I just went to "Cinderella". Call me a disney fanatic or whatever.. I liked it. 

People who went into the cinema might as well expected that they would know most of the story, which of course you did. However, in this remade I think they did an amazing job to make such a good adjustment so that it fits with this era. Although it might contained magical elements and the Fairy godmother. One thing that I liked most about this "Cinderella" is that it made sense. The message of "Be kind and brave" repeatedly came up within this film...as if it tried to tell the modern day population that we need to be more kind and brave. It stil carried out nicely. I like the fact that it remained a Classic and there was a light touch to honored the Animated version from 1950's, but do not expect it to be the same story retold. 

Lily James, who played the role of Cinderella did an amazing job. I first saw her in Downton Abbey and I did not think she would be this impressive. The 2015 Cinderella is very different from Cinderella that you knew from 1950's Animated version. Lily James brought a different kind of light to the character. She was bright and very lively as Cinderella. You can sense a slight stubborness within her. There was that fierce strong willed child behind that kind gentle smile. I was impressed by her acting and sympathized with her character. I actually believed that she is Cinderella and her own Cinderella, not the one I saw in animated feature when I was younger. Although her role here and Downton Abbey might be similar, but I found more dimension in her emotional expression here in the film more than Downton Abbey. I have to admit that she nailed the Cinderella role. 

Cate Blanchett nailed it. Her take on stepmother was perfect. I can see a fient look from stepmother in the animated version within her and something more human as of course, Cate Blanchett is the live version of stepmother. Her charisma on screen made me felt immersed in that world. I do not felt hate toward the stepmother as I did for the animated version, I felt pitied for her. The stepmother in this film was cynical, smart and sarcastic. She knew her two daughters were no where near perfect and she still managed to make me sympathize. I felt pitied for her, for the fact that she seem to be so envious of what Ella used to has. Her character was witty and although think that she is smart but she was not smart enough. The film did explain why she became evil. 

"Cinderella" impressed me because I walked in with a mindset that I knew everything that need to be known for this story and it is a remade, so I could not get any wrong. I was expected it to be disappointing, but it did not and slapped me in the face to made me impress. I like the fact that they did not refer to the Animated version just as much. This "Cinderella" was indeed stronger and did not wish herself to be in a castle or be save by the Prince. Instead, this Cinderella just minded her own business and lives her life by the promise that she had with her mother. She promised to be kind and brave and throughout the story she was. As a remade that it is, I think Cinderella has very own rights to be on its own and not to even called "Remade". It has more depths than the animated version. It does gave human aspects of the characters far more than the animated version every could (I understand why they did) They even made the talking to animals made sense. I imagined that in my head before I went into the cinema and was still not convinced. I like that the scriptwriter gave a good explaination to that. Hayley Atwell (Agent Carter, Captain America) played Ella's mother and in her a small part she did say why talking to animals was a good thing since Ella(and her family) was to took care of them. (Nice move scriptwriter) 

What I liked from this film is surprisingly, not the dancing scene. I think it is a given that the dancing scene would be amazing. I felt that the dancing scene was swift and short although it was grand and beautifully filmed. The dance was well cheroegraphed and it looked brilliant, but I do felt like we could devour it much longer and immersed in that rich world. I just felt a little cut off and instead dragged out like Cinderella to the Secret Garden. I felt the moment that they fell in love with each other is a bit unconvincing for me. I liked when they first met each other, but at the ball...I felt it was a little forceful. 

As for the Prince... I felt that Richard Madden's performance was a little disappointing. His departure from Game of Thrones made me expect that he could have done better. Even though it is fair to say that the story is about Cinderella and yes, the writer made the story focused on her more. I just do not feel convinced that he needed to married Cinderella. Yes, she deserves him, but I do not feel like he did deserve her. The film made us know (a little) that the Kingdom is small and in the middle of big super power (imagine that this country has its border between U.S and Russia), but I don't get that feeling of pressure from the whole King's council or the Prince. I felt whatever, if I have to then I have to. It was a brush of politics and I understand that they want to keep the story light. That at the same time made the Prince became less valid. Why does he has to be the Prince? He can be just anyone to be honest. It does not matter. I just don't feel like if the Prince married his promised Fiance Princess, it will be the end of this world. I don't feel the fight from him. I just felt oh...he's the prince and yeah...he's good looking...and yeah he's good with sword fight...so? I felt it was a little bit short. No threats...just simply whatever. If he didn't meet Cinderella then he would just married anyone anyway... I don't see how he fight for it. Perhaps it was the idea of "choosing the one you love" was highly promoted for the last few decades (so I became totally don't give a to it anymore) 

I guess this 2015 Cinderella is pretty much the mix of the old and the new. I liked the concept and the fact that they kept some parts of the original Animated feature in. Once I think about it, I felt like the creator was trying to pass a message that the world might be a better place if we were a little kinder and a little braver. Braver in a sense that we could protect those who are weaker than us and stood up to what is right. 

In my opinion, I do think that the stepmother and her two daughters were a fair representation of how selfishness could do to you. I do felt pited for them and the more they took advantages from Cinderella, the more I felt ashame for them. I think Cinderella was being a better person and not just being kind. She did what she did because she felt she can do it for all of them. It might be things that she never had to do before but she did anyway. I think this film has painted Cinderella in a new light that no one would have seen or think of her in this way before. A generous and big heart Cinderella, who is beautiful, not because of her appearance, but her heart and that is what I think is the most important part of this story. 

Although it's a mainstream stuff...I think it's worth the time to go to the cinema. 

If any of you already seen it then let's talk! :D 

P.S. When the Fairy Godmother appeared and casted her magic on the pumpkin...I thought of Harry Potter (No doubt since the actress who played Fairy Godmother was Bellatrix...and the director was an actor who played Gilderoy Lockheart)