Cinderella (2015)

[fabrichnova]

I adore Ever After! The actress who played Marguerite was so much fun to hate. To explain a tantrum in front of the queen, "...it was a bee," said in this gentle whisper of a voice, right after screaming and thrashing around.

Personally, I don't think it's a big deal that they aren't pulling any twists with the story. Cinderella is such a classic storytelling trope, at this point, I think it's more like comfort food to people (pretty costumes, sparkly VFX, and a happy ending) than the thrill of the unexpected that Disney is banking on.

[AuroraStar]

I saw this yesterday. My birthday is tomorrow and I love Kenneth Branagh and Disney so this was a birthday gift to myself that my husband went along with. My poor husband was one of about 6 men in the theater and the other men were there with their daughters (maybe it counts that I'm pregnant with our daughter?). The theater was bursting with little girls, but I was expecting that since we went to the 4 o'clock showing. It was actually better watching with a theater full of children than past experiences of theaters full of teenagers.

It wasn't a shot-for-shot remaking of the animated movie or anything, but the animated movie was definitely used as source material. I thought it was a cute movie and was entertained while I was there, but wasn't blown away. I didn't walk out thinking "When is this going to be released to DVD?? MUST OWN!" I don't think the movie brought anything new to the story or did anything interesting. It's just a straight-up Cinderella movie. It was good enough to keep the little girls happy; it got a round of applause when it was over.

Cate Blanchett is a goddess. So beautiful. There was brief conversation in her thread about the skin care line she models for and how expensive it is. If my skin can look like hers at her age, though, I’m there. I don’t know, if my skin can look like hers tomorrow (when I’m turning 33) I might be there anyway.

I'm pretty sure the Fairy Godmother magicked Cinderella's ribcage away. Some of the straight on shots of Lily James just did not look human.

I kind of wish the Fairy Godmother had done something about Cinderella’s eyebrows but maybe that was above her pay grade.

Spoilerish thoughts (I'm not sure how you spoil a faithful retelling of a centuries old fairy tale, but I'm being cautious):

- If the Prince thought Cinderella was a princess, why did he go looking for her within his own kingdom?
- If the glass shoe fits so well, why does it keep falling off?
- The five minutes from when Cinderella realized she had to leave to when everything changed back is seriously the longest five minutes that has ever occurred in the history of time. Either that or everyone in the movie is an Olympic level sprinter.
- I’m not sure why the Prince needed the whole “everyone tries on the shoe!” thing. He had met Cinderella already when she was in her country girl clothes and remembered her face well enough to recognize her at the ball. He didn’t need her to try on a shoe to know who she was!


Final thoughts: unless you're just a super big fan of the Cinderella story or someone in the movie, or have a child that wants to see it, I think this is a good one to wait for release on Amazon/Netflix/RedBox.

Edited to add: My theater also had an enhanced showing of this movie in their RPX theater (I'm apparently way out of it when it comes to movies because I had no idea this was a thing; Cinderella taught me something new) for $15 a ticket. I can't imagine this would have in any way would have been worth it. I don't think this is the kind of movie that is enhanced by a special theater set up.

[Deleted]

Saw it today and enjoyed it for what it is, though I do agree it can definitely wait for a rental.
Yes, it is pretty much a straight up retelling of Cinderella (though there are a few references to the Ashenputtel (sp?) version).
I don't know that it is especially geared for kids--there is a lot of sick parents/dying scenes.
Cate was great as the stepmother. The others were all fine, but not outstanding.
The part my friend and I enjoyed the most came from the audience--at one point during an especially long romance filled exchange between Cinderella and the Prince, there was a loud audible sigh of "Oh man" from a man a few rows behind us. It just cracked us both up, he had obviously been roped into seeing it and was clearly NOT enjoying it.

[Deleted]

We are going to see it during my seven-year-old's spring break and I can't help but wish they had cast a different prince. Robb Stark is just not my jam.

[lea1977]

Mar 16, 2015 0:10:47 GMT -4 @borokat said:

We are going to see it during my seven-year-old's spring break and I can't help but wish they had cast a different prince. Robb Stark is just not my jam.

Agreed, I don't think he is good looking at all.

[Neurochick]

Mar 16, 2015 0:10:47 GMT -4 @borokat said:

We are going to see it during my seven-year-old's spring break and I can't help but wish they had cast a different prince. Robb Stark is just not my jam.

Got to disagree with you there. I like him better than "Jon Snow" with the distracting big hair.

[romeat50]

Me too. I've always thought Rob was hotter than Jon.

[Atreides]

Yeah, Richard Madden as Prince Charming is hot in this and his name in the movie is Kit! I wonder if it was an in-joke to compare him to Kit Harington.

This movie is beautiful costume porn. People in the audience were audibly gasping at Cate Blanchett's costumes. I think Lily James was fantastic as Cinderella too. She embodied and personified Virtue to me. It's difficult to play a perfect character and still have the empathy of the audience but she pulled it off.

[Deleted]

Oh I definitely think he is hotter than Jon Snow. I am more of a Jaime person, as squicky as he is.

[smitten]

I think all three of them are pretty hot.