Cinderella (Live-Action)

[jPod]

I'll be seeing the film tomorrow, but someone at the Internet Movie Database said Ella even hums 'Sing Sweet Nightingale' when she's fetching eggs from the hen house. Is this true?

Yes.

[kbehm29]

I saw it again last night, in the IMAX theater. There are no words to describe how gorgeous the movie and spectacular the score was in IMAX. I am forever spoiled and may never see a movie in a "regular" theater again.

For those of you free tonight, it may be the LAST NIGHT for Cinderella in most IMAX theaters, as Insurgent comes out tomorrow. Highly recommend.

[DisneyFan09]

I believe that's because Maleficent became a vanity project for Angelina Jolie somewhere along the way, as well as Disney's way of getting on her good side after the comments she made about the lack of diversity in Disney films (lack of black princess characters in particular -- this was before PatF came out).

Really?

She said so a year before it's release.

[Miss Manday]

However, if I had one complain about the movie, is how Cinderella forgave her stepmother for her cruelty. I know the purpose of the fairytale is being rewarded for goodness and kindness. But still I've would liked if Cindy at least stood up to her stepmother is a spiteful way.

Nooooo no no no. That is the whole point. Cinderella is better than her stepfamily, and rises above their spitefulness. She is everything they are not. And she forgives them, because she truly pities them and the way they see life. The animated films are the same way in how Cinderella forgives Anastasia. (Plus in most spin-off media from the original animated film, Cinderella forgives them as well and gives them second chances. Park character storyline is the same.) This is nothing new to Cinderella's character. And it was a HUGE part of her character in the new movie. So if you think that, I'm afraid you really missed the whole point of her, and the "Have courage, be kind" storyline

[DisneyFan09]

Alright, fair enough, Miss Manday

[Atlantica]

After seeing the poster everywhere for the film this week, I'd love to see what the original image was....looks like it's a picture of 3 parts ? With the body separate from the torso, and a drawn in foot ? The simple posters of the stepmother and her daughters, the fairy godmother etc are so much more visually pleasing, to me at least anyway.

[Toky]

Saw the movie today ... that ballscene....it was AMAZING <3 I just wished we would have seen more of the ball and castle...and Lily James was just too sweet, loved her

Have to say, the movie was really aimed at children..with all the animals and stuff..didn't expect that as we saw none of that in the trailers. The movie reminded me the most of Nanny McPhee..sweet sugary English delight and faaaar better than anything Live-action Disney has produced lately

[rubyslippers]

However, if I had one complain about the movie, is how Cinderella forgave her stepmother for her cruelty. I know the purpose of the fairytale is being rewarded for goodness and kindness. But still I've would liked if Cindy at least stood up to her stepmother is a spiteful way.

Nooooo no no no. That is the whole point. Cinderella is better than her stepfamily, and rises above their spitefulness. She is everything they are not. And she forgives them, because she truly pities them and the way they see life. The animated films are the same way in how Cinderella forgives Anastasia. (Plus in most spin-off media from the original animated film, Cinderella forgives them as well and gives them second chances. Park character storyline is the same.) This is nothing new to Cinderella's character. And it was a HUGE part of her character in the new movie. So if you think that, I'm afraid you really missed the whole point of her, and the "Have courage, be kind" storyline

I agree! It's also a major theme in the Perrault fairytale. Cinderella treats her stepsisters with great kindness at the multiple balls, giving them attention and rare/expensive food that the prince offered her. Then in the end, she forgives him with all her heart and gives them lodgings at the palace and good marriages.

"They threw themselves at her feet to beg pardon for all the ill treatment they had made her undergo. Cinderella took them up, and, as she embraced them, said that she forgave them with all her heart, and wanted them always to love her."

[Old Fish Tale]

I saw 'Cinderella' today and I must say I found it "perfectly charming"! Considering its phenomenal cast and crew, I knew we were getting a good film. And you're right, Disney Duster: Lily stole the whole show! I believe the first attic scene between Ella and the stepmother was my favourite. I loved the way the "Because you are young and innocent and good and I..." line was delivered by Cate. The sets, the costumes, the score and the allusions to the 1950 film were fantastic! Even 'Strong' was an okay song. I know many of you were upset with the exclusions, but I didn't really miss anything. I still think the DVD will include most of those scenes. So, don't worry! God, it was totally worth the wait! I'm more than pleased!

[unprincess]

just saw this today and well... I liked it, it was...nice. Dont really have much else to comment on, Cinderella isnt really a favorite of mine when it comes to fairytales. I do have one minor nit-pick: I didnt like the Fairy Godmother's gown. Looked like a Party City costume with tacked on craft wings.

[Disney Duster]

Thanks for that great "Transforming Cinderella" article Amy! And that new trailer with half the animated film was pretty cool, OldFishTale! I will soon send you an email to get your images, thank you!
Aw, toky, your father sounds so kind! I’m so glad he was so good to you like that. He even sounds a little like Cinderella’s father from the 1950 and 2015 movies!

I agree with what you said about doing something like this for Sleeping Beauty, Flanger-Hanger and Prince Edward.

I’m glad so many of you loved this movie, like me! I’m glad you agree Lily James stole the show, OldFishTale, and that the attic scene with the stepmother was amazing! I thought Lily James’ “WHY?!” to the stepmother was astoundingly good acting. Really felt it.

Alright, now for my more full thoughts/review. Here we go:

I’ve seen this movie twice now and will give a very expansive, very spoiler-filled review. Avoid this whole thing if you don’t want any spoilers.

I’ve now seen Disney’s live-action Cinderella two times, and I love it. I loved it even more the second time. My memories of it are great. It was wonderful. Enchanting. Masterful. I loved how it was mostly just an expansion of the original film, with some additions and changes. Really clever or interesting additions and changes. After seeing the film twice I read the two novelizations for the film, and I feel all but one of the scenes not in the final film should be cut as they have been, and the film did not feel rushed to me when I watched it before reading the novelizations. In fact, the film felt long to me. Not so long the second time, though. The costumes were incredibly gorgeous. My favorite was the Fairy Godmother’s sumptuous gown, then Cinderella’s magically elegant and beautiful ballgown, and then the stepmother’s classy, aristocratic gown. The settings were incredibly breathtaking. The music was incredibly fantastic. One of the best soundtracks I have ever heard. The song Cinderella and her mother sing and the transformation music was gorgeous. The special effects were incredibly amazing. And the acting was overall fantastic all around. I didn’t have a problem with Cinderella’s father’s acting at all (except during the scene where he asks Ella about re-marrying), and I think everyone else was from good to exceptional. I really feel that most of the time, Lily James did a terrific job, and to me, she was really, really good at being Cinderella. She shimmered and shined. She was my favorite character. I loved her. And she should have had her name first in all the credits. Then comes Lady Tremaine, exceptionally well-played by Cate Blanchett. I loved her acting. And then Helena Bonham Carter was such a funny and endearing fairy godmother. The Prince’s acting was very good, very nice. And the stepsisters were both equally great and funny. Cinderella’s mother, and the ten-year-old Ella (they say she was ten in the credits) were also great, really very sweet and so good in the scene where Ella’s mother basically says goodbye. That scene itself was so very good. Quite emotional.

The very beginning of the film with the castle logo changing to day and the camera moving to the bright blue cloudy sky and the chateau and field and Ella with her parents was very nice, but the title of the film should have appeared in the sky before the camera went down to the field. Honestly, I hate this “showing the title after the movie ends” thing Disney has been doing! I loved the baby Ella playing with the blanket, very cute and real and creative, and all the rest with her and her parents. However, when we see Ella with the mice…can mice really live as long as, I guess since she was ten then and was about eighteen when her father remarried, eight years? Though one of the novelizations said Ella was sixteen when Lady Tremaine came into her life, so I could believe they live six years. I really liked Cinderella’s father reacting to ten-year-old Ella standing on his feet, but thought the way he danced with her was a little too cheesy or sugary sweet. Could have just been a simple “One two three, one two three”.

The first time I watched the film, I felt the beginning of the film was a little too sentimental, like Mooky said the film looked from the trailers, or too melodramatic, like OldFishTale said from reading one of the novelizations. But on my second viewing I didn’t have a problem with any of it, except when Cinderella’s father asks Ella if she is okay with him re-marrying. I feel they were a little too emotional there, or they just didn’t do it quite right. EDIT: On my third time, this scene was almost completely fine. When Lady Tremaine arrives, with Lucifer and her costume and the music, it is already kind of chilling and is perfect. And her comment on Ella being so beautiful and Ella’s father saying she takes it from her mother, that must have hurt her. I love how she livens up the chateau with parties and card games and gambling! But then her father doesn’t seem too happy with her, which is strange because he remarried to become happier. I guess he thought he would be happy but that didn’t happen as he got to know her further at their home or perhaps she changed once they were married. I felt bad for her when she seemed so nice and then heard Ella and her father talking about her and then Ella’s mother. She got hurt there, and she changed. You saw it and felt it. Great plot point. I love Cinderella saving Jacqueline from Lucifer and chastising him and then saying “We girls must help each other.” It is great foreshadowing of how her stepfamily does the opposite of that to Ella, but Ella and her Fairy Godmother follow that, and of course, the mice follow it, helping her back. However, they should have had Jacqueline stay as Jacques the male mouse from the original, and used one of the female mice from the original, like Suzy or Perla. I love how Ella purposely gave up her room to help her stepsisters, showing her goodness, and then how she said “No one will bother me here” and “no stepsisters” in the attic!

Why did the stepmother drop the plate of cookies on the floor? To make Anastasia stop drawing her? But then she went back to her pose. In the bigger novelization it says Lady Tremaine drops her tea to make Ella clean it up in a way to get her for smiling at how bad her daughters are at their arts. It didn’t seem to be like that in the movie, but I can’t remember exactly. EDIT: After my third time, I saw what OldFishTale said, that the stepmother dropped the plate so Ella would leave the room and not see her daughters doing embarrassing behavior. I loved when Lucifer went after the mice and hit his head! Brilliant! And when Cinderella goes to the chicken coop to get eggs, she sang a tiny bit of “Sing Sweet Nightingale!” Yes!

I didn’t like that Ella let her stepfamily only let her eat their leftovers. I think, for Ella to stand up for herself a little more, she should have, even if she must secretly do it, save food for herself, since she was the one who cooked it. Unless her stepmother made sure there was only enough money for her and her daughters and Ella’s leftovers. But they live on a farm, so I don’t think that would be the case. Speaking of them being on a farm, it’s brilliant because then it explains where they get their food from if they don’t have much money left from Cinderella’s father dying. I wonder if that’s how the original animated version was, too, since it had animals at the chateau. And does Cinderella ever slaughter a chicken or milk a cow, get meat and milk from her own chateau animals? What did Lady Tremaine mean when she said “It seems too much to have you prepare breakfast, serve it, and still sit with us. Wouldn’t you prefer to eat when all the work is done, Ella?” And then why does Cinderella take her plate to another room? Was she going to eat before the work was done after all? Or just setting her place there? Or did she do it because her stepmother meant she didn’t want her to sit with them at all? But her crashing the plate and crying was a great scene and great acting.

Cinderella leaving the house on the horse, riding away from her troubles while crying, was great. But now we come to her and the Prince. I think it was…kind of love at first sight, but not quite. I think it should have been more clearly love at first sight, and then Kit says, “A ball will be held at the palace soon, you should come. It will be open to everyone. But don’t tell anyone yet.” Then Kit convinces his father to make the ball open to everyone after telling her that, because when you find love, you don’t let it ride away on a horse and hope to see it again. And Ella had no reason not to tell Kit her name before the slipper scene. If there was a reason, it should have been revealed, like she wanted to protect herself from strangers, or something. I know she was just recently called Cinderella, and I would be ok with her embarrassment at telling her that was her name, but I didn’t think she had decided to keep that as her name at that moment. At first Cinderella not wanting to leave the house and her stepfamily because she wants to cherish the house for her parents didn’t quite fly, to me, because in the end she leaves the house to live in the prince’s castle. I thought they should have come up with a better reason, like she wants to try to be a family with her stepfamily. But then I thought, if I lived in a nice house with nice things, I might want to stay there, too, until I met someone I loved.

The dress-ripping scene was fantastic. I loved that Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother tested Cinderella’s kindness as an old woman, and then repaid it with what she did for her. But when the Fairy Godmother throws her walking stick in the air and it trails magic dust and becomes the wand, which is brilliant, the magic dust that came from it and then falls on her should be what transforms her into her true form, right after she catches the wand. For the pumpkin transformation, I didn’t like that it exploded like the Fairy Godmother’s magic made a mistake, and then it fixes that mistake by reassembling into the coach like she wanted. It was cool, and impressive, but cool or impressive are not the same as magical. Ok, it was pretty magical, but not as magical as it would have been had the pumpkin stayed whole and there been no explosion mistake. And it looks like parts of the greenhouse become parts of the coach, too. The two novelizations of the film say parts of the greenhouse become the glass windows in the coach, and I don’t really like that, I think it should just be the pumpkin itself (and what comes from it, like vines) that transform. And it doesn’t make sense later when the coach turns back into a pumpkin and we don’t see the greenhouse shards with it. Instead, the glass becomes part of the pumpkin. And the Fairy Godmother didn’t need glass shards to make the glass of the coach, as she made Cinderella’s glass slippers out of nothing. I think it would have been more magical if, after the pumpkin bursts out of the greenhouse, we see the pumpkin stay whole, and, to do those fancy camera movements, have the camera follow the pumpkin as the vines form wheels and the pumpkin rolls on the ground towards that platform on those steps and we see the vines growing over the pumpkin and the windows becoming glass and then the camera moves up to the vines forming the fancy top and then the camera rolls around again to see the coach land on its wheels in full frontal view, completely a coach, on that platform on the steps. How they did the pumpkin to coach transformation was a really impressive sequence, but actually still not as amazing, magical, and perfect to me as the animated film’s.

But the Fairy Godmother said “Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo!” when changing the mice and the lizards! I did cry of joy, on the inside, OldFishTale! She should have said it for each transformation and spell, then it would have been perfect! And more logical... But now, we get to my favorite part of every Cinderella adaptation, Cinderella’s transformation. It. Was. GLORIOUS. AMAZING. ASTOUNDING. Creative. Magical. The way the butterflies and magic dust swirl around her and her dress billows about and expands. Everything else about it. Phenomenal. Miraculous. And yet, I still find the original animated film’s the best, or my favorite. The magic dust in that one is more than swirling, it’s so intricate, and the way her clothes morph is more beautiful and amazing and magical and ingenious to me. But this one was pretty ingenious too, and gorgeous. They are almost equal in how fantastic they are. And the Fairy Godmother casting a spell so Cinderella’s family won’t recognize her is genius!

When Cinderella entered the ballroom, and walked down the stairs, it was spellbinding. The dance with the prince was incredibly amazing and beautiful. And I loved Cinderella’s “I will” and swinging and losing her slipper in the garden. And yes, the losing of the slipper on the steps and everything turning back to what it was before was enthralling, fantastic, and magical. But did the pumpkin crash open because it landed on something or because it got too small for Cinderella and she burst through it?

When Cinderella had her confrontation with Lady Tremaine in the attic, it was phenomenal. Electrifying. But, I think Cinderella’s decision to refuse Lady Tremaine’s proposition was, well, stupid of her. When Cinderella married the prince, she would become queen, and could command her stepmother to stay far away from her and Kit. They should have just had the stepmother not want Cinderella to marry the prince at all, and instead used the broken slipper heel and the Duke to get what she wanted. Lily James’ “WHY?!” to the stepmother was astoundingly good acting. Really felt it

The mice opening the window and Gus finally giving up food to help was both cute and ingenious for how Cinderella got freed to try on the slipper. But to make Cinderella save herself, they should have had the mice open the window, and then Cinderella sees the king’s men, and sings out to them purposefully.
Cinderella being a commoner was never a problem for Kit, so I don’t think Cinderella revealing that she was just a commoner at the end did anything for the film. It kind of did, I mean she still had to tell him who she was, so maybe it was a good addition. But the film did succeed in its aim to make Cinderella strong and happy without a prince. I loved how in the tower she loved the mere memories of the wonderful times she had.

I felt really bad for Lady Tremaine and the stepsisters in the end, after Lady Tremaine practically spilled her guts out to Cinderella about how hard her life was. It was great that Cinderella forgave her, but we should have seen her forgive her stepsisters, too, and, just like in the original fairy tale, give her stepfamily a home in the palace, or a rich home somewhere else, and help her stepsisters marry. And why did the Duke have to leave the kingdom, too? Yes, he was bad for keeping the prince from his true love, but it was so the prince could marry a princess for the good of the kingdom. That’s not very evil. The actor who played him said in an interview he was evil, but really, he wasn’t.

It’s interesting that in this version of Cinderella she becomes a queen when marrying, instead of a princess, isn’t it?

In the end, I feel like this was a flawed masterpiece, much like the original animated film is. If this film isn’t a Best Picture nominee, I think it should be one. What was missing for me was Cinderella saving herself more and a deeper love between her and the prince. The animated film had a montage that took the easy way out to show how they loved each other, and it worked, believably. I don’t think in this film they had something that worked as well. There should have been more of, or perhaps some of if there wasn’t any, showing why Cinderella and Kit love each other, what they love about each other. Like maybe when Cinderella talks about the stag needing more time to live, Kit could say, “I never thought about that. You’re obviously a very caring person.” I had an additional idea about how they could show more about why they love each other, but out of fear of my idea being stolen, I will just say these two could have shared some laughs and the Prince could have shown his sensitivity, like crying about his father or something, and Cinderella loves it and shows her care for him. The novelizations actually gave a little more for them to love about each other with them both revealing how they think war is terrible and how they believe their mothers are in heaven and Cinderella tells the Prince she thinks everyone gets “invited” to heaven just like the ball.

BUT, I do see that the final film might have been trying to say they love each other because they are so good and kind. Kind of like Beauty and the Beast? But they know they are so good and kind because…? Both this movie and Beauty and the Beast are a little vague on that one. Except the Beast saves Belle, with his strength, and then she saves him with her love, but unknowingly. Does their love work because he saves her, then she heals him, then he gives her the thoughtful gift of a library? Well, now I’m talking about a whole ‘nother movie, so I’ll wrap this up here. I love this new version of Cinderella, and will dream of it and cherish it. It may be the best live-action Cinderella movie that exists. I think it is. I think the Faerie Tale theater version is my favorite live-action version of Cinderella, though, and it may even be better than this film, but this film is so masterful, I will say for now, it is the best live-action Cinderella film, and the best Cinderella film AFTER the 1950 Disney animated classic. There’s something about the animated Disney Cinderella, voiced by Ilene Woods, singing about her dream, and getting it, and her and the film being so charming, that cannot be topped.

[Old Fish Tale]

Disney Duster, it was lovely to read your review, but it's late and I'm drowsy. So, I'll wait for tomorrow to share my thoughts about it. Okay? But you can download those photos today. I sent them to my friend who owns and runs Far Far Away Site! Click here. Keep checking those galleries. There may be more to come!

[Musical Master]

I have watched this film two times now and while I really do admire this film from the art direction, film-making, costume, and cinematography point a view, I think the animated film is still better than this one by a good amount. I do like the small updates they did but I really didn't like is how Cinderella is a "thinker and learner" who becomes a damsel in the end of this one while, as we all know from the original, she wanted to get out of her room badly that the mice help her in the end in big ways; where in here she just sings to herself not aware of her surroundings. To me that is a HUGE disservice to her character, when in the original 1950 film she had much more to her with what little she knows of the world outside.

The best parts of the movie are the updates to the Prince and the King, I really feel that they are real to me and both their situations are an understandable one. I liked Cate's performance and the new subtle changes are really nice that doesn't distract the film though she can be overdone with her laughing at times; but no one can replace Eleanor Audley's chilling and scary performance in the original. The Duke as a villain, talk about a change that was completely pointless throughout the whole dang thing; the movie could have run fine without that. Helena is fun for her glorified cameo as the Fairy Godmother and she is a charming Narrator.

I can't believe I'm going to say this but, as much as I do like this movie.... Maleficent is slightly better to me because at least Aurora in that film does SOMETHING in the end that helps the climax and it's a movie that's actually worth talking about despite the rather controversial changes that Linda Woolverton did in her script which was all like "screw logic, I'm making a fairy tale with big changes and I'm not going to apologize for it". With the new Cinderella, it's charming and lovely to look at, but a serviceable bore at best which the flaws are to hard for me to ignore in a film that tires to be a fairy tale with logic, but the logic part got really lost in this due to Chris Wiez heavily revising Aline Brosh McKenna's draft, where it seems that two different visions are clashing all the way through. If I do have kids someday and they ask me which Cinderella movies they should watch, I'd say watch Ever After and the 1950 animated film, they are both different flavors of the story but they are both really good in the intention during the times they were made in.

Sorry guys I'm on the mixed boat, but I still enjoyed aspects of it; I just wished that it was better than it is.

[disneyprincess11]

^Highly agree with you about the end. It's a MAJOR problem. This is supposed to be a "new, progressive" Cinderella. In the animated movie, she cares so much about escaping the attic. At first, she does mope, but once she sees that she can get out, she does by instructing ALL of the animals to help her out. In this: She does LITERALLY nothing. She literally just waits for her prince to help her. Heck, the mice MAKE her escape. They open the windows, for God's sake to have the Prince hear her voice. Ella could have done that a long time and be out of there like *that'*. And I'm sorry, but Cinderella is supposed to be smart here, but at the end of the day, the Prince does rescue her and she just lets herself get totured at the end. Good for her to have courage to endure the abuse, but the end was unrealistic. She needs to know when she has to escape and that was a time to escape!

[nomad2010]

^Highly agree with you about the end. It's a MAJOR problem. This is supposed to be a "new, progressive" Cinderella. In the animated movie, she cares so much about escaping the attic. At first, she does mope, but once she sees that she can get out, she does by instructing ALL of the animals to help her out. In this: She does LITERALLY nothing. She literally just waits for her prince to help her. Heck, the mice MAKE her escape. They open the windows, for God's sake to have the Prince hear her voice. Ella could have done that a long time and be out of there like *that'*. And I'm sorry, but Cinderella is supposed to be smart here, but at the end of the day, the Prince does rescue her and she just lets herself get totured at the end. Good for her to have courage to endure the abuse, but the end was unrealistic. She needs to know when she has to escape and that was a time to escape!

See, that's where you're wrong. She did save herself. One of the themes we saw from the beginning was that animals can speak and if you are kind and good, they will speak back to you. Ella showed her love to them all the time. Her kindness saved her. Yes, the mice technically did, but without her kindness, she wouldn't have been saved. I loved that message.

I think what was so clever about that twist was the fact that she does save herself, yet she didn't need to be turned into a warrior like all the other princesses. She simply stood her ground. She didn't change. If she changed, she'd be like her step family.

[Disney Duster]

I must say, I am dismayed that Cinderella didn't make more money in it's debut than Oz the Great and Powerful and Maleficent did in theirs. Makes me feel The Wizard of Oz and Sleeping Beauty are more loved/popular than the 1950 Cinderella. I understand The Wizard of Oz, but not so much Sleeping Beauty. Oh well.

By the way, I swear there was a scene in TV spots where Cinderella said to her stepmother "You can't keep me in here forever" in reference to being locked in the attic. Anyone remember that?

Well, considering the small time gap between 'Into the Woods' and 'Cinderella', it's clear Disney didn't want to tell the same version of the story twice. And that's why Mark's film fell apart.

Well Chris Weitz said Mark Romanek's would "probably" be more like "a Grimm's fairy tale", but that doesn't mean it would have been the actual Grimm's version or one like the version in Into the Woods.

Disney Duster, it was lovely to read your review, but it's late and I'm drowsy. So, I'll wait for tomorrow to share my thoughts about it. Okay? But you can download those photos today. I sent them to my friend who owns and runs Far Far Away Site! Click here. Keep checking those galleries. There may be more to come!

Wow! Thank you for enjoying my review and for the images! Can't wait to hear your full thoughts!

it's a movie that's actually worth talking about

I liked reading your thoughts, you have good points, but Cinderella is definitely worth talking about and not a total or merely serviceable bore! And how do you know what Aline Brosh McKenna's script was originally like? And I think Cinderella was better than Maleficent.

She literally just waits for her prince to help her.

I disagree and would say she does what she can to make herself happy and try to help herself that way until she can figure out a way to get out of the tower. But I do see your and Musical Master's point in her not doing anything to get out except for her kindness thing which nomad brings up. Would love to read your full thoughts on the film, though.

See, that's where you're wrong. She did save herself. One of the themes we saw from the beginning was that animals can speak and if you are kind and good, they will speak back to you. Ella showed her love to them all the time. Her kindness saved her. Yes, the mice technically did, but without her kindness, she wouldn't have been saved. I loved that message.

That is exactly how it is in the original animated film. Her kindness to the mice is returned to her two times (the pink dress and the key to her room). It's not quite what I would call saving herself though, unless she "knew" the mice would help her. It's like how Lady Tremaine gets Cinderella's dress destroyed in the original animated film. She uses her daughters to do it for her, knowing what they will do. Cinderella didn't quite know her animal friends would save her. But in the animated film, Cinderella does know Bruno will help her and uses him to at least take a part in saving herself. Oh, and I guess Cinderella "knows" if she has faith in her dreams it will save her. But that's not how it is in real life, unfortunately.

[Toky]

See, that's where you're wrong. She did save herself. One of the themes we saw from the beginning was that animals can speak and if you are kind and good, they will speak back to you. Ella showed her love to them all the time. Her kindness saved her. Yes, the mice technically did, but without her kindness, she wouldn't have been saved. I loved that message.

That is exactly how it is in the original animated film. Her kindness to the mice is returned to her two times (the pink dress and the key to her room). It's not quite what I would call saving herself though, unless she "knew" the mice would help her. It's like how Lady Tremaine gets Cinderella's dress destroyed in the original animated film. She uses her daughters to do it for her, knowing what they will do. Cinderella didn't quite know her animal friends would save her. But in the animated film, Cinderella does know Bruno will help her and uses him to at least take a part in saving herself. Oh, and I guess Cinderella "knows" if she has faith in her dreams it will save her. But that's not how it is in real life, unfortunately.

I agree…. At first I thought she was quite passive too, but then I remembered, Cinderella didn't see the duke arrive at her house (was it said that they would pass each house? can't remember it anymore). So if she would have made a scene when her stepmother locked her in, the chance of getting out would have been even smaller...

[Old Fish Tale]

The song Cinderella and her mother sing and the transformation music was gorgeous.

It's a shame it wasn't included on the soundtrack.

And the acting was overall fantastic all around. I didn’t have a problem with Cinderella’s father’s acting at all (except during the scene where he asks Ella about re-marrying), and I think everyone else was from good to exceptional. I really feel that most of the time, Lily James did a terrific job, and to me, she was really, really good at being Cinderella. She was my favorite character. I loved her. Then comes Lady Tremaine, exceptionally well-played by Cate Blanchett. I loved her acting. And then Helena Bonham Carter was such a funny and endearing fairy godmother. The Prince’s acting was very good, very nice. And the stepsisters were both equally great and funny. Cinderella’s mother, and the ten-year-old Ella (they say she was ten in the credits) were also great, really very sweet and so good in the scene where Ella’s mother basically says goodbye. That scene itself was so very good. Quite emotional.

There really wasn't a weak link in the whole cast. Everyone gave an extremely balanced performance, which is vital in these films. I felt the same way when I saw 'Alice in Wonderland' and that's one of the reasons I still adore it.

However, when we see Ella with the mice…can mice really live as long as, I guess since she was ten then and was about eighteen when her father remarried, eight years? Though one of the novelizations said Ella was sixteen when Lady Tremaine came into her life, so I could believe they live six years.

And the geese too! Suspension of disbelief...

The first time I watched the film, I felt the beginning of the film was a little too sentimental, like Mooky said the film looked from the trailers, or too melodramatic, like OldFishTale said from reading one of the novelizations. But on my second viewing I didn’t have a problem with any of it, except when Cinderella’s father asks Ella if she is okay with him re-marrying. I feel they were a little too emotional there, or they just didn’t do it quite right.

I said it because, when I read the novelization, I wasn't pleased with some lines. But, when I saw the film, they were brilliantly delivered or wisely excluded. In that scene, you could tell the father was very taken with his wife-to-be. He was floating on air! But, as you noticed, that feeling quickly changed. Hello, big spender! And he said she was "trying at times" too. So, I guess he simply got to know her better. But I agree with you: I think she initially wanted them to work as a family. But she realized he loved his daughter and his deceased wife more than he would ever love her. Poor thing! The next scene was really sad.

Why did the stepmother drop the plate of cookies on the floor? To make Anastasia stop drawing her? But then she went back to her pose. In the bigger novelization it says Lady Tremaine drops her tea to make Ella clean it up in a way to get her for smiling at how bad her daughters are at their arts. It didn’t seem to be like that in the movie, but I can’t remember exactly.

No. The stepmother did it to get Ella out of the room and to shut Drizella up. She didn't want to humiliate her daughter in front of her stepdaughter.

What did Lady Tremaine mean when she said “It seems too much to have you prepare breakfast, serve it, and still sit with us. Wouldn’t you prefer to eat when all the work is done, Ella?” And then why does Cinderella take her plate to another room? Was she going to eat before the work was done after all? Or just setting her place there? Or did she do it because her stepmother meant she didn’t want her to sit with them at all? But her crashing the plate and crying was a great scene and great acting.

To quote 'Mean Girls': "You can't seat with us!".

Cinderella leaving the house on the horse, riding away from her troubles while crying, was great. But now we come to her and the Prince. I think it was…kind of love at first sight, but not quite. I think it should have been more clearly love at first sight, and then Kit says, “A ball will be held at the palace soon, you should come. It will be open to everyone. But don’t tell anyone yet.” Then Kit convinces his father to make the ball open to everyone after telling her that, because when you find love, you don’t let it ride away on a horse and hope to see it again.

What? They completely enchanted one another. Wasn't that love at first sight?

And Ella had no reason not to tell Kit her name before the slipper scene. If there was a reason, it should have been revealed, like she wanted to protect herself from strangers, or something. I know she was just recently called Cinderella, and I would be ok with her embarrassment at telling her that was her name, but I didn’t think she had decided to keep that as her name at that moment.

It was the way he phrased the question. "Miss, what do they call you?" instead of "Miss, what's your name?".

At first Cinderella not wanting to leave the house and her stepfamily because she wants to cherish the house for her parents didn’t quite fly, to me, because in the end she leaves the house to live in the prince’s castle. I thought they should have come up with a better reason, like she wants to try to be a family with her stepfamily. But then I thought, if I lived in a nice house with nice things, I might want to stay there, too, until I met someone I loved.

Indeed! But the stepfamily was exiled and I bet Ella visited her house whenever she missed it.

For the pumpkin transformation, I didn’t like that it exploded like the Fairy Godmother’s magic made a mistake, and then it fixes that mistake by reassembling into the coach like she wanted. It was cool, and impressive, but cool or impressive are not the same as magical. Ok, it was pretty magical, but not as magical as it would have been had the pumpkin stayed whole and there been no explosion mistake.

I understand. Well, I guess means of transportation aren't her strong suit.

And it looks like parts of the greenhouse become parts of the coach, too. The two novelizations of the film say parts of the greenhouse become the glass windows in the coach, and I don’t really like that, I think it should just be the pumpkin itself (and what comes from it, like vines) that transform. And it doesn’t make sense later when the coach turns back into a pumpkin and we don’t see the greenhouse shards with it. Instead, the glass becomes part of the pumpkin. And the Fairy Godmother didn’t need glass shards to make the glass of the coach, as she made Cinderella’s glass slippers out of nothing.

I believe we did. Weren't they expelled from the coach when the pumpkin's skin and vines reappeared? We need to see that masterful sequence again! I wonder if the stepmother noticed the greenhouse had vanished...

She should have said it for each transformation and spell, then it would have been perfect!

Yes!

And the Fairy Godmother casting a spell so Cinderella’s family won’t recognize her is genius!

I loved it too!

And I loved Cinderella’s “I will” and swinging and losing her slipper in the garden.

Like this? It was lovely!

But did the pumpkin crash open because it landed on something or because it got too small for Cinderella and she burst through it?

Both, I think...

But, I think Cinderella’s decision to refuse Lady Tremaine’s proposition was, well, stupid of her. When Cinderella married the prince, she would become queen, and could command her stepmother to stay far away from her and Kit. They should have just had the stepmother not want Cinderella to marry the prince at all, and instead used the broken slipper heel and the Duke to get what she wanted.

You're right. How would she still keep her stepdaughter under her thumb? Did we miss something? I guess, after the wedding, the stepmother was hoping to control Ella in the same way the grand duke was hoping to control Christopher.

The mice opening the window and Gus finally giving up food to help was both cute and ingenious for how Cinderella got freed to try on the slipper. But to make Cinderella save herself, they should have had the mice open the window, and then Cinderella sees the king’s men, and sings out them purposefully.

Well, Ella didn't know Christopher was seeking the mysterious princess out (she only knew the mysterious princess was to present herself at the palace). And the fairy godmother said "Ella didn't know he was downstairs".

Cinderella being a commoner was never a problem for Kit, so I don’t think Cinderella revealing that she was just a commoner at the end did anything for the film.

But, before Ella and Christopher discussed his painting, he said he mistook her for "a good, honest country girl" and she didn't correct him. When he told her he was the prince, she knew everything would change between them if she told him who she really was too. She didn't want that to spoil the best night of her life.

And why did the Duke have to leave the kingdom, too? Yes, he was bad for keeping the prince from his true love, but it was so the prince could marry a princess for the good of the kingdom.

The grand duke was preventing Christopher's happiness. He deliberately disobeyed him. I think the exile was more than fair.

There should have been more of, or perhaps some of if there wasn’t any, showing why Cinderella and Kit love each other, what they love about each other. Like maybe when Cinderella talks about the stag needing more time to live, Kit could say, “I never thought about that. You’re obviously a very caring person.” I had an additional idea about how they could show more about why they love each other, but out of fear of my idea being stolen, I will just say these two could have shared some laughs and the Prince could have shown his sensitivity, like crying about his father or something, and Cinderella loves it and shows her care for him.

But we still got a version of those.

[Old Fish Tale]

I do like the small updates they did but I really didn't like is how Cinderella is a "thinker and learner" who becomes a damsel in the end of this one while, as we all know from the original, she wanted to get out of her room badly that the mice help her in the end in big ways; where in here she just sings to herself not aware of her surroundings.

Those things still happened in this film.

Ella could have done that a long time and be out of there like *that'*.

How? Explain to me step by step.

[Musical Master]

Hi Duster, I'm very glad that you hugely enjoyed the new Cinderella but I thought it was movie that tried to be a progressive update but something went wrong during the making of the film especially when you got a talented man like Kenneth Baranagh involved. I don't remember exactly where I read it but there was an article during the film's production that it was going to be a straight up remake of Cinderella without any changes which is what Brosh's script was going to be but Chris Weitz came in and changed a good amount of things which, in my opinion, resulted in the film feeling like two different Cinderella movies clashing with one another that was a bit dull in places with the exception of the Fairy Godmother and the entire ball sequence from beginning to end.

The big thing that I forgot to mention was that I felt that the moral was hitting our heads too much, in the original, she does it and it's not told to us several times. Plus the dress tearing scene was not as dramatic and sad as I wished it was, due to the fact that it was not violently torn to shreds like the animated film but little things were slightly ripped. I'm sorry that bugged the heck out of me while watching it.

I do like the small updates they did but I really didn't like is how Cinderella is a "thinker and learner" who becomes a damsel in the end of this one while, as we all know from the original, she wanted to get out of her room badly that the mice help her in the end in big ways; where in here she just sings to herself not aware of her surroundings.

Those things still happened in this film.

Ella could have done that a long time and be out of there like *that'*.

How? Explain to me step by step.

But the mice wanted her attention and she wasn't even aware of them, and she didn't even try at any moment to tell her animal friends to help her. I'm sorry but that whole scene REALLY made me mad.