Movie #1012 "Cinderella" is a movie that I would recommend kids to see, and it isn't bad for us adults, either. In fact, it has a very strong theme (says it about 5 times: you should have courage and kindness)for all, and in that way, it stands out midst all the slop that kids could be watching. Director Branagh makes a lot of good decisions here --- in casting, he's right on to put Lily James in the title role --- she exudes energy, freshness, excitement and goodness in every breath she breathes. And Cate Blanchett is a wow here! The story still has the "evil" stepsisters and stepmother bullying Ella around, but there's a reason for her submitting to it --- it is said in dialogue that she wants to keep the house in the family to please her now dead parents. The story still has the magical fairy godmother --- this case has Helena Bonham Carter (who was cute, but could have been funnier, I thought). The story still has prince charming, but in this case, when referred to as "prince charming" he says he is just "a" prince and when he sees her, yes, she's beautiful but she's "so much more" --- I liked the changes there! In every way, our Cinderella here takes courage to be a role model who supports the forgiving, kinder route to take with everyone --- at one point she thanks the man who brought her the sad news of her dad's death by saying, "that must have hurt you, too, so much!" How kind! And because she is so much so, we root for her as she goes to the dance, wins over everyone with her dance stealing abilities, and then as she dashes past the king (since the clock is striking midnight) she is able to show kindness again by telling him how much the prince loves him --- a message he takes to heart and uses later to give advice to his son to follow HIS heart. I liked the changes, but I wish there were even more ---- I still think searching for Cinderella by trying the magic shoes on the women is a bit silly, but then, to someone new to the story, there would be such a void, probably, if it weren't there. And I wish she could have gotten the prince's attention more wisely, than just singing loudly in her locked attic bedroom, but then when he finally sees her, she tells him before she tries on the shoe (played anticlimatically here, which is ok with me) she hopes he will take her as she is --- nice touch there. That's why she lives happily ever after --- she deserves it, not because she is pretty, but because she believes in courage and kindness. And that's a nice motto to follow, even if it is said at least 5x throughout the film!
Cinderella
I would give it 4 out of 5 stars.
In this live-action retelling of Disney's animated classic, young Ella escapes from a life of drudgery by way of a fairy godmother whose magic brings Ella face-to-face with the prince of her dreams.
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