Movie Review: “Cinderella” and “Run All Night”
“Cinderella”
MPAA Rating: PG
Running Time: 112 minutes
Toscano’s Take:
Rating: A
Sometimes, in a great while, a film comes along that fulfills it’s promises. Not only the promise to entertain but also fulfill the promise to suspend reality and totally immerse you, the audience, in the theater experience.
Disney’s “Cinderella” is such a film.
Without updating or compromising the story or overpowering you with special effects, “Cinderella” manages to beautifully keep its heart. It is the perfect combination of fairy telling, romance, humor and angst.
With exceptional performances by its cast, which include Cate Blanchett as the Stepmother, Richard Madden as the Prince and Lily James as “Cinderella”, the film is a breath of very fresh air in an otherwise bleak first quarter.
“Cinderella” is directed by Kenneth Branagh and wonderfully scored by Patrick Doyle.
It gets an A and is rated PG
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Starring: Studio:
Cate Blanchett Walt Disney Studio
Lily James
Richard Madden
Helena Bonham Carter
When Ella’s(Cinderella) father unexpectedly passes away, young Ella finds herself at the mercy of her cruel stepmother and her daughters. Never one to give up hope, Ella’s fortunes begin to change after meeting a dashing stranger in the woods.
“Cinderella” finds her prince and the box office rediscovers its mojo in what is shaping up to be a strong weekend for the movie business.
Walt Disney Studios has had success of late raiding its catalog of animated hits and giving them a live-action spin. “Alice in Wonderland” with Johnny Depp made $1 billion and “Maleficent” bolstered by Angelina Jolie earned $758.4 million.
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“Run All Night”
MPAA Rating: PG
Running Time: 114 minutes
Toscano’s Take:
Rating: C
“Run all Night” is also in theaters it stars Liam Neeson and Ed Harris.
Neeson is an aging alcoholic ex-hitman who must protect his son from a mob boss who is out to kill him.
For the most part, “Run All Night” is a high body count chase movie with Neeson being pursued relentlessly by Harris’ goons through the streets of the city. The film is replete with car chases, car crashes, and explosions and guns, guns and more guns.
Everything you’d expect in a Liam Neeson movie is in here and that’s the real problem with the film… no real surprises or any kind of stretch for the lead actor.
But the film will appeal to audiences and won’t disappoint Neeson’s fans.
For offering nothing new – “Run All Night” gets a C and is rated R
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Starring: Studio:
Liam Neeson Method Studios
Ed Harris
Joel Kinnaman
Boyd Holbrook
Mobster and hit man Jimmy Conlon has one night to figure out where his loyalties lie: with his estranged son, Mike, whose life is in danger, or his longtime best friend, mob boss Shawn Maguire, who wants Mike to pay for the death of his own son.
