For a Fandom Obsessed like me, watching Cinderella was very confusing. I mean… why was Lady Rose (whose mother was Agent Peggy Carter) serving on Daisy? And I knew Galadriel could be beautiful and terrible as the dawn and treacherous as the sea. But she was way to bitchy here. Maybe that was because she was working with Dr Erik Selvig when he was possessed. Another thing that confused me was why Bellatrix Lestrange was using her wand for good?!?! Ok, all that doesn’t matter. At least Robb Stark (SPOILER ALERT) survives this wedding of his.
Ok, let’s stop being silly and talk seriously for a bit.
Before the movie even began, we had a little taste of Disney magic. Frozen Fever was beautiful. I expected it to be a bit longer, but I have to admit, I’ve been humming the song “Perfect Day” since yesterday. That’s Disney magic. You hear a song once, and that’s all it takes for you to learn it. Magic.
Now, onto the movie. Can I admit that I kinda loved it? I know that nowadays we look for different female heroines. And during the movie, I sometimes wanted to shake her and scream at her “OMG, girl! Snap out of it!”. But other than that, I loved it.
Why I loved it? Because it was everything Disney is supposed to be. It was fun, it was magical, it was lovely, it was swoon worthy, it was “aaawww” inspiring. It was inspiring. It makes you feel good. Bad people are bad. Good people are good. Animals understand us when we talk to them. Girls have perfect hair and stunning dresses and Princes have perfect teeth.
If I have to point out what or who I liked the most, I’d have to say Cate Blanchett. She was the perfect Step-Mother. She was evil, she was mean, she was bitchy. She was a lot of fun!!! And she gave depth to a character that is usually portrayed as one dimensional. Not that you end up liking her, you still hate her. But you might understand her just a little bit better. The looks she gives, the wicked smiles. This role was made for her. And her daughters were hilarious. Even though the movie is set in the past, I liked the modern twist they gave the characters and the movie as a whole.
Helena Bonham Carter as the sort of ditsy Fairy Godmother was utter perfection. But was it juts me, or was there something weird about her teeth?
Talking about teeth… have you seen Prince Kit’s teeth? Between those pearly whites and those baby blue eyes, I’d fall in love with him at first sight too! Who would have thought that the King in the North would turn out to be a perfect Disney Prince? And he was the embodiment of a Disney Prince! Cute, lovable, sexy in a PG13 kinda way, honorable, respectful, wore the uniform perfectly, smart and funny. In the original Disney cartoon movie, the Prince kinda did nothing. I liked how they extended this character, specially the relationship with his father and Captain. There’s a particular scene between Kit and his father that’s really touching and Richard Madden plays it beautifully.
Now, Ella. Cinderella. Lily James. I still believe Amy Adams was the all time perfect live action Disney Princess like, ever. But Lily James is perfect for playing Cinderella. You believe that she is that kinda, that generous, that lovable. And she has that quiet strength that makes you realize that she isn’t just a simpleton. You know there’s something going on in her head. And when she stands up for what she believes is right and contradicts her step-sisters and step-mother, it isn’t a break from her sweet nature. She is still sweet while saying no. But she means that “no”.
Now, let’s talk about the really important stuff: the ball gown. I mean, all of the costumes for this movie are stunning, including those of the Prince (and Richard Madden looks amazing in them). But every girl and their mother went to see this movie for the blue gown and the glass slipper. I think this dress (and Belle’s yellow gown) are the ones I remember the most from all of Disney’s movies.
Seriously… that’s Disney magic for you right there!
And lastly, Richard Madden and Lily James have crazy chemistry. The first time they meet, you could see the sparkles. Ok… It might have been that I was sort of in a daze from Richard’s eyes, but anyway. They look and feel adorable together.
I’ve read some reviews that say that they are sad that the Disney music was missing. But there were hints of it. The Fairy Godmother kinda sings “Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo”. And Ella sings “Oh, Sing Sweet Nightingale” while she’s doing her chores. And I don’t remember if this is in the movie or not, but I love this song and Lily James sings it beautifully:
My advice? Go watch the movie. Maybe even more than once.
