Cinderella (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
'Cinderella' (a classic Disney animated film based on Charles Perrault's faerie tale) contains beautiful animation, memorable songs, & an uplifting story for viewers of all ages to adore. With her beloved parents (recently) deceased, our protagonist Cinderella must live in a castle with her wicked stepmother, Lady Tremaine & evil stepsisters Drizella & Anastasia. Worse yet, she works like a virtual servant/slave for them night & day. When it is announced that the King of the land is holding a Royal Ball to find a wife for his unmarried son Prince Charming, Cinderella begs & pleads for her wicked stepmother to allow her to attend (and though she surprisingly says 'yes', there's a twist, & Cinderella's plans to go awry at the last moment when her evil step sisters tear the dress to shreds).
Dejected, all hope seems lost until Cinderella's Fairy Godmother appears out of thin air to produce a gorgeous ball gown & classy transportation; albeit with a stern rule ... she must be home by midnight, because all of this magic with go away; leaving her in rags again. While the 1st section of this film focuses on Cinderella's castle-bound miseries, the exploits of some adorable mice that live in the castle (I loved Gus-Gus, as well as Lady Tremaine's mischievous cat, Lucifer), & Fairy Godmother's magic ... the 2nd half of the film focuses on the romance btwn. Cinderella & Prince Charming; who completely falls for her ... but doesn't know her name. Having lost one of her glass slippers at the ball, the Prince declares he will marry the girl whose foot fits that slipper. And Happily Ever After-ness ensues.
'Cinderella' holds up as a Disney animated classic for many reasons. Perhaps most of all ... it presents a timeless heroine who displays virtuousness, inner-beauty, courage, & resourcefulness in the face of adversity. But really, we love 'Cinderella' because it's a thoroughly enchanting depiction of a beloved faerie tale. The characters are both vivid & endearing; yes, even the villains. The voice acting is lovely by all; I particularly enjoyed Eleanor Audley's vicious inflections as Cinderella's stepmother -- boy, is she evil! And as mentioned above, the animation is excellent, with marvelous colors & inventive details.
I also loved the songs. In one musical number, as the evil stepsisters croak their way through their singing lesson in one room, lovely Cinderella sweetly sings as she scrubs the kitchen floor, reflected in hundreds of soap bubbles -- it's a beautiful scene in every sense of the word. In another delightful number, Fairy Godmother sings "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo" as she transforms the garden pumpkin into a carriage, the mice into horses, a horse into a coachman, and ultimately, Cinderella's rags into a magnificent ball gown. Other songs include the romantic "So This Is Love" and the iconic "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes". That last song, in particular, encapsulates all the magic that IS Disney. 'Cinderella' is just a delightful, magical experience. And it's another "classic" in the Disney animation canon.
Dejected, all hope seems lost until Cinderella's Fairy Godmother appears out of thin air to produce a gorgeous ball gown & classy transportation; albeit with a stern rule ... she must be home by midnight, because all of this magic with go away; leaving her in rags again. While the 1st section of this film focuses on Cinderella's castle-bound miseries, the exploits of some adorable mice that live in the castle (I loved Gus-Gus, as well as Lady Tremaine's mischievous cat, Lucifer), & Fairy Godmother's magic ... the 2nd half of the film focuses on the romance btwn. Cinderella & Prince Charming; who completely falls for her ... but doesn't know her name. Having lost one of her glass slippers at the ball, the Prince declares he will marry the girl whose foot fits that slipper. And Happily Ever After-ness ensues.
'Cinderella' holds up as a Disney animated classic for many reasons. Perhaps most of all ... it presents a timeless heroine who displays virtuousness, inner-beauty, courage, & resourcefulness in the face of adversity. But really, we love 'Cinderella' because it's a thoroughly enchanting depiction of a beloved faerie tale. The characters are both vivid & endearing; yes, even the villains. The voice acting is lovely by all; I particularly enjoyed Eleanor Audley's vicious inflections as Cinderella's stepmother -- boy, is she evil! And as mentioned above, the animation is excellent, with marvelous colors & inventive details.
I also loved the songs. In one musical number, as the evil stepsisters croak their way through their singing lesson in one room, lovely Cinderella sweetly sings as she scrubs the kitchen floor, reflected in hundreds of soap bubbles -- it's a beautiful scene in every sense of the word. In another delightful number, Fairy Godmother sings "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo" as she transforms the garden pumpkin into a carriage, the mice into horses, a horse into a coachman, and ultimately, Cinderella's rags into a magnificent ball gown. Other songs include the romantic "So This Is Love" and the iconic "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes". That last song, in particular, encapsulates all the magic that IS Disney. 'Cinderella' is just a delightful, magical experience. And it's another "classic" in the Disney animation canon.