In the early weeks of the month, two highly anticipated movies were released. “A Minecraft Movie”, starring Jack Black and Jason Momoa, was awaited by excited fans of all age groups ready to show their support for the beloved game. Audiences were more wary of the “Snow White” live action, which cast Latina actress Rachel Ziegler, who had a less-than-tasteful attitude towards her role, to bring to life Disney’s first princess. Despite knowing the preconceived opinions of the public, I truly went into both showings with an open mind and excitement for the movie theater experience.
I saw both movies a week after their premiere, and the contrasting viewer excitement was very apparent. On opening night, the ticket price for “Snow White” was nearly $30; as someone with a part-time job, I was not going to pay that. Many people seemed to agree because less than half the seats were full only 30 minutes before the showing time, which was a sad comparison to “A Minecraft Movie” fully booked theater. The atmosphere of “Snow White” was disappointing, to say the least. I’d compare it to seeing “Wish”, one of Disney’s less popular films which lost the company over $130 million dollars in 2023. The theater was empty and the most attention-grabbing part was when a baby started to cry. The movie itself was inadequate, and that’s coming from someone who has never disliked Disney live-actions. In alignment with the production’s recent pattern of movie flops, “Snow White” fell short of my expectations. I don’t mind when live action actors aren’t perfect replicas of their animated counterparts however Rachel Ziegler’s acting tied in with the movie concept made the difference that much more apparent. Even the Evil Queen, portrayed by Gal Gadot, gave me more of a laugh than the bone-chilling eeriness and anticipation that other actresses such as Angelina Jolie (“Maleficent”) or Emma Stone (“Cruella”) brought forth. If you’re someone who truly enjoys the “Snow White” storyline, then maybe you can bring yourself to like this movie. Personally, I’ll stick with Halle Bailey and “The Little Mermaid” as my favorite rendition.
Being in the theater for “A Minecraft Movie” was one of the most lively experiences. With a large bucket of popcorn and blueberry Icee, I could feel the anticipation and excitement throughout the room as we awaited the iconic Warner Bros. introduction. Some people went as far as dressing up in chicken suits, stemming from a meme based off the real game. Many other moments are connected to the original game and spurred positive reactions from the audience, such as cheering and even throwing popcorn. Despite these actions being disruptive and punishable by the staff, it added to the experience and made it that much more memorable. As for the actual content, it wasn’t my favorite due to my lack of understanding of the original game but I still enjoyed the experience. There were many references to the original game and the memes that have developed in the 16 years since its release; however, the story line flowed all the same. It also lacked depth but for a movie made for younger audiences I wasn’t really expecting the tear-jerking hidden messages that could be found in some of my favorite movies. Still, Jack Black and Jason Momoa both committed to the comicality of their characters and made for a lively watch. If you’re a video gamer or even someone looking to brighten your spirit, “A Minecraft Movie” was worth the time and money and I would recommend seeing it, especially in theaters.
If you enjoy live action movies and are looking for one that actually piques your interest, go see “A Minecraft Movie”. And for my Disney lovers, let’s hope we get a satisfactory movie soon.
