So much average

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

I saw this movie back when it came out and I really enjoyed it. I thought Lilly Collins did a great job. I also picked up on a parallel to Leda and the Swan, the story where Zeus falls in love with a mortal named Leda, and he turns into a swan and seduces her an they have ttwins. The little reference they included I thought was when Snow White dresses for the ball as a Swan and seduces the other prince. JUst thought that was interesting.

After hearing for years how this movie was a bore, I though another tale of snow white, good job there Hollywood. But then I saw this added to Netflix Japan and I gave it a go. To my delightful surprise this movie was humorous and colorful. I'm not saying there weren't predictable parts or a bit of cheese. But overall there were so many silly parts I found myself laughing out loud. If there's any reason to watch this movie it's the comical back and forth between the seven dwarfs. The colors were so vivid that you might have thought Wes Anderson chimed in now and then. The only part I got second hand embarrassment from was the song at the ending, it was just a bit off.

Mirror Mirror (2012): Dir: Tarsem Singh / Cast: Lily Collins, Julia Roberts, Armie Hammer, Nathan Lane, Sean Bean: Mirror Mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all? Well, certainly not this film. It is corny, campy and completely relies on its spectacular sets and colourful costumes to carry it. It regards reflection as Julia Roberts plays the evil Queen completely slaved to vanity. Her step-daughter Snow White has been locked away for eighteen years but once she ventures to the outdoor world she discovers the poverty stricken society suffering from taxes from the Queen. She also befriends seven dwarfs as well as a Prince. Begins with promise before descending into predictable tripe that becomes nearly unbearable. Director Tarsem Singh brings great visual appeal as he did with The Cell. Julia Roberts steals the film as the Queen delivering sarcasm in an icy tone. Lily Collins as Snow White is lovely and resembles a young Audrey Hepburn but her performance here is flat and hopefully not a reflection of things to come. The real disappointment is Armie Hammer's over the top performance as the Prince who is eventually struck with a spell that has him acting like a dog. This is embarrassing for an actor who delivered Oscar worthy work in films such as The Social Network and J. Edgar. Nathan Lane does his best in the forgettable role of Queen's punching bag. Sean Bean plays the king and the character is about as engaging as a seat cushion. While it attempts to liven the Snow White story it only mirrors any other failed effort to bring live action to what worked originally. Score: 5 ½ / 10

Between animated versions, live action version, takeoffs, homages, television show, etc. of the classic Grim fairy tale it is entirely possible you've seen this version before and have just lost track. An A-list celebrity stars as the protagonist despite being the bad guy but this isn't "Maleficient". That is a separate movie, the difference being that movie involves a re-contextualization so that we see things from the antagonist's perspective although that movie isn't "Wicked". That was musical based on "The Wizard of Oz" presumably the original not the remake with James DiFranco. Basically, Hollywood is so out of ideas that it's becoming difficult to keep track and maybe you should just watch it even though you may or may not have already seen it. See enough current titles and you've seen every plot ever used in the last 10 years anyway. In short, entertaining if a whole lot derivative.