Cinderella (2015) [Blu-ray]
Drama | Family | Fantasy | Romance

The story of "Cinderella" follows the fortunes of young Ella whose merchant father remarries following the tragic death of her mother. Keen to support her loving father, Ella welcomes her new stepmother Lady Tremaine and her daughters Anastasia and Drizella into the family home. But, when Ella's father suddenly and unexpectedly passes away, she finds herself at the mercy of a jealous and cruel new family. Finally relegated to nothing more than a servant girl covered in ashes, and spitefully renamed Cinderella since she used to work in the cinders, Ella could easily begin to lose hope. Yet, despite the cruelty inflicted upon her, Ella is determined to honor her mother's dying words and to "have courage and be kind." She will not give in to despair nor despise those who abuse her. And then there is the dashing stranger she meets in the woods. Unaware that he is really a prince, not merely an employee at the Palace, Ella finally feels she has met a kindred soul.

Storyline: A girl named Ella (Cinderella) has the purest heart living in a cruel world filled with evil stepsisters and an evil stepmother out to ruin Ella's life. Ella comes one with her pure heart when she meets the prince and dances her way to a better life with glass shoes, and a little help from her fairy godmother, of course.

Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Kenneth Brown, September 14, 2015 -- Kenneth Branagh's Cinderella follows Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland (2010) and Robert Stromberg's Maleficent (2014) in Disney's latest experiment-turned-box office smash: adapting classic Walt Disney animated films into sweeping live-action spectacles. And to Branagh's credit, what might have been an unnecessary exercise in tedium is a delightful, magical reimagining that, rather than overshadowing the original (1950), enriches and nearly surpasses it as a fully realized companion piece. The clever additions and tweaks made to its familiar story aren't merely filler; they cast subplots and entire characters in a whole new light, dramatically but faithfully. The performances aren't cartoonish or wooden; instead walking a very fine line between homage and reinvention. The production design and visuals aren't gaudy or overindulgent; they bring an animated fairy tale to carefully restrained but thoughtfully dazzling life. If Cinderella is indicative of what to expect from Disney's upcoming live-action remakes of Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin, there's cause for excitement.

Young Ella (Lily James) is kind, strong and confident, even when her father (Ben Chaplin) remarries following the death of her mother (Hayley Atwell). Eager to support her loving father, Ella welcomes her new stepmother Lady Tremaine (Cate Blanchett) and stepsisters Anastasia (Holliday Grainger) and Drisella (Sophie McShera) into her home. But when Ella's father unexpectedly passes away, she finds herself at the mercy of a jealous and cruel new family. Relegated to nothing more than a servant girl covered in ashes, and spitefully renamed Cinderella, Ella could easily begin to lose hope. Yet, despite the abuse inflicted upon her, Ella is determined to honor her mother's dying words: "have courage and be kind." It's during these trials that she meets a dashing stranger (Richard Madden) in the forest. Unaware he's a prince, she finally feels she's found a kindred soul. When the Palace invites all the maidens of the land to attend a ball, Ella hopes of once again encountering the charming stranger. Alas, her stepmother forbids her from going and leaves Ella at home. But help is at hand, as a seemingly simple beggar woman (Helena Bonham-Carter) steps forward and, armed with a pumpkin and a few mice, changes Cinderella's life forever.

Cinderella doesn't alter the iconic beats of the original film so much as it embraces them wholeheartedly. Unafraid to broaden the scope of the tale, Branagh and screenwriter Chris Weitz make (mostly) watchful, even-handed additions, driving the story and characters in interesting directions without yanking or snapping the reigns. Ella's tragic origins breathe life into everything that follows, as do little touches; Lady Tremaine being a cold, wounded widow, the prince and his relationship with his father, the king (Derek Jacobi), the manner in which Ella's fairy godmother tests her kindness, and, most importantly, Ella's use of kindness as sword, armor, shield and olive branch. Character arcs aren't crafted casually but with precise calculation. Branagh and Weitz's Ella isn't a hero or warrior princess in the traditional sense, but a hero perfect for little girls who don't fire bows from horseback, mount rebellions, save kingdoms or live particularly extraordinary lives. Little girls who are picked on at school, struggling with divorced parents at home, who face real insecurities in a real world; little girls who have no defense but their outlook, attitude and heart to help them weather the storms. Cinderella isn't saved by Prince Charming. The would-be princess isn't rescued by the prince. Ella saves herself through courage and kindness... with a bit of help from fairy tale magic and true love of course.

There are a few distractions, though I suspect most viewers will be far more forgiving. Helena Bonham-Carter feels miscast and out-of-place, striking an overly eccentric, self-aware tone that's at odds with the rest of the performances. It evokes Burton's Alice in Wonderland in a movie that takes great pains to sidestep the pitfalls of Alice in Wonderland. Bonham-Carter's fairy godmother also has the misfortune of dispensing Wonderland-esque CG, and it's here, and only here -- as Ella is granted a mice-driven pumpkin carriage and a gorgeous blue gown -- that Cinderella plays like a cartoon. It's a strange ten-minute step backwards, especially for a sequence based on one of the most memorable scenes in the original film. Other small irritations pop up now and again (Lucifer, the mice, and other throwback elements), but none of it is quite so detrimental as Branagh's fairy godmother, and even that passes quickly. Bonham-Carter doesn't appear again, or take over the film a la Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter.

Cinderella is as much made for those with deep affection for the classic film as it is for a whole new generation of little girls, and it largely succeeds on both counts. It's almost too good at what it does, threatening to become the definitive Cinderella in many a home. Preference is just that, though. Preference. Branagh's reimagining in no way diminishes the original, just as the original in no way lessens the reimagining. Each one plays to a different set of strengths and each one uplifts the other. If Disney is able to replicate such a feat in future live-action adaptations, as it also did with Maleficent (a film Martin Liebman loved, I quite liked, and Brian Orndorf... did not), this will prove to be an exciting decade for the house Uncle Walt built. If not, well, Cinderalla won't be shaken.

Cinderella exceeded my expectations, and apparently the expectations of a great many skeptics who were worried what Disney and Branagh might do with their beloved classic. Rather than reinvent from the ground up, though, the filmmakers have reimagined what people have adored for decades, staying true to the original film while expanding it in wonderful ways. Disney's Blu-ray release will prove a delight as well, thanks to an outstanding AV presentation. There aren't many special features unfortunately -- a commentary or more extensive behind the scenes documentaries would have gone a long way -- but the film is strong enough to hold its own.

[CSW] -3.4- Absolutely charming, visually stunning (the breathtaking coach and dazzling glass slippers!) and sparkling with humor and magic, the film will appeal to incurable romantics the world over. With just enough nods to the original Disney animated classic, this is not intended as a live action copy but rather an homage or celebration of the fairy tale. Lily James is lovely as Cinderella, pretty but not so beautiful as to make her an impossible ideal. Cinderella's magnificent ball gown was made using 270 yards of fabric and has almost two miles of hem, but every stitch is worthwhile as you watch her spin while dancing with the prince.
[V5.0-A5.0] MPEG-4 AVC - No D-Box.


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