Cinderella

by Al Kessel

Ok, I'll admit...I did NOT want to see this movie. I mean, sure, Cinderella IS a Disney CLASSIC, and, as a kid, I (think) I enjoyed the animated version. But, a live action version? Well...I was never really a fan of the story so much, so nah. Joyce wanted to see this at the movies, but we never made it. And yeah, I was a little relieved. So, when we received the Blu-Ray version to review, to say I was hesitant to watch it with Joyce would be an understatement. But...I. Was. Wrong. I completely LOVED this movie!!

For those who don't know the story of Cinderella, I'll quickly summarize it here for you (but remember, NO SPOILERS! We try to NEVER spoil these things. We want you to experience them for yourself). Ella (played perfectly by Lily James), is born to very loving parents and they live in a beautiful (and LARGE) house in the countryside, and they have an idyllic life. Until Ella's mother falls ill and (gulp) dies. As the years go by, Ella's father becomes lonely and a bit down, and, through his business travels, he meets who will become Ella's Stepmother (played BRILLIANTLY by Cate Blanchett). After she and Ella's father marry, they all move in to Ella's family home, even StepMonster's two 'lovely' daughters...And that's all I'm telling you! Hey, this isn't a book report you know! 

Anyway, the cast put together for Disney Cinderella is

amazing. Lilly James (Downton Abbey) plays Ella, Richard Madden (Game Of Thrones' Richard Madden - Rob Stark) plays The Prince,  Helena Bonham Carter (The Red Queen from Disney's Alice In Wonderland) wonderfully plays Ella's Fairy Godmother, Cate Blanchett (Lord Of The Rings) plays the Stepmother, Hayley Atwell (Marvel's Agent Carter) plays Ella's mother, Ben Chaplin (The Truth about Cats and Dogs) plays Ella's father, and Stellan Skarsgard (Marvel's Avengers and Pirates Of The Caribbean) plays the Grand Duke. Of course, there are many more in the cast. They all embrace their roles and bring them to life in a way that really endears them to you. And the BEST thing: This is NOT a musical! Not that I have anything against musicals....ok, that's not true. I'm not a huge fan of them. 

Finally, let me just say that I am 100% elated that we watched Disney Cinderella because it really is a beautiful movie. The cinematography, the musical score, even the CG effects and characters. Nothing less would be expected from a Disney movie though. 

Disney Cinderella is chock full of bonus features:

• On The HD/SD, Blu-Ray Combo Pack & Disney Movies Anywhere:
• A Fairy Tale Comes To Life - filmmakers and cast reflect on Cinderella's enduring power, and the joys and challenges of bringing this iconic tale to life
• Costume Test Fun - see the work of Academy Award Winning costume designer Sandy Powell
• Staging The Ball - you're invited behind the scenes for the making of the Palace Ball sequence
• Ella's Furry Friends - Discover how the movie's animal stars honed their memorable performances
• Alternate Opening: Ella's Childhood
• Frozen Fever - it's Anna's birthday and Elsa and Kristoff are determined to give her the best celebration ever - but when Elsa catches a cold, her powers may put more than just the party at risk in this Disney Short
• DMA Exclusive: 
• Deleted Scenes
• DVD
• Ella's Furry Friends
• Frozen Fever

Rated PG and running at approximately 105 minutes, Disney Cinderella is now available. 

Joyce and I both give Disney Cinderella 5 out of 5 Stars!