Cinderella Review

Starring: Cate Blanchett, Lily James, Richard Madden, Stellan Skarsgård, Helena Bonham Carter

As many people know, I'm a sucker for Disney. I grew up watching all of the classics, and I've honestly enjoyed everything they've produced from Sleeping Beauty all the way to Frozen. However, the 1950 Cinderella is not one of my favorites. I saw it once, and never felt that I needed to see it again. So going into the live-action remake of Cinderella, that was a strike against it already. This movie needed to make me forget the original. Also, I'm not a fan of Disney's live-action remakes so far. Alice in Wonderland is visually great, and I enjoyed it, but Oz the Great and Powerful and Maleficent didn't keep my attention. So with those two factors, I should have hated this movie. The real surprise was how much I loved it. Cinderella is a magical movie. It's enchanting, it's mesmerizing, and it's a fantastic adventure. This movie is basically just a re-do of the original, and I still loved it. I'm still excited about this movie, so I apologize for not explaining it so far. I'll elaborate now.

As far as acting goes, it's a no-brainer that Cate Blanchett is the star. Lily James plays Ella ("Cinder-Ella") and she's great, but Blanchett's Lady Tremaine aka the Evil Stepmother is a tour-de-force. When she's introduced, and she walks into Ella's house with her wicked cat Lucifer on a leash, her face is obscured by her veil. She turns to the camera, and you see her twisted smile. And in that scene, I knew this was going to be a fascinating character. Her style (always green for envy), and just the way she carried herself, brought such a gravitas to the movie. Like Angelina Jolie's Maleficent, Cate Blanchett's Lady Tremaine really fleshes out the character and adds prestige. Holliday Grainger and Sophie McShera were hilarious as the stepsisters. They were surprisingly well realized for two characters that were laughing-stocks in the original. Richard Madden also did a fine job as the Prince, and his scenes with Lily James were very, very good. Speaking of James, this was a role that was very tough. Everyone has that idea of Cinderella in their head, and she was able to pay homage to that, and also create her own version separate from the original. And she carried herself just like a princess.

This is by far, one of the most beautiful movies I've ever seen. The costumes are amazing, particularly Ella's blue dress. Lily James was breathtaking when she walked out on the ballroom floor for the first time. Everybody's dresses looked great, but you could definitely see why everyone, even the prince, was staring right at her. Along with the costumes, the set designs are impeccable. Every scene is gorgeous to look at. I'm literally running out of synonyms for "pretty" that I can use to describe Cinderella. Cate Blanchett looked great in every scene she was in as well, and her daughters looked...well they call them the Ugly Stepsisters for a reason. The Fairy Godmother, played wonderfully by Helena Bonham Carter, has such a great scene where she transforms the pumpkin into a carriage, and the animals into her horses, footmen, and driver. Even better, is when the clock strikes midnight and everything turns back a little earlier than planned. All the visual effects are perfect, with enough to make you think they're genuine, but just enough whimsy to make it magical. This is a fairy-tale brought to life.

So should you see Cinderella? If I haven't convinced you it's actually a fantastic movie, then I don't know what else I could say. If you love Disney movies, you'll love Cinderella. If you just appreciate great acting, the cast, especially Cate Blanchett, does an outstanding job. If you like period-dramas with beautifully lavish (but not extravagant) settings then you'll really appreciate what director Kenneth Branagh did here. Cinderella is the revitalization Disney needs in its brand after Big Hero 6 failed to generate the kind acclaim and fame that Frozen was able to. The only reason I wouldn't suggest it to you, is if you don't like clichés, because this is all a giant cliché. But it's a princess movie, and the Cinderella story is like that, so you should know what you're getting into. It's just a magical fairytale adventure that can capture the imaginations of all ages. If you don't believe me, there was a little girl in our aisle, and when Cinderella walked out in the dress she poked at her mom and gasped "Wow!!! She is so pretty!" completely entranced by what was going on onscreen. The real magic was that even though I'm much older, I was feeling the same magic, and my even older parents felt it too. This really is a movie for everyone, and a must-see.

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