Flynn Geraghty
Features Editor 
Was anyone really, truly interested in seeing the new “Cinderella”? Probably not, no. Disney realized this and quickly decided to mention that before the film, they would be showing the new short, “Frozen Fever” based off of it’s highest grossing film “Frozen.” Well, what a coinkydink! Do you think that’s going to increase ticket sales? You can bet your boots it will.
So, I suppose since the short kicked off the film, I should talk about that first. The short takes place a little after the events of “Frozen.” It’s Anna’s birthday and Elsa wants to make up for all the years that she missed because she was stuck in her room. But, when Elsa catches a cold, she has to hide it, so her sister can still have a nice birthday.
If you liked “Frozen” you’ll probably like “Frozen Fever.” It is very obviously a short intended to cash-in on “Frozen’s” success. Not only do Elsa and Anna both wear new dresses, but whenever Elsa sneezes these adorable little snowmen creatures, called Snowgies, appear (which are now available at the Disney Store for only $14.95!).
But even just for a cash-in, it’s still good. The song is catchy and upbeat and the animation is colorful and bouncy. Like I said before, if you liked the original movie, you’ll like the short because all of your favorite characters are there, (yes, even Hans) and it has the same tone and feel. If you weren’t a fan of “Frozen”, fear not; there’s a whole other movie after it.
Do I even need to tell you what this story of “Cinderella” is about? No. This story is so well known we could recite it in our sleep. But since I probably should have a synopsis, I’ll put one in anyway (feel free to skip ahead).
“Cinderella” stars Lily James as the titular heroine. She’s a young girl who is very much a servant to her stepmother, played by Cate Blanchett, and her two stepsisters, played by Holliday Grainger and Sophie McShera. One day, the prince of the land, played by Richard Madden, hosts a ball for all of the eligible maidens, so he can find a bride. Cinderella wants to go, but her stepfamily refuses to let her, simply because her ragged appearance would bring shame to the family. When all hope seems lost, Cinderella’s fairy godmother, played by Helena Bonham Carter, whips up a fancy new dress and a coach for Cinderella and sends her off to the ball. Cinderella enchants the prince, but is forced to leave at midnight, leaving behind nothing but one glass slipper.
If this movie has anything going for it, it’s its grandeur. All of the visuals in this movie are larger than life. The gowns, the landscapes, the camera angles, everything is stunning. This movie was truly a treat for the eyes.
Along with that, Cate Blanchett really got into her role as the stepmother. She was having so much fun being evil and that really translated into an enjoyable performance.
Other than that, the rest of the movie is either predictable or so whimsical you just want to vomit. The first fifteen minutes where Cinderella was happily living with her mother and father were so saturnine and sweet that the narrator practically says, “This is the most perfect family that ever existed. Mary Poppins is a filthy, street urchin compared to these people. Truly, they are gods among us.” That whole gimmick got old real fast.
But overall, the main problem with the movie is that it’s just Disney doing Disney. Disney already did “Cinderella” once before in the classic animated film. This film feels like it’s just trying to be that film. But, to be fair, there really isn’t a good way to do “Cinderella” anymore.
Like I said before, we all know this story. We know it very well, as a matter of fact. Almost too well. No matter who you are, you know the story of “Cinderella” inside and out. You don’t need to pay twenty bucks to see the same story being told again.
Before I saw “Cinderella” I was practically begging for it to be different than the norm.  All I wanted was some semblance of originality to a story that had been done to death. The movie even tried to do this by doing things like giving the stepmother a little backstory that explained why she was so mean to Cinderella. And yet, as the credits rolled, my desire for creativity was still left unfulfilled. Besides the occasional funny line and Cate Blanchett’s performance, “Cinderella” has nothing to offer that you couldn’t get elsewhere.
“Cinderella” as a whole is like the family that brings a Jell-o mold to a dinner party only to find that everyone else has brought a similar Jell-o mold. And everyone else’s has been prepared with better ingredients and more time has been put into making it taste delicious.
What movie studios need to understand is that if you’re going to do “Cinderella,” you need to do something different, whether it be with the story, or the characters, something needs to change. If you can’t do that, then don’t do “Cinderella.”
To keep the public entertained, there needs to be an element of originality. And if you can’t do that, perhaps it’s best to leave the glass slipper where it is and find a snazzy pair of sneakers at Footlocker instead.