I have never cared for Titanic. But I did enjoy another decidedly female-orientated movie - Cinderella.
I saw it early in the week with a few friends.
First, I’ll begin with the short film prior to the movie Frozen Fever. It was good, but not great. Fun like “Frozen”, but not near the levels of Tangled.
Now onto Cinderella. For the genre it belonged to, the movie was very good, just different from my usual fare. The stakes were low and the story was far more gentle than I’m used to. That said, I enjoy a good Disney movie, but I’m not one for Disney ‘princesses’. I enjoy fairytales too, but have been more exposed to the dark, complicated retellings of late eg. Once Upon A Time.
Although there was a slow start to the story, and I don’t feel young Ella was a strong actress, I really enjoyed the rest of the movie. It was a beautiful, lavish production, lovingly directed and written. Thoroughly Germanic and yet, otherworldly. No cynical modern bull. Instead, here was a story full of ‘wonder’, as befits a fairytale.
While, there were no crazy subplots or plot twists, there was present, a rich simplicity and dramatic depth rarely found in such stories. I didn’t find the message to be superficial, materialistic or self-seeking. Huzzah! The message was like Ella herself, compassionate, redemptive and it 'served' the story. Speaking of Ella, it was good to see she wasn’t a dull, walking story point. She was intriguing; a character that could hold her own, if need be, but had a genuine goodness surrounding her, integrity that was palpable. She always chose to love, serve and forgive those who persecuted her.
The movie was fun and the acting rather good. Thankfully the Prince was more than just a pretty face, he seemed to be a top bloke. Finally, the ever-wonderful Cate Blanchett was brilliant as the Step-Mother and her daughters were delightfully spoilt brats. You can tell everyone was passionate about the story.
All in all, Cinderella wasn’t my usual cup of tea, but I thoroughly enjoyed the movie.
Highly recommended for everyone who has a kid living inside them.
Warning: Not for children. May contain uh... mild kissing? Oh, never mind.
8/10