Be kind and share

Disney's 'live' Snow White is now streaming. It's been much maligned, panned, and shunned by the movie-going public, going by its poor box office performance. The lead, Rachel Zegler, has also received much online abuse and the roasting hasn't stopped even though she's moved on to other projects.

The question is, did the movie deserve the hate it got? First. it's a remake of a beloved original vintage Disney animation, so already the audience is communicating to the studio to please stop re-inventing the wheel and make us some new stuff instead.

That said, this 'live' production fills in a lot of detail missing in the original that present teachable opportunities for parents to discuss with their kids after. Primarily, the nature of 'beauty' which is central to the story. Zegler is no mega-babe compared to the statuesque Gal Gadot -- Wonder Woman herself -- who plays the Queen. But that is the point of this movie: that beauty is not in the outer appearance alone, but the totality of a person and how they behave towards others. The one who is beautiful adds to the lives of others, rather than takes away from them. The Queen's favourite magic trick demonstrating long-term impact by comparing the fragility of a flower to the hardness of diamond is eventually reversed by Snow White. It's an important distinction that the original animation glosses over, but the 'live' version gets a bit heavy handed with.

Other lessons include how an ideal society functions. In Snow White's version it's when people are kind and share their resources with each other from the goodness of their hearts rather than from a political mandate. The Queen's way is essentially survival of the fittest (or fairest) pitting winners who can acquire and protect resources from others, and losers who can't -- a philosophy that turns the literally once-harmonious kingdom into a gloomy scrabble for individual survival. It's a criticism of the current state of the USA even before 47 took over, but it's probably so on-the-nose that it rubs the domestic audience the wrong way. Under the spectre of potential new wars, mass deportation, the new anti-DEI pushback, it does seem far-fetched that people being kind to one another can make it all better.

Also re-examined is the concept of 'true love'. How would a passing stranger of a prince experience 'true love' encountering Snow White's lifeless body and be motivated to kiss her without the suspicion of necrophiliac tendencies? In the 'live' version, Jonathan is no prince, but a selfish rogue whom Snow White influences to change his ways through mutual cooperation and suffering before love materializes between them. This added storyline could be a criticism against how modern men and women expect true love to occur between strangers meeting on dating apps and getting disappointed because no one will ever be 'the one' this way.

As far as the 'live' is a musical, true, there are a lot of song and dance numbers to keep the narrative lively. But the music was not particularly memorable other than the callbacks to some of the original's. The lyrics were also more tell than show, so sure, fun but overall meh.

'Live' Snow White I have mixed feelings about. I might have appreciated it better if I had kids to bring and have something to chat about with them later, but the movie was clearly not pitched to my demographic. Perhaps that's the reason this movie wasn't as profitable as it could have been: having fewer and fewer kids means less and less reason to pay money to watch movies like this, while the jaded and childless are hate-watching the movie that is not meant for them. Also, perhaps the overall positivity of the narrative can be annoying as it runs so counter to their normal, everyday experience of life. And their biased reviews are turning audiences off unfairly -- even audiences whom the movie is meant for.

47 vs Iran

47 really wanted to show off US military might through his parade but was disappointed. It was intentionally more low key and themed itself more historically educational and friendly than he'd hoped. Not surprising that if he can't impress in theory, he'll take it on himself to demonstrate his military capabilities in practice.

Cue joining Israel in bombing nuclear sites in Iran, regardless of every piece of advice he'd been given to avoid a potentially large scale long term conflict against a foreign power. So here we are: the oldest ever toddler playing with the most dangerous toy ever, and who can't wait to see things go boom.

Iran, of course, could take the volatile route of vengeance, threatening the USA with violence both in the Middle Eastern region and at home -- which they have already done. But if they were instead to entertain a more chill approach, here's what I'd suggest.

47's actions are reminiscent of a simple gangster play: hit the enemy hard once and they'll beg for peace and mercy on his terms. However, this is not one mafia family beating up one loan defaulter. It's a mafia don almost unilaterally declaring war on an entire mafia rival family. It's not USA vs Iran, it's really just 47 vs Iran. 47 does not have the support of half the voters who voted in the 2024 election, and some of his more powerful supporters are starting to voice their disapproval over this apparently impulsive decision.

With this as the background, it would not make sense to unite the entire USA against a common enemy which would happen if Iran proceeded to attack US citizens and materials either in the region or at home. Rather, a less costly strategy would be to use the Palestinian playbook and launch a propaganda war showing the hardships, the destruction, and the humanitarian crisis that has resulted from this US action, while at the same time suggesting that Iran's nuclear capabilities are as yet unaffected. Setting these two opposing cognitive forces loose in the USA right now would be a sit down with popcorn moment as we watch the Great Satan tear itself apart from within.

Honestly, at this time, the nation closer to regime change is the USA. Iran literally has to do nothing but wait it out. Will they, though? WWIII hangs in the balance.