Top 4 Disney Cinderella Retelling
Disney has a film series created by Leigh Dunlap known as "A Cinderella Story", Each film is, as you guessed, a modern retelling of the Cinderella fairytale. The Cinderella in each movie is a high school senior and the servant of the evil stepmother. Each story is, as of this moment, not connected as the other. The Cinderellas deals with different struggles both in a personal way as well as social.
Now, in all honesty, I know these are not the thought-provoking, highly criticism, but they are my thoughts and opinions of the movies.
The following is not a bash on anyone's personal favorite or even a dislike of the film. So, with further ado, here we go.
# 4
A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits (2016)
Reason: There isn't a credible threat to the Cinderella to keep her as a servant to the stepfamily.
I love Sofia Carson as an actress. Honestly, I don't think there is a role she has played that she doesn't bring her all. However, her character in this story, Tessa, I can not understand. Now, before you discontinue to read, hear me out. Tessa is dealing with the issue of not being confident in herself to do something new and show the world who she really is. These are all things that many young girls and even young women deal with. Yet, Tessa's meekness and lack of fight against Divine, her stepmother, baffles me. She has a job as a mechanic and has a friendly personality. Yet, she is Divine's personal lap dog. She does everything Divine tells her to do and up until the third act is still afraid of Divine, but why? Divine is played up as a joke and doesn't come off as a real threat. There isn't a point in the story where Tessa tells Georgie that Divine is withholding something valuable to Tessa and that's why she must listen. Unlike the other modern Cinderella on this list, Tessa could have just gotten emancipated and left her stepmother. It may not be easy, but I've seen and read characters get emancipated without a way to support themselves. Using her meekness as a reason to stop Tessa from exploring the world around her doesn't mesh with the rest of who she is seen to be in the story. Personally, if there was a line or two from Divine where we hear or even see that she has this control over Tessa, then this story may move up on the list.
#3
Another Cinderella Story (2008)
Reason: While Cinderella's backstory doesn't work all that well with the location set in the world depicted in the movie, the relationship between Prince Charming and Cinderella is believable.
To be completely honest, this movie sometimes ties in with the last entry. However, most of the storyline can be said to show Selena Gomez is a triple threat as a singer, dancer, and actress. But the thing is, Mary, Selena Gomez's character, is not related to the main antagonist. Also, I'm pretty sure that the use of a minor as a servant girl is so not America. I mean, if this was the Dominican Republic or Ecuador, I can see that happening, but not California and definitely not early 2000's California. But, other than Mary being used as a servant until she can fly away to a dance school in New York, one of the reasons that I place Mary over Tessa is that Mary's Prince Charming knows about her before the end and genuinely falls for her. There is a time that they have to get close to one another. Also, I give kudos to the sidekicks in this story. They worked to get the Prince Charming and Cinderella to make up after the big misunderstanding. Also, this movie is what starts the whole "music sung/ danced by the characters to show who they really are." Finally, I like the evil stepsisters a little more in this movie with how cartoonish they behave.
#2
A Cinderella Story
Reason: While the evil Stepmother is comical and her manipulation of a teen Cinderella is well done, the Cinderella is doing things alone most of the time.
Okay, hear me out before you start to yell. This one and the number one is hard to place. Mostly because I love both of them and the original Cinderella Story holds a special place in my heart. So, the reasoning for the second-place position is that Sam deals with most of the problems with her Stepmother by herself. Yes, she has Rhoda there and all the other diner workers to comfort her, but ultimately Sam was alone to deal with her stepmother forcing her to work in the diner at crazy hours, maintain the house, and the wasteful spending of her father's hard work so that her stepmother and stepsisters can live a luxurious life. I'm glad she stands up for herself and gets out of a toxic environment, but there's a point that this movie follows the Cinderella storyline a little too closely that I have to wonder why no one has tried to get Sam out of this situation earlier. I mean, at the end, Sam gets everything because her dad left it to her and everyone is excited for her. the same people that she said were like a family for her in the beginning. Did no one find it weird that Fiona just took over everything and Sam doesn't have anything to her name and has to work to pay for her college?
# 1
Another Cinderella Story: Once Upon A Song (2011)
Reason: This movie's plot is not only believable in the sense that the Cinderella is trapped and is being held by the evil Stepmother through sheer manipulation, but the Cinderella has a few active helpers.
Purely my opinion. But the fact that Katie has this talent, but is shy to be bold about it paired with the people in her life that care about her are willing to help draw out her bolder side trumps the diner cast and actor best friend in "A Cinderella Story". Angela pushes Katie to use her position as her stepmother's assistant to get her demo heard, actively plans the big meet up with Luke at the dance and distracts Gail with a dance battle, listens to Katie and is her shoulder to lean on. Ravi, after Katie asks for help, is ready to do whatever is needed to get Gail to leave Katie alone. With an admission of Victor, he loves Katie and willing to help Katie get out of Gail's control because Katie is the only one that cares about him.
But, characters aside, it is this movie that takes what the Selena Gomez one tried to do with the handmaid angel/ musical portion and mixes it with the idea that there are people around our Cinderella that will actively work to get her out of her stepmother's grasp. Also, I like that the stepsister has a moment where she is vulnerable with our Cinderella as well as let's go of her mother's opinion of her.
This whole thing is just my opinion though and I would love to hear how you would list the Cinderella movies.
Now, in all honesty, I know these are not the thought-provoking, highly criticism, but they are my thoughts and opinions of the movies.
The following is not a bash on anyone's personal favorite or even a dislike of the film. So, with further ado, here we go.
# 4
A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits (2016)
Reason: There isn't a credible threat to the Cinderella to keep her as a servant to the stepfamily.
I love Sofia Carson as an actress. Honestly, I don't think there is a role she has played that she doesn't bring her all. However, her character in this story, Tessa, I can not understand. Now, before you discontinue to read, hear me out. Tessa is dealing with the issue of not being confident in herself to do something new and show the world who she really is. These are all things that many young girls and even young women deal with. Yet, Tessa's meekness and lack of fight against Divine, her stepmother, baffles me. She has a job as a mechanic and has a friendly personality. Yet, she is Divine's personal lap dog. She does everything Divine tells her to do and up until the third act is still afraid of Divine, but why? Divine is played up as a joke and doesn't come off as a real threat. There isn't a point in the story where Tessa tells Georgie that Divine is withholding something valuable to Tessa and that's why she must listen. Unlike the other modern Cinderella on this list, Tessa could have just gotten emancipated and left her stepmother. It may not be easy, but I've seen and read characters get emancipated without a way to support themselves. Using her meekness as a reason to stop Tessa from exploring the world around her doesn't mesh with the rest of who she is seen to be in the story. Personally, if there was a line or two from Divine where we hear or even see that she has this control over Tessa, then this story may move up on the list.
#3
Another Cinderella Story (2008)
Reason: While Cinderella's backstory doesn't work all that well with the location set in the world depicted in the movie, the relationship between Prince Charming and Cinderella is believable.
To be completely honest, this movie sometimes ties in with the last entry. However, most of the storyline can be said to show Selena Gomez is a triple threat as a singer, dancer, and actress. But the thing is, Mary, Selena Gomez's character, is not related to the main antagonist. Also, I'm pretty sure that the use of a minor as a servant girl is so not America. I mean, if this was the Dominican Republic or Ecuador, I can see that happening, but not California and definitely not early 2000's California. But, other than Mary being used as a servant until she can fly away to a dance school in New York, one of the reasons that I place Mary over Tessa is that Mary's Prince Charming knows about her before the end and genuinely falls for her. There is a time that they have to get close to one another. Also, I give kudos to the sidekicks in this story. They worked to get the Prince Charming and Cinderella to make up after the big misunderstanding. Also, this movie is what starts the whole "music sung/ danced by the characters to show who they really are." Finally, I like the evil stepsisters a little more in this movie with how cartoonish they behave.
#2
A Cinderella Story
Reason: While the evil Stepmother is comical and her manipulation of a teen Cinderella is well done, the Cinderella is doing things alone most of the time.
Okay, hear me out before you start to yell. This one and the number one is hard to place. Mostly because I love both of them and the original Cinderella Story holds a special place in my heart. So, the reasoning for the second-place position is that Sam deals with most of the problems with her Stepmother by herself. Yes, she has Rhoda there and all the other diner workers to comfort her, but ultimately Sam was alone to deal with her stepmother forcing her to work in the diner at crazy hours, maintain the house, and the wasteful spending of her father's hard work so that her stepmother and stepsisters can live a luxurious life. I'm glad she stands up for herself and gets out of a toxic environment, but there's a point that this movie follows the Cinderella storyline a little too closely that I have to wonder why no one has tried to get Sam out of this situation earlier. I mean, at the end, Sam gets everything because her dad left it to her and everyone is excited for her. the same people that she said were like a family for her in the beginning. Did no one find it weird that Fiona just took over everything and Sam doesn't have anything to her name and has to work to pay for her college?
# 1
Another Cinderella Story: Once Upon A Song (2011)
Reason: This movie's plot is not only believable in the sense that the Cinderella is trapped and is being held by the evil Stepmother through sheer manipulation, but the Cinderella has a few active helpers.
Purely my opinion. But the fact that Katie has this talent, but is shy to be bold about it paired with the people in her life that care about her are willing to help draw out her bolder side trumps the diner cast and actor best friend in "A Cinderella Story". Angela pushes Katie to use her position as her stepmother's assistant to get her demo heard, actively plans the big meet up with Luke at the dance and distracts Gail with a dance battle, listens to Katie and is her shoulder to lean on. Ravi, after Katie asks for help, is ready to do whatever is needed to get Gail to leave Katie alone. With an admission of Victor, he loves Katie and willing to help Katie get out of Gail's control because Katie is the only one that cares about him.
But, characters aside, it is this movie that takes what the Selena Gomez one tried to do with the handmaid angel/ musical portion and mixes it with the idea that there are people around our Cinderella that will actively work to get her out of her stepmother's grasp. Also, I like that the stepsister has a moment where she is vulnerable with our Cinderella as well as let's go of her mother's opinion of her.
This whole thing is just my opinion though and I would love to hear how you would list the Cinderella movies.
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