Every now and then a fresh coat of varnish actually does a good thing to a well-worn story. When a director understands exactly what he is dealing with and everything comes together just right. Then there actually is one Chance for pure film magicwhich can capture the familiar fairytale magic of childhood.
At Disney+ you of course have access to all live-action remakes of the great fairy tale classics. But there is one thing that is particularly worthwhile: Cinderella from 2015. Not least thanks to director Kenneth Branagh, it has a very special charm that you should see for yourself.
In Cinderella on Disney+, a lovable young heroine fights for her dream of true love
Ella (Lily James) is a kind-hearted young woman, even though fate has dealt her a bad hand. She lost her mother when she was a little girl. Her father later married the beautiful Lady Tremaine (Cate Blanchett), who brought her two daughters into the family. But he also died far too early. Now it’s Ella alone with her stepfamily – which promptly extends its claws.
Stepmother and sisters seize the fortune and treat Ella like a glorified maid. Only very rarely can she escape everyday life full of oppression and fight for a few minutes of freedom. But all hell breaks loose in their home when a very special invitation flutters into the house.
The prince of the kingdom (Richard Madden) is finally supposed to find a bride. There will be one for this Ball organized to which all unmarried young women in the country are invited. Ella wants nothing more than to be able to go too. But since her stepmother naturally forbids this, she has to find a way to get there herself.
Thanks to Kenneth Branagh and his stars, Cinderella is a feast for fairy tale fans and nostalgics
Branagh is one of the few – perhaps the only – director of the live-action remakes to date who brings his own flair with absolute confidence. He loves opulent productionsa bit of well-intentioned kitsch and a dash of classic theatricality. It can glitter and glimmer, the light can shimmer golden, it can simply be dreamy.
All of this fits perfectly with Disney’s well-known Cinderella romance. Branagh clearly understood that pure magic is possible even without the charm of animation. The result is a mixture of European fairy tale film tradition, theater tricks and a lot more more personality for the key characters who were rather pale in the original. Not only is Cinderella new, Cinderella offers more than ever.
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In addition, an unearthly cast fills the film to the brim with the childlike enthusiasm for magic, colorful dresses, for fairies and princes and love at first sight. Blanchett knows exactly how evil a stepmother can be in a fairy tale. Madden plays Prince Charming to die for and Lily James is simply adorable. As enchanting as a fairy tale deserves.
So if you want to see a beloved fairy tale in a dazzling new look, you can currently do so on Disney+.
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