Hey everyone! Keisha & I got together recently to watch and review Broken Kingdom. It’s a fabulous indie film created by the wonderful Daniel Gillies. He put his blood, sweat and tears into making this film, and it’s definitely worth checking out! You can rent ($2.99) or purchase ($5) a digital copy of Broken Kingdom (synopsis below) by visiting brokenkingdomfilm.com. You can also opt to purchase a combo of Broken Kingdom and a documentary entitled Kingdom Come for $8 (documentary synopsis below).
SYNOPSIS: Two stories weave their way from the harrowing slums of Bogotá to the hills of Hollywood. A 14-year-old street girl and an American writer discover an uncommon union, while a day-care teacher in Los Angeles does everything she can to fight the weight of a tragic secret.
DOCUMENTARY SYNOPSIS: Kingdom Come follows a first-time director (Daniel Gillies) as he tries to raise a million dollars to finance his first film, Broken Kingdom. This emotionally-charged journey is interwoven with over 30 rare interviews from acclaimed indie darlings including Mark Ruffalo, Illeana Douglas, Don Cheadle, Kevin Smith, Edward Burns, Tim Roth, Morgan Spurlock, Selma Blair, Robert Townsend, Bill Pullman and many more.
Wasup movie fans?! I checked out a movie…well…more like a documentary…but it’s still a movie, right? (lol)
When his amputated leg is discovered in a grill sold at a North Carolina auction, John Wood finds himself at the center of a worldwide media frenzy. Believing the new-found attention to be his chance at doing some great things in an otherwise disappointing, wayward life, he’s quickly swept up in the hysteria as the leg’s enterprising buyer, Shannon Whisnant, then sues to regain its custody. But the stranger-than-fiction chain of events, fueling John’s drug addiction and compounded by generations of his familial dysfunction,soon sets John on the streets and heading to his certain demise. Just in time, however, another twist in these fantastical occurrences gives John a final shot at becoming whole for the first time in his life.
I thought it was great. One of the best documentaries I’ve seen in a long time. Even the wife liked and she hardly likes anything I watch. (lol)
I really enjoyed the way it was shot, the music used in the film, the editing. I call a movie like this…”A perfect little package…with a nice bow on top.”
It’s definitely worth the watch people. It’s a crazy story. It’s kind of hard to believe it actually happened…but it did.
Director: Christian Cantamessa Starring: Norman Reedus, Djimon Hounsou and Sandrine Holt Run Time: 95 minutes Rating: PG-13
Bauer (Norman Reedus – no stranger to playing sarcastic, post-apocalyptic roles) and Cartwright (Djimon Hounsou), are technicians entrusted with the task of keeping “sleepers” (people who are believed to be the last hope for mankind) alive in their sleep tanks. This task proves difficult when they are restricted to cycles of available air. The two are the only people at their underground location and only have 1 hour 59 minutes each cycle to run diagnostic checks on the sleeper tanks before locking themselves in their own tanks to hibernate for 6 months until it’s safe to emerge above ground again. Holt plays Abby, who seems to be haunting Cartwright during their cycles; there’s no interaction between her and Bauer. When an unforeseen issue presents itself, Bauer and Cartwright have to race against time before their limited air supply runs out.
I was really excited about watching this movie because I’m biased and love Norman Reedus. So I wasted no time renting it on my Apple TV. The concept for the movie was interesting, and definitely hard to watch at times if you’re at all claustrophobic (which I am). I did find myself anticipating some huge action sequence that just never came. It’s a bit hard for that to happen, though, when the cast is limited to three actors. That being said…I feel like the movie was a bit slow for me. Doesn’t take away from the great performances from Reedus and Hounsou though. Bauer reminded me a lot of Daryl Dixon (Reedus’ character from The Walking Dead), which was great and he obviously works great with Robert Kirkman (producer of Air and creator of The Walking Dead), who’s great at creating post-apocalyptic entertainment.
So…would I say this was my favorite movie of all time? Not at all. However, it’s definitely work checking out. It always keeps you on the edge of your seat to watch someone work against a clock under dire circumstances. Check it out, and let me know what you think!
Air can be found on On Demand and Digital HD as of August 14, 2015 and can also be found in select theaters (see below):
Written By: Jonathan Herman, Alan Wenkus, S. Leigh Savidge and Andrea Berloff
Produced By: Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Tomica Woods-Wright, F. Gary Gray and Scott Bernstein
Starring: Jason Mitchell, Corey Hawkins, O’Shea Jackson, Jr., Aldis Hodge and Neil Brown, Jr. and Paul Giamatti
Production Company: Legendary Pictures, Cube Vision & Will Packer Productions
Distributed By: Universal Pictures
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Straight Outta Compton is a biopic directed by the incredible F. Gary Gray (Friday, Set It Off, The Italian Job, A Man Apart, Law Abiding Citizen). The film follows five young men from Compton, California in the mid-1980s, and their quest to create reality rap. Dr. Dre (Corey Hawkins), Ice Cube (O’Shea Jackson, Jr.), Eazy-E (Jason Mitchell), MC Ren (Aldis Hodge) and DJ Yella (Neil Brown, Jr.) use their experiences with police brutality, women and life in the hood to speak truth to their audience. Coming together as N.W.A., the group changed the music industry by speaking honestly about issues that were banned during that generation. Figuring out the business, who to trust and how to survive as a family are all aspects at the forefront of this story, and it’s one we can all understand.
The performances in this film were absolutely incredible. The casting was spot on, and almost made you feel like you were watching the real N.W.A. The dialogue had the entire theater laughing during a lot of the scenes, which was great. If you’ve seen any of his other films or music videos, you already know that F. Gary Gray has a genius eye for filmmaking, and this film was no different.
I’ll admit that, going into this film, I didn’t have very high expectations, BUT after watching it…I can honestly say that I loved it! It took me back to a time when real hip hop with actual lyrics was important, and we got to see how these labels and careers really took off with no regard to the abusive authority figures that were trying to hold them down because of the color of their skin.
After the film, there was a Q&A with F. Gary Gray, Ice Cube, O’Shea Jackson, Jr. and Jason Mitchell that was hosted by DJ Laz, and it was nothing short of amazing. You can tell the group really got along and worked hard to put this film together. Please see the video of the Q&A below:
Make sure to see Straight Outta Compton in theaters on August 14, 2015.
Directed By: Seth MacFarlane Produced By: Jason Clark, John Jacobs, Seth MacFarlane and Scott Stuber Written By: Seth MacFarlane, Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Seth MacFarlane (voice), Amanda Seyfried
Ted 2 picks up at Ted (voiced by Seth MacFarlane) and Tami-Lynn’s (Jessica Barth) wedding, which we quickly learn is taking place just six months after John (Mark Wahlberg) and Lori (Mila Kunis) were divorced. The thunder buddies seem to be on opposite sides of the emotional spectrum, and then we’re distracted by an extremely dragged out musical sequence during the opening credits. The film then picks up one year later, where we see Ted and Tami-Lynn’s marriage seemingly falling apart. Ted is convinced the only way to rectify their marriage is to have a child. There’s just one small problem…Ted is not anatomically correct. After a failed attempt at collecting Tom Brady’s sperm, John volunteers to be the couple’s sperm donor. John and Ted begin to joke around in the donor room and John ends up covered in rejected sperm, thus ending their plan to have Tami-Lynn artificially inseminated.
This issue seems minimal when, after attempting to adopt a child, Ted discovers the state of Massachusetts believes he’s property rather than an actual person. The couple is unable to have their own child, unable to adopt, Ted is stripped of his job at the food store and their marriage is annulled. Facing defeat, John convinces him to fight back. They seek out a civil rights attorney and are introduced to a pot smoking Sam (Amanda Seyfried). The trio engages in research, re-enacting dances from The Breakfast Cluband smoking pot in the local library. Unwilling to lose, Sam turns to one of the top civil rights attorneys, Patrick Meighan (Morgan Freeman), who agrees to meet with them in his office in New York.
In New York, they meet with the Meighan, and he turns down their case. Clearly upset, Ted runs away from John and Sam and heads right for the New York Comic Con. He’s captured by Donny (Giovanni Ribisi), the creepy janitor, who has been co-conspiring with the head of Hasbro to mass produce Ted dolls. Wanting a Ted of his own, Donny duct tapes Ted to a table and is about to cut him open to see what makes him tick when John and Sam arrive and save him. Donny chases John, Sam and Ted through the awesomely nerdy Comic Con!
As with the first Ted film, there are the literal laughing out loud moments and there are the somber, almost corny moments. In typical Ted fashion, expect borderline inappropriate racist jokes and an abundant amount of F-bombs throughout. Despite some dragged out scenes, I’d say it was a decent sequel. Amanda Seyfriend was a nice addition, and the cameos by Tom Brady, Liam Neeson and Morgan Freeman were great! Mark Wahlberg is hilarious and it was also nice to see Johnny Drama as a security guard at Comic Con. If you enjoy crude humor and repeat offenses, Ted 2 might just be for you.
Ted 2 was released in theaters on June 26, 2015. Check it out for yourself, and let me know what you think!
Wasup movie fans! I had the chance to check out the action, comedy flick…BARELY LETHAL. It’s currently available on DirecTV and On Demand.
BUT WAIT! There is more…
TODAY…it opened in select theaters. In Houston (where I’m from) – you can check it out at the AMC Gulf Pointe – – which I’m still trying to rack my brain on why it’s at that AMC location – but…maybe they have their reasons. You can always check out the full theater list there. ~> click here.
Now…lets talk BARELY LETHAL…it stars Hailee Steinfeld, Samuel L. Jackson, Jessica Alba, Sophie Turner, Dove Cameron, Thomas Mann and FUNNY MAN Dan Fogler. Ya know something – to be honest with you. This movie has a great cast. The names you just read – just the tip of the iceberg. If you watch BARELY LETHAL (and I think you should) – you’ll recognize a lot of folks! Great job on the casting 🙂
Now…what’s BARELY LETHAL about…well…It’s about this teenage girl (Hailee Steinfeld) who from a VERY young age – was trained to be a lethal assassin. On one of her secret assignment’s – she realizes ‘something’ – that ‘something’ happens to be…a normal life. She fakes her own death…cuz that’s the only way she’s going to get it – – – assumes the role of an exchange student – – finds a family to live with – – and becomes a teenage girl…in HIGH SCHOOL!!! There…she uses all her assassin skills to get her through cheerleaders, bullies, mean girls and more!
Oh…and avoid getting killed by Victoria Knox (Jessica Alba). I know…it sounds crazy. But like I said before – it’s worth a watch.
I reallllllyyy liked it. I really did. I’m not going to lie – – I normally ‘curve’ away from movies like this. The ones that seem like cheesy, teen flicks. BUT…this one – – the cast got my attention.
Hailee Steinfeld – she’s just great in everything she does…TRUE GRIT & ENDER’S GAME (my favs), Jessica Alba…I mean…come on…it’s Jessica Alba. (lol) I loved her sarcastic ways in this movie. (lol) Sofia Turner…ahhh Miss Sansa Stark!!! I just love her AND she kicks some serious ass in this movie. I hope she does the same ‘kicking ass’ in GAME OF THRONES soon. I can’t stand that Bolton guy!!! (lol) Now – – this Dove Cameron. She’s new to me. I really liked this chick. I thought she was great. Her chemistry with Hailee Steinfeld – like ‘peas & carrots.’ I hope to see more of Miss Dove – she looks good on the big screen. Dan Fogler – he’s just a funny dude. Him and Jack Black are my favs. I bet Dan had everyone laughing on set.
Now for the serious stuff…I even enjoyed Samuel L. Jackson’s performance. I used to be a fan of his – – then he did SNAKES ON A PLANE…then he lost my love. BUT…after seeing him in BARELY LETHAL…I think we’re friends again. He was funny and ass at times. (lol)
BARLEY LETHAL is a funny movie. It’s got eye candy for the girls and the guys. It’s got action. It’s got some cool fight scenes. It’s got everything. Like I said before – it’s worth the watch. It just sucks that it’s opening in select theaters. Find it and go see it…ORRR see it on DirecTV and On Demand. 🙂
I give BARELY LETHAL… 5 out of 5 popcorns. If you like movies like SIXTEEN CANDLES and MEAN GIRLS – you should check this one out. I thought the director and writer(s) did a great job of capturing some of the 80’s-90’s feel and bringing here to 2015. High 5!
Directed By: Clint Eastwood Written By: Jason Hall Starring: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller Based on the Book: American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History (2012) – By: Chris Kyle with Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice
I’m a few months late on this, but I saw the film last night and thought it was amazing! Let me first remind you that, as I’ve mentioned before, I’m the granddaughter of a late World War II Veteran, and the daughter of a Vietnam Veteran (who passed away a week and a half ago). Yesterday, my father’s ashes were brought back home, so my mother, brother and I decided we would watch this film he desperately wanted to see.
With that being said, I really did enjoy this one! Bradley Cooper is an incredible actor, and he portrays Chris Kyle perfectly. The film starts with a flashback to how Chris Kyle was raised in Texas, and how tough he was from the start. You get to see him grow a bit and turn into this brave young man, determined to protect his country. He develops a relationship with Taya, who he quickly marries. After becoming a U.S. Navy SEAL sniper, Kyle endures four tours in Iraq while Taya is home raising their two young children. In between tours, Kyle begins to experience PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), which puts a strain on his marriage. Other soldiers refer to Kyle as “Legend” throughout the film due to his incredibly high kill count in Iraq. With an approximate count of over 160 kills, he is known as the most lethal sniper in U.S. Military History which, in addition to his protective qualities, earned him a considerable amount of respect among his peers.
Once their team is ambushed during a sandstorm, he calls Taya and tells her he’s ready to come home. He retires and his relationship with Taya and their children becomes an incredible one. He spends time with other veterans; some who are physically wounded and others who experience PTSD as he had. While out one day helping another veteran, that veteran snaps and shoots Kyle and his friend. The film ends with incredibly moving footage of thousands of people standing along the highway as Chris Kyle’s body is brought to the memorial service held at Cowboys Stadium.
Chris Kyle survived four brutal tours in Iraq, overcame pretty severe PTSD and was unexpectedly murdered by another veteran he was trying to help. If this isn’t a story that should open the eyes about veterans returning home and NEEDING psychological help with PTSD, I don’t know what is. Speaking from experience, anytime we went out to a restaurant with my father, he could never have his back to a door. His PTSD demanded that he have a clear view of the door and anyone who was entering. Soldiers can’t go to war, see the things they see and do the things they do, and then just get shipped back home to deal with the real world again with no help. Kyle left the U.S. Navy in 2009 and was killed in 2013, but he will always be thought of as a true American hero.
As you can see – THE D TRAIN stars Jack Black and James Marsden. If you decide to watch the movie – you’ll see that there are quite a few faces you’ll recognize. It’s a pretty sweet ‘comedy’ cast.
THE D TRAIN is about a dude named Dan Landsman (Jack Black) – who in high school…wasn’t exactly the coolest kid in school. Now all grown up – he leads a few of his high school classmates on an adventure. What’s this adventure I speak of?! (lol) The adventure of putting their 20 year high school reunion together. One night…Dan sees a TV commercial – – in that commercial is Oliver Lawless (James Marsden) – the MOST popular guy from his high school!! He’s now the face of a national Banana Boat ad campaign. Dan is now on a mission – – to go to Los Angeles…find Oliver…and bring him back to the reunion. If all goes as planned – DAN will be the coolest guy in town. (lol)
THE GOOD! 🙂 I really liked this movie people. Let me just get this out of the way. When I asked my wife if she wanted to watch it. She says to me, “Who’s in in?” I say, “Jack Black.” She says, “Ahhhhh I don’t know. Jack Black can be really dumb.” I say, “Just watch it and be quiet woman!!” (Ok, I didn’t really say that part) Either way…after it was done – She liked it!! If you watch the trailer – – it just gives you a snippet of what really happens in this movie. (lol) Everyone in the movie was great. You will laugh. Be prepared though – – when watching this – – some of you might say, “WTF JUST HAPPENED??!” – – – just go with it. (lol) It gets pretty hilarious…then border line dark…then back to happy go lucky. (lol) Just wattccchhh the movie people. Hmmmmm…what else did I like. Oh. The soundtrack – the movie’s got some really good tunes. I also liked the 80’s feel I got – almost like a John Hughes movie. (lol) I’m old – what can I say. (lol) Oh…one more thing. James Marsden. I’m not exactly a fan of the dude – he just never stood out to me – but in THE D TRAIN. He’s solid. He’s officially on my radar…in a good way. (lol)
THE BAD! 😦 No complaints. I like it all. (lol)
I give THE D TRAIN… 4 out of 5 popcorns. Like I said before. I thought it was a really good movie and deserves a watch. It’s not your typical Jack Black movie that’s for sure. This one definitely shows his acting chops. Watch it people!
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THE D TRAIN opened in Houston last Friday – check out your local listing – heck, you might wanna check VOD.
Written By: Alejandro Gomez Monteverde and Pepe Portillo
Starring: Jakob Salvati, David Henrie, Kevin James, Emily Watson, Ted Levine, Michael Rapaport, Ben Chaplin, Tom Wilkinson and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to attend the Miami premiere of a film called Little Boy. I’d seen the trailer about a week prior, but I don’t think I truly knew what to expect going into the premiere.
Let me start by saying that my niece, who is 10, and three of her friends, who are 11 and 13, came to the premiere and were ecstatic to meet the star of the film, Jakob Salvati, beforehand. Jakob was such a proper, sweet boy who has a bright future ahead of him. He and his father allowed the girls to take a picture with him and they all raved about how sweet (and adorable) he was.
With that being said, the film started after an introduction by the writers and directors that couldn’t have shown any more passion for this project.
Little Boy is an adorable family film that follows 7-year-old Pepper Flynt Busbee (Jakob Salvati) and his quest to bring his father back home safely from World War II. Pepper’s older brother, London (David Henrie), was refused entry into the army due to being flatfooted, so their father, James Busbee (Michael Rapaport) took his place. Pepper was extremely close to his father and was rightfully devastated to hear that his “partner” was heading to fight in the war. When Pepper and London’s mother, Emma (Emily Watson), receives word of James’s disappearance, Pepper decides to do whatever it takes to bring his father back. Having grown up reading magic Ben Eagle comic books with James, Pepper attends a live show with the magician and is called up on stage. Facing ridicule among his peers, Pepper is reluctant to try moving a bottle with only his mind, but he raises his hands and remembers his father and Ben’s words…all he has to do is believe he can do this. The bottle moves, causing Pepper to believe he can do the impossible. There are subtle religious undertones throughout this film, as Pepper seeks the help of those at his church. Father Oliver hands Pepper a list of tasks to complete, which includes befriending the enemy; a Japanese man named Hashimoto (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa). As the film goes on, Pepper learns to accept help from the one person he’d least expect. While he sets off to complete these tasks, he finds faith in himself that he can do the impossible, so long as he truly believes it. There are ups and downs that will absolutely bring tears to your eyes as you see this young boy whose only goal is to bring his true hero home.
For a film which has a 7-year-old actor on the screen for 98% of the time, the casting was spot on. Jakob Salvati was amazing and the supporting cast was equally great. If you have a heart and if you can find the underlying message behind it, this film is a must see. It’s a project that everyone involved is obviously very passionate about, which makes it that much better. So go out and support this heartfelt movie and spread the word! For a movie like this to make four middle school aged girls cry and keep discussing it afterwards…it’s a win in my book!
Definitely deserves 4 out of 5 stars! ★★★★
Little Boy will be released in theaters on April 24, 2015 and runs approximately 86 minutes.
Screenplay By: Brian Duffield, Akiva Goldsman and Mark Bomback
Starring: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Kate Winslet, Ansel Elgort, Miles Teller, Jai Courtney, Mekhi Phifer, Naomi Watts, Octavia Spencer, Zoë Kravitz, Maggie Q, Daniel Dae Kim, Keiynan Lonsdale
With a new director on hand for this sequel to Divergent, I was a bit wary of how Insurgent would hold up. We’ve seen film franchises switch directors before (Harry Potter) and those films have different feels to them. After watching Insurgent, however, I can honestly say I’m pleased with the result. Robert Schwentke, who also directed The Time Traveler’s Wife, took the world that Veronica Roth envisioned and Neil Burger, the director of Divergent, created visually and simply built upon it. We got to see more of the other factions, as Tris, Four, Caleb and Peter seek a temporary safe haven while devising a plan to find the rest of the Dauntless members to help take down Jeanine.
Summary: Insurgent begins with Tris, Four, Caleb and Peter trying to adapt to life in Amity while Eric, Max and Jeanine’s other minions uncover a box inside the Prior home in burnt down Abnegation. This box can only be unlocked by a Divergent who is able to successfully complete sim trials from each faction. As they begin testing for divergence, Peter attempts to hand Tris, Four and Caleb over to Eric, but they escape Amity and head for the city. They jump onto a train in the escape and quickly discover that the train is overrun with Factionless, who have no sympathy for the fugitives…until Four reveals that his name is Tobias Eaton. He’s taken to the leader of the Factionless, Evelyn, who turns out to be his mother (and believed to have been dead). She wants an army, but Four doesn’t trust her, even though she informs them that the remaining Dauntless members have sought refuge at Candor. Four, Tris and Caleb set out for Candor to find them, but Caleb decides he’s not cut out for it and claims to head back to what’s left of Abnegation. Jack Kang, leader of Candor, agrees to perform trials to prove their innocence under the influence of truth serum. Four is absolved of all guilt, while Tris is forced to come clean about killing her friend, Will, in order to save herself. Everyone in Candor is shot by Jeanine’s minions with a serum that attaches itself to their bodies and Four is forced to battle Eric. They gain the trust of Candor and everyone realizes Jeanine had been lying to them about the attack on Abnegation. When the serum activates and forces Marlene to step off a ledge, plunging to her death, Tris makes a choice to surrender to Erudite in order to save the others. Loyalties are questioned and she’s forced to complete the sim trials, with action packed sequences that keep you on the edge of your seat. Once the box is unlocked, it reveals a message from the founders informing everyone that their world/faction system was an experiment and that Divergents were proof that the system worked. The woman invites everyone to venture outside the wall so they may rejoin society. Jeanine demands that the box be buried and that Tris and Four be executed, but the Dauntless/Factionless army arrives and they take Jeanine and her minions into custody. Upon releasing the video to the public, all of the factions gather and head for the wall to see what awaits beyond it. Evelyn faces off with Jeanine in the closing scene.
For those viewers who have read the books, you will definitely notice some significant changes in the film adaptation. For one, Tris doesn’t struggle with holding a gun as she did for most of the novel. The mystery box was also a major plotline which doesn’t exist in the novel, so fans that have seen the trailer might have been a bit confused. After seeing the entire film, though, I have to admit that this was a decent change! Viewers have to keep in mind that some plotlines need to be changed in order to keep the film at an appropriate length while keeping the main idea of the story intact. Despite the addition of the box, there are small details from the novel that they kept in the film, which definitely saves it from being a flop. With the addition of several characters who weren’t introduced yet in the Divergent film, we have the luxury of seeing a cast that has a great deal of chemistry with one another. Each actor plays their character to perfection, especially considering our ideas of the characters from the books. For those who are loyal fans of the series, try to keep an open mind to the changes made in the film. I tend to be disappointed when this happens, but, in this case, I think they handled the changes well and everything flowed nicely. Give it a chance!
Production value was great as well. On occasion, the special effects weren’t the greatest, but as a whole, the bigger budget for Insurgent paid off. The soundtrack, for me, was a bit lack luster compared to that of Divergent, but with everything else going on, it didn’t take away from the film in any way.
As a fan of the books and the first film, I definitely give this sequel a 5 out of 5 stars. – Kristin (@kristin0409)
Insurgent hits theaters on March 20 in 2D, 3D and IMAX 3D formats.
Starring: Helena Bonham Carter, Lily James, Richard Madden, Cate Blanchett
There are many similarities between this live action adaptation and the 1950 animated version. This film begins with a glimpse into young Ella’s life before both of her parents passed away. They instilled in her the importance of being kind and believing in magic. With both of her parents dying (at different stages of Ella’s life), the film’s cheery opening takes a darker turn. When her stepmother, Lady Tremaine, and her wicked daughters learn of her father’s death, they begin to treat Ella horribly. One of the main differences in this film is that we also get a glimpse into the prince’s life and his relationship with his father, the King. Upon meeting Ella in the forest one day, the prince (Kit – who Ella believes to simply be an apprentice) urges his father to have an open invitation for all available women to the royal ball. While his father and the Grand Duke insist that he marry a princess for advantage, Kit just wants to see Ella again. When Lady Tremaine forbids Ella from attending the ball, she receives the bippity boppity magic from her fairy godmother and sets off to find her friend, the apprentice. When she arrives, the prince dismisses the woman chosen for his first dance, and invites Ella, revealing his true identity as the prince. They quickly fall in love as he shows her the palace grounds and she runs off at the stroke of midnight before the magic wore off, leaving behind the famous glass slipper. For whatever the reason, even when the magic wears off, the glass slippers don’t return to their original form. Either way, Ella hides the remaining glass slipper under the floorboard in the attic. Kit’s father grows ill and, after seeing his son’s love for Ella before passing away, tells him not to marry for advantage and instead, to marry for love. They arrange a kingdom-wide search for the girl whose foot fits the forgotten glass slipper. When Ella hears the news, she runs to the attic to find the one she hid, only to find Lady Tremaine holding it in her hand. Realizing it was her at the ball, she locks Ella in the attic, but when Gus Gus and the mice unlock the window, the royal entourage hears Ella singing and realizes there’s another woman in the home. The prince reveals himself and is reunited with Ella, an honest country girl who loves him. The two are married and live happily ever after, as we all know.
The subtle changes and additions to this adaptation were welcomed because seeing Ella with her parents gave a bit more of a back story to her relationship with them and the struggle she faced in order to be kind to Lady Tremaine and her minion daughters. Seeing a bit of the prince’s relationship with his father was also a great addition. The casting in this film was excellent and even though they didn’t cast a well known starlet to play Cinderella, Lily James truly delivers. Her chemistry with Richard Madden was noticeable and adorable, and Cate Blanchett was the perfect person to play the evil Lady Tremaine.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with this film. I thought the dresses at the royal ball could’ve been a bit nicer, but I suppose they were borderline hideous in order to make Cinderella’s beautiful blue gown stand out even more. As mentioned, the casting was great, the chemistry between the characters was excellent and the overall production of the film was beautiful. I can honestly say I give it 4 out of 5 stars. – Kristin (@kristin0409)
Director: Christian Cantamessa
According to Kristin 