In the new live-action remake of Disney’s classic Cinderella, we learn that those who are kind and have courage will find life has its rewards if you just persevere. The movie itself didn’t have to wait long. It is Box Office Royalty right out the… Read More »Cinderella Waltzes Away With Weekend Box Office Win
Walt Disney’s original animated classic “Cinderella” was visually stunning and masterfully animated. Based on a fairy tale from Charles Perrault, and with beautiful songs and orchestration, it won over theater audiences and helped cement the Disney Studios as the leader in feature animation.
So when news came out that Disney was remaking the movie with a live action cast, the question was why? When I heard that Kenneth Branagh would be directing, I felt a bit better. But it was costume designer Sandy Powell’s costumes that really sealed the deal for me. Even if Cinderella was a 2 hour parade of Powell’s gorgeous costumes, I would have left satisfied.
The good news, is that the rest of the movie works too. It is a refreshing take on the fairy tale that we all know and love with lessons we can all take to heart. Branagh revisited the original Perrault fairy tale and incorporated some more modern motivations to make the film more relevant for today’s audiences. The story actually works better once Cinderella (Lily James) has a little agency.
That agency is delivered to Ella by her parents. First by her mom (played suitably by Hayley Atwell) who tells her to “have courage and be kind,” and by her father who teachs her the strength to endure. She’ll need both of these in spades once her parents die (at least both mom and dad die in this one instead of just mom). Actually dying parents is a fairly strong theme in this movie, something to be aware of if your kids have recently lost any one close to them.
In this new featurette for Disney’s Cinderella, Cate Blanchett talks about what it was like to play Lady Tremaine. You also hear from Kenneth Branagh about his thoughts for the evil stepmother. It must have been a lot of fun to play so wicked a… Read More »Disney’s Cinderella – Cate Blanchett featurette
Don’t watch this trailer if you want to remain mostly unspoiled for Tomorrowland. But if you are as excited as I am, you might enjoy seeing the extra footage that Disney sneaks into the Japanese version of the trailer. It might be gone from YouTube,… Read More »Japanese Trailer for Tomorrowland Reveals More Secrets
Reviews are pouring in for Disney’s Cinderella and a new trailer has been released highlighting the positive remarks. Order your tickets to see Cinderella today through Fandango and a small portion will help The Disney Blog continue. Thank you Previously: Cinderella Trailer #1 and Trailer… Read More »Disney’s Cinderella opens on Friday – New Trailer
A strong performance after opening in China, its final major international country, has pushed the box office total for Disney’s “Big Hero 6” across the $600 million market. This puts it in some fairly rare air for a Disney film. It’s Disney’s fourth film released… Read More »“Big Hero 6” passes $600 million milestone at box office, what’s next?
Disney’s just released a new poster for the much anticipated movie – Tomorrowland. On Monday, Walt Disney Studios will premiere a new trailer right after a Facebook chat with Director Brad Bird and Producer Damon Lindelof.
I love that they snuck a Space Mountain in the cityscape. Must be a gateway to this version of the future at Disneyland and Magic Kingdom.
The Q&A takes place Monday, March 9 at 1:30pm ET / 10:30am PT only on Facebook: https://facebook.com/WaltDisneyStudios.
What do you think of the poster and will you join in the chat on Monday?
In case you want to jog your memory, watch the first Tomorrowland Trailer here.
“Tomorrowland” opens in U.S. theaters on May 22, 2015.
Plot synopsis below:
Read More »New Poster for Disney’s Tomorrowland, plus Q&A with Brad Bird and Damon Lindelof
It’s a big moment in the film, Cinderella’s first dance with the Prince. Clearly they’re all watching The Prince right? What did you think? The costumes still blow me away. Sandy Powell is a costuming genius. Previously: Cinderella meets her future Stepmother clip.