Cinderella Movie Review
Sarah Christensen
The new live action Cinderella was a complete masterpiece! A definite must see especially for those mega Disney princess fans. I was a bit worried about this story because of Maleficent, Disney’s remake of Sleeping Beauty, which was a good movie only if I pretend they did not base it on the beloved Disney princess story. Now Disney has made a live action retelling of Cinderella and surpassed even the original. After seeing it the first and second time this weekend I wanted to run back in the theater and see it again.
Prince Kit and Ella kiss once in the movie and so do Ella’s parents. Ella’s dresses are a bit low at times especially when she steps from the carriage. Their is mild language such as stupid and shut up from Lady Tremaine and drinking in one or two scenes. Lady Tremaine is cruel and wicked and a few characters do die of illness or age.
Cinderella stars Lily James (Downton Abbey) and Richard Madden (Game of Thrones) and Cate Blanchett (Lord of the Rings). Cate Blanchett makes an incredible evil stepmother while Lily James is the Ella, later Cinderella, we all love. Ella’s parents die leaving her with their love, memories, and the secret to get her through all of the trails of her life, “have courage and be kind”. Ella struggles to have courage and be kind as her wicked stepmother, Lady Tremaine and her stepsisters, The very clever Drisella and the very beautiful Anastasia, force her to clean, cook, and run the household. We also learn from the very clever Drisella, after a few tries, the birth of the name Cinderella. Of course, as the narrator tells us, if they hadn’t been so wicked she might have never met the prince. The prince, Richard Madden, is certainly prince charming, although finally given the name of Kit in this retelling. Enchanted by the girl in the woods he throws open the doors of the palace ball to see her again. Unfortunately for Ella, even after making her own dress, with the help of her more realistic yet still very cute and marvelously helpful mice friends, is forbidden to go to the ball. In despair Cinderella says she cannot believe anymore, of course this is the moment, her hairy dogfather, oops her fairy godmother, appears. Glittering yet comical, Helena Bonham Carter, appears to send Cinderella to the ball. In the most beautiful transformation yet, Cinderella is sent off to the ball in glittering blue and glass slippers that are actually really comfortable. After an enchanting first dance and realizing that Kit is really the prince Cinderella leaves and of course loses one glass slipper. With only the glass slipper and his father’s blessing to find the girl “The forgetful one, who loses her shoes” Kit searches for Cinderella throughout the kingdom. I suppose you will have to go see if this retelling truly has a happily ever after in store for Cinderella. I would give this movie 5 out of 5 stars and definitely recommend it as a must see!