THE KIRAKIRA À LA MODE FILMS

The best things to see on this poster are Akira before the Arc de Triomphe and Yukari before the Tour Eiffel...

KiraKira ☆ à la Mode: Crisply! The Memory of Millefeuille! is the 23rd Pretty Cure film produced by Toei Animation. The director for the film is Yutaka Tsuchida, and the screenplay is by Isao Murayama.
Besides the main feature, there is an animated short called Petits ☆ Dream Stars! Let’s・La・Cookin’? Showtime! as well.
I’d recommend watching the film before reading this post, as I want to discuss some events that could be considered spoilers. Though some of these were featured when the TV series’ opening credits were previewing the film, but I figure sticking a spoiler warning here is probably appropriate.

Now for the main feature, KiraKira ☆ à la Mode: Crisply! The Memory of Millefeuille!
In this film, the pâtisserie Cures travel to Paris in order to participate in a famous sweets contest. However, Ciel ends up losing her ability to make sweets after an encounter with an evil whisk.
Meanwhile, Ciel’s mentor, Jean-Pierre Silberstein (that Germanic surname implies a Lorrainian background, from eastern France at the German border) is pursuing the creation of the Ultimate Sweet, together with the help of a ghost pixie (yousei), in the shape of a green-haired chef doll, named Cook. 

Cure Parfait is the star of the show here

As you may be able to guess, Ciel is pretty much the star of the show here, but the other Cures are more or less relegated to supporting roles. The pâtisserie Cures are already a fairly sizeable group, and then you have a cameo appearance as well. Not everyone is going to be able to get equal billing in the film’s runtime.

Let’s talk a little about a couple of important characters. Presumably anyone choosing to watch this film will already be familiar with the pâtisserie Cures, so I won’t really talk too much about them.

Jean-Pierre Silberstein

Jean-Pierre is Ciel’s mentor, and who had a brief appearance in the TV series from what I can recall. Here, we get to see exactly what he is like, and it turns out he is eccentric. He can also be quite harsh towards Ciel, especially with her cooking abilities being diminished.

The ghost yousei, Cook

Another important character in this film is Cook. She is a ghost pixie – because apparently we needed more than one of those. Though the Elder insists that he’s not a ghost…
She is very insistent on Jean-Pierre completing the Ultimate Sweet, though it seems she cares little for kira-kiraru.

Anyone else got a craving for lobster thermidor?

The pâtisserie Cures end up acquiring animal forms

As tends to be the case for the Pretty Cure films, there is a part where the antagonist is able to get one up on the heroines. That happens in this film, though that whole sequence might just be one of the silliest examples of a villain getting the upper hand.
It begins with the enemy analysing each of the Cures, and using magic to change their forms to make them easier to deal with. Well, they can’t quite get a handle on Yukari, which amused me quite a bit.
Actually, Yukari stole the show for me. She gets some of the best lines, and she just seems to take almost everything in her stride. Yukari was already my favourite character --alongside Akira-- to begin with, so perhaps I’m just biased here.

This is about the closest the film comes to any yuri

Though KiraKira ☆ à la Mode gave us the prominent pairing of Yukari and Akira (a LEGENDARY OTP), don’t expect to see any of that in this film. In fact, there’s maybe a couple of minor moments starring Ciel, but you’d have to stick to the TV series for the more prominent yuri.
I didn’t really expect all that much, to be honest. If if Yukari or Akira had been the central character, perhaps the case would have been different. But this is Ciel’s film, and Bilberry is nowhere to be seen (ditto Giulio, for that matter).

When it comes down to it, KiraKira ☆ à la Mode: Crisply! The Memory of Millefeuille! feels like just another good episode of the TV series, but just a bit longer. I enjoyed watching it, though it’s not my favourite PreCure film.
Of course, feeling like a feature-length episode of the TV series does mean that there’s not much in the way of physical combat.

I’ve already mentioned how some Cures only serve a supporting role in this film. Fans of Ciel will certainly find enjoyment here, but don’t expect too much from any of the others.
I will say that it might just be worth checking out for the hilarity of the animal Cures alone, though. And it will certainly leave you with a craving for lobster thermidor with millefeuille for dessert!

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 Pretty Cure Dream Stars! is the 22nd animated film in the Pretty Cure franchise, and the successor to the All Stars films. It was first released in Japanese theatres on March 18th 2017, not too long after KiraKira ☆ à la Mode had started airing. This is the first film in the PreCure franchise to feature the KiraKira à la Mode Cures.

If you’ve watched any other PreCure film before, you’ll probably be familiar with one of the Cures and/or yousei directly addressing the audience at the beginning (as if we were watching Henry V!). Dream Stars! takes those fourth wall shenanigans even further, and actually has characters appear “on stage” as it were to ask for the audience’s help. This happens right in the middle of a couple of scenes.
Whilst KiraKira ☆ à la Mode has toned down the fights, Dream Stars! actually sticks with the more typical physical fistfights. The inevitable fight against big bad Samidare might just be my favourite within the film, but the other fight scenes were pretty enjoyable as well.

Yui Nanase meets Akira Kenjo

During the course of the film Yukari and Akira go to Go! Princess‘s Noble Academy. As you might expect, some silliness ensues – the screenshots above providing an example of that.

Yukari has a pretty interesting reaction towards Akira’s approach.

I found that Dream Stars! doesn’t really manage to deliver the same hype as the first All Stars films did. Having the Cures join a fight accompanied by their theme tunes will probably never be topped.

When it comes down to it, though, it is just another PreCure film. Pretty much just an extended standalone episode,, and if you enjoyed the TV series than you’ll probably get some entertainment out of this film as well. I did highlight some things that I wasn’t keen on, but overall I did enjoy watching Dream Stars!.

PS. Our OTPs of last continuities are BACK for the next All Stars film, All Stars Memories!!! In the opening theme of today's Star*Twinkle episode, we got to see them getting up to shenanigans and boy, didn't they deliver!

Amour holding Ma Chérie in a bridal carry - like, OVER THE THRESHOLD style!

Amour and Ma Chérie attack, shoulder to shoulder

Saaya meets Akira

There is some silliness to be found with the three different teams meeting up. We get some Saaya x Akira kabedon – Akira did the same thing to Yui Nanase at Noble Academy in Dream Stars!, so perhaps Toei intend for it to be something of a running gag. And Yukari still doesn't give a hoot about her significant other's penchant for wall-pinning flirtation!