Friday Night Date Night: Snowwhite and the Huntsman

Friday Night Date Night is a feature on my blog that showcases movie reviews (mostly movies that were adapted from books). Hopefully some of these reviews will help you decide what to watch on your date night or a night of relaxing at home.

 

 

With all the remakes on fairy tales and Snow White in particular, I wanted to check out this version as well.  I'm sad to say that while I enjoyed the different take this iconic tale, I didn't enjoy the movie as much as I hoped to. 

 

 

I watched this movie with my sister and brother-in-law and while I have never really enjoyed Kristen Stewart as an actor, I thought it was both funny that they both commented on her lack of facial expressions.  I guess I'm not the only one...or at least it runs in my family.  Besides the mediocre acting (mainly Kristen Stewart), the movie was a lot darker than I expected.  It was definitely not your Disney version, that's for sure.  The writers did add some interesting twists though that kept me watching and wondering how the tale was going to play out.  Plus there is a bit of a cliffhanger that makes you wishing (crazy, I know) for a second part.   

 

While this movie wasn't one of my favorites, it's originality was a bit refreshing and I kind of liked the dark side to a childhood favorite.     

Review of Entwined by Heather Dixon

Title: Entwined
Author: Heather Dixon
Published by: Greenwillow Books
Pages: 485
Source: Bought
Format: ebook
Rating: 2.5 stars

Summary from Goodreads: Azalea and her younger sisters dance in the mysterious silver forest every night, escaping from the sadness of the palace and their father’s grief. What they don’t understand—although as time passes they begin to get an inkling of the danger they are in—is that the mysterious and dashing Keeper is tightening his snare with deadly purpose. Luckily, Azalea is brave and steadfast. Luckily, a handsome young army captain also has his eye on Azalea.

This must be the week of fairy tales for me.  Somehow, lately I haven't been able to get enough, be it actual fairy tales or the retellings.  Entwined is based off the fairy tale known as "The Shoes Were Danced to Pieces" or better known as "Twelve Dancing Princesses."  This is one fairy tale that I didn't know much about so the story itself wasn't so much a retelling, rather it unfolded this mystical world of wonder.  With not knowing much of the background to this fairy tale, there was more mystery involved then the normal retelling which always lead to something unexpected and intriguing. 

The story was a bit darker than expected, as it was lined with death, deception, and power struggles.  There were some touching moments as well though that kept me intrigued and not overwhelmed by the darkness.  Especially towards the middle with the interactions of the daughters and their papa, the King.  At first their relationship was strained, but I believe he was always looking out for their interests to the best of his ability.   

I did have a hard time connecting with the characters on this one.  They seemed too out of reality and it always felt like I was reading a story instead of living it.  Azalea and her eleven sisters had different personalities, but at the same time all kind of blended together.  I only remembered some of their names and even then it was hard to not only maintain who each princess was, but also the revolving cast of other characters in the story.  The only character that stood out to me was the villain and that is because I despised him.  I had a hard time with how forceful and controlling he was and was horrified every time he hurt Azalea.  I felt like he didn't have a conscious and was a deranged and certifiable crazy.   

Entwined was a intriguing story, but not exactly my type of retelling.  While I like a bit of uncertainty it was just too dark for my idea of a fairy tale. 

What's your favorite revamped fairy tale?

It seems like a current trend in YA literature to revamp our beloved fairy tales.  With books like Cinder by Marissa Meyer, Entwined by Heather Dixon, and Red Riding Hood by Sarah Blakley-Cartwright and David Leslie Johnson we have a plethora to choose from.

Personally my favorite fairy tale is Sleepy Beauty.  I have loved it since I was a little girl and even thought about naming one of my future children Aurora.  Therefore, I was excited and apprehensive when I learned that Sleepy Beauty was being retold and revamped into a novel called A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan.  I had no need to worry...I absolutely loved the story.

What about you? So far what is your favorite revamped fairy tale?  + Are there any fairy tales that haven't been retold that you wish were?