860's, the story tells of the four March sisters Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy. Their lives are recounted from the age of adolescence to young adulthood, showing the many difficulties and changes they go through during this time period.
Jo (Winona Ryder) is a natural writer who writes many stories and plays that she shares with her sisters; even putting on productions of her plays in their attic with each sister playing one of the roles. She is the tomboy of the group who doesn't care for fine dresses and the pressures of marrying in the near future, choosing to focus more on her writing career.

Meg (Trini Alvarado) is the oldest of the sisters, and is constantly worried about being a proper lady and finding the right companion in the sea of suitors that she is introduced to. She repeatedly tries to bestow good manners on her younger siblings and is sometimes irritating while doing so, as many older siblings are.

Beth (Claire Danes) is the next youngest after Jo. She is the shyest and most timid of the group, choosing to stay home most of the time and lend help to the poor neighbors who need it most. We all know of her tragic fate that happened at such a pure and tender age, and we are reminded of how sweet and supportive she was towards Jo and her writing despite not having any significant goals in her own life.

Amy (Kirsten Dunst and Samantha Mathis) is the youngest of the four and possesses a bubbly personality and spirit towards life. She doesn't take a particular interest in studies but prefers to dream about her grown up life and talk about the constant parties and dates that her older sisters get invited to. She can be a bit of a nuisance and snobby at times while also having the ability to say wise things despite her young age. The youngest always want to seem more grown up and so tend to take a particular interest in grown up matters and Amy is a typical example of this.

The acting I thought was really well done, especially by Winona Ryder for her portrayal of Jo. She expresses so many emotions throughout the story that range from happiness and surprise to sadness and despair, which proves why she got nominated for an Oscar that year. We also get to see some other very fine actors in the making such as the current Batman, Christian Bale in the role of Laurie and of course the lovely Kirsten Dunst. Susan Sarandon adds a warm touch with her portrayal of Marmee and all others characters stay true to the story throughout.

The costumes for the film were wonderfully executed and I wonder if the actors and actresses found them heavy to wear with all those layers underneath. And since this is a period piece, the cinematography and sets were very well made and really captured the aura of that period. An absolutely wonderful story about the challenges of growing up and the many heartbreaks and changes that can happen even if you didn't live in the 1860's. I recommend it to anyone who is looking for a heartwarming story on a cold winter's night, especially for a Christmas night viewing.