Mirror Mirror

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Disney's version of the Brothers Grimm tale remains the most iconic, but 2010 gave us a live-action alternative that also serves as an updated take.

Mirror Mirror, featuring Lily Collins as Snow White, gives the famous character a feminist twist. She rescues two men in the woods and fights a beast herself. She still falls in love with a man, but Snow no longer relies on him. Besides, Snow acknowledges her desire to reverse the traditional fairy tale ending in which the prince saves the princess.

The dwarves are no longer mine workers, but warriors. They team up with Snow in times of battle. It is also cool how the dwarves have springs that can extend their legs. That's why they could fight with much-taller men at the beginning.

The evil queen is still present and perhaps nameless, but she adds even more tension to the plot besides simply plotting Snow's murder. She marries her father only to send him into the woods. The single queen then places a wintry curse on the kingdom via her magic mirror. It is no longer just a talking mirror; the queen actually steps into it. Another cool tension-building twist is the queen's plan to marry Snow's fiancé.

In addition to the clever twists, there is also a well-orchestrated classical score (fun fact: Alan Menken of Disney fame worked on the music). The sophisticated costumes, especially Snow's yellow floral dress, and set perfectly complement the score.

The best part about the story is the creative introduction: the evil queen narrates over shots of Snow White's life up to that point in figurines. Before the story goes to the present day, the evil queen asks whether it is her story or Snow's. 

As creative and clever as the film is, there are some problems. There are scenes that move too fast or too slow at times, making it difficult to stay engaged. The occasional-dim lighting could be a factor even though most of the film is well-lit. 

Snow may be a feminist update of the iconic princess, but there is still not much character development. As she fights battles, not much about her changes other than her hairstyle and outfits.

Plus, it is interesting to watch the evil queen get a makeover. They used weird things such as bird poop and bee stings to pamper her. A face mask made from bird poop is unsanitary, but it would make sense if the tale takes place centuries ago (which, judging by the setting and costumes, is nearly obvious).

Mirror Mirror is a solid live-action alternative to Disney's animated classic. It may be far from perfect, as least not as I hoped, but it still presents an updated take on the classic fairy tale. 

Have you seen Mirror Mirror? What do you think about it?

5 Holiday-Themed Fairy Tale Movies

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With the holidays coming up, it might be time to catch up on Christmas and other holiday-themed movies. Some movies combine holiday magic with fairy tales. For fairy tale fans, here are five movies and shorts with holiday magic (with the streaming services in parentheses).

A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish 

This modern holiday spin on the Cinderella story stars Laura Marano as a singer-songwriter Kat Decker. Like your typical Cinderella figure, Kat is tormented by her stepfamily. Only this time she works at a Christmas attraction, where she falls in love with the boy dressed as Santa Clause. I have never seen this movie, but fans of the original A Cinderella Story will appreciate this.

Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (Disney Plus)

This Christmas spin on Disney's Beauty and the Beast tells the story of Belle saving Christmas at the enchanted castle long before she broke the curse. There are some questionable elements, scary moments, and, as with most direct-to-video spinoffs, a lack of character depth. Yet, it remains endearing, has a strong villain in Forte, and some enchanting music.

Godmothered (Disney Plus)

Another Christmas-inspired take on the Cinderella story, this film centers on the concept of a fairy godmother. Eleanor, the fairy godmother, receives a letter that leads her to help a middle-aged single mother find her "happily ever after." Fans of fairy tale satires such as Shrek and Enchanted will enjoy this. 

Olaf's Frozen Adventure (Disney Plus)

This Holiday shorted inspired by Disney's Frozen sends Olaf on a journey to save Christmas. There are some musical sequences along with engaging action scenes. In addition, the short goes into Anna and Elsa's Christmas traditions and how they kept them, even while apart. 

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (Disney Plus)

The Nutcracker ballet is already a Christmas classic. Disney adapted it into a live-action film in 2018, which adds depth to Clara Stahlbaum's character and expands the world she travels to. There is also an intense climax involving the Sugar Plum fairy as a twist villain. Despite the lack of ballet sequences, fans of the ballet might want to give this one a try.

What are your favorite holiday fairy tale movies?

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms

The Walt Disney Company is known for their fairy tale adaptations. Most of their fairy tales begin as animated films, but The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is an exception.

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, as the title suggests, is based on the famous ballet. As with Disney's animated fairy tales, it has the core elements of the story: siblings Clara and Fritz Stahlbaum, nutcracker dolls, a mouse king, a sugar plum fairy, and, of course, a trip to another world (in this case, the Four Realms). Yet, there are also some additions that enhance the story.

Clara's connection with her late mother, named Marie after the first version, is one of the story's best elements. Marie's travels to the Four Realms give Clara's own trip more personal meaning. Another feminist aspect is Mother Ginger, an added character who helps Clara stop the Sugar Plum fairy's attacks.

In this version, the Sugar Plum fairy is a twist villain. She initially has a positive working relationship with Clara. As the film goes on, the fairy begins attacking the kingdom with an army of nutcracker soldiers. These soldiers must have become evil, too. Making the Sugar Plum fairy and nutcracker soldiers villains is a clever twist as it creates a tension-filled climax.

Clara initially feels out of place among her family. Yet, her mission to save the Four Realms empowers her. As she fights, Clara wears a soldier's hat and top paired with a skirt. What a clever way for a girl to dress as a soldier without cross-dressing. Clara speaks up against the Sugar Plum fairy's attacks, too, along with risking her life to save the kingdom. This, along with her female relationships, makes Clara a feminist character who, unlike some of Disney's recent live-action female protagonists, is not annoying.

The absence of Clara's mother creates some drama in the Stahlbaum family. Yet, I wish their familiar relationships and Clara's internal conflict was more developed. The movie already has emotional moments with the help of a well-orchestrated soundtrack, but the emotional connections could've been stronger.

Another minor issue I had with the film is the slow pace that occurs as Clara enters the Four Realms. I became slightly tired at that point. 

The visuals are among the best parts of the film. The palace, especially, is vibrant. It is also pleasant looking at the snow upon Clara's entry into the Four Realms. The costumes, especially Clara's purple dress and, as mentioned above, her soldier dress, also pop. However, there are also some scenes where the lighting is a bit too dim. That's been a problem in a lot of recent live-action films. 

There are some ballet scenes, especially at the Christmas party and during the credits. A few scores take their inspiration from the ballet music, too. Yet, if the music is what one likes best about The Nutcracker, this movie will not do the job for them. 

One more thing I would like to touch on is a Christian allegorical message. When Clara finds and uses a key, she realizes it does not solve her problems. This is why idolatry is sinful. 

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is an underrated recent gem. Even though it has gotten some negative reviews, it is much more original and vibrant than most of Disney's live-action remakes; it clearly has a reason to exist. Fans of The Nutcracker or fantasy stories, in general, will enjoy this. 

Have you seen The Nutcracker and the Four Realms? What do you think about it?

By the Book

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The Meant to Be novels, published by Disney, reimagine Disney Princess romances in modern contexts. Jasmine Guillory's take on Beauty and the Beast, entitled By the Book, is the second installment after Julie Murphy's If the Shoe Fits. 

The novel follows Isabelle "Izzy" Marlowe as she struggles as the only black employee at her publishing job; she gets extra work for no reason. Everything changes when Izzy gets an opportunity to give Beau Towers a pep talk in California. He has not been keeping up with the due dates for the publication of his memoir. 

Izzy and Beau's relationship enfolds in a similar way to that of Belle and the Beast. At first, Beau frightens Izzy as he is not used to social interactions. As they work together on Beau's memoir, the two become friends and, eventually, fall in love. 

I learned a lot about Beau's backstory as the novel progresses. His California mansion was family property. After some deaths in his family, Beau hopelessly drove to the house and took it for his own. 

Izzy's work with Beau changes both of them for the better. It also restores Beau's relationship with his mother, at whom he is angry for some reason.

Not only is By The Book a modernization of Beauty and the Beast, but it includes references to the animated film. For instance, Izzy works at a publishing house called Tale as Old as Time (TAOAT), enters a bookstore with a swinging ladder, talks to household objects, and watches a period drama with Beau called This Provincial Life. If you've seen Beauty and the Beast, you'll know what I'm talking about.

I have one issue with the book. Izzy's conflict is relatable, but not exactly one I can easily relate to since I don't love books as much as she does. However, I love the idea of working at a publishing house and being surrounded by books. 

There is also some vulgar language, which can turn off sensitive readers. Christians, especially, want to be wary of such offenses. 

Otherwise, By the Book is an enjoyable read for fans of Disney's Beauty and the Beast looking for a modern take as well as book lovers and women of color. 

Have you read By The Book? What do you think about it?

Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas

Disney's animated Beauty and the Beast first dropped in theaters in 1991 to critical acclaim and wide appeal. Six years later, in line with Disney's then-new trend of direct-to-DVD sequels, midquels, or prequels, a Christmas special released. 

Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas has much better animation than Belle's Magical World. Yet, as a direct-to-DVD midquel, it does not quite match the quality of the original film. Perhaps the one problem with the visuals is the CGI-look of Forte, the talking organ. It looks out of place among the 2D-animated characters and painted backgrounds. 

In the film, Forte tries to stop Belle and the Beast from falling in love and employs Fife, a talking flute, to check on them. After Belle ice skates with the Beast, Fife quickly brings them apart by shooting himself into them. The Beast then makes a snow angel only to be reminded of his monstrous appearance. 

I found Forte to be an intriguing, although creepy, villain with motivations to maintain his alliance with the Beast. As a Christmas, I appreciate how he represents Satan through his deceitful lying. Fife, in contrast, has a much more lighthearted design along with funny moments. 

It is not the most pleasant to watch the Beast revert to his monstrous behavior, especially for a story taking place after he saved Belle from the wolves. He even locks Belle back in the dungeon later in the film. Belle also expects the Beast to warm up for Christmas and writes a book in an attempt to change him. That seems problematic because modern advice discourages women from trying to change or expecting abusive men to change. 

However, I also heard that it's okay for women to give men the opportunity to change. Besides, Belle only left her present by the rose; she did not force him to read it. The Beast read the book on his own time. Belle and the Beast also barely spoke with each other while he was in his monstrous phase.

Belle, though less complex than she was in the original film, is cute and sweet as ever. It is lovely seeing her attempt to bring Christmas back into the castle. Belle's bond with Chip, especially as they go out to find a Christmas tree together, is another treat. The other household objects, including an angel named Angelique, also helped Belle bring back Christmas. Even while she was not in love with the Beast, Belle has still found acceptance at the castle. 

I find it impressive how Belle, a bookworm, used her love of stories to help the Beast. The film starts after the curse and goes back to the previous year. Once the story returns to the present moment, Belle wears a unique Christmas-style dress and bow alongside the prince as they go out together. 

Angelique stands out among the talking household objects, especially her accent. The growing bond between Cogsworth and Lumiere is another standout. 

Regarding the songs, they move the story forward and illustrate its Christmas vibe. They are nowhere near as memorable as the original film's songs, but they remain well-incorporated. A standout is the song Forte sings to the Beast, during which impressively-animated green cupids appear. 

Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas, though not as great, makes for a well-crafted Christmas special for fans of the original. I recommend giving it a try once, but some will like it better than others. 

Have you seen Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas? What do you think about it?

Wish

A few weeks ago, in honor of their 100th anniversary, the Walt Disney Company released its 62nd animated film. Wishes serves as the origin story for Disney's iconic wishing star. 

Before Geppetto and Tiana wished on stars, Asha did the same thing. Wish follows King Magnifico, who studied wishes and built the kingdom of Rosas with his wife Amaya. There, he protected everyone's wishes until he decided to grant them at a regular ceremony. 

When Asha became the first to argue with King Magnifico, he became Disney's first memorable villain since Mother Gothel from Tangled (or even Prince Hans from Frozen). Even with Amaya's counseling, King Magnifico expressed pride over his control of the kingdom's wishes. After Asha called Star out of the sky, the king had a plan to punish her for it. He becomes crueler from then on.

Not only did Wish bring back great villainy, but it also presented a fresh yet familiar animation style. The animated storybook opening charmed me as did the 2D facial animation featured in the pages and chalk drawing. The background also has a watercolor design that hasn't been seen since, maybe, Lilo and Stitch.

The best part of the film, though, was Star. He is Disney's most adorable sidekick, their version Super Mario Galaxy's luma. Even though Star does not speak, he contributes to the plot by granting Valentino, Asha's pet goat, and other animals and plants the ability to talk. That ability shocks Asha and nods to Disney's former trope of talking plants and animals. Plus, Star tries to protect the wishes from King Magnifico's attacks. 

Wish features several references from earlier animated films. For instance, one villager wishes to fly among birds. Asha's hair also blows like Pocahontas's did when singing "Colors of the Wind." Asha's seven friends also represent the seven dwarves, even though there are two girls in the group. The credits feature constellations depicting almost all Disney animated films, too. 

The references have been a point of criticism for the film. However, since Wish intends to tell the story of Disney's wishing star which so many characters wished on, they make sense. 

Asha shines as Disney's first Afro-Latina princess. Her backstory of wishing for her father's recovery explains her desire to make sure everyone's wishes come true. Asha's family dynamic is also unique; she lives with her mother and grandfather. However, there is one huge problem: her quirky personality. Rapunzel was locked in a tower, Anna was isolated from Elsa, and Mirabel had to hide her feelings. Since Asha had no similar situation, making her quirky is a lazy move. I also wish they went more into Asha's internal conflict and her relationship with her family and friends.

The songs have a unique beat and expand the story and characters, as all Broadway-style songs should do. However, there is only one song I would listen to. Besides, the opening song, "Welcome to Rosas," has a title that is structurally similar to Encanto's "The Family Madrigal."

Overall, Wish is an enjoyable film. It has some issues, such as its rather one-dimensional characters, but it benefits from a fresh animation style, cruel villain, lovable sidekicks, unique songs, and a homage of references. This makes Wish especially appealing to fans of Disney's animated films. 

Have you seen Wish? What do you think about it?