Many young kids wish for that Cinderella tale of going from rags to riches and finding true love. I was one of those girls, and I still am. To satisfy my craving of the Cinderella story I loved so much, I turned to movies.
The range of different types of Cinderella movies is grand, but they all follow the same plot many know and love—with some variations, of course. I decided to rank a bunch of Cinderella movies that I have watched. This list is by no means all of the Cinderella movies in the world, but these are common ones many have heard about and some that I found and love.
My ranking system is simple: there must be a wicked stepparent or guardian, evil step sibling(s), deceased parents, a love interest, a metaphorical glass slipper, rags to riches, a fairy godmother, a concealed identity and a happy ending. My ranking system will span from 1, or the least Cinderella, to 5, an almost perfect rendition of the original Cinderella tale. (By original, I mean the Disney’s 1950 animated Cinderella.)
I am not rating the movies based on how much I enjoyed them; I am only ranking them by my Cinderella scale.
Let the magic begin!
A Cinderella Story
This 2004 version starring Hilary Duff as Sam, or Cinderella, is a good one to start with since many people know it.
Deceased parent(s): A sad check to Sam’s widowed father beginning the Cinderella story.
Wicked stepparent or guardian: This is a solid check to an evil stepmother.
Evil step sibling(s): Another check to two evil stepsiblings.
A love interest: A beautiful check to Chad Michael Murray, or Austin, the one guy we all wanted as our Prince Charming.
A fairy godmother: Two checks to Sam’s best friend and her mentor at her father’s diner.
A concealed identity: Sam hides her identity from her beau, Austin, for most of the movie online and in person.
A metaphorical glass slipper: Sam’s cell phone, which she loses at a ball.
Rags to riches: This one is a bit more complicated, but it is there!
A happy ending: Obviously, this one is very present.
My Cinderella Ranking: 5/5, or a perfect fit!
Another Cinderella Story
This 2008 rendition stars Selena Gomez as Mary. This is also another well-known Cinderella remake.
Deceased parent(s): Mary’s mother dies. There is no mention of a father.
Wicked stepparent or guardian: This role is played by Jane Lynch as she becomes a legal guardian to Mary.
Evil step sibling(s): There are two very annoying “step” sisters.
A love interest: This Prince Charming and pop star is played by Drew Seeley.
A fairy godmother: A check to a best friend who steps into the role of the fairy godmother.
A concealed identity: Mary wears a mask to a dance and runs from her prince.
A metaphorical glass slipper: Mary loses her Zune, an old music player.
Rags to riches: Mary is dating a rich pop star and she gets a scholarship to her dream school. I think that counts.
A happy ending: Another check!
My Cinderella Ranking: 5/5, or another perfect fit!
Not Cinderella’s Type
This Amazon Prime original movie stars Paris Warner as Indy and has become a favorite of mine. Although I said I wasn’t going to give opinions, this one has so much more meaning behind it than other Cinderella movies, and I really love it.
Deceased parent(s): Both of Indy’s parents are gone.
Wicked stepparent or guardian: Indy lives with her Aunt and Uncle.
Evil step sibling(s): There are also two cousins who become sort of like step siblings.
A love interest: Indy gets two love interests played by Tim Flynn and Tanner Gillman.
A fairy Godmother: There are a few people who save Indy from her Aunt and Uncle, but I’m not going to spoil it.
A concealed identity: From what I can see, there are no hidden identities here.
A metaphorical glass slipper: There is a cat that can be her glass slipper, but it might be a stretch.
Rags to riches: A huge check.
A happy ending: A very happy yes!
My Cinderella Ranking: 4, or almost perfect!
A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song
This 2011 remake stars Lucy Hale as Katie, a girl who loves to sing.
Deceased parent(s): Sadly, Katie’s parents are gone.
Wicked stepparent or guardian: An evil check to a wicked stepmother.
Evil step sibling(s): A check to an evil step sister and a step brother who redeems himself.
A love interest: A yummy yes played by Freddie Stroma.
A fairy Godmother: A check to a best friend and other helpers along the way!
A concealed identity: Katie hides who she is from her man at a dance.
A metaphorical glass slipper: Katie’s voice is what identifies our princess.
Rags to riches: Another yes.
A happy ending: A very cute yes!
My Cinderella Ranking: 5/5, or another perfect fit!
A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits
This movie is from 2016. It stars Sofia Carson as Tessa. This one centers around a musical about Cinderella.
Deceased parent(s): The movie reveals that her father has passed.
Wicked stepparent or guardian: Tessa lives with her stepmother.
Evil step sibling(s): She also has two awful stepsisters.
A love interest: Another check to the amazing Thomas Law.
A fairy Godmother: A check to an amazing hair and makeup artist.
A concealed identity: Tessa spends a lot of the movie disguised as a blonde British girl named Bella.
A metaphorical glass slipper: She loses her sneaker that has been personalized with a beautiful flower.
Rags to riches: Just a simple yes to not spoil too much.
A happy ending: An obvious yes.
My Cinderella Ranking: 5/5, or another perfect fit!
Rags
This Nickelodeon original movie flips the Cinderella stereotype on its head. Max Schneider stars as Charlie, a male Cinderella who hopes to be a singer.
Deceased parent(s): Another sad yes.
Wicked stepparent or guardian: An awful stepfather. This part is also usually a woman.
Evil step sibling(s): Charlie has two stepbrothers.
A love interest: This amazing singer played by the lovely Keke Palmer.
A fairy Godmother: I loved this role played by the ever-popular Drake Bell.
A concealed identity: Charlie hides his identity at a party hosted by a record label.
A metaphorical glass slipper: Charlie loses his demo CD with his original song on it.
Rags to riches: A happy yes.
A happy ending: Another yes!
My Cinderella Ranking: 5/5, or another perfect fit!
While there are so many more movies out there, I can’t list them all or I would be here forever.
I hope you all reclaimed your inner Cinderella!
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