Comedic singer Rachel Bloom has been a familiar face on the internet for a number of years, garnering a reputation for unexpectedly oddball songs that work in both a comedic and musical context. Fans of Bloom were glad to learn that she’d gotten a television show deal with Showtime, an excitement that was first crushed …
Cinderella is a refreshing callback to the unabashed costume epics of the past, when story and aesthetic held equal sway over ambitious filmmakers. Director Kenneth Branagh and his production team luxuriate in breathtaking sets, opulent costumes, and impeccable special effects while still keeping the old-fashioned story of courage and kindness at center stage. Yes, it would have been nice to see a little more cellulite and gumption from our heroine, but it’s hard to complain about a movie that so thoroughly delivers on spectacle and heart. Lush, extravagant, and painfully earnest, Disney’s Cinderella is a worthy adaptation of its classic predecessor. In fact, it’s quite wonderful.