Snow White

(No Snow White &) The Huntsman: Winter’s War

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: The Huntsman: Winter’s War
  • wiki: link

The Huntsman: Winter's WarI wasn’t too impressed with 2012’s retelling of the fairy tale of Snow White. While visually elegant, I felt the story lacked heart and a willingness to truly embrace the fairy tale. Dumping one of its two title characters for the sequel, The Huntsman: Winter’s War brings back the Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth), the evil Ravenna (Charlize Theron), and two of the seven dwarves (Nick Frost and Rob Brydon) in a movie that is both prequel and sequel to the original.

The movie’s plot-heavy first forty minutes or so is problematic as the sequel explains the origins of Ravenna’s sister Freya (Emily Blunt) who will serve as the main villain this time around. These sequences also explain Freya’s madness brought on by tragedy and her army of Huntsman. This offers an extended backstory on Hemsworth’s character as well, including his relationship to both Freya and another Huntsman (Jessica Chastain) who kicks her share of ass and turns out be a far more interesting character than Kristen Stewart‘s Snow White. While still flawed, the sequel proves to be more fun than the original and something closer to the questionable success of Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters and Jack the Giant Slayer.

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The Fairest of Them All

/ / Home Video
  • Title: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
  • IMDB: link

snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarfs-blu-ray75 years ago Walt Disney set out to create the first animated feature film by adapting the Brothers Grimm fairy tale of Snow White about a beautiful princess, a jealous queen, a magic mirror, and seven dwarves. Disney had to fight his business partners, movie theaters who balked at showing a full-length animated film, and a Hollywood movie business that saw the entire project as nothing more than “Disney’s Folly.”

Despite these obstacles, the film premiered to a standing ovation and went on to be the highest grossing motion picture of all time. (A record the film held until the release of Gone with the Wind.) The movie was an immediate box office and critical success that would give birth to an entire genre of animated film. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs would be re-released in theaters eight times over the next half-century, each time earning new fans and more praise.

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Mirror Mirror

/ / Home Video
  • Title: Mirror Mirror
  • IMDB: link

mirror-mirror-blu-rayDirected by Tarsem Singh (The Cell, The Fall) Mirror Mirror was the first of two movies this year adapting the fairy tale of Snow White for the big screen. Mirror Mirror, much like Snow White and the Huntsman, is a bit of a mixed bag. The film definitely targets a younger audience with its PG Rating, but Lily Collins‘ Snow White is a pretty drab leading lady (at least until she starts her bandit career), and, despite what we’re told in the film’s opening narration, this is certainly Snow White’s tale and not that of the Queen (Julia Roberts).

After a brief opening narration, the film opens on Snow White’s 18th birthday where she ventures out into the village for the first time since the death of her father, the King (Sean Bean), years before. On her journey she will learn just how ruthless the Queen has become, meet a charming young prince (Armie Hammer) and a motley crew of dwarf thieves pretending to be giants, and find a way to live happily ever after.

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Snow White, Thor, and the Land of Meh

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Snow White and the Huntsman
  • IMDB: link

snow-white-and-the-huntsman-posterThe fairy tale of Snow White has been adapted to film and television several times over the years, most notably in Disney’s first animated feature Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Snow White and the Huntsman marks the second time the story has hit the big screen this year alone (Mirror Mirror opened in theaters two months ago). Sure it may be better than Amanda Bynes‘ recent take on the character, but the latest version from director Rupert Sanders is a lavish affair that unfolds without an adequate supply of heart.

Our story opens with the birth of a young princess and the death of a Queen (Liberty Ross). The realm’s grief-stricken King (Noah Huntley) finds himself bewitched by the obviously evil Ravenna (Charlize Theron) who kills her husband on their wedding night and assumes the throne. Years later the princess, Snow White (Kristen Stewart), kept under lock and key for a decade, manages to escape the castle and begin a journey to free the realm from the witch’s power.

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