Disney's BEST Live-Action Adaptation: Cinderella (2015) - Movie Review

-May contain major spoilers-

Photo source: Disney/IMDB

Cinderella is a live-action adaptation of Disney's classic film "Cinderella" based on the fairy tale of the same name. It was directed by Kenneth Branagh with music by Patrick Doyle and was premiered on February 13, 2015, at the Berlin International Film Festival. Starring Lily James, Richard Madden and Cate Blanchett. 

Summary

Ella (Lily James) is an optimistic young woman who, during her childhood, lost her mother to an illness. Her father (Ben Chaplin), a merchant, remarries Lady Tremaine (Cate Blanchett), a widow who has two daughters, Drisella (Sophie McShera) and Anastasia (Holliday Grainger), who are quite crass. 

Ella's father has to leave on a business trip, and before leaving, Drisella asks him to bring back a parasol for her complexion -that means skin, if you don't know- Anastasia asks him to bring back lace, and Ella asks for him to bring back the first branch that his shoulder brushes during the journey, so he thinks of her when he looks at it. 

As soon as Ella's father leaves, Lady Tremaine makes Ella give up her room to her stepsisters and move to the dirty (... and very high) attic. A few months later, news arrives that Ella's father became ill and passed away, leaving her the branch that had touched his shoulder. Afraid of being unable to afford her opulent living, Lady Tremaine dismisses the household, making Ella the sole servant in her (own) home, and tries to pass it off as "helping" Ella overcome her grief. Ella works day and night to please her "family," who only gives her food scraps, which she shares with her only friends, the mice that live in the house. 

One night, it was too cold to sleep in the attic, so Ella fell asleep next to the fireplace in the kitchen, dirtying her face with ashes in the process. In the morning, her step"family" began to mock her and call her names until they settled on her new nickname - "Cinderella." Sad because of the mistreatment she receives, Ella goes to the forest in her horse, where she meets a man who introduces himself as Kit (Richard Madden), an apprentice in the palace. Kit gets charmed (😉) by Ella -she gets charmed by him too- but leaves without knowing her name. 

At the palace, Kit talks to his father, the King (Derek Jacobi), about how the girl he met is the one for him, but the king tells him that he has only met her once and she is not a princess. The king, who is terminally ill, discusses with the Grand Duke (Stellan Skarsgård), a cunning and shady man, the Captain (Nonso Anozie), who is the Prince's loyal friend and Prince Kit, about the upcoming ball in which the Prince will choose a bride. The Prince argues that he should be allowed to wed "a good, honest, country girl," to which the Grand Duke counter-argues that that type of girl would not make the country stronger as a princess would. The Prince accepts the ball on the condition that the king invites everyone, as he secretly wishes to see his mystery girl again.

While at the market, Ella hears the announcement inviting everyone to the ball. She gets excited because this means that she has a chance to see her friend Kit again and runs to tell her stepfamily, who tells her to run to the seamstress to get three dresses made. Ella is thankful as she thinks that one of the dresses is for her but her stepmother mocks her and tells her the dresses are for themselves. Ella still doesn't lose hope of going to the ball and starts to refurbish an old dress of her mother.

When the day of the ball arrives, Ella is ready to go, but her stepfamily forbids her from going, claiming that she would be "an insult" to the King and the royal family with her "old rags." They start to mock her (again) and tear pieces of her dress. Crying, Ella runs to the garden and meets an old lady who begs her for a piece of bread or a glass of milk. Through the tears, she gives the old lady a bowl of milk. The older woman remarks on her kindness and reveals herself to be her fairy godmother (Helena Bonham Carter), who, with her magic, transforms a pumpkin into a coach, the mice into horses, etc. (you probably know the drill). She also transforms her ruined dress into a gorgeous blue ball gown and makes her glass (or crystal, if you prefer) shoes. Before Ella leaves for the ball, her fairy godmother warns her that the magic will only last till midnight.

Will Ella manage to arrive at the ball on time? Will she meet Kit again? Will Lady Tremaine and the Grand Duke's scheming ways prevail? ...Dun Dun Dunn -You probably know the answer to all those questions, lol-

Thoughts

This adaptation of Cinderella expands on the 1950 version giving more personality to all the characters. It also strips down the musical aspect of the 1950 movie -which I'm sure already had the fewest songs of all the OG Disney princess movies- and I think is great because at least is not a lackluster effort (ahem, looking at you 2017 Beauty and the Beast!). A significant difference from the 1950 movie is the heavy emphasis on the butterfly motif this one has. The motif appears in her childhood, on the walls of her home, and in her hair when she is dressed plainly. It is also (super) visible during her transformation scene, on her ball gown, and her glass slippers.

The cinematography feels magical, the color palette is fantastic and the filter truly makes the colors pop -especially Kit eyes-. I love the secret garden scene. I find it so aesthetically pleasing it feels like a painting (it's apparently based on a Fragonard painting that appears in the movie) 

The only issue that I had with how the movie looks is that the CGI of the soldiers marching outside the castle feels as if I was watching the scene at the end of Attack of the Clones, where the clones march (is not that awful, but AOTC is from 2002!).

The acting is good. I really liked how Cate Blanchett portrayed Lady Tremaine. She does a great job showcasing how jealous her character is of Cinderella. The stepsisters portrayed by Sophie McShera (Drisella) and Holliday Grainger (Anastasia) are great with their comedic timing, and although they often initiate on the bullying of Ella I found them to be less mean than the Drisella of the 1950 movie (Anastasia was not that evil). The chemistry between Lily James and Richard Madden was fantastic, especially in the scene where they danced together. The only thing that I sort of "dislike" about the acting is rather trivial, but towards the end of the movie, in the scene where [SPOILER] Lady Tremaine breaks Cinderella's slipper [SPOILER ENDS], Lily James says "Why?" in a way that sounds so odd to my ears.

The costumes are works of art. I love how vibrant the colors used on the clothes worn by Lady Tremaine are. I also think the silhouettes used on her costumes -which I believe are inspired by 1950's Christian Dior (I might be wrong)- are marvelous. The movie's showstopper is Ella's Blue ball gown, which looks truly gorgeous, especially when it is in movement. My only complaint about that costume is that although I understand that the butterflies on her neckline were made flimsy on purpose to give a fluttering effect, they look a bit "cheap" compared to the rest of the dress; it would have been a lot better if they were made from a harder material (like crystal). All the dresses during the ball scene are amazing. My favorite (aside from Ella's) is the one Princess Chelina wears; it's so detailed, and that mantilla is so fabulous. Another thing that I like is the detailed embroidery on the costumes worn by the Prince and other male characters. The hill I choose to die on is that Sandy Powell should have won the Oscar for Best Costume Design in 2016 (I still love you, Jenny Beavan).  

The soundtrack is fantastic, and like the cinematography, it's great at creating a magical atmosphere. 

I love "La Valse de L'Amour"; it feels so "airy," but yet, at the same time, it leaves me breathless. The same thing happens with "The Stag" which also leaves me feeling breathless, especially after 0:37. The song "Fairy Godmother" reminds me a bit of Camille Saint-Saëns "Aquarium" from his suite "The Carnival of the Animals," which inspired the "Prologue" of Beauty and the Beast. 

The only songs to appear in both movies are "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" and "Bibidi Babidi Boo," which are now sung by Lily James and Helena Bonham Carter, respectively (they only appear during the credits at the end).

I recommend this movie if you like to see beautiful costumes, a fresh take on the 1950's movie, and if you like movies about fairy tales in general.

Rating

Acting - 9/10

Plot - 10/10

Romance - 10/10

Soundtrack - 10/10

Costumes - 10/10

Overall Rating - 10/10

Extended Movie Info

Run Time: 106 minutes (1hs 46min).

Release Date: February 13, 2015 (premiere) and March 15, 2015 (theatrical).

Based on: Cinderella by Charles Perrault.

Directed by: Kenneth Branagh.

Cinematography by: Haris Zambarloukos.

Screenplay by: Chris Weitz.

Edited by: Martin Walsh.

Music by: Patrick Doyle.

Costumes by: Sandy Powell.

Starring: Lily James, Richard Madden, Cate Blanchett, Sophie McShera, Holliday Grainger, Nonso Anozie, Stellan Skarsgård, Derek Jacobi and Helena Bonham Carter.