Disney has done a great job with their live-action remakes and there are so many planned it is hard to keep track. One that came and went and does not get the attention it deserves is Cinderella. Released in 2015 and directed by the very talented, Kenneth Branagh, the movie is one of the most underrated of the live-action Disney remakes.
How to Stream or Download Cinderella
You can stream it or you can download the movie from iTunes. To begin, click on the link located below this review. And if you like movies based on the famous stories by Charles Perrault check out also Maleficent which is based on Sleeping Beauty or Into the Woods which tells several stories including that about Little Red Riding Hood.
The Film Review
I think that you could call this a reimagining of Cinderella, but at the same time, I love how faithful it is to the original Disney Cinderella. They have modernized it just a little bit and changed a few of the characters slightly, but in doing this it becomes a much stronger and more emotionally impactful movie.
Cinderella is played by the lovely Lilly James. I think her portrayal of the girl is great. She has all the kindness and the sweetness of the original Cinderella, but she also has a bit of “girl power” about her which is cool. For me, though it is Cate Blanchett who steals the show. She was the first actor to sign on for the movie and as the evil stepmother, she is fantastic.
The movie is exactly what you would expect and want from a live-action Cinderella movie. Cinderella loses her mother at a young age and her father remarries a horrible woman. This woman has two daughters of her own who are played by Sophie McShera and Holliday Grainger and they are awesome and the mean stepsisters. You genuinely love to hate them and I mean that in a good way.
Of course, there is the ball, the glass slipper, the beautiful carriage, and the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo. I really cannot think of one thing that Disney changed in this reimaging that would make you cringe or say “why did they do that?” loudly at the screen. They managed to walk that fine line of making this a modern movie, but at the same time keep all the heart and soul of the original movie.
The story is great as are the performances and as this is a Disney movie you will not be surprised to know that the special effects are tremendous. These really do make this wonderful (and sometimes not so wonderful) world that Cinderella lives in come to life. As well as looking great, Cinderella has a really great score.
At the time the movie was released it did well at the box office even if it did not make as much as some of the other live action Disney remakes. It was critically acclaimed and the general feeling was this is a movie you have to see. So it is a bit of a shame to see it kind of lost in the shuffle with all the other live-action remakes and reimaging’s that Disney has going on.
I watched the film when it was at theaters a couple of years back and I rewatched it for this review and I can honestly say it is a great movie. It is a nice family movie that anyone of any age can sit down and enjoy. If you have still not seen this, I highly recommend that you do as it is incredibly well done with a great story, great performances, and some fantastic special effects.
