Movie Review: Disney’s Cinderella (2015 film)

Disney has been dishing out live action remakes of their most popular animated films; each so far just as if not more successful than the animated version. I have enjoyed the new adaptions, which will be discussed separately at a later date, but I’d be lying if I said when I heard about “remakes” I wasn’t concerned they would change the story. However when it came to the 2015 adaption of Cinderella those thoughts were quickly erased as Kenneth Branagh directed what I’m sure will be called another Disney classic just like it’s animated version. While I’m sure everyone knows the story, here is a spoiler alert because it is unavoidable. I DO NOT OWN THE PICTURE.

Ella (Lily James with Eloise Webb as a younger version) has had a very good childhood with her lovely mother (Hayley Atwell) and father (Ben Chaplin) until her mother suddenly passes away; Ella promising to honor her mother’s dying wish “have courage and be kind”. Years later Ella’s father remarries the widow of an old friend, Lady Tremaine (Cate Blanchett) who brings along her dimwitted and mean daughters Anastasia (Holliday Granger) and Drisella (Sophie McShera). Ella’s father soon leaves for another business trip and Lady Tremaine’s cruel and jealousy to Ella begins; forcing Ella to move to the attic. Ella’s father dies on the trip and Lady Tremaine, to “save money” dismisses the staff; forcing Ella to do all the work while her step-family torments her with their cruel nicknames including “Cinderella.”

Ella almost runs away from home because of it, but runs into a young man named Kit (Richard Madden) part of the royal hunting party while saving a stag. The two become quickly smitten with each other and part. Unbeknownst to Ella Kit is the crown prince set to take up the throne soon as the King (Derek Jacobi) is dying. Both the king and the Grand Duke (Stellan Skarsgård) want Kit to throw a ball and marry a princess to help the kingdom (in the Grand Duke’s opinion the Princess Chelena of a country with rich resources). Kit does agree to the ball, along with his friend only known as The Captain (Nonso Anozie), but only if every eligible young lady is invited as well; a not exactly subtle way to try and see Ella again. News of the ball soon spreads and Ella step-family nearly work her to the bone preparing them while her step mother (after insulting and tearing her gown) forbid her from going. Shortly after they leave Ella’s fairy godmother (Helena Bonham Carter) arrives and (in hilarious fashion) uses magic to send Ella to the ball with a pumpkin carriage, mice turned horses, goose coachman, lizard footmen, an absolutely gorgeous ballgown and glass slippers. However Fairy godmother tells Ella the magic will end at midnight so she must leave before then. Ella reunites with Kit, now knowing he’s the prince, and the two spend the evening together falling in love. Ella leaves in a hurry at midnight, dropping one of her slippers along the way, but manages to get home before her step-family and hides the other slipper.

However Lady Tremaine shortly figures out it was Ella at the ball finding the slipper and, after Ella refuses to give in to her demands, locks her in the attic and destroys the shoe. Using the slipper and knowledge of the Grand Duke’s deception Lady Tremaine blackmails the Grand Duke so they both get what they want. Kit agrees to marry the Princess Chelena, but only if the Grand Duke cannot find the mystery girl.

I know I gave away basically everything but the ending; it’s Cinderella it’s not hard to figure it out, but that is because I wanted to show just how different this film is compared to other versions of the classic fairy tale. The animated Disney film was one of my favorites growing up, a friend of mine states it is her favorite movie of all time, but I thought this live action adaption was even better. Lily James was perfect as Cinderella; not just gorgeous but showcases exactly what Cinderella strives to be: kind hearted. While there is nothing wrong with the animated Cinderella I thought James’s version had a bit more spunk and was much more modern (I think that was the goal.) Richard Madden was not only very handsome to look at, but did a fabulous job as Kit (in this version we actually get a name). The prince in the animated film kinda just felt like he was there as the romantic partner (that changed over one of the two direct to DVD animated sequels), but Madden showed Kit as someone struggling with his position in power as well as deciding what is best for the kingdom and his heart. In a way Kit combined the animated film as well as the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. Madden and James’s chemistry was incredible and I hope they continue in more projects; I read they were on stage in Westminster two years ago as another pair of famous lovers Romeo and Juliet.

Of course Cinderella and the prince are not the only memorable characters. Cate Blanchett is one of the best actresses today and she manages to steal the show no matter hat movie she’s in. This is once again the case regarding her performance as the cruel Lady Tremaine. Truth be told I often forget how evil the step-mother is compared to other Disney villains, but whenever I watch Disney’s versions I remember almost within a minute of meeting her. Blanchett’s really captured Lady Tremaine’s essence as she calmly torments Cinderella and later nearly loosing it when Ella defies her. Nonzo Anozie is fantastic to watch as the Captain, usually the voice of reason or very funny, Skarsgård is interesting as the Grand Duke (definitely not like the animated film), Granger and McShera are hilarious as the stepsisters and finally while for her short period of time on screen Bonham Carter is very enjoyable as the Fairy Godmother.

The film takes elements from the animated film, the fairy tale as well as bits of other versions, but at the same time I thought the film sticks out on its own; it is definitely one of my favorite versions of Cinderella in recent memory. Everything from the writing, cast, Oscar nominated costumes and music for me was spot on perfection. Time will tell if this stands among the other live action remakes Disney has or are currently planning, but for now the live action Disney Cinderella movie is worth the watch.

Movie Review: Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again

It has been over 10 years since the previous Mamma Mia and took the musical world by storm. Whether it was good or bad people were talking about it; I have often seen it listed as a guilty pleasure film for many. As I mentioned in my review of the first film which you can view here I was looking forward to the sequel but I won’t lie and say I wasn’t concerned that they would mess up with the original story. While the sequel was not perfect and might have messed up the timeline a tiny bit I still very much enjoyed the movie. As this is still in theaters I’m issuing a big spoiler alert. I DO NOT OWN THE PICTURE.

Five years after the previous film Sophie Sheridan (Amanda Seyfried) now runs the hotel after Donna (Meryl Streep) passed away a year ago. She plans a big re-opening of the hotel named after Donna as she prepares along with the staff; including new gloomy manager Fernando Cienfuegos (Andy Garcia), one of her dads/stepfather Sam Carmichael (Pierce Brosnan) who is still grieving Donna’s death and her mom’s closest friend Tanya (Christine Baranski) and Rosie (Julie Walters). Sophie expresses her desire to make her mother proud, but she is also upset because two of her dads Bill (Stellan Skarsgård) and Harry (Colin Firth) cannot make it and Sky (Dominic Cooper) has a job offer in New York; further somewhat straining their relationship. Meanwhile while this is happening the audience travels all the way back to 1979 when Donna (Lily James) graduates from Oxford, along with Tanya (Jessica Keenan Wynn) and Rosie (Alexa Davies). After her mother doesn’t show up for her graduation Donna decides to travel to the island of Kalokairi. While traveling there, and after arriving Donna meets three men that would change her life forever: the quirky Harry (Hugh Skinner), the flirty Bill (Josh Dylan) and the handsome Sam (Jeremy Irvine) I probably shouldn’t go into too much more, but I cannot forget the arrival of Sophie’s estranged grandmother Ruby (Cher)

There have been times when movies get a sequel and they are not really necessary. That is what I originally thought when I heard about this film; however those thoughts were quickly erased from my mind a few moments after Lily James came on the screen. She has recently been an actress I have admired over a few of her films and this role is no exception. I’m sure she felt the pressure of portraying a young version of Meryl Streep (arguably the greatest actress alive today) but I thought she absolutely nailed it in terms of acting and singing. I also very much enjoyed the younger versions of the dads. Skinner, Dylan and Irvine are all very good looking men, their singing voices were better than I thought they were gonna be and their acting was pretty spot one with their older selves; I hope their careers continue to grow after this. Wynn and Davies were perfect as Tanya and Rosie; Davies if I may say had me laughing a little too loud in the theater at times. Of course I cannot forget about the original cast members that returned. Seyfried shined once again as Sophie while Streep’s appearance was brief but nonetheless enjoyable. It was great to see Brosnan, Skarsgård and Firth again; and while some singing has improved it is not by much. Baranski and Walters were just as hilarious as in the first film (Baranski has a line that almost had me falling out of my seat) while Cooper did pretty well as Sky; although I admit his singing voice may have gone down since the first film. Garcia was amusing as Fernando but of course a special spotlight was shined on Cher as Ruby. Whether it is her singing or her acting you cannot take your eyes off of Cher. The writing was pretty good, but I was a little annoyed because how Donna met the guys in the film doesn’t seem to line up with how it was in the original show and movie.

The soundtrack for the movie including many more of ABBA’s greatest hits and I think it might actually be better than the first. Favorites from the first film such as “Mamma Mia” performed by James, Wynn and Davies, “Dancing Queen” by the present cast “I Have a Dream” by James “Waterloo” performed hilariously by James and Skinner “The Name of the Game” by James as she expresses her love for Sam and “Super Trooper” by everyone at the end of the film made their way back, songs from the Broadway show that did not make it to the first film such as “One of Us” performed by Seyfried and Cooper on opposite sides of the world and “Knowing Me Knowing You” performed by James and Irvine as the couple breaks up appeared while new songs were added to tell the past story of Donna as well as the present with Sophie and company. Among the new songs were “Fernando” sung brilliantly by Cher, “Why Did It Have to Be Me” by James, Skinner and Dylan, “Andante Andante” by James, “Angel Eyes” and “I’ve Been Waiting For You” by Seyfried, Walters and Baranski and finally “My Love, My Life” by Streep and Seyfried which may or may not leave a tear in your eye.

Regardless of the small inaccuracies I still loved the sequel I did not know I wanted. While you may not have to watch the original film to understand the sequel it does help a little bit. I will definitely by going again and again to see Mamma Mia Here We Go Again.

Movie Review: Mamma Mia

If there was such a thing as a guilty pleasure musical, this one has to be at the top of the list. Mamma Mia is a fantastic Broadway musical, telling a story with songs from the legendary group ABBA and in 2008 finally came to the big screen, just maybe not in the way fans of the show expected. As always spoiler alert is on. I DO NOT OWN THE PICTURE.

20 year old Sophie Sheridan (Amanda Seyfried) is getting married on the beautiful Greek island of Kalokairi where her mother Donna (Meryl Streep) owns a villa and doesn’t understand why Sophie is marrying so young. Behind her mother’s back, and inadvertently her fiancé’s Sky (Dominic Cooper), Sophie sends invitations to three men: architect Sam Carmichael (Pierce Brosnan), travel writer and sailor Bill Anderson (Stellan Skarsgård) and banker Harry Bright (Colin Firth). After reading her mother’s diary the year she was pregnant, Sophie confide with her friends Ali and Lisa (Ashley Lilley and Rachel McDowall) that she believes one of those three men might be her father and she wants whomever it is to walk her down the aisle. When they arrive Sophie asks them to not tell Donna why they are here or who invited them, saying it is a surprise for her mom, and the guys agree. Donna sees they are there and becomes distraught; confiding in her close friends and former band mates, author Rosie (Julie Walters) and three time divorcee Tanya (Christine Baranski) that she doesn’t know why the men are here nor who is actually Sophie’s father. Soon chaos ensues when all three guys believe they are Sophie’s father and promise to walk her down the aisle, much to her horror. Meanwhile Donna realizes she still has strong feelings for one of the men, Rosie falls for another one of the men while Tanya avoids Pepper (Phillip Michael) one of Sky’s friends who falls hard for her. About as far as I can go without giving away the rest of the movie, but keep an eye out for members of ABBA.

Now I am going to be honest; while the film is not bad, it is not exactly great. Many of the actors in this movie are not trained singers and it shows. Brosnan, Skarsgard and Firth are good actors, but their singing is not good, in Brosnan’s case terrible (sorry but it’s my opinion). Cooper, Walters and Baranski were not fantastic, but they were a lot better than I gave credit for. Seyfried and Streep on the other hand were actually pretty good, not just in acting but in their singing. The film follows the musical very well, not exactly how I remember the show but I knew it wasn’t gonna be word for word. A sequel will be released later this year called Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again, I really hope this is gonna be good. I would recommend Mamma Mia for a musical fan, but I wouldn’t put it too high on a watch list.

Movie Review: Good Will Hunting

No I am not on a Matt Damon kick, I just happen to love this movie.

“Good Will Hunting” was a movie I had heard about for years until I had to watch it for a class in community college. It was on a very long list I made of movies and TV shows I want to watch at some point, and it came sooner than I expected. I can honestly say it was worth the wait, and if you have not it’s definitely worth however long a wait it will be. Once again spoilers may be ahead. I DO NOT OWN THE PICTURE.

Released in 1997 the film follows South Boston resident Will Huntington (Matt Damon), a self-taught math genius who does not use his potential; working as a janitor at MIT, getting drunk or into trouble with his buddies Chuckie (Ben Affleck) Billy (Cole Hauser) and Morgan (Casey Affleck.) A professor at MIT, Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgård) poses a difficult question for his students, but Will is the one to solve it. Realizing Will’s potential, Lambeau is able to get Will out of his latest jail stint to study mathematics under his supervision and to go to therapy. Unfortunately Will treats the sessions as a joke, until Lambeau reaches out to his former college roommate Dr. Sean Maguire (Robin Williams). Unlike the other therapists Sean challenges Will in ways unlike he has never experienced. Along the way Will falls for Skylar (Minnie Driver) a student getting ready for medical school.

Matt Damon (in my opinion his best role yet) portrays Will as a man who has been thru so much in life that any source of happiness he wants to stop before it hurts him, which admittedly makes him somewhat unlikable at times. However given everything that happened to his character many saw where he was coming from and sympathized with him. His friends know how good he is, and are frustrated he doesn’t do anything with it. One of my favorite scenes is with Chuckie knocking some sense into Will by telling him if in 20 years Chuckie was still coming over to Will’s house and working construction he would kill him (that’s the PG version I’m using.) Ben Affleck really stood out to me with that part, as does Hauser and Casey Affleck in the movie. Minnie Driver is a wonderful actress and up until her TV show Speechless I thought this was her best work. Of course I cannot forget the amazing Robin Williams. Robin will always have a special place in my heart and this is arguably his best work (which can be very easily argued.) He did not pull any punches with Will and had everybody (man or woman) laughing or crying. I have seen this movie on several countdowns; best crying scenes, best guy cry movies, best Robin Williams performances and so much more.

If I may say this movie is so spot on in every way I do not want it to be remade at all. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck wrote the Oscar winning script and Robin Williams won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. While not everyone could probably quote every single monologue in this movie, they are some of the best written or spoken. This is a movie deserving of the awards it won and I believe will stand the test of time. How do you like them apples?