With "Cinderella," it's about the shoes.

That qualifies the live-action "Cinderella" as a chick's flick.Yet, just as a pair of ruby slippers is part of Dorothy's quest along the yellow brick road in "The Wizard Of Oz" (1939), there's much more to the "Cinderella" story than a pair of glass slippers.In the live-action "Cinderella," narration by Helena Bonham Carter (onscreen a stunning Fairy Godmother) keeps the story on track, fills in the blanks and appeals to the movie-goer's sense of being read to from a storybook.Director Kenneth Branagh ("Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit," 2014; "Thor," 2011) puts closeups for key dialogue scenes to good use, uses medium shots to show off the incredibly gorgeous costumes of Cinderella (Lily James), her two step-sisters, Anastasia (Holliday Grainger) and Drisella (Sophie McShera), and her stepmother (Cate Blanchett), as well as for the wonderful ball dance scene between Cinderella and the Prince (Richard Madden), detailed sets and magnificent panoramas of the countryside around Cinderella's and the Prince's castles.The screenplay by Chris Weitz (director, "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," 2009; writer-director," The Golden Compass," 2007, and "About A Boy," 2002) hews to the well-loved Cinderella fairy tale represented by the 1950 Walt Disney animation feature, classic versions in Italian, Russian and Greek (dating to 7 B.C.) and the more well-known "Cendrillon" (1697) by Charles Perrault, but not the darker "Aschenputtel" (1812) by the Brothers Grimm.Cinderella's interactions with computer-generated mice, the transformation of the pumpkin, the mice, a lizard and a goose into Cinderella's carriage, horses and livery is amazing to behold."Cinderella" is paced by excellent lead performances by James and Madden, supporting turns by Blanchett and Bonham Carter, and brief turns by Stellan Skarsgård (Grand Duke), Derek Jacobi (King), Ben Chaplin (Ella's father) and Hayley Atwell (Ella's mother).Cinderella's mantra, instilled in her by her mother, is to "have courage and be kind" and believe in magic.When all is said and done, Cinderella learns it's best "to be seen as we truly are." That may get you all glassy-eyed.Therein lies the real magic."Cinderella," MPAA Rated PG (Parental Guidance Suggested. Some Material May Not Be Suitable For Children.) for mild thematic elements; Genre: Drama, Family, Fantasy, Romance; Run Time: 1 hr., 44 min.; Distributed by Walt Disney Pictures.Credit Readers Anonymous: "Cinderella" is preceded by a seven-minute animated film, "Frozen Fever," which includes "Making Today A Perfect Day, by "Frozen" songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez and sung by Idina Menzel. During the "Cinderella" closing credits, Lily James sings "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" and Helena Bonham Carter sings "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo." Both songs were in the 1950 Disney "Cinderella" animated film.Box Office, March 27: "Home" found a home, with the DreamWorks animated comedy feature landing at No. 1, with $54 million, opening, keeping the Will Ferrell-Kevin Hart comedy, "Get Hard" opening at No. 2, with $34.6 million; pushing "The Divergent Series: Insurgent" from No. 1 to No. 3, with $22 million, $86.3 million, two weeks:4. "Cinderella," $17.5 million, $150 million, three weeks; 5. "It Follows," $4 million, $4.7 million, three weeks; 6. "Kingsman: The Secret Service," $3 million. $119.4 million, seven weeks; 7. "Run All Night," $2.2 million, $23.8 million, three weeks; 8. "The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel," $2.1 million, $28.1 million, four weeks; 9. "Do You Believe?" $2.1 million, $7 million, two weeks; 10. "The Gunman," $2 million, $8 million, two weeksUnreel, April 3:"Furious 7," PG-13: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez and the late Paul Walker continue the mayhem in the action thriller directed by James Wan."Woman In Gold," PG-13: Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds and Katie Holmes star in the drama about an elderly female Jewish refugee trying to recover her family's art collection.Read Paul Willistein's movie reviews at the Lehigh Valley Press website, thelehighvalley-press.com; the Times News website, tnonline.com; and hear them on "Lehigh Valley Art Salon," 6-6:30 p.m. Mondays, WDIY 88.1 FM, wdiy.org, where the movie reviews are archived. Email Paul Willistein: pwillistein@ tnonline. com. Follow Paul Willistein on Twitter @ PaulWillistein and friend Paul Willistein on Facebook.Three Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes