A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish mashes together a timeless story and the holiday season, a perfect blend for fans of this genre of films that will surely find enjoyment from it.
Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of this Blu-ray/DVD that I reviewed in this blog post. The opinions I share are my own.
“Kat Decker could use a Christmas miracle! The aspiring singer-songwriter has big dreams… and bigger problems. Her vain stepmother forces her to be a singing elf at billionaire Terrence Wintergarden’s Santa Land, but the job has one bright spot: Nick, the handsome new Santa. As the Wintergarden Christmas Gala approaches, Kat’s stepmother and stepsisters are determined to keep her from going. Could an attentive dog, a BFF and a sprinkling of holiday magic help turn things around? Join Laura Marano (Disney’s Austin & Ally), Gregg Sulkin (Marvel’s Runaways) and Isabella Gomez (One Day at a Time) in this modern-day reimagining of the cherished classic.”
Take the story of Cinderella, throw in some auto-tune songs with a modern-day twist and make it all about Christmas and you’ve got A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish. It’s a smart move, taking that story and turning it into a Christmas film, as there is a clear market for these types of films come holiday season time for the majority of families to turn on in the background and not pay attention.
A Cinederella Story: Christmas Wish doesn’t set out to be anything groundbreaking. It’s a niche holiday film market whose target audience is definitely young teens and older audiences who enjoy the Hallmark Channel; definitely not myself. However, trying to see the film through that lens, it does a decent job at merging the two themes: oppressed young woman taken advantage of by her family, and the spirit of Christmas. The modern twist on the story can be entertaining at times, with her stepsister posting a video of her falling down on social media to humiliate her which goes viral. They try to validate the reasons why Kat would put up with all of this nonsense, as her father has died leaving her stepmother, Diedre, in charge of her inheritance until she turns eighteen. Still, in today’s society it seems impossible a girl would put up with this kind of treatment from her stepfamily, nor that Kat’s father, a kind and generous man who seems to be the total opposite of Diedre, would ever marry her. But, A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish isn’t a film that should be taken too seriously, or thought about beyond the surface, because it just isn’t designed to be anything but exactly what you’d think.
Laura Marano, a Disney Channel alum, is a decent actress/singer. However, this is absolutely ruined by the horrid auto-tune that just has to be used on every song, which doesn’t even make sense as she’s supposed to be singing to a group of kids on an outdoor stage, not holding a microphone at a concert hall. Despite the heart of the film being Kat’s dream to become a singer/songwriter, these musical numbers are by far the worst part of the production. The last sequences has some pretty cringeworthy lip syncing that doesn’t look remotely like it’s real.
Video
The film is presented in 1080p High Definition Widescreen 1.78:1. The transfer of this film looks great, with no blemishes or defects noted. This clearly wasn’t a high-budget production, and the overall look of the film reflects that, but the target audience of this film isn’t going to be noticing or even caring about things like that. Overall picture is clear and detailed, with a good balance in color.
Audio
The audio is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. A good audio track, mostly dialogue and a very cheesy musical score that always seems to be playing. As I mentioned, the singing sequences sound good, but the overall look and matching of Laura Marano’s performance seems a bit off.
Special Features
- The Looks and Costumes of Christmas Wish
- The Mic and the Stage
There is a rather large audience for these types of films, otherwise they would not keep getting made. Although I don’t particularly enjoy them myself, others do, who wish for nothing extravagant or too deep in meaning, just something wholesome to make you feel good. A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish succeeds in accomplishing that, and for fans of this genre that’s all that matters.
