Starpulse: Last week’s “Men in Black III” was fairly average. It’s nothing fantastic, but certainly more memorable than 2002’s “Men in Black II.” Following some bizarre real life shenanigans, the wacked out Rip Torn is written out of the story and thankfully the talking pug is nowhere to be found. With stupid dialogue and gimmicky 3D, the most entertaining moments come from the film’s cast. I know what you’re thinking, and no, I’m not talking about Will Smith. Jemaine Clement is a hilarious snarling villain, Josh Brolin plays a superb young Tommy Lee Jones, and Michael Stuhlbarg charms as an extraterrestrial capable of seeing the future. A tenuous twist toward the end is surprising; however isn’t enough to hold up this unnecessary sequel. My Grade: C This week brings us the second Snow White film of 2012, “Snow White and the Huntsman” starring Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, and Chris Hemsworth. You’ll also have the opportunity to see the horror comedy “Piranha 3DD” and the dance competition flick “Battlefield America.” MY PICK FOR THE WEEK: Snow White and the Huntsman SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN In keeping with the classic fairy tale, Snow White (Kristen Stewart) is the fairest woman in the land. Since the evil queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron) wants to claim this title for herself, she sends a huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) to kill her competition. The huntsman finds himself unable to commit the misdeed however, so in a twist on the traditional story, he trains Snow White to become a warrior capable of overthrowing the queen’s rule. Director: Newcomer Rupert Sanders Writers: Newcomer Evan Daugherty, John Lee Hancock (“The Blind Side”), and Hossein Amini (“Drive”) Notable Supporting Actors: Ian McShane, Bob Hoskins, Ray Winstone, Nick Frost, Eddie Marsan, Toby Jones ORIGINALITY RATING: Medium. Snow White may be a well-traveled story, but this particular version takes a much darker, grittier angle with the fairy tale, which I like. I love the trailer’s visual representation of the mirror as a liquid entity and its creepy voice. None of the dialogue is terribly compelling in the trailer, since it seems to rely on thumping music, epic battle clips and elaborate visual effects to rope you in. The way the evil queen can dissolve into crows is pretty freaky and the bizarre black nail monster reminds me a bit of the smoke monster from “Lost.” I’m curious to find out what that thing is, although I’m more interested to see if this movie will be entertaining and cohesive. WHO SHOULD SEE IT: Viewers who enjoy vivid fantasy flicks and strong female lead characters. If you disliked Tarem Singh’s silly take on Snow White “Mirror Mirror,” and you think you’ll prefer something more serious, then you should see “Snow White and the Huntsman.” WHEN TO SEE IT: Opening night. Source: Starpulse
