Mirror, Mirror (Film Review)

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Mirror, Mirror (2012) Relativity Media/Studio Canal 1 hr. 35 mins. Starring: Julia Roberts, Lily Collins, Nathan Lane, Armie Hammer, Jordan Prentice, Robert Emms, Danny Woodburn, Mark Povinelli, Joe Gnoffo Directed by: Tarsem Singh MPAA Rating: PG Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy/Children’s Fable Critic’s Rating: ** stars (out of 4 stars) Reinventing a familiar and favorite fairy tale that has been told over and over in many various generational television and movie adaptations is taking on a tall order of high expectations. After all, the gamble is a fifty/fifty proposition—either your latest version is considered ambitious and challenging or foolishly recycled and futile. Well, the latter option is probably the more apt selection in this case. The effort behind the whimsical and lavish retelling of the Snow White-themed Mirror, Mirror is well-meaning and somewhat inviting but falls short of its goal as a cockeyed confection of schmaltzy storytelling. Filmmaker Tarsem Singh, known for his visually stunning and stimulating touches to flourishing fare such as The Cell, The Fall and Immortals, distributes a generous share of cotton candy vibrancy to the bouncy Mirror, Mirror that recalls a majestic playfulness that surely will resonate with the kiddie crowd. The garish girl-power spunkiness is accentuated and the spirit of the movie is uplifted by serviceable doses of slapstick humor and occasional camp-inspired breeziness. However, Mirror, Mirror fails to reach any distinctive depth beyond its fluffy flamboyancy. Singh’s “Once Upon a Time” clichéd concept is stretched to the limit rather tediously. Screenwriter Jason Keller (“Machine Gun Preacher”) overloads on the whimsy sentiments in an otherwise conventional, cotton-tale caper that teeters along in its candy-coated landscape of eye-popping set designs and charming costumes. Imagery is never a

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