Classic Disney, with All the Best and Worst

Rating: 6/10 (16 December 2008)

Cinderella is raised by her evil stepmother and two stepsisters, who make her do chores and essentially keep her as a slave after inheriting her father's estate. When the prince (with the prodding of the king) decides to throw a ball, Cinderella ends up going with the help of her fairy godmother and some lovable mice.
The problem with criticizing "Cinderella" is that many of the criticisms aren't really related to the film so much as to the story it's based off of. Some feminists decry her reliance on a prince to save her from hardship (a common theme in Disney films). Others have the more general criticism that the film portrays women as little more than future brides with no life outside of her husband.
You could also say that the film offers no real hope for those looking to it for inspiration. A girl in a desperate situation is saved at the 11th hour by a magical hag with a wand. Without her, Cinderella would be left to toil and the prince would have chosen some other girl to be the princess. In real life, no fairy godmothers exist, so I guess we are left to suffer on our own with little recourse.
These concerns aside, the film itself is sound. The animation is great, and looks even better in the restored edition. I've heard some complaint that the "dirty" world of Cinderella is too clean, but I think that's really ignoring the fantasy element of the film. It's a simple but effective story, timeless. And the songs are now a part of our culture with good reason.
I gave the film a fairly low rating because I don't think there's much about the film that pushed any boundaries. It really played it safe in every way it could. Don't get me wrong -- sometimes following the formula makes a good movie, and I think this is a good movie. But it won't get you recognized as one of the best movies of all time, certainly not by me.