The story is not as long-winded as several previous versions, and although the details are not left out from beginning to end, the pacing is relatively well controlled and does not feel cumbersome or superfluous. The padding in the front is also very meticulous, not just giving the stepmother’s family a stamp of approval right away, but rather layer by layer, allowing the audience to gradually feel the badness of the stepmother, especially with the inclusion of the line of state intrigue, which highlights the purity and goodness of the main character.
Secondly, the lighting and shadows. You have to admit that the technology of movies nowadays is so high, the special effects are so beautiful, and I guess if you watch it in the cinema, the visual effects will be even better. Especially the magical sequences, which awaken the girl’s heart, right? However, compared to the beautiful costumes and sets, the male and female leads are ugly enough, the female lead has a thin waist, but her face is a bit strange; the male lead is even worse, his face is full of folds, there are so many handsome men in Hollywood, how to find such a one?
Finally, the substance. Sublimely, that is the spiritual aspect of the film. It is particularly inspirational, upbeat and full of positive energy. Just like the dead mother, the fairy godmother, and the repeated line from Cinderella: no matter what people do to you, you have to be forgiving and kind to them. Always be strong and brave, merciful and kind. The reason why this story has endured for centuries is that it conveys the message of truth and goodness and that good people will be rewarded. Especially in an age where even the question of whether or not to help an old man on the ground should be discussed, stories like Cinderella’s should be celebrated more often!
There is one more point that we all agree on – true love. In the film, the stepmother says: “In this world, everything needs to be bought with money. Cinderella retorts: love, it doesn’t cost money. The stepmother says with disdain: there is no such thing as free love. Is the stepmother right? It seems to make sense. But when you think about it, Cinderella’s words are the truth: only love is free! Do our parents love us and need us to return the favour? Do we need them to love our children in return? And then there is love. If you really love someone, do you need them to give you something in return? If you want something in return, then it is not true love! True love is to give, to give unconditionally, to take care of each other; true love is when you give to me and I give to you. There is no trade off, no one owes anyone anything. So when the stepmother blackmails Cinderella into agreeing to help her in her plot to usurp the throne, Cinderella resolutely refuses! True love cannot be blasphemed. Even if I don’t see the prince and lose my happiness, I can’t let you hurt the one I love!
At the same time, true love requires bravery, not just for one person, but for two people, both of whom must be brave and determined. The prince goes against his father’s wishes and refuses the minister’s proposal of marriage for Cinderella, and keeps looking for her “without abandoning or giving up”; and Cinderella? Cinderella, too, bravely refuses to make a deal with her stepmother for her true love, bravely sticks to her heart, and bravely meets the prince honestly when he comes to her door. At the end, when she comes down from the attic and walks up to the prince, the monologue is particularly powerful: I am not some princess, I am Cinderella, a country girl in love with you, will you still accept me? It is also brave and determined. Suppose, in this process, either the prince or Cinderella, even if one of them hesitates, hesitates or gives up, then both of them will not come together.
In the end, true love is a matter of destiny. The story of Cinderella is a classic, but it has nothing to do with the crystal shoe. In fact, fairy tales, or love stories, all have a similar beginning and end, but each story has to have a finishing touch, a core point that is unforgettable and unique. The central point of Cinderella is the crystal shoe, which is not only the clue for the prince to find Cinderella, but also the true meaning of human beings’ search for true love. It is about the simple truth that only the feet know whether the shoe fits or not. No matter what your status, position, age or appearance, the one who can wear the shoe smoothly is the true love! For others, no matter how hard you try, no matter how much effort you put in, no matter how much you try, you just can’t wear it, why? Because it doesn’t fit, because it’s not true love! So the crystal shoe is also guiding people who have lost their way in love: stop trying in vain, what is yours will always be yours, what is not yours is useless to force!
Love, this thing, it’s just meant to be!
