Mirror Mirror (2012)

Fri, 18 May 2012 06:00:10 -0400

Friday, Saturday and Monday, May 18, 19 & 21
5:30 and 8:00 p.m. daily;
additional showing on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and Monday at 11:00 a.m.
Color, 106 minutes, PG, Relativity Media
View Trailer
This is not your father’s Snow White, and the principle reason can be found in the person occupying the director’s chair. Tarsem Singh is an Indian-born, former TV commercial-maker best known for two feature films that carry the highest degree of eye candy imaginable, The Cell (2000) and The Fall (2006). He’s in love with breathtaking landscapes and architecture, and in all his films the costumes of the late Japanese designer Eiko Ishioka complete the look and define every character they’re worn by.
When we first see Julia Roberts as the vain and evil Queen, she’s encased in a magnificent orange gown and seated on a throne in the shape of a seashell, which acts as a frame and an extension of the costume. Her opening narration gives us the backstory of the kingdom over which she serves as its autocratic ruler. After her husband (Sean Bean) sets off into the forest and never returns, the Queen raises taxes until they hurt, and acts as stepmother to Snow White (Lily Collins, daughter of rocker dad, Phil).
When her craven courtier Brighton (Nathan Lane) informs the Queen that despite her punishing taxation, the kingdom is broke, she believes her salvation lies in getting the upstanding Prince Alcott of Valencia (Armie Hammer) to fall in love with her and consummate their fiscal union in marriage. Unfortunately, she can’t even afford the royal ball at which she plans for them to fall in love.
Of course, there is another impediment to her plan, — Snow White. Unbeknownst to the Queen, the Prince has already met her stepdaughter when they were wandering in the woods, and where they both encountered the seven dwarfs, jolly, roughneck bandits whose hearts melt when Snow comes for an extended visit. Sweet and innocent as Snow appears — looking eerily like a young Audrey Hepburn in some scenes — she turns out to be handy with a blade when push comes to swords.
But ultimately this is Julia Roberts’ show. There’s the obligatory scene of the imperious Queen consulting her own image in the mirror, here placed in the middle of a lake. She never asks “Who’s the fairest of them all,” but her insecurity and fear of aging take her to extreme measures to ensure her beauty before the ball. Her lips become bee-stung with the assistance of real bees, and you may want to think twice before using her skin cream made from of parrot droppings.
The film is ravishing to look at, and the humor is hip yet family friendly. There’s a certain irony in casting 44-year-old Julia Roberts as the aging Queen, but in Hollywood years she’s ready to apply for Social Security.
“A sumptuous fantasy for the eyes and a pinball game for the mind, as story elements collide and roll around bumping into each other … It’s great to look at,” Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times.

Film ticket price $9.00. Cash sales only.
www.cabotcinemamovies.com

See it Now! Two More Performances Only!

Le Grand David and his own
Spectacular Magic Company

Next performance on Sunday, May 20 at 3:00 p.m.

Performances of Le Grand David and his own Spectacular Magic Company will be presented at the Cabot Street Theatre on two more Sundays at 3:00 p.m. — May 20 and May 27. Advance tickets may be purchased at the Cabot Theatre box office, open daily at 10:00 a.m., or by mail order. For more information, please call the box office 978-927-3677.

Le Grand David ticket prices: $26.00 for adults and
$15.00 for children age 11 and under.

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Mirror Mirror (2012)