marylandflower
A Cinderella Story is an excellent film. It has excellent casting such as Hilary Duff as Sam Montgomery, Chad Michael Murray as Austin Ames, and Jennifer Coolidge as Fiona Montgomery. The way they tell the Cinderella story is very close to how modern age teenagers deal with things like love. Some of the ways they portray the Cinderella elements are not like love. Most of the love stuff like them chatting online is how teenagers flirt and or talk to each other. The loss of the father takes a bigger toll on this new Cinderella then the old animated Disney one. The stepmother is a little more wicked and vindictive in this version of the Cinderella story then in the original animated one. She makes her work at the diner long hours, tells her how ugly and not talented she is. She puts all of the wonderful things on her daughters. At the end Sam gets fed up with Austin and goes into the locker room before the big game to tell him off. She had enough people let her down she was not going to let him be one of them. Then having just stood up to both him and the stepmother Fiona, she wants to go home and just forget about everything that happened. But then Austin runs off the field and right as the kiss rains falls signaling the end of the drought. Because she said "Waiting for you is like waiting for rain in the drought useless and disappointing". I like how in the diner scene Sam sees the words on the wall when the guitar falls (They had been teasing it was going to fall during the whole movie, whenever the door closed they would show it shaking). "Never let the fear of striking our keep you from playing the game" and am reminded that she should not be afraid to stand up to her, because she won't take it anymore. Definitely recommend making this a must see.
H Kilcoyne
This movie left a fishy taste in my mouth. A fishy taste of joy, because I was salivating from the moment Hilary Duff's pubescent face graced the screen. Hilary's best friend is a quirky dork who can't drive. I found him deeply arousing throughout and his impression of Zorro left me in a writhing state of ecstasy. He can point his sword at me any day. Onto the plot, which made little to no sense. There were frequent references to an unknown place called Norwegia which may hold potential for my next overseas holiday. It seems to be home to a large quantity of Atlantic Salmon, which appeals to my insatiable appetite for fishy flavours. Hilary Duff-induced or otherwise.Apparently putting a small piece of fabric over your eyes is enough to serve as a foolproof disguise. Hilary Duff was unrecognisable after donning her white eye-mask, with her grating voice, flowing blonde tresses and caked-on makeup holding no clue as to her true, sordid identity. Not even a hint! She was completely transformed.Jennifer Coolidge was a revelation as the botoxed step-mother. Her breast implants were like small planets to which I gladly orbited. I have since become an air-borne satellite, rising each evening to salute these silicon-filled beacons of hope. Even now I feel my frail body being sucked in by their gravitational pull. I succumb willingly.The two step sisters' synchronised swimming routine brought me considerable joy. The enormous fart Gracie unleashes upon the swimming pool - spewed forth from her so- called "spastic colon" - stood out as a particular highlight of comic perfection.In conclusion, wear a mask and engage in a sordid online relationship and you'll end up with a prince charming read: sexual predator to call your own.
callanvass
Sam Montgomery loses her father during an earthquake when she is eight years old, leaving her with the domineering stepmother Fiona, and her meddling step sisters. Sam becomes a slave to Fiona's needs, which includes working at a diner, and making sure Fiona gets whatever she wants. Sam doesn't have much of a social life because of Fiona. The only people who care about her is her best friend Carter, and a girl she works with, Rhonda. She's also interacting with a mysterious pal online named Nomad through texts and emails. They both deal with family issues, both want to get into Princeton, though Sam is a bit reluctant to show her true self to him because Sam doesn't realize Nomad is Austin Ames. Austin doesn't realize the girl of his dreams is Sam. Despite being ordered to work that night by Fiona, Sam heads to the dance, thanks to Rhoda lending her a beautiful white dress. Sam finds out that Nomad is actually Austin Ames. Sam leaves abruptly because she doesn't want Fiona to find out she is at the dance. Austin is left wondering who his "Cinderella" is. He becomes adamant about finding who she is. They both had a night they'll never forget, but will their respective family issues keep them apart?I love Hilary Duff. She's gorgeous, genuine, and a great role model. She's also two years younger than me. My crush on her aside, I thought this was a fun movie for what it was. It's innocuous for kids and teens alike, and even adults will get a few smiles out of it. I thought the way they set the story up was very clever. It takes an old fashioned fantasy like Cinderella, and sets the story in a contemporary setting. It throws in some fantasy aspects, while keeping it real with everyday life. They didn't complicate it, and it worked out well. Maybe i'm just a sucker for some cute romance, but I found this movie to be quite romantic. It's a typical story with your usual clichés of good overcoming all evil. The heroine is considered an outsider by the popular people, the school hunk dumps the vixen he's dating for the less fortunate heroine. It's not entirely original, but it's worked many times before, and the formula works again in this movie. It helps that it is a bit more innovative than most with how they pull it off. Hilary Duff is as cute as a button as Sam. She is incredibly charming, very likable, and conveys the proper emotions when necessary. It's not much of a stretch for her, but I thought she was terrific. Anyone that doesn't rally behind her character has no soul. Chad Michael Murray is above average as the love interest. I wouldn't say he blew me away, but he is charming enough to make the role work. He had great chemistry with Duff as well. Jennifer Coolidge steals many scenes as the evil stepmother. She had some terrific lines. I couldn't help but love her. Dan Byrd is a hoot as Duff's best friend, Carter. His nerdy persona was fun to watch. Regina King is great as well as Rhonda. I did think the ending was a tad too convenient. It seemed a little too neat and conventional for me, but it was the right way to end things. You need a happy ending for movies like these. As predictable and clichéd as the ending is, I dare you not to smile. Final Thoughts: It's nothing earth shattering, but it'll pass the time very nicely. If you want some smiles, chuckles, and a movie that will make you feel good after it's over, this is a decent pick. 6/10
kiley72
Kiley Marriott June 14th, 2012 LA II Movie review A Cinderella StoryA Cinderella Story is a movie inspired by the classic "Cinderella" princess fairytale, put into a real-life teen scenario, sprinkled with some over-exaggeration and high school stereotypes. The family-friendly romance is played by the gorgeous Hilary Duff and the handsome Chad Michael Murray, accompanied with Jennifer Coolidge. Although the actors are quite well-recognized, the rest of the crew is not. A Cinderella Story was directed by Mark Rosman (The man who also directed the Lizzie McGuire TV series) and released in 2004 by Warner Bros. When Sam Montgomery (Hilary Duff) loses her father at an early age his dreadful wife Fiona (Jennifer Coolidge), who can also be referred to as the Evil Stepmother, takes over Sam's life making her attend high school, work as a diner girl (At Fionas inherited business) and erasing any chance Sam has at a successful future. The only good things in Sam's life are her best friend Carter, her co-worker Rhonda, and her secret admirer/internet pen pal, "Nomad." High school life is made dreadful for Sam by the popular kids, Shelby, Shelby's crew, Shelby's boyfriend Austin Ames, and Sam's "Evil stepsisters" Brianna & Gabriella. The story takes place in the San Fernando Valley, California, present day. Tormented by her evil step mom Fiona, Sam Montgomery's life isn't the slightest bit easy. Between working full time, attending high school, and secretly trying to save up for college, poor Sam's stress levels are escalating. I won't even mention how Shelby, the popular girl at school, has to go out of her way to embarrass Sam every chance she gets, constantly calling her "Diner Girl" and making sly remarks to her unpopularity. The only thing that keeps pushing Sam forward is her texting pal "Nomad," whom she's never met in person but seems to be quite the Prince Charming. They both dream of attending Princeton College and getting away from everyone in their town, if only their parents weren't holding them back. When "Nomad" wittingly tells Sam to meet him at the Halloween school dance, in the center of the dance floor, she overloads, feeling all too excited and nervous at once. After her best friends Rhonda and Carter talk her into going and set her up with a dress and masquerade mask, she flees to the dance only to find out Fiona wants her at the diner at midnight, and Fiona can't find out Sam attended the dance. Finally, Sam makes it to the center of the dance floor, where she meets "Nomad," who is no letdown, he is actually the beautiful Austin Ames. The two share a romantic dance together but before Sam can tell Austin who she really is, she realizes she has to get back to the diner pronto! Sam races back to the diner, just in time to play it off as though she's been working and through a series of events, Sam and Austin end up together. Glamour and luxury become nonexistent in Fiona's life after the police find out she had lied about Sam's father's will, and "Diner Girl" becomes "Princeton-bound Girl" along with her "Prince Charming" Austin. A big part of this movie is when Fiona storms into the diner, knocking down a guitar (And wallpaper with it) revealing the words "DON'T LET THE FEAR OF STRIKING OUT KEEP YOU FROM PLAYING THE GAME." I believe the theme of this movie is to go after what you want, don't let others get in the way of your happiness. If you feel like you belong somewhere in life, get there. You need to strive for it, push for it, make it happen. If Sam had not worked so hard in school and taken chances to meet "Nomad" she never would have gotten either. Sam dreamed, Sam desired, Sam succeeded. You can too. A Cinderella Story can easily be applied to anyone's everyday life. We all know someone who is that drama queen, stuck up kid, or stereotypical snob; someone who only thinks of themselves, wears way too much makeup or reads far too many magazines; someone who puts way too much of their time in making others happy, never gives themselves a break, and dreams of something that seems so hard to reach. The characters in this movie can be compared to tons of people we know and the lessons learned in this movie are all ones we have to accept some time in our lives. The storyline and message of this movie are basically written out for us, not hidden between twisted meanings. You have to work towards what you want, overcome who brings you down, find what makes you happy and never let go. I enjoyed this movie because it contains no twisted story lines, nor gruesome torture, nor haunting tales. A Cinderella Story is simply a cute movie with a fairy-tale feel. By my judgment, I would recommend A Cinderella Story to anyone who is just looking for a easygoing love story. Knowing a basic boy, this movie probably isn't for you. However, if you are looking for a feel-good cinema and an all age show, pop this film in your DVD player and laugh along with some cheesy jokes and big smiles.