Jewish Journal, 21 November 2014
By Ilana Angel

I have watched the trailer for Disney’s new live action film 'Cinderella' a few times. By a few of course I mean more than a dozen times. I am excited about this movie for a lot of reasons and want to write about it, but feel I should share a secret with you first. The film is directed by Sir Kenneth Branagh, and you should all know that I love him.

I cannot remember what it was specifically that brought this crush on, but I love him. He is handsome, funny, smart, talented, and in my mind complicated. The sexy kind of complicated that comes from being a genius. He is more than just an actor, he is a theater god and I love him in a way that may be deemed inappropriate but I don’t care. It is love.

I want to sit in a field of flowers and have him read 'Romeo and Juliet' to me. I want to dance with him in the kitchen while we make tea. I want to walk with him hand in hand in the rain while he professes his love for me. Basic celebrity crush things. I think he is lovely and could go on and on, but enough about my boyfriend, let’s talk about 'Cinderella'.

When my son was young we watched all the Disney cartoon classics. He preferred 'Jungle Book' and 'Peter Pan' to 'Cinderella' or 'Snow White', but I loved all the Disney Princesses and Cinderella in particular. The story was romantic and magical and I have watched not only the Disney classic, but every movie ever made that was based on the story.

When I heard of the live action film being made I was excited, and when I heard my boyfriend was the director, the countdown to his version was on. This week the first official trailer was released and I am in love with Cinderella all over again. In less than three minutes Branagh has captured the magic that is 'Cinderella' in a new and gorgeous way.

The film stars Cate Blanchett as the step-mother, Helena Bonham Carter as the fairy godmother, Lily James as Cinderella, and Richard Madden as Prince Charming. While I am not that familiar with the work of Lily and Richard, I am mesmerized by them and cannot imagine anyone else ever playing these characters again. They are all simply magical.

The costumes are breathtaking, makeup is perfection, effects are remarkable, scenery is transformative, and when Prince Charming looks at Cinderella with his piercing blue eyes my heart fluttered and I gasped for breath as if it was me he was looking at. This is one of my favorite stories and I am very excited to see it come to life.

I view the world with a romantic heart. I believe in being brave when it comes to love and I have raised my son to be kind. This story speaks to me in a profound way and makes me believe in magic. The film will be released in March and I can’t wait. Sir Kenneth Branagh is divine and his Cinderella will inspire us all to believe in love and keep the faith.