Cinderella
Disney’s new live action version of Cinderella certainly does not disappoint. Tackling a story that almost everyone and their mother knows, while somehow making it fresh and a joy to watch is not an easy task and Disney does just that.
Lily James does a remarkable job as Cinderella(still not sure how she got that tiny corset on making her waist look insanely small), allowing the audience to feel all of her joy and pain throughout the film. She has a great chemistry with the Prince (Richard Madden) and you really root for them to be together from the very first time they meet.
The lighting and cinematography in Cinderella is simply breathtaking at times. It is also refreshing to see a movie that uses light and backdrops so well in the plot. For example, the scene where Ella meets the Prince for the first time showcases some amazingly beautiful light for the Prince complete with an angelic backlit glow on his hair, while poor Cinderella dressed in meager clothing is shown in the ugliest and harshest sunlight. Kudos to Disney for setting the mood and tones this way.
Cate Blanchett is also superb as the evil stepmother and I wouldn’t expect anything less of one of our best actresses today.
This movie is great for all ages and the Frozen Short at the beginning just adds to the value. I predict a huge opening weekend and a strong box office run which is well deserved. A solid 8 out of 10 stars.
