Cinderella might be one of the most remade fairytale movies of all time. In fact, IMDb lists twenty-two different versions of the story since 1950. With that many remakes, it’s hard to find a way to be original, but director Kay Cannon did just that with her new Cinderella movie.
Rather than focusing on just the story, Cannon emphasized the music. The first part of the film’s logline reads, “Cinderella is a musically-driven bold new take on the traditional story you grew up with.” In other words, Cannon’s version brought the story into the 21st century by featuring modern pop music. It was the perfect way to keep the classic tale fresh and relatable. So, here are some of the best songs from the film and how they enhanced the characters and situations.
“Million to One”
“Million to One” is an original song, and it’s the very heart of Cinderella. Performed by Ella (Camila Cabello), it shows her commitment to herself and her dreams even in the face of adversity. Its chorus reads: “If it’s a million to one / I’m gonna be that one and / If it’s a shot in the dark / I’m gonna be the sun / And I just can’t afford to be wrong / Even when I’m afraid / You’re gonna know my name / Yeah you’re gonna know my name.”
“The New Barry”
“The New Barry” is by Ben Bailey Smith, and it’s one of a few songs rapped by the Town Crier (Doc Brown). This one in particular introduces his role as the crier and announces the changing of the guard. Backed by a band, the Town Crier provides a few interludes to catch the audience up or provide context for what’s coming next.
“Somebody to Love”
Backed by a conveniently placed gospel choir and some marching, dancing guards, Prince Robert (Nicholas Galitzine) provides an excellent version of Queen’s “Somebody to Love.” It follows an order from his father that he will find a bride at the coming ball, even if he doesn’t love her. That thought troubles Robert, so he sings about desperately finding a bride that he can love.
“Am I Wrong”
Cinderella is all about challenging the status quo, and this song might be the most fitting anthem for its message. It’s a true group number, performed by the entire cast in their respective places, while each sings about his or her personal struggle. Robert wants to marry Ella, but she is a commoner. Ella wants to make something of herself at the ball, but her stepmother (Idina Menzel) doesn’t like the idea. Meanwhile, Princess Gwen (Tallulah Greive) resents her inability to contribute to the kingdom since she is a girl, and Queen Beatrice (Minnie Driver) doesn’t like how her husband, King Rowan (Pierce Brosnan), lords his power over her. So, everyone is asking, as a group, what’s wrong with change.
“Shining Star”
As Ella is leaving for the ball, she and Fab G (Billy Porter) sing Earth, Wind & Fire’s classic lyrics, “You’re a shining star, no matter who you are / Shining bright to see what you can truly be.” Meanwhile, the three mice (James Corden, James Acaster and Romesh Ranganathan) act as backup singers and provide comedic relief.
“Whatta Man” / “Seven Nation Army” (mashup)
This mashup of Salt-N-Pepa’s and The White Stripes’ songs happens at the beginning of the ball, and more than any other number in the movie, it’s a dance number. All of the eligible girls are singing about “what a mighty good man” Prince Robert is and trying to catch his eye. Meanwhile, he has already decided that he only wants Ella for his bride, so he is determined to “fight ‘em off” as they all swarm around him.
“Perfect”
As anyone could have predicted, Prince Robert’s love song for Ella is “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran. Together, they perform a duet of the song as they meet at the center of the ballroom floor and slow dance.
“Dream Girl”
The only negative song in Cinderella is performed by Ella’s stepmother Vivian. She tells Ella how her dream never worked out, so that’s why Ella shouldn’t pursue her own dream. She sings, “The world doesn’t need another dream girl.” Her idea of success was to preserve the status quo by burying her talent and marrying up for status and money. In reality, Vivian just wanted the benefits of having a princess for a stepdaughter.
To see each of these musical numbers come to life, watch Cinderella, available now on Amazon Prime Video.
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