Movie Review: Cinderella (2015)


When Disney announced that they were creating a live-action Cinderella movie, my first thought was of Ever After - also a live-action Cinderella, and one of my favorite movies. That film and this one are quite different, however, and I enjoyed this Cinderella movie as well.

Cinderella (Lily James) lives with her mother (Hayley Atwell) and father (Ben Chaplin), until her mother passes away. Many years later, her father decides it is time for him to remarry, and Cinderella's new stepmother (Cate Blanchett) and two dumb stepsisters (Holliday Grainger, Sophie McShera) come to stay with them. Her father passes away on a business trip, and Cinderella is stuck in the house with the three women, who do not treat her kindly. One day, when out for a horse ride, Cinderella meets a handsome young apprentice named Kit (Richard Madden) and can't get him off of her mind. What she doesn't know, however, is that Kit is the Prince - and he can't get her off his mind either.

The cinematography and costume design in this movie were wonderful. I wish I owned all of the outfits, especially Cate Blanchett's, and the scenery was gorgeous. Cate Blanchett was also my favorite character in the movie; as the stepmother and also the villain, she was perfect for the role. Game of Thrones fans will be pleased to see a cleaned-up Robb Stark (Richard Madden) in the role of the prince, too, and I liked Lily James as Cinderella, as well - she always had a kind look on her face, which is the embodiment of the role.

Yes, see this movie. I still prefer Ever After, but this is definitely a more Disney-fied version, and should do well. I wish we could have seen more of Helena Bonham Carter, too, as Cinderella's fairy godmother - she usually plays much darker roles, but I enjoyed seeing her in a lighter role here, though she only has about ten minutes total of screentime. This version of Cinderella is maybe not one I'd watch over and over again; however, if I was looking for a "fluff" movie to enjoy, I would choose this version over Ever After or the classic animated Cinderella (1950), as I prefer the live-action versions.

Cinderella is in theaters today, March 13th, and is rated PG with a runtime of 112 minutes. 3.5 stars out of 5.

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