A Feminist's Take On: "Disney's Cinderella"

     I must admit, I was rather surprised by the outcome of this latest Disney reboot. Although the trailers did look promising, this classic fable can often be a mixed bag. This particular "cinder wench" has been making the rounds over the years, appearing in her fair of share or renditions and reboots.
Spoiler Alert. You have been warned.  

     So, what is all the fuss about? Cinderella is, arguably, one of the first true rags-to-riches stories that seems to resonate so easily with the bubbly imaginations of young girls everywhere. As of late, however, Ms. Cinder Soot has received some stiff competition in the form of Katniss Everdeen and Tris Prior among many others. Even Frozen's Elsa insists that girls let go of typical, female stereotypes in favor of embracing who they really are within. In this business, timing is everything, and so it was time to dust off Cinderella's infamous blue gown... it is the 21st century after all.

So onto the question of the hour: Is this a feminist adaptation?

     Yes and no. The film goes through great pains to show that Cinderella's kind manner was just

"One must have courage, and be kind."

another form of courageous inner strength. She is not weak simply because she plasters on a smile and tries her best to run her family estate, all while her stepmother and stepsisters cackle in the background. Even the transformation of her name from Ella into Cinderella was tackled nicely; highlighting the bullying nature of the step sister's mean words and their power to cause some true pain. However, instead of standing up for herself in the face of such verbal abuse, the young woman grabs possibly one of the most beautiful horses I have ever seen on screen and races off towards.... who else but the prince's hunting party. How terribly convenient to the plot, wouldn't you say? I do give Disney brownie points for highlighting a princess story in which the young heroine isn't simply waiting in a lonely bell tower for some man to rescue her. Still, would it have killed them to give her just a touch of a back bone? Just once throughout this film, I found myself hoping she would talk back to the mean girls in her life.

     Otherwise, the prince is charming enough, and the evil stepmother cruel enough. Lady Tremaine is lent just enough of a back story to make her seem almost guilt-worthy. At least they didn't make her blindly evil; but more bitter and cold to life's challenges. Tremaine offers another view on how a woman might tackle the hardships that befall a woman whose greatest expectation in life is to marry well (during the time period in which this movie takes place, at least). Cate Blanchett gave this villainess just enough emotion behind her eyes to make her appear human, while also having a heck of a good time laughing manically in the background. This isn't a performance of Elizabeth-sized proportions, but at least she brought in a few laughs.

Fashionably late. 

      The movie is also beautifully filmed; with some amazing attention to detail and sweeping views of a country that almost seems too good to be true. The costume design has this reviewer turning green with envy (I would wear any number of Lady Tremaine's gowns). Kenneth Branagh has showed, once again, that he is probably an even better director than he is an actor... if such a thing is truly possible. In the process, Disney has also showed that they truly understand how a sweeping film should be tackled. No expense was spared; from Ella's sumptuous gown to the CGI that turned 4 (also CGI) mice into white chargers. A note to viewers: pay attention to the horses' ears as they shrink down to size. It was truly an amazing detail! Cinderella  is as graceful a movie as Ella is herself. And although there is some debate as to it's feminist prowess, or even if it is suitable for young girls at all. I think it is just the right mix of whimsy and fun, especially for those viewers entering their pre-teen/teenage years. Considering it's more adult themes, and the fact that literally every single parent in this movie is killed off... I wouldn't assume to propose taking anyone younger than the age of 10 unless you expect to do some heavy explaining.

     Bottom line: could it have been better? Of course. Although, the same can be said for any movie. Is it good enough? Yes, it is. At the very least, it allows you're somewhat older children to feel ten years old again, as they immerse themselves in this fairytale-style adaptation of a very classic movie. For a unique Cinderella experience, why not introduce your daughters to different versions of this classic fairytale; allowing them to compare and contrast the different heroines and how they manage the trials and tribulations set in their path. It might be a nice bonding experience/learning curve.

The Golden Apple Awards: The 2014 Season

        It has been an interesting year for women in film; with stereotypical archetypes being pushed aside in favor of more realistic portrayals of our fictional female characters. No where is this change more apparent than in the Young Adult category- a genre that largely defines the teenage reading experience for young women. So, it should come as no surprise that below you will find two such specimens of that most beloved genre. However, instead of pitting these two Sci-Fi mavens against each other, it was decided to set aside the apple of discord between them in favor of  honoring what makes these fictional females so extraordinary to begin with. Spoiler Alert! You have been warned! 

And the Golden Apple goes to...

The Mockingly: Part I

Release Date: November 21, 2014

Rating: PG-13

     This is not your "average", dystopian YA-inspired movie adaptation. For anyone entering those hollowed, theatre doors expecting a no-holds-barred shoot-out, you must have faced the sort of bone crushing disappointment saved for the latest installment of the Twilight saga. This is a war movie and there is no way around that. Katniss Everdeen is no super hero who dusts herself off after certain destruction to only face off against the stereotypical villain for an epic ass-whooping. She is broken-- left huddled in the fetal position, tucked away within the deepest bowls of District 13.  Peeta is gone-- rather taken-- by the capital to a fate that is unknown to us. Don't worry, fangirls, you will receive glimpses of him on and off throughout this harrowing journey through Capital destruction. The citizens of Panem will rise again behind their figurehead, but as the title of this movie suggests; to what end? How much of herself must Katniss sacrifice before there is nothing left of her? As stated in a previous blog post, Ms. Everdeen's struggles have always far exceeded those within the arena's walls. She has juggled her undying need to be the protector/ provider of her family, all while trying to make sense of her confused emotional ties for Gale and Peeta.

In Mockinjay, her careful balancing act is about to collapse around her. Her very sanity hangs in the balance as the Capital taunts her with visions of Peeta in various forms of tortorous decay.Does she love him? Does she still harbor feelings for old flame Gale? Who cares! At the end of the day, she would much rather trade places with either man than cause them pain. Instead of experiencing this near end to the now infamous trilogy as a grandly epic thrill ride; it remained closer to the subject matter at hand. For those of us that are fans of the text, this is a special treat. The power in each scene lies behind the now tightly knit cast-- and those quietly intimate moments that occur when weapons are set aside and tears are shed. The entire film is moving slowly towards that one, titular moment at the very end.

For those of you that were disappointed with this cinematic gem, expecting more from the battle for Panem's soul-- do not fear. The war will begin promptly with the release of Mockingjay, Part II. 

  Divergent

Release Date: March 21, 2014

Rating: PG-13

      Only receiving a 41% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, even I must admit some mixed feelings about the movie adaptation-- as detailed in this movie review. Yes, there are some similarities between these two femme fatales but this blog post is dedicated to embracing what makes these women stand out. To begin with, Divergent is more a personality-test-on-steroids than a reality show gone amuck.  Tris is forced, very early on, to choose against her family and her station in order to break through the boundaries of what is expected of her. She does not want to follow the line of her Abnegation past, choosing instead to join the Dauntless and forging her own path. The entire movie unfolds as simply a series of physically/mentally demanding tasks that are meant to bring our heroine to the brink of success. It's only in failure that the audience begins to see that Tris is no outstanding woman.

She is just a girl, after all; trying to reconcile all the different facets of herself in an effort to move forward towards an unsure future. There is no love triangle here to distract from the overall story-- her loyalty to Tobias/Four will carry us through two more sequels before it is all over. How refreshing that a young woman should know her own heart well enough to find true love within the first handful of chapters. In the end, Tris teaches us that it is alright to push the envelope of what is expected of us. Sometimes we will succeed, and most likely we will fail. Hell, there will be times that our worst fears are realized (quite literally) and we may have to improvise our way out of that ever-filling water tank of failure. 

In the end, we must stay true to who we are if we ever expect to achieve happiness.  

A Feminist's Take On: "Maleficent".

Disney has done it again; managing to re-write a classic fairytale with a modern day twist. Except this time, they change a fundamental part of their animation history. In their latest project, the juggernaut tackles one of the most classic stories from their vault; Sleeping Beauty. But be warned, Disney movie classicists, this is not your grandmother's fairytale. In fact, this is not your grandmother's villain! Maleficent is a wicked woman for the ages; a true, 21st century renaissance woman…with wings to boot! Be Warned, SPOILERS from here. 

From the very first moment she appears, as a young woodland creature we realize one fundamental fact; this is a woman as sharp as her cheekbones. Fine, they may have started her off as a 10 year old cutie with perfect hair; but she isn't to be played for a fool either. She calls out a young Stefan (yes, that Stefan) and reminds him of his place in the strange and darkly beautiful Moors. This is not a place for you, she reminds him, and warns him never to return. Sadly, as we watch the story play out, one realizes that Stefan is not the stuff of kiddy movies. He toys with her heart and her trust. Leading her on for years before finally committing the ultimate act of injustice against the title character. It would have to take a truly wicked act to cause Maleficent to take out her rage on an innocent child. And indeed, the act is both violent and goose bump worthy. With a gut-wrenching cry into the dark, the movie enters it's second act… and the other-worldly fairy becomes the Mistress of Darkness.

I could go on here to say how a very real love story develops as Maleficent watches the young princess grow from afar. How she grows a heart and soul once again… and the re-imagined meaning behind "true love's first kiss" in this version of fairy tale events. However, I'd much rather focus on the merits of Angelina Jolie's performance. Her portrayal is both deliciously wicked and generally aloof. There are  very little scenes of dark scheming and staff-pumping. In fact, other than that one, titular moment in the great hall where she imbues her "gift" upon a young Aurora (a beautiful nod to Sleeping Beauty, by the way) she is basically detached from the events of the original movie that inspired it. She much prefers to remain perched in a tree, her humanoid henchman at her side. Eating fruit and pursing her lips. "I don't like children" she chides like a true diva. She is above it all. Her green eyes aloof but also filled with vulnerability. She battles herself throughout; unsure of her motives but still reeling from her heart breaking loss early on.

"Before the sun sets on her sixteenth birthday, she will fall into a sleep-like death!"

This isn't about a woman scorned by a man. No, instead this is about being betrayed and then injured from within. She is no longer the woman she was before; she is unsure if love exists and therefore if she is good or bad by default. This is her movie, and she rules over it with an iron if not slightly disconnected fist. She doesn't need to rant and rave. Or deliver heavy handed monologues. Her eyes tell the story. The subtlety behind Jolie's performance gives it more merit. It helps an ancient story feel modern and real. Maleficent isn't the manifestation of pure evil. She is only human. Or, as human as a fairy can be, I suppose. She is messy and cruel at times, but also capable of realizing the reality behind her decisions. Whether she realizes the error of her ways or not, I'll leave for you to see for yourself as you enjoy the movie on the big screen.

At the end of the day, Jolie looked like she was having a blast. And so did we in the process. As I sat there enjoying the ride; watching her soar through the clouds with complete freedom I found myself wishing that I had wings too. That I could fly away with her and inhabit the Moors. I was transported to a time where magic was real, possibilities were endless; and the lines between fantasy and reality were blurred. Even, if only for an hour and a half.