Cinderella Review

RYAN: It’s the live action adaptation of Disney’s 1950 animated classic Cinderella and it did not disappoint!  In fact, it may do for fairy tale movies what Marvel has been doing for superhero films.  It’s really taken to the next level.  Disney’s been doing them for the last few years with Alice in Wonderland, Oz the Great and Powerful and Maleficent, but this one really steps it up.  There were several times where I just thought, “Wow!”

CHUCK: Unlike the studio’s previous live action fairy tales of recent year, this one didn’t tinker too much with the original Disney story.  The origin stories of those other movies are great but now they’re also doing more faithful live adaptations.  I really love how it honored the cartoon which contained Walt’s favorite moment – when she transforms into her ball gown.

RYAN: That moment.  And that dress.  It’s almost distracting because it’s so amazing. There’s not even a word to describe it.  Magnificent?  I feel like there has to be a new word – Cinderiffic?  It’s crazy cool.

CHUCK: Some people speculated that it was CGI because of how it sparkles and moves, but it was real.  The shoes, however, were CGI.

RYAN: It’s rare that fantasy film get any awards attention but for sure – this has to be nominated for best costumes and not only because of Cinderella’s ball gown, but everything else, especially Cate Blanchett’s costumes.

CHUCK: That ball scene – everything was gorgeous.

RYAN: Blanchett was in, like, couture runway.  And let’s talk about her.  She deserves a Best Supporting Actress nomination.  She’s a 2-time former winner.  It’s possible.  She was so chilling in this.

CHUCK: Evil.  Just evil.

RYAN: She went even further with it than should had to. And she came up with an original laugh for the character that could become as iconic as the cackle by the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz.  Her laugh was another thing that made be go “Wow.”

CHUCK: Her eyes and everything about her was perfect.  They really honored the source material and expanded upon it.  This movie makes all of the characters more dimensional.

RYAN: This will be the introduction of Cinderella as a character to some youngsters, but for those of us who grew up knowing the animated version, it’s so incredible to see what is possible to realize with today’s technology in live action what could only have been done with animation in 1950.  This is an outstanding theatrical event.  You see this and you think it’s magical but it’s real.

CHUCK: It’s fully realized.  The grounds, the make believe kingdom, the castle, everything was very filled out and extraordinary.  And director Kenneth Branagh did an amazing job.

RYAN: I was a little bummed with Helena Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother for pulling a bit of a Johnny Depp.  It’s like she went out of her way to try to make it a character instead of just playing it sincerely.  Still – it’s crazy to see Bellatrix Lestrange look like this good white fairy.

CHUCK: That was the only time I was also pulled out because she was a bit of a caricature.  That scene, though, is just so magical.  I swooned during the ballroom scene.  I was crying from the moment she got the gown.

RYAN: And the prince and Cinderella together.

CHUCK: Their chemistry was palpable.

RYAN: They played it right – some shots linger on their eye contact and you just feel it.

CHUCK: And they’re both dreamy to look at yet not unrealistic.

RYAN: All of the color in this movie is so ultra-saturated.  It really heightens the experience.

CHUCK: Technicolor.  It harkens back to the MGM classic musicals.

RYAN: There’s also a great sense of maturity to this.  I love Ever After because it tells the story of Cinderella without magic, and I can watch it again and again.  And this one, while fully magical, still feels grounded.  There’s so much heart in it and while they don’t shy away from the magic, it’s never cheesy or over the top.

CHUCK: It’s believable.

RYAN: And the relationships and dialogue in the film doesn’t feel like a kids movie.  At the end of the movie, we had to stay in our seats instead of getting up right away, I think, because we were both crying?

CHUCK: You were crying?

RYAN: I was. We had to sober up for a moment.

CHUCK: It was so good.

RYAN: It’s for all audiences and truly an achievement in film.  Bring on the new round of fairy tales!

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