"Charlize's performance reminds me of more than one person I've known in my short life..." My mother: "I don't like how you looked in my direction as you said that..."
Mine would just start the victim speech, then get furious and look really evil if her scene doesn't work. I believe I was able to have a mature conversation about an actual topic once or twice in my whole life. She and my dad started to feel immature to me not long before I became a teenager myself, and that took a toll on me. Parenting yourself is crazy, but I'm confident that I did my best. At least I'm better than them.
Most people only remember the contraversy of the cheating scandal surrounding the actress and the director. Not the movie. That's the problem with a lot of movies nowadays. People worry about the issues behind the scenes when judging whether a movie is good or bad rather than the merits of the movie itself.
I like this movie, too. Not as much as Mirror Mirror, but Kristen Stuart did an excellent job as Snow White. The sequel is okay, although not my favorite. Disney doesn't have to do a live-action Snow White, two of them have already been made! As for the cheating scandal? That shouldn't factor into whether you enjoy the director's movie or not. Keep up the awesome work and looking forward to your next video!
Then I might be in the minority. lol I generally don't care that much about behind the scenes drama. And if I do care, I think I know how to seperate movie quality and scandal reaction. This one BTS scandal made me only shrug my shoulders. Didn't take away from the fact that I liked the movie.
@@ColeAndPhoebeForever It shouldn't factor in, but it did. In the same way the live action Disney version is about to with the actress's comments about the animated Disney version.
I wish Hollywood never stopped doing movies like this and Red Riding Hood. I'd love to see more darker versions of all these fairy tales. I like the love-action Disney remakes, but this style is more interesting. Also, I've always wanted to see Snow White: A Tale Of Terror. Once Upon A Time and The 10th Kingdom were awesome shows too.
This unlocked my memory of some fairy tale based movies like Hansel and Gretel Vampire Hunters and The Brothers Grimm, that went even more into camp territory.
@@HotDogTimeMachine385 I remember I was fascinated by the idea of Gretel being a witch because of that movie. It was a really adequate twist, since society now doesn't see witches in the same way as medieval folks did.
One universal aspect of movies that get a reputation for being kinda bad or at least "not great" but acquire a niche following such as this movie, Van Helsing, The Mummy, Stargate and so many more I can't think of right now (also not just sci-fi and fantasy genre), is camp. They're a little camp. And Hollywood americans just don't get camp. And that doesn't mean gay or queer, its a tone, a vibe, a kind of acting or worldbuilding and certain sincerity or earnestness. Its hard to define. Yet, such films resonate with younger people, outsiders, non-americans etc. and I think thats really interesting.
Stargate, while personally the series surpasses it, is a good movie that clearly was magical enough to get a series made. And the mommy wasnt loved? I would add riddick, riddick is what snyder wishes he could make, too bad it never got a sequel, its so fun, edgy but also earnest scifi.
@@marocat4749 Yes, but Stargate never caught the mass imagination as it were. The Mummy was also liked, but never huge as such; more popular in Europe and elsewhere than the US. Its also campy fun which doesn't vibe with US more "unga bunga action star" preferences. Chronicles of Riddick is also a movie you can add to the list, but it is another sci-fi/fantasy movie and I've been trying to think of other genre movies that fit the "C+ or B- movie in the US because campy, but A in EU and elsewhere because they're more ok with that" category.
I very much agree with this headline! (Stewart gave a good performance and a pretty decent English accent as well. And honestly, I don't believe there was a "cheating scandal"; I think there was *abuse and manipulation* of a young actress.)
She was 22… At what age can we consider a woman is responsible for her actions? Don’t get me wrong, I loved that movie (still do) and was annoyed when we didn’t get another one for something that didn’t have anything to do with the performance, and I do like Kristen Stewart, but I feel like it’s a little simplistic to remove all responsibility from people and their actions because of age, even more when the person is 22. She never accused him of anything and took responsibility for what she did, so taking that away from her feels wrong somehow…
I will defend Kristin as an actor forever. Her acting in Twilight isn't bad because she's a bad actor, it's bad because the writing and directing was bad. Although I actually don't think it's as bad as everyone says. I would love a video about The Runaways movie, which not only made me really appreciate how good Kristin is as an actor, but it also is just a really good and underrated movie.
@BetterWithBob Yes! I had never heard of The Runaways before I saw that movie. Now, they are my favorite rock band of all time. Of course, when it came out, the only thing people were talking about was the kiss between Kristin and Dakota Fanning, which was infuriating because of how good the movie was being overlooked by a single scene.
The directors of twilight imo didn’t understand Bella, since it is hard to translate her feelings and inner self to the screen they just seemed to go with surface emotions.
@@HolySilverStrike That's a fair point, since I remember David Slade who directed Eclipse outright bashing the material, so I imagine they weren't too concerned with adapting it well
At the end of this, I thought "Sucker Punch should be on this channel somewhere" Found that video from 3 years ago, added to Watch Later Sucker Punch was my 2012 rewatch and rewatch
I remember when the promotion tour for SWATH began, my science teacher and I were eating it up with a spoon! I was aware of the cheating scandal circulating but I was not part of the hate train of dragging Kristen Stewart for all its worth. This movie still holds a good place in my heart, praise has to go to the score, cinematography, costumes and of course the grim atmosphere, remaining close to the original tale, which is the main selling point of the movie.
I'm always here for a good "Publicly Labelled Bad Film is Good Actually" takes, especially if it's for a movie that I myself remember liking when I first saw it. The Matrix sequels being a prime example, along with your Van Helsing and Underworld videos. Your description of Snow White's arc in this movie is very well done, how her "fairest blood" relates to her being a kind and caring person in the face of hardship (similar to Cinderella and what it is about her that is so often overlooked , but in a darker and more epic way), the deconstruction of Ravenna's character reveals a lot more depth to her than first watch, and the supporting cast and visuals do indeed help you feel as though you've explored this fairytale world enough by the time it's all over (later aided further by its sequel). 🍎 Speaking of dark fairytale movies, there's a 2008 indie film called "Spike" that re-tells Beauty and the Beast as a cloaked "teens hunted by a killer in the woods" horror film, turning the fairytale into a modern Gothic cautionary tale about a living as both man and Beast, and how all too easy it is for the Beast to take over in spite of overt instances on one's own humanity (kind of like Phantom of the Opera in a sense). It's a slow-paced and largely mediative movie, and as such, relies quite heavily on whether you can get invested in the (nameless) characters, which is why IMDB viewer opinion on it is so varied (an understatement). But I for one found the film quite fascinating, requiring multiple re-visits just for how atmospheric and sincere it all presents itself, so I've decided now to recommend it onto you, Bob! (it's free to watch on Tubi). 🌹
@@BetterWithBob Awesome, I'm glad I've piqued your interest with it! Spike was a movie that long-since intrigued me when I first read about it on the BATB adaptations Wiki (my favorite fairytale), but it's so indie that there's not a lot to be found about it aside from its IMDB page, so imagine how happy I was when I finally spotted its availability on Tubi. Being the analytical viewer I am, I enjoyed much of what it had to say about the presentation of fairytales through our modern lens. While yes, much of it can and does come off in a pretentious, "This isn't how people talk," sort of way, but if you allow yourself to be pulled in by it all, you'll start to understand some of the messages being communicated by writer/director Robert Beaucage's screenplay. In particular, the danger of using fairytale tropes as evidence to why someone should love you. 🖤
As a person that loves fantasy I absolutely love this movie, to me Ravenna represented toxic feminism (she says a couple times in the movie that men only know how to break a woman´s heart), her view of men is very distorted. On the other hand, there´s Snow white who represents a new generation of feminism that hasn´t learned to hate men, she is hope, femininity, life and at first soft and kind, but learns to be fierce and lead an army to war without resorting to using her beauty (like seducing men). The feminist undertones, the costume designs, the beautiful cinematography and the amazing musical score makes this movie a gem that was ahead of it´s time, I love the cast´s acting too, Kirsten was extremely competent in this role and to me she was rightly casted. Thanks for talking about this movie, it deserves more recognition.
Revana is Cersei Lannister if she had magic. That is a scary thought to think about especially since Cersei goes mad in later books in the song of ice and fire series
@@BetterWithBob maybe. I like the portrayal, and it reminds me, too, that Cersei also grew up without her mother, and Tywin isn’t the most caring father, so I would say Cersei also fall under this arc. Hell you could almost make a parallel with Sansa being Snow White, or having a similar arc too because we see Cersei get jealous of the younger queen thanks to Maggy the frog. And when Ned is executed, Cersei treated Sansa like crap and left her to be tortured by Joffrey, but she still holds out hope of being rescued, which she does, and is now in the Eyrie preparing for winter with psychotic kid obsess with throwing things out the moon door
@@BetterWithBoband I just realized the brother bit too since Cersei loves Jamie because she sees him as what she would be if she were born male, and that their relationship is basically narcissism. Actually come to think of it, a song of ice and fire is like a grim dark fairytale I think when you compare the character arcs of the Starks.
Kristen Stewart's lifeless face actually does help somewhat in this role. Being imprisoned in a tower for the majority of her life, you'd expect her to not be entirely alright psychologically.
She's great at playing reserved and mysterious characters like this. I thought she made the perfect Bella Swan, who was definitely of the "Not Quite All Right" archetype. Same with "Speak", and for reasons that are pivotal to the plot
@@pageachatter229 even though I don't dislike her acting altogether, I do respect your opinion! I do think she has a limited range and is only suited to a specific type of role. If she's cast for anything outside of that, it comes off wooden to me too. Meanwhile, I saw a screening of "The Lighthouse" last night and was left stunned. Robert Pattinson also has a relatively limited range, in that he can specifically play unhinged characters who come off as quiet and reserved on the surface, but he's so good at it that I think he deserves an Academy Award for some of his performances. Can't say nearly the same about K.Stew, unfortunately.
I'm so happy to see this movie get some much needed love. I will always adore this adaptation, and I wish I lived in the timeline where it received the proper trilogy it deserved haha This is one of those movies though where I'd do anything to check out everything that was left on the cutting room floor, just based on the original script, some of the concept art, and the premise they originally pitched when this was in development. I think there would have been a lot of interesting stuff with Ravenna + Eric the Huntsman training Snow White on their journey that would've been neat to see.
Seen this movie so many times and it's still a favorite. I never felt there was a love triangle. The huntsman relationship with her always felt avuncular, never romantic, and the kiss felt like a goodbye meant for the one he wasn't able to give his wife after she was taken. I don't think the apple in this iteration was meant to be broken by romantic love.
We have to witness how LOW an empire like Disney have to fall, to look back at unappreciated art that was good 10 years ago but no one give it a chance as we lived in better times, but now that we are starving for GOOD ART...........the realization of how bad we treat these films hit harder in the face now, I saw this movie in THEATERS and I remember been MIX when I saw it, I love the visuals but my blind hate through Kristen Stewart didn't allow me to give her flowers..............I have grow from that and so happy to see people now give them and this film the flowers rightfully deserved, specially when you look at the crap we are get feeding today.....this film looks GORGEOUS, a dark fantasy done right, the themes and characters all done right, I wish Disney or WB or Netflix could pull off this, I saw this weekend DAMSEL and my god that movie is so bad, makes this one looks like LORD OF THE RING in comparison, Rupert Sanders is actually very underrated, and in the visual department the guy never disappoint, he had 2 films under his wing and both are in my opinion UNDERRATED, this and Ghost in the Shell, not perfect by any mean but the dude always try and I like that, can't wait to actually see his version of the CROW when he release it this year (if is not push back)......thanks for makes this video man.
Snow White Fairest of Them All released as a Tv film in 2001, made Snow White into a visually intriguing Gothic Fairytale! It starred Miranda Richardson as the Evil Queen, and Kristen Kreuk aka Lana from Smallville as Snow White! It added elements of other Fairytales. It was quite imaginative for an early 2000's TV movie! The costumes, especially on Miranda, slapped! I recommend checking it out!
@@BetterWithBob Sara inspires a lot of my main character, yet Revenna inspires her mother. You basically said aloud what I love about Ravenna and Snow both in this story. You'd never see it now.
And omg you mentioned the 10th kingdom!! I’ve never met anyone else who’s seen it. I met the actress who played Virginia at work one day and told her I loved her in that movie (even tho her character was insufferable) and she was so shocked/happy I mentioned it lol. You should do a video on it!
@@BetterWithBob well I am remembering through the lens of a 12 year old lol. Probably isn’t the best thing ever made but I remember enjoying it at the time
@@BetterWithBobPlease do a video on this forgotten gem!! My college roommate introduced me to it in 2008 because she observed what a fantasy lover I was-I was literally called “The Disney Girl” on my tiny campus-(she even bought me a beautiful snow globe from the Disney Store featuring Snow White and The Prince for Xmas). When I saw the trailer for OUAT in 2011, my exact response to it was-“10th Kingdom did it first; 10th Kingdom did it best!”. As one who got addicted to OUAT Seasons 1-3…I 100% stand by that sentiment to this day! More people deserve to experience that mini-series. I also saw SW: A Tale of Terror in college and loved it! Keep the quality content coming, good sir!
@@BetterWithBob I see what you mean. I think it maybe was supposed to be romantic? Like just looking at the script and dynamics in Hollywood at the time. But it never quite lands as romantic interest, at least to me. Maybe I'll watch it again and see if that opinion stands!
I always loved this movie because Florence and the Machine song in the end SLAPS You can never make me hate this version of Snowhite or Mirror Mirror (2012) (they were released the same year, huh)
Also one of the best movies ever made. I can never get bored watching that one. And it is amazing that it managed to do so many things back then that a specific adaptation failed to do now cough cough Camila Cabello cough cough. A male fairy godmother (Leonardo is simply the best) and a strong female lead. Not to mention the setting, the costumes and one of the best versions of the stepmother.
Yes!! Thank you for the shout out to the Sigourney Snow White, it's by far my favourite Snow White adaptation, and not nearly enough people know about it.
Whenever I think of Charlize Theron, I think of these Snow White movies first - because this is what I first saw her in before anything else. She is SO intimidating and so good in these movies that I cannot think of any “evil queen” archetype without thinking of her first. For that and the Florence + The Machine end credits song? 10/10 ❤
I Feel like both this movie and mirror mirror are probably going to get a critical reevaluation once Disney Snow White remake comes out in 2025 and people going to be like perhaps we treated you too harsh
@@BetterWithBob I feel like our thoughts on Mirror Mirror would... mirror each other (badum tshh) in that it's not as good as SWATH but it's got many fun elements and the costuming is divine.
Thank you so much for this video! This movie is one of my favorite hidden gems. The aesthetic, the writing, the acting, the cinematography, it’s beautiful 💗✨
This really is a great movie, and a VERY underrated one. I think the writing is great, the acting amazing, really there wasn't anything I found underwhelming about it. I was so pissed that Kristen Stewart was dropped from the sequel, she's very talented. Glad to see someone showing this movie the love and respect it deserves!
I'll always have a soft spot for this film! I'm a big fan of Sam Claflin and this is actually one of my favourite roles of his, even though he's, as you say, not in it much. Thank you for this video!
Your monologue around the 22 minute mark is so spot on. Movies USED to depict the _real_ toxic traits of women -- female rivalry, vanity, manipulation, and female rage primarily. Now, all those things are basically subtley celebrated in modern movies. Making the female lead of every Disney remake and female-lead film and show an "I'm not like other girls" girl _encourages_ female rivalry. Vanity, pride, and self-satisfaction are now portrayed as good, when the female lead "comes into her power" -- aka realizes that she's the best and everyone else is just trying to hold down her awesomeness. Manipulating men is portrayed as good because our modern, _overly_ feminist culture says that men -- especially straight white me -- are sh*t, and women who can use their "wiles" to manipulate them are cool. And above all, female rage is portrayed as "badass" and "powerful", instead of a what makes women so incredible: _serenity_ of heart, the ability to withstand incredible pain and not break, gentle nurturing kindness, and mercy. Those are things women are good at in a way men generally aren't. And turning all these toxic traits into "girl boss" traits is just awful.
I think a lot of women are tired of being forced into the nurturing, serene, gentle, kind, understanding role. The reason the toxic traits are celebrated is because it's empowering to be something other than the box women are often placed into. I love seeing women not be afraid to be what they are, no matter how ugly that may be. Sure, being manipulative is toxic, but some people are manipulative, and let's not be afraid to say women can be evil too. I see what you're saying for sure, I just think it's better to lead with curiosity rather than judgement when it comes to the feminist culture (or any culture, for that matter!).
@@Sydvicious_studios - I understand your point, but I respectfully would say that I have to disagree with it. The whole point of calling the qualities I listed "traits" is because I believe that they are inherent and built into a woman's heart, and that only maturity can make them blossom. Being a forceful, un-gentle, masculine, manipulative, or angry woman is, I believe, armor to protect the gentle side of our hearts. It takes maturity, love, and growth to see those deeper traits flourish. I also find it interesting that you would suggest that being manipulative or evil is... fine. At least that's how it sounds like you're putting it. Just because "some people are manipulative" as you said, doesn't mean they shouldn't work to grow out of that state. Growth should be the goal, not "this state in which I am now (however ugly) is just how I am, and I can't (or won't) change it." That's stagnant and pretty unhealthy.
Ravena also gives “The Morrigan” vibes to be honest. I love how the character is an amalgamation of so many concepts from myth and folklore and superstition.
The 10th kingdom was my favorite movie growing up , I saw it on TV and had forgotten the title but never forgot about it. You just solved a many years mystery to me and I'm gonna go watch it again now. Thank you my friend. My inner child is very happy right now
@BetterWithBob I KNOW!!! I searched for the trailer to confirm it's the one I was talking about, and the first result is the whole thing.. great videos BTW. Found your channel recently
I don't understand why this movie got such hate at the time and tbh I'm glad is getting the proper recognition it deserves lately (maybe thanks to the upcoming Disney - almost certain-abomination?). The production value is top-notch, the main cast have done a great job and the plot despite based on very basic source material - let's face it, the fairytale itself has not much to tell - has its own twists and interpretations while respecting the original source at the core. It's far from perfect but far from being labelled as bad as well. People back then really had unrealistic expectations and standards, I really wouldn't know what they were looking for exactly. What did you expect from a movie based on a children tale, I wonder. The cheating/ affair "scandal" emerged (at least in my country) months later the movie came out to cinemas so it was almost entirely prejudice regarding Stewart. Which unless living under a rock it is widely known and accepted that she's a good actress.
Movies in the past we scoffed at or thought were bad have only proved how much we took them for granted compared to what’s coming out of Hollywood now. Like, pirates of the Caribbean I liked when it first came out, but rewatching it now I really took for granted how much of a cinematic masterpiece the first trilogy was.
This video was spot on. I’ve always loved SWatH, and it’s still a comfort movie to this day. Charlise’s Queen Ravenna was my favorite part of the movie
I didn't care much about the Twilight movies, neither loved or hated it. But once I noticed in this movie how much Kristen Stewart keeps her mouth half-open almost like a fish I started to have a tougher time in taking her seriously. Maybe I should rewatch this now that I'm older and more mature. I'm one of those suckers that will defend that the of Disney's Snow White might not be the most stellar example of "girl power" for today's audience, but for the time it was very forward
Thank you for this. I loved this movie when i first saw it. It’s not perfect. Really didnt like the “enchanted forest” but i loved the fleshed out characters, especially the queen. Wow! She felt real and complicated and twisted. Loved her.
I’m pretty sure anyone who still criticize Kristen Stewart is still living in 2007 2008 because she is a great actress and she could have been good in the twilight movies it that scripts did not give her or anyone that matter much to work
I have wanted this film to get the praise it deserves for so many years! It's by FAR my favorite adaption of the Snow White story, and I think every actor was great in it.
Snow White is my favorite Disney princess! But I'm also so glad you gave honorable mentions to Snow White a Tale of Terror! I love it and watch it every Halloween.
I took a bit of a new tack with Snow White and The Huntsman; it's like a live action fanfiction. All the FF tropes are there, everything from it's overwroughtness, the love triangle, making Snow into a warrior princess, hell even the ripped off LOTR and Miayazaki imagery is par for the course when thinking of it as a middle-schooler's take on Snow White. And that not to say I don't enjoy fanfiction, I really do, but when I look at this movie through the FF lenses, I can appreciate it a bit more. Edit: I have to also put in that I really appreciated the costumes and armor and even tactics in this film. They all have heighten feel to them being a fairy story but I could certainly believe that this was normal clothing that characters would be wearing in this story, I would credit that to what looks like the art department taking a time period (looks like roughtly 15th century Germany to me) and basing the costume designs around even if accuracy isn't the name of the game it being a fairy take, and I always appreciate functional armor. Everything was well fitted and everyone could move in it well and people were even using helms and shields. Always a plus.
Thank you for this! I have always loved this movie and Chris Hemsworth and Sam Claflin are amazing in this movie. KStew and Charlize are also amazing. I love this version. I actually like Mirror Mirror as well. It’s just a completely different vibe. The dwarves in this film are very sympathetic and adorable. Thank you for defending this version and applauding the actors’ performances. The behind the scenes drama is something that I don’t care about. I like that the love triangle is so much more subtle. And Charlize Theron is the most perfect casting for this character! She’s absolutely gorgeous and a great actress and completely insane. And her brother is….. ummmmm. Yikes. Hahaha. The brother’s hair cut is perfect… it just makes me cringe. It’s like the stereotypical bad guy hair cut. Haha
I remember I started to watch this movie on TV without having checked who was in it , then noticing Kristen Stewart, hesitating for a moment but keep watching...to realize Stewart actually can act. I was so surprised
This was Incredible Masterpiece for Snow White and The Huntsman. It’s Definitely an Incredible Tribute to The Source Material while Being Its Own Thing. Kristen Stewart, Charlie Theron and Chris Hemsworth Were Definitely Outstanding Actors with there Characters.
Ok first you said 10th Kingdom, my favorite movie as a child and I read the novelization until it completely disintegrated. Second you showed Faerie Tale Theatre, my favorite show as a child! You clearly have phenomenal taste and I love all your content 🙌 Please do videos on both 🙏
I remember really liking this when it came out. Not a "woah, this is amazing!" type of way, but more of "Dope, that was fun". I didn't understand the negative reaction it got. Looks like a rewatch might be in order.
also florence and the machine on the soundtrack always adds a billion points.. breath of life is kind of perfect she doesn't miss on the soundtrack gigs
I loved this movie walking out of the cinema and was very sad I had no one to gush over it with because the consesus online was "Kristen bad actress", "Kristen bad person because cheating on Robert with the director", "Kristen is only in this movie because she slept with the director, double the bad actress and bad person points", "Charlize is prettier than Kristen" and "ew romance" :[ So I kind of forgot about it just vaguely remembering how I felt after watching and later I wasn't a big fan of the sequel-prequel. I'll definitely rewatch it now, and I would argue that Maleficent took a lot of inspiration for its fantasy vibes from the Snow White and that's exactly the part of it I love. Also, Florence and the Machine for the movie? Perfectly embodies it and DAMN I love the fantasy+gospel Florence.
I remember not being impressed by this one when I watched it for the first time five or six years ago, but you’ve convinced me to give it another try. Thank you!
This is so interesting. I missed the part of 'fairest blood' (I've only seen Snow White and The Huntsman once, so, please forgive me there), and always thought 'fairest of them all' meant beautiful through-and-through. I believed that even as a child when it was obvious Snow White had a heart of gold and the queen was cruel. I believed it was her larger-than-life goodness which was the reason all the forest animals were drawn to her, like she had some kind of heavenly power, and they all befriended her so fast. If the battle for 'fairest of them all' was purely about looks, the queen's cruelty and Snow White's compassion would have been irrelivent.
This unlocked my memory of some fairy tale based movies like Hansel and Gretel Vampire Hunters and The Brothers Grimm, that went even more into camp territory.
I think I'm gonna give this movie another watch soon. The last time I watched it I just remembered feeling confused, granted i was 23 at the time, but I'm 30 now and I'd love to revisit this movie from a new perspective.
@@BetterWithBob I think I will, I loved your take on this movie and you've convinced me to give it another go, thank you so much. I hope you consider doing a video about the huntsman's winter war in the future, I remember loving that movie because to me it was about the strenght of love, but I plan to revisit that movie soon as well, I want to see if I will still feel the same about it now as I did back when I was in my early 20s
I love the idea of fairytales and folklore teaching children about even though life is unfair sometime, you should always try to make the best of a bad situation. Its useful. I mean, we've all had a rough time in our lives.
I wish they had the stuff from the original script that the mirror is only in raven as mind ….they hint at it a bit where she’s talking to nothing But the script laid it on more thick with it taking the lead in taking snows heart and later verbally abusing her when she begs for its help To imply it’s her own demons and madness reflected back at her
I remember liking the movie when I saw it, long after it was released to dvd. The main thing i remembered was disliking Kristin Stewart (though she was excellent in Runaways) and that's because I think she has an incredibly narrow range. Just like how I think Jack Nicholson only has one character. I own the sequel because i really liked being able to revisit the world but with Emily Blunts acting skills instead of Stewart.
You have listed the every reasons why i enjoyed this movie. Each one of them. Specially the cinematography, the wardrobe and the scape sequence. That bowman scene was so badd@s! I always replay it !!
@@BetterWithBob honestly! Were your book reports in school this insightful? I wish we had been given examples like yours. I feel like it could've shown the purpose behind the assignments. When teaching my kids I really try to focus on the true value of the lessons. Even if they don't excel at something, at least they will be given a vision of why they could value it. I hated history, until i learned it's just incredible stories about real people's lives that had real impact on the world. I loved reading but despised those reports, until i heard one like yours. Now i search for them, because the story then becomes infinitely more interesting. Thank you for making them!
I really loved this movie and have watched it a number of times. The mood, the acting, the sets... a lot about it. Funny thing is... I kinda felt Charlize was a bit overdone or, at least, somewhat off sometimes - especially when angry and yelling. (I know some will completely disagree with that) I also loved Stewart's performance... except the rallying the troops scene where I just didn't believe the intensity.
I really didnt understand all of the negative criticism this movie got when it came out... Of course it wasn't perfect, but I really liked it! I feel like a HUGE part of it was just because people were hating on Kristen Stewart. I even remember seeing a video from a _beauty_ RUclipsr (I think it was MakeupbyTiffanyD) after the movie came out, who had just seen the film and said something to the effect of "I dont understand why people are saying its a bad movie. I like Kristen Stewart, but even if I didnt, its not like she 'did a bad job' or whatever... Like, I think her performance was perfectly fine and its a good movie." Obviously im paraphrasing, because it was a casual vlog type video that I watched over a decade ago, but her saying that in the video (I'm almost certain it was from MakeupbyTiffanyD) stuck in my head and made me more curious about the movie when I'd heard mostly negative things until that point. I definitely remember looking for ways to watch it after that, watched it as soon as I found it available for streaming (I think I might've actually rented it), and quite enjoyed it! People really hate on Kristen Stewart for some reason, and i dont fully understand why. I dont think its just because of Twilight. I mean, yeah she has some specific mannerisms and whatnot that tend to come out in her performances (which was definitely amplified by her characterization in Twilight), but so does almost every other actor/actress (I'll use "actor" as a gender neutral term from this point on). People who are naturally charming and charismatic will almost always have a natural charm abd charisma on screen, regardless of the character they're playing, and those actors are often praised. People who have a bit of awkwardness to them (like Kristen Stewart) will almost always have a bit of awkwardness to them when on screen, yet it seems to be off-putting to a lot of people for some reason. It's the same thing, just opposite. Even the greatest actors cannot fully erase their identity and transform themselves into a completely different person for roles. Thats just not realistic, and a big part of the reason why even the highest paid and most popular actors still get "typecast" into certain types of roles. That was very rambling, but hopefully it nade some amount of sense lol
@@BetterWithBob I'm glad! I tend to type out very long-winded comments, and sometimes read them back and think "uhh did that even get my point across?" Haha. Anyways, I'm a fairly newer subscriber, but I love your videos! Your take on such things is very refreshing, and I particularly love how you say things like "let's like something for what it is, instead of just saying it's bad for something it's not trying to be" (paraphrasing again obviously, but you know what I mean). I like a lot of the movies/shows I've seen you talk about, and the way you word things makes a lot more sense than something I'd probably come up with when trying to explain why. Also, I know you've mentioned you were more into Charmed than Buffy, but I'd LOVE to see some Buffy content from your perspective ❤️
Sadly, Kristen Stewart got so much bad press because of her "bland" way of acting in Twilight, and then later on, her affair with the married man and all that just added on to people's irrational hatred. The funny thing is, her so called bland acting in Twilight is actually pretty accurate to book Bella. But since when has that ever mattered to angry internet people? Some people also really, really hate the books, and transfer that hatred to the actress playing Bella. The Twilight fandom can be as all fandoms: quite scary sometimes.
>>for some reason Misogyny. No, really. A lot of the early twilight hate was simply because it was something that teen girls liked, which automatically meant it was bad, for a lot of people. That just translated into Kristen Steward hate because she was so inextricably connected to it. Nvm that Twilight was bad because it was *bad* , and based on awful, abuse-glorifying, sexist nonsense, not because it appealed to teen girls, and that Stewart was bland and boring in that movie because the main character has as much personality as a plank of wood (of course, her occasional overacting when allowed to show some emotion didn't help matters... I recall the second movie being particularly bad at that.)
@@eldara3 Yeah, some parts were definitely misogynistic. That, sadly, always happen when something written for female audiences become wildly popular. Over and over again. Just look at what some people say about Barbie's success. Are there some valid critique out there? Yep, but so much misogyny, too. That Twilight was written for female teens didn't work in its favor with people like that. To say the least.
Ravenna actually scared me with her performance, I love this interpretation of the evil Queen down to her costume designs. It’s funny how movies back then were, and are, better than whatever dog shit we’re getting in theaters with fairytales.
Bruh this film was and remains my favorite film of all time, so much so that I’m writing a sapphic retelling of this retelling. I will be forever bitter that they dropped Kristin for the sequel and basically retconned the entire first film with it UGH. The huntsman broke the spell so what was the second movies point??????? Stupid. Also I like to think that Ravenna was jealous of both Snow’s physical beauty AND fairest blood, because she was obsessed with how she herself was aging and losing her power.
I loved this film immediately because it was original and detail oriented and you got to know the characters better than the official story. If Netflix’s Narnia is given a treatment like this, it will be a masterpiece.
I love your videos. You are an important voice for the unfinishable battle against the the foes of fantasy and fun. When will you talk about Dragon Heart?
i love that you love the older 80s 90s live action fairytale adaptions like Company of Wolves and a Tale of Terror. Wildly underappreciated by the mainstream when released. Quite a few books with darker takes on fairytales as well, off the top of my head, Red as Blood by Tanith Lee. short and sweet, from snow white to beauty and the beast, they are darker, and quite twisty. thanks!
@@BetterWithBob you should check out Kay Neilson's artwork for the stories from East of the Sun and West of the Moon. Among others. I used to hang him on my walls.
Its certainly better than most movies from that year (and even than 2024 standards). However Kristen Stewart was so miscast, crazy how there were much better choices for the role including Lily Collins, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Felicity Jones.
![Jack Harlow - Hello Miss Johnson [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Q86_nlRoIGw/mqdefault.jpg)
"Charlize's performance reminds me of more than one person I've known in my short life..."
My mother: "I don't like how you looked in my direction as you said that..."
My mother would make a similar statement, except a lot more confrontational lol
Mine would just start the victim speech, then get furious and look really evil if her scene doesn't work. I believe I was able to have a mature conversation about an actual topic once or twice in my whole life. She and my dad started to feel immature to me not long before I became a teenager myself, and that took a toll on me. Parenting yourself is crazy, but I'm confident that I did my best. At least I'm better than them.
@@claudiabcarvalho literally same
Ravenna is by far my favorite version of "The Evil Queen"
Regina Mills is a close second lol
I respect that lol
Lana always comes to Brazil for CCXP, and she always delivers! She definitely carried OUAT as a villain
@@claudiabcarvalholet me tell you something SHE ATE THAT ROLE DOWN! OUAT is my favorite show I was so mad when it ended.
@@perryjones7771Me too..
The actress that played Regina is fantastic
I think Kristen Stewart is a really underated actress tbh, enjoyed most things I've seen her in
I highly recommend Underwater 🙂
@@BetterWithBobthis would be considered woke if released today
Idk 🤷🏽♂️
Same.
@@BetterWithBob Do check her out in Love Lies Bleeding. It is really good.
Most people only remember the contraversy of the cheating scandal surrounding the actress and the director. Not the movie. That's the problem with a lot of movies nowadays. People worry about the issues behind the scenes when judging whether a movie is good or bad rather than the merits of the movie itself.
Oh that's been happening for ages. Waterworld was slated because of all the stories about the troubled production and I think The Abyss got the same
@@BetterWithBob No doubt, but it's become an even bigger problem than it used to be, and that's saying something.
I like this movie, too. Not as much as Mirror Mirror, but Kristen Stuart did an excellent job as Snow White. The sequel is okay, although not my favorite. Disney doesn't have to do a live-action Snow White, two of them have already been made! As for the cheating scandal? That shouldn't factor into whether you enjoy the director's movie or not. Keep up the awesome work and looking forward to your next video!
Then I might be in the minority. lol
I generally don't care that much about behind the scenes drama. And if I do care, I think I know how to seperate movie quality and scandal reaction.
This one BTS scandal made me only shrug my shoulders. Didn't take away from the fact that I liked the movie.
@@ColeAndPhoebeForever It shouldn't factor in, but it did. In the same way the live action Disney version is about to with the actress's comments about the animated Disney version.
I wish Hollywood never stopped doing movies like this and Red Riding Hood. I'd love to see more darker versions of all these fairy tales. I like the love-action Disney remakes, but this style is more interesting. Also, I've always wanted to see Snow White: A Tale Of Terror. Once Upon A Time and The 10th Kingdom were awesome shows too.
Oh it's really good. I highly recommend
This unlocked my memory of some fairy tale based movies like Hansel and Gretel Vampire Hunters and The Brothers Grimm, that went even more into camp territory.
@@HotDogTimeMachine385 You mean Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters?
@@HotDogTimeMachine385 I remember I was fascinated by the idea of Gretel being a witch because of that movie. It was a really adequate twist, since society now doesn't see witches in the same way as medieval folks did.
I’m so happy to hear someone remembers The 10th Kingdom! Loved the show and book!
How is it possible for this man to have so many ultra correct takes
If they gave out awards for comments that absolutely make my day
Oh and I will probably defend Sam Worthington in Clash of the Titans very soon so that may be what breaks me lol
@@BetterWithBob❤
One universal aspect of movies that get a reputation for being kinda bad or at least "not great" but acquire a niche following such as this movie, Van Helsing, The Mummy, Stargate and so many more I can't think of right now (also not just sci-fi and fantasy genre), is camp. They're a little camp. And Hollywood americans just don't get camp. And that doesn't mean gay or queer, its a tone, a vibe, a kind of acting or worldbuilding and certain sincerity or earnestness. Its hard to define.
Yet, such films resonate with younger people, outsiders, non-americans etc. and I think thats really interesting.
Interesting point
@@BetterWithBob aww thanks ^.^ I'd expand upon it but YT always hides my comments if I use certain words so... I kinda can't :(
Stargate, while personally the series surpasses it, is a good movie that clearly was magical enough to get a series made.
And the mommy wasnt loved?
I would add riddick, riddick is what snyder wishes he could make, too bad it never got a sequel, its so fun, edgy but also earnest scifi.
@@marocat4749 Yes, but Stargate never caught the mass imagination as it were. The Mummy was also liked, but never huge as such; more popular in Europe and elsewhere than the US. Its also campy fun which doesn't vibe with US more "unga bunga action star" preferences.
Chronicles of Riddick is also a movie you can add to the list, but it is another sci-fi/fantasy movie and I've been trying to think of other genre movies that fit the "C+ or B- movie in the US because campy, but A in EU and elsewhere because they're more ok with that" category.
House Of Gucci fits this tbh, it is so camp and no one got it
“You’ll be a queen in Heaven now” honestly I need to rewatch this movie just for that line.
It's my trash 🤣
I love this film and thank you for not seeing it as a guilty pleasure
You're welcome :)
I very much agree with this headline!
(Stewart gave a good performance and a pretty decent English accent as well. And honestly, I don't believe there was a "cheating scandal"; I think there was *abuse and manipulation* of a young actress.)
Agreed. I hate that the whole amazing film would be remembered for something like that.
I agree as well. She was very young, and there was an uneven power dynamic as he was the director, i.e. her boss.
She was 22… At what age can we consider a woman is responsible for her actions? Don’t get me wrong, I loved that movie (still do) and was annoyed when we didn’t get another one for something that didn’t have anything to do with the performance, and I do like Kristen Stewart, but I feel like it’s a little simplistic to remove all responsibility from people and their actions because of age, even more when the person is 22. She never accused him of anything and took responsibility for what she did, so taking that away from her feels wrong somehow…
I will defend Kristin as an actor forever. Her acting in Twilight isn't bad because she's a bad actor, it's bad because the writing and directing was bad. Although I actually don't think it's as bad as everyone says. I would love a video about The Runaways movie, which not only made me really appreciate how good Kristin is as an actor, but it also is just a really good and underrated movie.
The Runaways is one of the good musician biopics for sure
@BetterWithBob Yes! I had never heard of The Runaways before I saw that movie. Now, they are my favorite rock band of all time. Of course, when it came out, the only thing people were talking about was the kiss between Kristin and Dakota Fanning, which was infuriating because of how good the movie was being overlooked by a single scene.
The directors of twilight imo didn’t understand Bella, since it is hard to translate her feelings and inner self to the screen they just seemed to go with surface emotions.
@@HolySilverStrike That's a fair point, since I remember David Slade who directed Eclipse outright bashing the material, so I imagine they weren't too concerned with adapting it well
She was great as Joan Jett. Also liked her in Lizzie and Panic Room. Never thought she was as awful as most people like to say she is.
At the end of this, I thought "Sucker Punch should be on this channel somewhere"
Found that video from 3 years ago, added to Watch Later
Sucker Punch was my 2012 rewatch and rewatch
Ah I wish I'd waited before doing that because I've learned so much since then lol. But I stand by it all the same
@@BetterWithBob I would 100% watch another updated Sucker Punch analysis from you. Its why I subscribed!
Same!
@@BetterWithBob god please this movie needs as much justice as it can get !
I remember when the promotion tour for SWATH began, my science teacher and I were eating it up with a spoon!
I was aware of the cheating scandal circulating but I was not part of the hate train of dragging Kristen Stewart for all its worth.
This movie still holds a good place in my heart, praise has to go to the score, cinematography, costumes and of course the grim atmosphere, remaining close to the original tale, which is the main selling point of the movie.
Yes!
I'm always here for a good "Publicly Labelled Bad Film is Good Actually" takes, especially if it's for a movie that I myself remember liking when I first saw it. The Matrix sequels being a prime example, along with your Van Helsing and Underworld videos. Your description of Snow White's arc in this movie is very well done, how her "fairest blood" relates to her being a kind and caring person in the face of hardship (similar to Cinderella and what it is about her that is so often overlooked , but in a darker and more epic way), the deconstruction of Ravenna's character reveals a lot more depth to her than first watch, and the supporting cast and visuals do indeed help you feel as though you've explored this fairytale world enough by the time it's all over (later aided further by its sequel). 🍎
Speaking of dark fairytale movies, there's a 2008 indie film called "Spike" that re-tells Beauty and the Beast as a cloaked "teens hunted by a killer in the woods" horror film, turning the fairytale into a modern Gothic cautionary tale about a living as both man and Beast, and how all too easy it is for the Beast to take over in spite of overt instances on one's own humanity (kind of like Phantom of the Opera in a sense). It's a slow-paced and largely mediative movie, and as such, relies quite heavily on whether you can get invested in the (nameless) characters, which is why IMDB viewer opinion on it is so varied (an understatement). But I for one found the film quite fascinating, requiring multiple re-visits just for how atmospheric and sincere it all presents itself, so I've decided now to recommend it onto you, Bob! (it's free to watch on Tubi). 🌹
Ooh never heard of it, sounds interesting XD
@@BetterWithBob Awesome, I'm glad I've piqued your interest with it! Spike was a movie that long-since intrigued me when I first read about it on the BATB adaptations Wiki (my favorite fairytale), but it's so indie that there's not a lot to be found about it aside from its IMDB page, so imagine how happy I was when I finally spotted its availability on Tubi. Being the analytical viewer I am, I enjoyed much of what it had to say about the presentation of fairytales through our modern lens. While yes, much of it can and does come off in a pretentious, "This isn't how people talk," sort of way, but if you allow yourself to be pulled in by it all, you'll start to understand some of the messages being communicated by writer/director Robert Beaucage's screenplay. In particular, the danger of using fairytale tropes as evidence to why someone should love you. 🖤
As a person that loves fantasy I absolutely love this movie, to me Ravenna represented toxic feminism (she says a couple times in the movie that men only know how to break a woman´s heart), her view of men is very distorted. On the other hand, there´s Snow white who represents a new generation of feminism that hasn´t learned to hate men, she is hope, femininity, life and at first soft and kind, but learns to be fierce and lead an army to war without resorting to using her beauty (like seducing men). The feminist undertones, the costume designs, the beautiful cinematography and the amazing musical score makes this movie a gem that was ahead of it´s time, I love the cast´s acting too, Kirsten was extremely competent in this role and to me she was rightly casted. Thanks for talking about this movie, it deserves more recognition.
Thank you for your comment :)
Revana is Cersei Lannister if she had magic. That is a scary thought to think about especially since Cersei goes mad in later books in the song of ice and fire series
Yeah there's a lot of similarities. I wonder if the writers had read the books
@@BetterWithBob maybe. I like the portrayal, and it reminds me, too, that Cersei also grew up without her mother, and Tywin isn’t the most caring father, so I would say Cersei also fall under this arc. Hell you could almost make a parallel with Sansa being Snow White, or having a similar arc too because we see Cersei get jealous of the younger queen thanks to Maggy the frog. And when Ned is executed, Cersei treated Sansa like crap and left her to be tortured by Joffrey, but she still holds out hope of being rescued, which she does, and is now in the Eyrie preparing for winter with psychotic kid obsess with throwing things out the moon door
@@BetterWithBoband I just realized the brother bit too since Cersei loves Jamie because she sees him as what she would be if she were born male, and that their relationship is basically narcissism.
Actually come to think of it, a song of ice and fire is like a grim dark fairytale I think when you compare the character arcs of the Starks.
@@tgiacin435 Interesting. I can see the similarities.
@@tgiacin435 I've been in the ASOIAF fandom for a while now and this is the first time I hear this take comparing it to fairytales, I like it a lot ☻
Kristen Stewart's lifeless face actually does help somewhat in this role. Being imprisoned in a tower for the majority of her life, you'd expect her to not be entirely alright psychologically.
Such praise 😊
Literally my exact thoughts , she played a depressed princess perfectly
She's great at playing reserved and mysterious characters like this.
I thought she made the perfect Bella Swan, who was definitely of the "Not Quite All Right" archetype.
Same with "Speak", and for reasons that are pivotal to the plot
@@joywagner979
Personally, I'm not a fan of hers. I find her acting extremely stiff and wooden.
@@pageachatter229 even though I don't dislike her acting altogether, I do respect your opinion!
I do think she has a limited range and is only suited to a specific type of role. If she's cast for anything outside of that, it comes off wooden to me too.
Meanwhile, I saw a screening of "The Lighthouse" last night and was left stunned. Robert Pattinson also has a relatively limited range, in that he can specifically play unhinged characters who come off as quiet and reserved on the surface, but he's so good at it that I think he deserves an Academy Award for some of his performances.
Can't say nearly the same about K.Stew, unfortunately.
I'm so happy to see this movie get some much needed love. I will always adore this adaptation, and I wish I lived in the timeline where it received the proper trilogy it deserved haha
This is one of those movies though where I'd do anything to check out everything that was left on the cutting room floor, just based on the original script, some of the concept art, and the premise they originally pitched when this was in development. I think there would have been a lot of interesting stuff with Ravenna + Eric the Huntsman training Snow White on their journey that would've been neat to see.
There are some deleted scenes but I haven't really checked them out because I like the film as is
One of my all time favorite movies to this day. Saw it in theaters and watched it more times than I can count.
Same 😊
Seen this movie so many times and it's still a favorite. I never felt there was a love triangle. The huntsman relationship with her always felt avuncular, never romantic, and the kiss felt like a goodbye meant for the one he wasn't able to give his wife after she was taken. I don't think the apple in this iteration was meant to be broken by romantic love.
We have to witness how LOW an empire like Disney have to fall, to look back at unappreciated art that was good 10 years ago but no one give it a chance as we lived in better times, but now that we are starving for GOOD ART...........the realization of how bad we treat these films hit harder in the face now, I saw this movie in THEATERS and I remember been MIX when I saw it, I love the visuals but my blind hate through Kristen Stewart didn't allow me to give her flowers..............I have grow from that and so happy to see people now give them and this film the flowers rightfully deserved, specially when you look at the crap we are get feeding today.....this film looks GORGEOUS, a dark fantasy done right, the themes and characters all done right, I wish Disney or WB or Netflix could pull off this, I saw this weekend DAMSEL and my god that movie is so bad, makes this one looks like LORD OF THE RING in comparison, Rupert Sanders is actually very underrated, and in the visual department the guy never disappoint, he had 2 films under his wing and both are in my opinion UNDERRATED, this and Ghost in the Shell, not perfect by any mean but the dude always try and I like that, can't wait to actually see his version of the CROW when he release it this year (if is not push back)......thanks for makes this video man.
Oh he's the one doing The Crow? That'll be interesting
Snow White Fairest of Them All released as a Tv film in 2001, made Snow White into a visually intriguing Gothic Fairytale! It starred Miranda Richardson as the Evil Queen, and Kristen Kreuk aka Lana from Smallville as Snow White! It added elements of other Fairytales. It was quite imaginative for an early 2000's TV movie! The costumes, especially on Miranda, slapped! I recommend checking it out!
I've heard of that one but never seen it XD
I thought sigourney weaver was the evil queen with kristen as snow white?
The second movie especially has a very major place in my heart and my writing inspiration.
It's actually what made me an Emily Blunt fan
@@BetterWithBob Sara inspires a lot of my main character, yet Revenna inspires her mother. You basically said aloud what I love about Ravenna and Snow both in this story. You'd never see it now.
Also the soundtrack was insanely good
No lies detected lol
And omg you mentioned the 10th kingdom!! I’ve never met anyone else who’s seen it. I met the actress who played Virginia at work one day and told her I loved her in that movie (even tho her character was insufferable) and she was so shocked/happy I mentioned it lol. You should do a video on it!
I like but don't love it. I did a rewatch last year and was like 'sfine'. Maybe need to see it again
@@BetterWithBob well I am remembering through the lens of a 12 year old lol. Probably isn’t the best thing ever made but I remember enjoying it at the time
@@Nyctm91 how did Kimberly Williams react?
There are more than you think, wolf is the best :P
Its pretty good generally too, ji just remember wolf first.
@@BetterWithBobPlease do a video on this forgotten gem!! My college roommate introduced me to it in 2008 because she observed what a fantasy lover I was-I was literally called “The Disney Girl” on my tiny campus-(she even bought me a beautiful snow globe from the Disney Store featuring Snow White and The Prince for Xmas). When I saw the trailer for OUAT in 2011, my exact response to it was-“10th Kingdom did it first; 10th Kingdom did it best!”. As one who got addicted to OUAT Seasons 1-3…I 100% stand by that sentiment to this day! More people deserve to experience that mini-series. I also saw SW: A Tale of Terror in college and loved it! Keep the quality content coming, good sir!
Yeah, I always saw the Huntsman's feelings as more paternal, maybe like a brother? It definitely read love to me but not quite romantic.
It could definitely go either way to me 🤔
@@BetterWithBob I see what you mean. I think it maybe was supposed to be romantic? Like just looking at the script and dynamics in Hollywood at the time. But it never quite lands as romantic interest, at least to me. Maybe I'll watch it again and see if that opinion stands!
And on top of everything, the Florence + the Machine song accompanying this movie goes CRAZZZYYY
I always loved this movie because Florence and the Machine song in the end SLAPS
You can never make me hate this version of Snowhite or Mirror Mirror (2012) (they were released the same year, huh)
Ever After is the best Cinderella version, hands down.
I have a soft spot for the 2015 film
Ever After walked so that Cinderella 2015 could run.
Also one of the best movies ever made. I can never get bored watching that one. And it is amazing that it managed to do so many things back then that a specific adaptation failed to do now cough cough Camila Cabello cough cough. A male fairy godmother (Leonardo is simply the best) and a strong female lead. Not to mention the setting, the costumes and one of the best versions of the stepmother.
Yes!! Thank you for the shout out to the Sigourney Snow White, it's by far my favourite Snow White adaptation, and not nearly enough people know about it.
It was a revelation when I first saw it XD
Whenever I think of Charlize Theron, I think of these Snow White movies first - because this is what I first saw her in before anything else. She is SO intimidating and so good in these movies that I cannot think of any “evil queen” archetype without thinking of her first. For that and the Florence + The Machine end credits song? 10/10 ❤
I Feel like both this movie and mirror mirror are probably going to get a critical reevaluation once Disney Snow White remake comes out in 2025 and people going to be like perhaps we treated you too harsh
Haven't seen Mirror Mirror myself but it's a possibility
@@BetterWithBob can you review cinderella 2015
@@henrymockingbird9645one day sure XD
@@BetterWithBob I feel like our thoughts on Mirror Mirror would... mirror each other (badum tshh) in that it's not as good as SWATH but it's got many fun elements and the costuming is divine.
Thank you so much for this video! This movie is one of my favorite hidden gems. The aesthetic, the writing, the acting, the cinematography, it’s beautiful 💗✨
Thank you for watching :)
This really is a great movie, and a VERY underrated one. I think the writing is great, the acting amazing, really there wasn't anything I found underwhelming about it. I was so pissed that Kristen Stewart was dropped from the sequel, she's very talented. Glad to see someone showing this movie the love and respect it deserves!
Thank you for watching :)
The movie that put cinematographer Greig Fraser on the map for me.
I'll always have a soft spot for this film! I'm a big fan of Sam Claflin and this is actually one of my favourite roles of his, even though he's, as you say, not in it much. Thank you for this video!
Thank you for watching :)
Your monologue around the 22 minute mark is so spot on. Movies USED to depict the _real_ toxic traits of women -- female rivalry, vanity, manipulation, and female rage primarily. Now, all those things are basically subtley celebrated in modern movies. Making the female lead of every Disney remake and female-lead film and show an "I'm not like other girls" girl _encourages_ female rivalry. Vanity, pride, and self-satisfaction are now portrayed as good, when the female lead "comes into her power" -- aka realizes that she's the best and everyone else is just trying to hold down her awesomeness. Manipulating men is portrayed as good because our modern, _overly_ feminist culture says that men -- especially straight white me -- are sh*t, and women who can use their "wiles" to manipulate them are cool. And above all, female rage is portrayed as "badass" and "powerful", instead of a what makes women so incredible: _serenity_ of heart, the ability to withstand incredible pain and not break, gentle nurturing kindness, and mercy. Those are things women are good at in a way men generally aren't. And turning all these toxic traits into "girl boss" traits is just awful.
I think a lot of women are tired of being forced into the nurturing, serene, gentle, kind, understanding role. The reason the toxic traits are celebrated is because it's empowering to be something other than the box women are often placed into. I love seeing women not be afraid to be what they are, no matter how ugly that may be. Sure, being manipulative is toxic, but some people are manipulative, and let's not be afraid to say women can be evil too. I see what you're saying for sure, I just think it's better to lead with curiosity rather than judgement when it comes to the feminist culture (or any culture, for that matter!).
@@Sydvicious_studios - I understand your point, but I respectfully would say that I have to disagree with it. The whole point of calling the qualities I listed "traits" is because I believe that they are inherent and built into a woman's heart, and that only maturity can make them blossom.
Being a forceful, un-gentle, masculine, manipulative, or angry woman is, I believe, armor to protect the gentle side of our hearts. It takes maturity, love, and growth to see those deeper traits flourish.
I also find it interesting that you would suggest that being manipulative or evil is... fine. At least that's how it sounds like you're putting it. Just because "some people are manipulative" as you said, doesn't mean they shouldn't work to grow out of that state.
Growth should be the goal, not "this state in which I am now (however ugly) is just how I am, and I can't (or won't) change it." That's stagnant and pretty unhealthy.
Ravena also gives “The Morrigan” vibes to be honest. I love how the character is an amalgamation of so many concepts from myth and folklore and superstition.
Oh yes, I forgot about her XD
The 10th kingdom was my favorite movie growing up , I saw it on TV and had forgotten the title but never forgot about it. You just solved a many years mystery to me and I'm gonna go watch it again now. Thank you my friend. My inner child is very happy right now
Awesome to hear. And the full thing is on RUclips last time I looked 🙂
@BetterWithBob I KNOW!!! I searched for the trailer to confirm it's the one I was talking about, and the first result is the whole thing.. great videos BTW. Found your channel recently
I don't understand why this movie got such hate at the time and tbh I'm glad is getting the proper recognition it deserves lately (maybe thanks to the upcoming Disney - almost certain-abomination?). The production value is top-notch, the main cast have done a great job and the plot despite based on very basic source material - let's face it, the fairytale itself has not much to tell - has its own twists and interpretations while respecting the original source at the core. It's far from perfect but far from being labelled as bad as well. People back then really had unrealistic expectations and standards, I really wouldn't know what they were looking for exactly. What did you expect from a movie based on a children tale, I wonder. The cheating/ affair "scandal" emerged (at least in my country) months later the movie came out to cinemas so it was almost entirely prejudice regarding Stewart. Which unless living under a rock it is widely known and accepted that she's a good actress.
I've been saying this for ages! The soundtrack is part of my study/work playlist, and it's pretty epic
Mad respect for that lol
Movies in the past we scoffed at or thought were bad have only proved how much we took them for granted compared to what’s coming out of Hollywood now.
Like, pirates of the Caribbean I liked when it first came out, but rewatching it now I really took for granted how much of a cinematic masterpiece the first trilogy was.
I love that the Pirates trilogy is getting vindicated XD
@@BetterWithBob you know it! It’s literally my favourite movie trilogy now
This video was spot on. I’ve always loved SWatH, and it’s still a comfort movie to this day. Charlise’s Queen Ravenna was my favorite part of the movie
Thank you :)
Fantastic to see that you went back to review a movie that was actually well conceived and had intelligence and intrigue. Great job.
Apologies I only saw this now
I didn't care much about the Twilight movies, neither loved or hated it. But once I noticed in this movie how much Kristen Stewart keeps her mouth half-open almost like a fish I started to have a tougher time in taking her seriously. Maybe I should rewatch this now that I'm older and more mature. I'm one of those suckers that will defend that the of Disney's Snow White might not be the most stellar example of "girl power" for today's audience, but for the time it was very forward
Thank you for this. I loved this movie when i first saw it. It’s not perfect. Really didnt like the “enchanted forest” but i loved the fleshed out characters, especially the queen. Wow! She felt real and complicated and twisted. Loved her.
Thanks for watching 🙂
I never hear people talk about 10th kingdom so I already love this and gave a like ♡ its one of my favorite pieces of cinema ever
The 10th Kingdom?
A tale of terror was AMAZING!!!Thank you so much for mentioning it❤
I've been a fan ever since age 14😊
I’m pretty sure anyone who still criticize Kristen Stewart is still living in 2007 2008 because she is a great actress and she could have been good in the twilight movies it that scripts did not give her or anyone that matter much to work
I'm so happy I've found this video. Ravenna is one of my favorite characters in movies.
Mine too XD
33:14 - I quote this all the the time in my head with the same drama, she's one of my fave villains
Excellent choice lol
I have wanted this film to get the praise it deserves for so many years! It's by FAR my favorite adaption of the Snow White story, and I think every actor was great in it.
Snow White is my favorite Disney princess! But I'm also so glad you gave honorable mentions to Snow White a Tale of Terror! I love it and watch it every Halloween.
I took a bit of a new tack with Snow White and The Huntsman; it's like a live action fanfiction. All the FF tropes are there, everything from it's overwroughtness, the love triangle, making Snow into a warrior princess, hell even the ripped off LOTR and Miayazaki imagery is par for the course when thinking of it as a middle-schooler's take on Snow White. And that not to say I don't enjoy fanfiction, I really do, but when I look at this movie through the FF lenses, I can appreciate it a bit more.
Edit: I have to also put in that I really appreciated the costumes and armor and even tactics in this film. They all have heighten feel to them being a fairy story but I could certainly believe that this was normal clothing that characters would be wearing in this story, I would credit that to what looks like the art department taking a time period (looks like roughtly 15th century Germany to me) and basing the costume designs around even if accuracy isn't the name of the game it being a fairy take, and I always appreciate functional armor. Everything was well fitted and everyone could move in it well and people were even using helms and shields. Always a plus.
i love this movie. i love the villain the most and the story i also thought Kristen didnt do too bad but really everything else sold me on it.
Everyone loves Ravenna lol
Thank you for this! I have always loved this movie and Chris Hemsworth and Sam Claflin are amazing in this movie. KStew and Charlize are also amazing. I love this version. I actually like Mirror Mirror as well. It’s just a completely different vibe. The dwarves in this film are very sympathetic and adorable. Thank you for defending this version and applauding the actors’ performances. The behind the scenes drama is something that I don’t care about. I like that the love triangle is so much more subtle. And Charlize Theron is the most perfect casting for this character! She’s absolutely gorgeous and a great actress and completely insane. And her brother is….. ummmmm. Yikes. Hahaha. The brother’s hair cut is perfect… it just makes me cringe. It’s like the stereotypical bad guy hair cut. Haha
Poor guy got that cut for the film and said it was "horrible for civilian life" 😂
I remember I started to watch this movie on TV without having checked who was in it , then noticing Kristen Stewart, hesitating for a moment but keep watching...to realize Stewart actually can act.
I was so surprised
lol I loved these movies when they came out and still now
I only saw it once but I really enjoyed it. I'm going to go back and rewatch it
This was Incredible Masterpiece for Snow White and The Huntsman. It’s Definitely an Incredible Tribute to The Source Material while Being Its Own Thing. Kristen Stewart, Charlie Theron and Chris Hemsworth Were Definitely Outstanding Actors with there Characters.
Ok first you said 10th Kingdom, my favorite movie as a child and I read the novelization until it completely disintegrated. Second you showed Faerie Tale Theatre, my favorite show as a child! You clearly have phenomenal taste and I love all your content 🙌 Please do videos on both 🙏
Why thank you 🙂
I remember really liking this when it came out. Not a "woah, this is amazing!" type of way, but more of "Dope, that was fun". I didn't understand the negative reaction it got. Looks like a rewatch might be in order.
I hope you enjoy the rewatch :)
also florence and the machine on the soundtrack always adds a billion points.. breath of life is kind of perfect she doesn't miss on the soundtrack gigs
Yes, Snow White A Tale of Terror was so creepy and I saw it way to young myself.
I loved this movie walking out of the cinema and was very sad I had no one to gush over it with because the consesus online was "Kristen bad actress", "Kristen bad person because cheating on Robert with the director", "Kristen is only in this movie because she slept with the director, double the bad actress and bad person points", "Charlize is prettier than Kristen" and "ew romance" :[
So I kind of forgot about it just vaguely remembering how I felt after watching and later I wasn't a big fan of the sequel-prequel. I'll definitely rewatch it now, and I would argue that Maleficent took a lot of inspiration for its fantasy vibes from the Snow White and that's exactly the part of it I love.
Also, Florence and the Machine for the movie? Perfectly embodies it and DAMN I love the fantasy+gospel Florence.
I didn't even realise it was Florence until the most recent rewatch :O
This movie is and unfortunately will always be underated
Ah gives me a lifelong mission then so
@@BetterWithBob 💯
I remember not being impressed by this one when I watched it for the first time five or six years ago, but you’ve convinced me to give it another try. Thank you!
This is not only a great analysis, it's a very good review of many points of the actress and the details of the movie.
This is so interesting. I missed the part of 'fairest blood' (I've only seen Snow White and The Huntsman once, so, please forgive me there), and always thought 'fairest of them all' meant beautiful through-and-through. I believed that even as a child when it was obvious Snow White had a heart of gold and the queen was cruel. I believed it was her larger-than-life goodness which was the reason all the forest animals were drawn to her, like she had some kind of heavenly power, and they all befriended her so fast. If the battle for 'fairest of them all' was purely about looks, the queen's cruelty and Snow White's compassion would have been irrelivent.
30:29 same. I was always annoyed by those sleeves. Its a gorgeous costume othwerwise
This unlocked my memory of some fairy tale based movies like Hansel and Gretel Vampire Hunters and The Brothers Grimm, that went even more into camp territory.
Haven't made up my mind on The Brothers Grimm myself. I need to rewatch it but I remember it being a bit of a slog the last time
100% glad to see anyone also love this movie
Thank you :) *virtual high 5
I think I'm gonna give this movie another watch soon. The last time I watched it I just remembered feeling confused, granted i was 23 at the time, but I'm 30 now and I'd love to revisit this movie from a new perspective.
Hope you enjoy XD
@@BetterWithBob
I think I will, I loved your take on this movie and you've convinced me to give it another go, thank you so much. I hope you consider doing a video about the huntsman's winter war in the future, I remember loving that movie because to me it was about the strenght of love, but I plan to revisit that movie soon as well, I want to see if I will still feel the same about it now as I did back when I was in my early 20s
I love the idea of fairytales and folklore teaching children about even though life is unfair sometime, you should always try to make the best of a bad situation. Its useful. I mean, we've all had a rough time in our lives.
I wish they had the stuff from the original script that the mirror is only in raven as mind ….they hint at it a bit where she’s talking to nothing
But the script laid it on more thick with it taking the lead in taking snows heart and later verbally abusing her when she begs for its help
To imply it’s her own demons and madness reflected back at her
I remember liking the movie when I saw it, long after it was released to dvd. The main thing i remembered was disliking Kristin Stewart (though she was excellent in Runaways) and that's because I think she has an incredibly narrow range. Just like how I think Jack Nicholson only has one character. I own the sequel because i really liked being able to revisit the world but with Emily Blunts acting skills instead of Stewart.
You have listed the every reasons why i enjoyed this movie. Each one of them.
Specially the cinematography, the wardrobe and the scape sequence.
That bowman scene was so badd@s! I always replay it !!
And kind of amusing considering he did The Hunger Games right after 😅
I so love your takes! I homeschool and i use them to teach my kids about how to really dig deep into a story!
This broke my heart 😭thank you so much 💚
@@BetterWithBob honestly! Were your book reports in school this insightful? I wish we had been given examples like yours. I feel like it could've shown the purpose behind the assignments. When teaching my kids I really try to focus on the true value of the lessons. Even if they don't excel at something, at least they will be given a vision of why they could value it. I hated history, until i learned it's just incredible stories about real people's lives that had real impact on the world. I loved reading but despised those reports, until i heard one like yours. Now i search for them, because the story then becomes infinitely more interesting. Thank you for making them!
I really loved this movie and have watched it a number of times. The mood, the acting, the sets... a lot about it.
Funny thing is... I kinda felt Charlize was a bit overdone or, at least, somewhat off sometimes - especially when angry and yelling. (I know some will completely disagree with that)
I also loved Stewart's performance... except the rallying the troops scene where I just didn't believe the intensity.
Another great video. Thanks Bob 👌
Thank you :)
I really didnt understand all of the negative criticism this movie got when it came out... Of course it wasn't perfect, but I really liked it! I feel like a HUGE part of it was just because people were hating on Kristen Stewart. I even remember seeing a video from a _beauty_ RUclipsr (I think it was MakeupbyTiffanyD) after the movie came out, who had just seen the film and said something to the effect of "I dont understand why people are saying its a bad movie. I like Kristen Stewart, but even if I didnt, its not like she 'did a bad job' or whatever... Like, I think her performance was perfectly fine and its a good movie." Obviously im paraphrasing, because it was a casual vlog type video that I watched over a decade ago, but her saying that in the video (I'm almost certain it was from MakeupbyTiffanyD) stuck in my head and made me more curious about the movie when I'd heard mostly negative things until that point. I definitely remember looking for ways to watch it after that, watched it as soon as I found it available for streaming (I think I might've actually rented it), and quite enjoyed it!
People really hate on Kristen Stewart for some reason, and i dont fully understand why. I dont think its just because of Twilight. I mean, yeah she has some specific mannerisms and whatnot that tend to come out in her performances (which was definitely amplified by her characterization in Twilight), but so does almost every other actor/actress (I'll use "actor" as a gender neutral term from this point on). People who are naturally charming and charismatic will almost always have a natural charm abd charisma on screen, regardless of the character they're playing, and those actors are often praised. People who have a bit of awkwardness to them (like Kristen Stewart) will almost always have a bit of awkwardness to them when on screen, yet it seems to be off-putting to a lot of people for some reason. It's the same thing, just opposite. Even the greatest actors cannot fully erase their identity and transform themselves into a completely different person for roles. Thats just not realistic, and a big part of the reason why even the highest paid and most popular actors still get "typecast" into certain types of roles. That was very rambling, but hopefully it nade some amount of sense lol
Oh it made perfect sense 😊
@@BetterWithBob I'm glad! I tend to type out very long-winded comments, and sometimes read them back and think "uhh did that even get my point across?" Haha.
Anyways, I'm a fairly newer subscriber, but I love your videos! Your take on such things is very refreshing, and I particularly love how you say things like "let's like something for what it is, instead of just saying it's bad for something it's not trying to be" (paraphrasing again obviously, but you know what I mean). I like a lot of the movies/shows I've seen you talk about, and the way you word things makes a lot more sense than something I'd probably come up with when trying to explain why.
Also, I know you've mentioned you were more into Charmed than Buffy, but I'd LOVE to see some Buffy content from your perspective ❤️
Sadly, Kristen Stewart got so much bad press because of her "bland" way of acting in Twilight, and then later on, her affair with the married man and all that just added on to people's irrational hatred. The funny thing is, her so called bland acting in Twilight is actually pretty accurate to book Bella. But since when has that ever mattered to angry internet people? Some people also really, really hate the books, and transfer that hatred to the actress playing Bella. The Twilight fandom can be as all fandoms: quite scary sometimes.
>>for some reason
Misogyny. No, really. A lot of the early twilight hate was simply because it was something that teen girls liked, which automatically meant it was bad, for a lot of people. That just translated into Kristen Steward hate because she was so inextricably connected to it. Nvm that Twilight was bad because it was *bad* , and based on awful, abuse-glorifying, sexist nonsense, not because it appealed to teen girls, and that Stewart was bland and boring in that movie because the main character has as much personality as a plank of wood (of course, her occasional overacting when allowed to show some emotion didn't help matters... I recall the second movie being particularly bad at that.)
@@eldara3
Yeah, some parts were definitely misogynistic. That, sadly, always happen when something written for female audiences become wildly popular. Over and over again. Just look at what some people say about Barbie's success. Are there some valid critique out there? Yep, but so much misogyny, too.
That Twilight was written for female teens didn't work in its favor with people like that. To say the least.
also, ❤ that you brought up a tale of terror, that is probably my fave snow white movie
Good choice 😊
I felt pretty much the same way! Still remember everyone dogging on it
Kristen Stewart and Charlize Theron were so beautiful
Great video
Thank you!
I’ll take this over what we’re getting in the future.
The Disney remake?
@@BetterWithBob yep
I love the honorary mention of aquamarine!! I love that movie ❤️
It's a very cute film lol
Actually i liked it very much since the beginning.😋
Me too :)
I loved this movie when it came out! Im so glad someone gave it a fair review
Ravenna actually scared me with her performance, I love this interpretation of the evil Queen down to her costume designs. It’s funny how movies back then were, and are, better than whatever dog shit we’re getting in theaters with fairytales.
I would love to hear your thoughts on the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
Never actually seen it, although I have the DVD somewhere
@@BetterWithBob I think you might enjoy it for what it is.
Shelly Duvall's fairy tale theater brings back memories.
It was before my time but I did RUclips it when I was younger. The Rapunzel ep held a soft spot in my heart
Bruh this film was and remains my favorite film of all time, so much so that I’m writing a sapphic retelling of this retelling. I will be forever bitter that they dropped Kristin for the sequel and basically retconned the entire first film with it UGH. The huntsman broke the spell so what was the second movies point??????? Stupid. Also I like to think that Ravenna was jealous of both Snow’s physical beauty AND fairest blood, because she was obsessed with how she herself was aging and losing her power.
Oh there's plenty of subtext there to draw on lol
I loved this film immediately because it was original and detail oriented and you got to know the characters better than the official story. If Netflix’s Narnia is given a treatment like this, it will be a masterpiece.
Here's hoping!
I love your videos. You are an important voice for the unfinishable battle against the the foes of fantasy and fun. When will you talk about Dragon Heart?
I'd have to watch it first XD
@@BetterWithBob It's about time!
I LOVED her in Underwater
Me too XD
I like Dark Fairytale too..
i love that you love the older 80s 90s live action fairytale adaptions like Company of Wolves and a Tale of Terror. Wildly underappreciated by the mainstream when released. Quite a few books with darker takes on fairytales as well, off the top of my head, Red as Blood by Tanith Lee. short and sweet, from snow white to beauty and the beast, they are darker, and quite twisty. thanks!
I may have just finished writing a draft for such a treatment on the Twelve Dancing Princesses fairy tale XD
@@BetterWithBob you should check out Kay Neilson's artwork for the stories from East of the Sun and West of the Moon. Among others. I used to hang him on my walls.
Its certainly better than most movies from that year (and even than 2024 standards). However Kristen Stewart was so miscast, crazy how there were much better choices for the role including Lily Collins, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Felicity Jones.
Lily Collins already played snow white anyways in a much better film so not a loss
I appreciate your perspective
I've only seen this film twice and this review is making me want to see it again. Thanks!
Happy rewatching!
I love your videos! And you have a great narration voice
Thank you!