Movie Review: Cinderella (2015) with Lily James, Richard Madden, and Cate Blanchett

So. What in the world to do when there’s something I love SO much, yet so much of what there is to possibly say has already been most beautifully and excellently said in so many different places? Definitely a rather discouraging predicament if ever there was one. ;) Especially as my feelings are so hard to put into words anyway… They’re all too swirling and magnificent and deeply tied to the story itself to be easily framed.

(A picture’s sometimes worth a thousand words, so I could just give you a post full of splendiferous screencaps and my 100% thrilled stamp of approval, but… I suppose that wouldn’t really be quite adequate. ;))

So onward!

To begin, Ever After and the 2015 are often compared. Honestly, I often do the same -- to the detriment of neither. In short, Ever After still holds its prominent position near the top of my All Time Favorite Films list (you can read my review here), but AS 'Cinderella', the 2015 takes the medal with flying colors, going beyond my favorites into the ‘just IS’ category -- much in the way of the original fairy tale itself.

From beginning to end, it’s complete and utter gorgeousness. As I mentioned to a friend after first seeing it -- everything they could possibly do wrong, they did right.

And the music!!!!!!! As we all know, the music is beyond amazing. It makes me want to laugh and dance and cry and sing all at once.

A most important note. I think I’ve mentioned this before, but I always choose what “extras” I watch with extreme care and I HIGHLY recommend the ones on here. They’re absolutely fascinating, particularly on the BluRay edition. It’s so delightfully wonderful to see just how much genuine enthusiasm and contagious energy and excitement everyone brought to it.

The mix of periods they bring in with the dresses and fashion pieces is stunning. As one person said on the commentaries, each of the ladies’ dresses at the ball would ordinarily be something they’d put on a leading lady in any other film. They also brought out a whole bunch of genuine, archive jewelry as well (some of which you get to see much closer up on the commentaries). It’s all incredible.

I love how the careful mix of eras (from about 1800 to the 1950’s or thereabouts) brings it very much within our recent historical framework, while creating at the same time such a vast, sweeping, timeless effect. 

Incidentally, while I’m on that similar topic, I think their choice to use a voice over technique (i.e. having the fairy godmother narrate a LOT of the story) contributes hugely to that overarching magnificence -- a fresh rendering of something that’s blossomed for centuries thanks (primarily) to the oral tradition. It’s brilliant. 

Now for a closer look at the blue theme. Ella’s dress first. ;D

With the hundreds and hundreds of breath-catching sparkles and layers and layers and layers of swirling blue, it’s basically a figment of my imagination come to life. It’s beautiful and dazzling and… scrumptious.

(Sweetness and romance completely personified.)

There are SO many fairy tale colors playing off each other in this, that it took me a little bit to see some of the other key places blue particularly pops out. 

Like in the clock tower striking midnight.

And it perfectly illuminates Cinderella herself. That and the butterflies. I don't know whether the following was intentional or not (but I tend to think they knew what they were doing). 

Blue is, of course, a tremendous symbol of fidelity -- of loyalty, trustworthiness, faithfulness. And (to paraphrase an internet source), butterflies are often viewed around the world as representing ‘endurance, change, hope, and life.’ Historically, Christianity has viewed the butterfly as a symbol of resurrection.

All of which ties with such utter perfection into Cinderella’s character.

With this film, they weren’t going for a new twist on Cinderella. This is the original story, the sweeping Big Picture -- the stuff of fire and dreams and valley lands and mountaintops.

The trick is in reticence; in giving just the right amount of details and development with each and every character. 

This version particularly highlights the inherent beauty of goodness. So one thing I really appreciate is that there are other outwardly lovely women throughout. Yes, Cinderella's (breathtakingly) beautiful, but -- gentle and soft spoken, starved for kindness yet always giving, sweetly ingenuous yet strong and mature -- it’s her heart and soul that sets her apart.

And so we catch the depth of her stepmother’s pulled-up-short line in the attic. The first time I ever saw it (in the theater), my jaw almost dropped at that point. I couldn’t believe the directors were so forthright about the depth of the opposition. The polar opposites -- good and evil. They don’t pussyfoot around it. 

Sometimes I get this teasing idea… Why couldn’t the stepmother (still for purely self-interested reasons) have just made peace with Cinderella after the ball, once she knew the prince was in love with her? Rather than still conniving for her own daughters? Why wouldn't she? It would have worked out for her best interests in the long run.

But controlling and manipulative and prideful people don’t think that way. They don’t act that way. Pride does not easily beg mercy and forgiveness.

No, there can be no compromise. And so we have, too, themes of contrasted pride and humility.

So yes, I think it’s a fantastic twist when the stepmother is trying to coerce her at the end. And then Ella sacrifices herself -- her loyalty and fidelity rising to the scope and scale of protecting the kingdom itself. 

She sacrifices herself out of love for her prince and for the good of the kingdom -- and she comes shining forth as tried and tested gold. She will be a worthy and a faithful queen.

~     ~     ~

And more miscellaneous moments I love in a movie wherein I love every minute:

I love the throat-clearing major domo. :)

I love the soaring, pounding, tingling exuberance of those few split seconds when we first meet the prince.

I love the father-son relationship between Kit and the king. I love how much they love each other. I love their humor and what a truly dutiful son Kit is.

The scene with the court painter is delightfully fun. “Stop. I’m on the ground. I am literally on the ground.” 

I love Kit and the Captain’s friendship.

*Spoilers* I love Kit coming along as a common soldier at the end (one of my favorite moments ENTIRELY).

I love the, “I speak French not Italian.”

I love the fairy godmother -- hilarious and nervous of her own powers.

I love Ella getting in the carriage and her godmother chastising Mr. Lizard for “whittering on” about the “lovely blue.”

I love the: “They're all looking at you...” “Believe me, they're all looking at you.”

I love the “would/wouldn’t” banter between Kit and his father, echoed with Kit and Ella’s “should/shouldn’t” at the swing. And then the romantic slipper moment.

I love his little moment puzzling about the “lizards and pumpkins and things.”

I love all the footmen desperately trying to figure out who the mysterious lady is.

I love how Kit actually gets to see the golden carriage.

I love the whole heart-wrenching scene with his father dying. 

I love how he actually becomes king.

I love the stepsisters’ polka dot dresses.

I love the mice running out on the beam just above Ella as her father is walking away from her to meet her stepmother. 

And I love how they see her all the way through to a new man in her life -- husband and protector. :)

(See them? :) And ohh, I hadn’t noticed till just now, but look at 
the echoing lines of the pillars and half circle outline in these two shots!)

I love how he’s actually wearing a wedding ring at the end. (Obvious, I know, but I like it.)

So in conclusion: exquisite -- pulling your heart out with beauty and romance and story – this film is a complete and thorough joy!

Tell me! Have you seen it? What think you?