Blancanieves (2012)

Genre

Drama

Director

Pablo Berger

Countries

Spain, France

Cast

Macarena Garcia, Maribel Verdú, Daniel Giménez Cacho, Angela Molina, Inma Cuesta, Sofia Oria, Josep Maria Pou, Ramon Barea, Pere Ponce, Emilio Gavira

Storyline

After her grandmother (Angela Molina) dies, young Carmen (Sofia Oria) goes to live with her former bullfighter and now paraplegic father (Daniel Giménez Cacho) and her evil stepmother Encarna (Maribel Verdú). Years later, when Carmen (Macarena Garcia) is a beautiful young woman, Encarna plot to kill her, but her plan fails when she is rescued by a band of travelling bullfighting dwarfs that sees Carmen's natural skills as a bullfighter and helps her to become one.

Opinion

I've seen several Snow White-inspired films in the past few years and they all had one thing in common, they were terrible movies. Now, I've been fascinated by this fairy tale since I was a kid and watching such terrible movies was quite hard to digest. Then, a couple of months ago, I discovered the existence of Blancanieves, this Spanish movie that almost made it to the Best Foreign Language Oscar short-list. A black-and-white silent version of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale set in 1920s Spain where Snow White/Blancanieves is a bullfighter. I just couldn't say no. And I'm glad I did so because Blancanieves is one of the best adaptations of the fairy tale I've seen.

And it's exactly that different setting that makes the film work so well. In fact, when making a film with such a classic and well-known story there's always the risk to make an uninteresting film, which Pablo Berger avoids by telling it in a refreshing and unexpected way that will have you constantly waiting for famous plot points only to see what's his take on them. And being it told so differently, although we already know how the story is going to end, it's more than a pleasure to follow Carmen's journey.

That, however, isn't the film's greatest strength which would arguably be the visuals. Blancanieves has a tremendous black and white photography, a use of dissolves that beautifully brings together the past and present and a masterful use of lights and shadows. To that, add the 1.33:1 aspect ratio that gives the movie an even more authentic silent movie feeling.

And have I mentioned the score? It is moving and emotive and it beautifully blends into the story. Not to mention that it makes you feel like you're inside the movie.

At last but not least there's the cast, a talented cast to be precise. In addition to a magnificent leading cast - Macarena Garcia, Maribel Verdú and Daniel Giménez Cacho respectively as grown-up Carmen/Blancanieves, the stepmother and the father -, the film also features a strong supporting cast.

Mirror Mirror (2012)

Genre

Adventure | Comedy | Drama

Director

Tarsem Singh

Country

USA | Czech Republic

Cast

Julia Roberts, Lily Collins, Armie Hammer, Nathan Lane, Mare Winningham, Michael Lerner, Sean Bean, Danny Woodburn, Martin Klebba, Sebastian Saraceno, Jordan Prentice, Mark Povinelli, Joe Gnoffo, Ronald Lee Clark, Lisa Roberts Gillan, Robert Emms, Alex Ivanovici, Frank Welker

Storyline

After a beloved King vanishes, his ruthless wife (Julia Roberts) seizes control of the kingdom and keeps her beautiful 18-year-old stepdaughter, Snow White (Lily Collins), hidden away in the palace. But when the princess attracts the attention of a charming and wealthy visiting prince (Armie Hammer), the jealous Queen banishes the girl to a nearby forest. Taken in by a band of rebellious but kindhearted dwarfs, Snow White blossoms into a brave young woman determined to save her country from the Queen.

Opinion

Magic mirror on the wall, which is the worst fairy tale movie in the world? Of course this one, Majesty.

Tedious, tedious, and tedious, Mirror Mirror doesn't work neither as a comedy nor as a drama, failing both in being funny and dramatic. It rather feels like a parody gone bad.

The beautiful fairy tale written by the Brothers Grimm that we all know and love brought to the screen for the first time by Walt Disney has been completely destroyed firstly by the writers and secondly by the director, who thought it was appropriate to make a film out of that crap.

If on one hand, the idea of repropose a story in a different way is not original, it still stimulates the audience's interest. Unfortunately, the story is really bad in here, and Snow White doesn't really help. The character is just so not sympathetic, you'll probably end up rooting for the Queen, and she is not that great either. For some unknown reasons, Armie Hammer is constantly shirtless. Not to mention the horrendous Bollywood musical scene that FINALLY ends the film. The dwarfs, which are now robbers because apparently being miners is too mainstream, easily steal the show, and you may find yourself smiling a few times thank to them. I said smile not laughing. Not even the extraordinary costumes by Eiko Ishioka can save the film from the abyss.

Having her carrier sinking like the Titanic, Julia Roberts fails in being an effective villain. She is not intimidating at all. Lily Collins, blasphemously compared by some critics to Audrey Hepburn, may be pretty and graceful, but she delivers a flat performance - the script surely didn't help there. Armie Hammer is nothing more than a man-object, annoying and ridiculous besides.