Although not exactly a masterpiece, this film is a very pleasant, very amusing and very nice moment of cinema. It doesn't pretend to have other ambitions than to give us a merry good laugh - but in this mission it succeeds very nicely.

This is a very unorthodox retelling of the Snow White fairy tale, but the principal characters are all there.

The Evil Queen (Julia Roberts) is probably the main attraction in this show. She was "modernized" (she is in fact a gold digger exhausting financial resources of successive husbands) and "upgraded" (she can do REALLY BAD magic - it is not just disguise and poison). Her Magic Mirror is also much more powerful than earlier versions. Julia Roberts clearly had lots of fun playing this character and she is simply excellent! She is also very atractive in this film - frankly, I think even more attractive than Snow White... And the scene in which she takes care her of her body, face, skin, lips, hair etc. to better ensnare the Prince Charming is worth an Oscar!

Snow White (Lilly Collins) is of course also more "modern" than the one in Disney classical movie, but she is definitely not a modern teenager. She is brave, clever, funny and has much more ambition than just being rescued by the Prince Charming, but she is also a true lady: she is always impeccably dressed, never raises her voice, never curses, is always polite (even to the enemies) and although she can swordfight if necessary, she has also all the charm (and timidity) of a very young girl who was never allowed much out of her house... Last but not least, she is clearly a real future queen material - because with all her charm, manners and timidity she can also be ruthless, when necessary...

The Prince Charming (Armie Hammer) is a handsome young man, a little bit arrogant and conceited in the beginning, but also courageous, clever, resourceful and ultimately rather likeable. He can also quite well spank young ladies with his sword...)))

The Seven Dwarves are a very special bunch and I will not say much more about them, to avoid spoilers. But they certainly give a great show! After the end, just before the credits we learn what happened to them later - do NOT miss that part!

This film has a lot of easy and pleasant humour, with the results of magic used by the Evil Queen (magic is always a little unpredictable) and her comments on the developing story being the best moments. A good advice - never get changed into a cockroach. And if it happens, beware of grasshoppers...))) Also, before serving somebody a magic elixir, check well the notice...

Towards the end of the film Sean Bean drops by just in time to conclude the film and give away Snow White in marriage and he is a very impressive presence. And no, just for once, his character doesn't get killed in this one...)))

All in all, this is a very amusing, nice little film, watchable by all family, with two very beautiful women, one very handsome young man and seven very amusing unusually short freedom fighters! Enjoy!

"Once upon a time, in a kingdom far, far away...." How many times will they remake "Snow White" and when will we tire of seeing it? At least this time it's billed as "The untold adventures..." and is from the queen's point of view.

In this version, our evil queen is played by a wry, dry Julia Roberts, who is clearly having the time of her life, so let's get ready for a new wrinkle on an old story. Her acerbic digressions are a hoot as this is a far more adult (and more comic) take.

This cast promises more than a light touch of comedy:
* Julia Roberts ("Larry Crowne") is a four-times-married widow who instantly sees potential in the handsome prince who comes adventuring into her poverty-stricken realm. In order to throw a party for him, she raises taxes.
* Lily Collins ("Priest") is our orphaned Snow White, slated for an early death in the forest as soon as the queen realizes the threat from her burgeoning beauty. Collins has the eyebrows of a young Elizabeth Taylor.
* Armie Hammer ("J. Edgar") is very funny as the dauntless prince. He is earnest, sincere and quite handsome. He keeps losing all but his skivvies to the dwarfs and has to beg for pants. Wait until you see his tooth sparkle just before he is given the love potion.
* Nathan Lane ("Modern Family") is the queen's minion. He is the unwilling bearer of all the bad tidings, e.g., when taxes are raised, and when Snow White is found to be alive after all.
* Sean Bean ("Game of Thrones") as the king, long thought dead.
* Mare Winningham (LOTS of TV) as the scullery maid who is loyal to Snow White and her long-absent father.

Snow White doesn't have good or bad things just happen to her. She has to toil, study, practice and fight, for what she values. I liked seeing her apply herself with a goal in mind; so even though small children were a bit bored, the lessons for their older siblings were good ones. The adult one-liners that made all of us laugh went over the tots' heads, but the lengthy CGI-loaded fight scenes (with G-rated monsters) were tedious for ALL of us. I can fast-forward through those when I get my DVD from Amazon.com.

A re-telling of the classic Disney tale of Snow White receives a modern-day make over. The cast of characters is still largely the same, but this time Snow White is a little more independent and able to fend for herself against the evil god-mother. A valiant attempt at updating this tale works well at times, not so well at others. The film certainly looks terrific, with costumes and colorful sets that really bring a magical feel to the film. The humor in it sometimes falls flat as the attempt to be hip does not always work. The best movie's best asset is Lily Collins, who is absolutely delightful as Snow White. I would say that this is a movie that the kids will certainly enjoy and the adults who take them will find it entertaining enough.