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New to DVD: 'Snow White and the Huntsman' 'What to Expect When You're Expecting,' and 'Terra Nova: The Complete Series'
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Charlize Theron is one evil queen in "Snow White the Huntsman."
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In this version, the monstrously evil queen doesn't just peer into her magic mirror and ask, "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?" Queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron) slays her groom, sucks the life out of young beauties and leaves them haggard or dead.
Snow White and the Huntsman," inspired by the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, is indeed, grim.
The evil queen covets the heart of her stepdaughter, the comely and kind Snow White (Kristen Stewart), who is imprisoned in the castle tower and ultimately must become a warrior to try to save her kingdom and herself.
Fans of Ms. Stewart from "Twilight" will recognize some familiar territory -- being brought back to life, although not as a vampire, and having two male admirers in childhood friend William (Sam Claflin) and Eric the Huntsman (a dark-haired Chris Hemsworth, aka Thor), who is tricked into tracking her into the dark forest.
The hallmarks of the story -- the queen's psycho vanity, her order to a huntsman to kill Snow White, a dark forest, dwarfs, poison producing a death-like slumber, the healing power of a kiss -- are the same, but they're painted on a wide canvas to accommodate battle scenes on horseback, a nightmarish thicket of barren, twisted trees and an all-female encampment with a painful way of keeping Ravenna at bay.
Trolls, dwarfs and fairies figure into the story, but this time, the dwarfs are played by Ian McShane, Bob Hoskins, Ray Winstone, Nick Frost, Toby Jones, Eddie Marsan, Johnny Harris and Brian Gleeson.
As with "Mirror Mirror," the queen steals the show and where Lily Collins overplayed the sweetness opposite Ms. Roberts, Ms. Stewart has a British accent that comes and goes and a superserious demeanor throughout.
The dwarfs provide a very small measure of comic relief but not enough in a movie that seems unrelentingly gloomy and dark.
DVD extras include commentary with director Rupert Sanders, "A New Legend Is Born" featurette. The Blu-ray adds an extended version, making-of featurettes, a set tour and a second-screen interactive feature.
-- Post-Gazette
Four women deal with how their lives will change because of motherhood. Cameron Diaz stars.
Their stories meander and occasionally bump into one another. Director Kirk Jones is like a one-armed juggler. He can't seem to figure out how to get a scene started, then he lets everything come to a crashing end. He never finds the kind of rhythm necessary to keep so many story lines going.
-- Rick Bentley, McClatchy Newspapers
TV on DVD
Much of what little buzz there was for the 2011-12 TV season had to do with this series, the story of a group of pioneers who escape a dying Earth by going back in time 85 million years. Along with fresh air and plenty of open spaces, the travelers also have to deal with dinosaurs.
Despite Steven Spielberg's connection, the series never found solid footing and became extinct after one season.
-- Rick Bentley, McClatchy Newspapers
ALSO THIS WEEK:
• "For Greater Glory" (2-1/2 stars): Andy Garcia stars in this story of a Mexican war over religious freedom.
• "30 Rock: Season 6": Tina Fey comedy.
• "Lewis Black: In God We Rust": More rants from the comedian.
• "Spartacus: Vengeance -- The Complete Second Season": Liam McIntyre stars.
• "Kojak: Season Five": Telly Savalas plays the cool TV detective.
• "Private Practice: The Complete Fifth Season": Medical drama starring Kate Walsh.
• "Up All Night: Season One": Being parents is a test of wills.
• "Barbie: The Princess & The Popstar": A princess would rather sing and dance than perform royal duties.
• "Castle: The Complete Fourth Season": Nathan Fillion plays the mystery solving writer.
• "Blue Bloods: The Second Season": TV drama about a New York police family.
• "The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Fifth Season": Comedy about four nerd buddies.
• "Aaahh!!! Real Monsters: Season 3": Includes 13 episodes of the animated series.
• "Absolutely Fabulous: 20th Anniversary Specials": Three specials starring Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley.
• "John Leguizamo: Tales From a Ghetto Klown": Profile of John Leguizamo.
-- Rick Bentley, McClatchy Newspapers
First Published September 13, 2012 12:00 am
