Everyone grows up with the story of Cinderella, the kind, gentle and beautiful young girl banished to the attic to act as a servant to her wicked step mother and awful step sisters, after the death of her father. This month see’s the release of the live action retelling of this Disney Classic and we were lucky enough to be invited along for a sneak peak with the harshest of reviewers in town Eva, 5 and Zack, 4.
The original Disney animation of Cinderella was released in 1950 and in my opinion a re-make is well overdue & they have done a great job – think Pride and Prejudice meets Alice in Wonderland. Directed by Kenneth Brannagh, It has some great casting, Cate Blanchett has nailed the wicked step mother glare and Lily James is as perfect and pretty and blonde and nice as can be – I see my 5 year old looking at her in awe (I am tempted to tell her it is a film and no one in life is that perfect and nice…..and if they were they would be annoying but I bite my tongue).
I hadn’t looked at the cast list prior to seeing the film, and was surprised and disappointed when the ugly sisters appeared that Helena Bonham Carter wasn’t there. To me she would have been an obvious choice. I am quickly put in my place when shortly after there she is in all her wonderful eclectic English glory as the fairy Godmother – Perfect!
So is it any good? – well it maintained the attention of the children for the whole 112 mins. That is nearly 2 hours of complete peace and quiet, bar the occasional “oh poor Cinderella” and at no point were they scared as I have often found in these action remakes in the past.
Disney really do know their stuff – this is a perfect family film to be enjoyed by all ages. It is being released on 27th March just in time for the Easter holidays – Enjoy!
Review by Anna Humphreys