Your 2012 Gift Giving Guide the NiceGirls Way

With Christmas fast approaching, it is once again time to provide a new NiceGirls guide to gift-giving for this holiday season. In last year’s guide, I mentioned the uptick in fairytale stories that were, seemingly, taking over not only on the small screen but at the box office; and now it is time to review some great fairytale gifts to add to your Christmas shopping list.

First, let’s take a look at some of the fairytale stories that have recently hit at the Cineplex:

1. Red Riding Hood – Loosely based on the Brothers Grimm tale of “Little Red Cap” (aka Little Red Riding Hood) this Catherine Hardwicke-directed film may not have been a box office winner it was none-the-less visually stunning and starred (among others) Amanda Seyfried, Gary Oldman, Billy Burke and Virginia Madsen. You can relive Red Riding Hood by listening to the movie’s soundtrack, which you can purchase at Amazon here.

2. Mirror Mirror – This adaptation of the well-known fairytale was in competition earlier this year with the much-darker version of Snow White (more on that in a minute); but this version was much more farcical albeit not without its dark moments. The movie featured Lily Collins in the lead role and Julia Roberts as the Evil Queen bent on destroying Snow White. The cast also featured Sean Bean, Armie Hammer and Nathan Lane. If you would rather see how the story plays out, you can read the Mirror Mirror The Movie Novel, which is available at Amazon here.

3. Snow White and the Huntsman – As quickly referenced above, this version of Snow White was (somewhat) in competition with Mirror Mirror but took the legendary story in a much more realistic (rather than whimsical) direction [despite the fact that Kristen Stewart portrayed the lead role]. The cast also included Charlize Theron as the Evil Queen and Chris Hemsworth as the Huntsman. If you want to add this movie to your collection or get it for that NiceGirl in your life, you can purchase it through Amazon here.

NOTE: This is the extended version of the film.

There are also the TV shows that have captivated viewers over the last two seasons with their very different looks at the fairytale legends:

1. Once Upon a Time – The series from Lost writers Adam Horowitz and Eddie Kitsis has the legends of the fairytale world trapped in Storybrooke, Maine (where they have no memory of their true identities) due to a curse enacted upon them by the Evil Queen. The show is now in its second season and a unique gift for the fan of the show is this inspired charm bracelet.

2. Grimm – Over on NBC, the legends of the fairytale world take on their original scary and evil connotations (for the most) part while being hunted by the Grimm; that is until Portland Detective Nick Burkhardt learns about his lineage. He will battle the Wesen (the creatures of the fairytale world) when he needs to, but actually has made friends among them as well. This series is also in its second season, but you can revisit the world of Grimm through the first season by getting the DVD at Amazon here.

3. Beauty and the Beast – The new version of the classic tale just debuted on The CW this fall with Kristin Kreuk and Jay Ryan in the lead roles; of course, that means only the few episodes that have aired so far are available online via Hulu and iTunes (among other sources); but in the meantime, you can purchase the entire series for which this new version was loosely based – the 1980’s series that starred Linda Hamilton and Ron Perlman. You can buy that deluxe set here at Amazon.

We’re not done yet, of course, there are plenty more movies to consider adding to your fairytale collection including the following:

1. Tangled – This delightful animation film was released in November of 2010 and quickly captured the hearts of young and old alike with its whimsical tale of Rapunzel. Voices in the film were provided by Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi and Donna Murphy. A unique gift idea based on this wonderful film is The Art of Tangled, which can be purchased at Amazon here.

2. Enchanted – This animation-turned-real-life-turned-animation October 2007 film turned the tale of every princess-wanna-be on its head with rather entertaining results. Amy Adams plays the displaced soon-to-be princess Gisele who ends up in the real world due to the Evil Queen and step-mother of Prince Edward (James Marsden). There she meets Robert (Patrick Dempsey), a divorce attorney, and his daughter Morgan (Rachel Covey). There is no better way to relive the magic of this film than to listen to the amazing music through the film’s soundtrack, which you can purchase at Amazon here.

4. Ella Enchanted – Much like the aforementioned film, Ella Enchanted took a very different look at Cinderella, her two step-sisters and her wicked step-mother. Anne Hathaway plays Ella who is gifted (or as she sees it cursed) with obedience at birth, making her susceptible to orders given by anyone. Hoping to find the fairy godmother who cursed her, Ella sets out into the kingdom to change her life. The cast included Hugh Dancy, Cary Elwes, Vivica A. Fox, Parminder Nagra and Lucy Punch. You can get your own copy of the DVD right here thanks to Amazon.

5. Ever After: A Cinderella Story – Perhaps one of the most touching versions of Cinderella and her prince is this 1998 box office film that starred Drew Barrymore as 18th century Danielle de Barbarac and Dougray Scott as Henry, the Crown Prince of France. This version is treated more as a historical recounting of the legend of Cinderella that features Anjelica Huston as Danielle’s “evil” step-mother. A copy of this wonderful version of the fairytale can be purchase at Amazon here.

6. The Princess Bride – This 1987 film is known far and wide as being one of the most beloved films (based on the 1973 novel of the same name) that quickly became a cult classic all over the globe. The cast includes Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Wallace Shawn, Robin Wright, Chris Sarandon, Fred Savage, Peter Falk and Christopher Guest (among others) and told the story of Buttercup and her Westley (aka the Dread Pirate Roberts). If you don’t know the rest of the tale (for shame!) you can check it all out here in the 20th Anniversary edition available at Amazon here.

7. Sydney White – Lastly, the tale of Snow White, her prince and the Seven Dwarves is told on a college campus through Sydney White (Amanda Bynes) and an dorky group of outcasts who take her in when her bid to join a sorority (the same her late mother belonged to goes down in flames). The cast includes Matt Long, Sara Paxton, John Schneider, Danny Strong and Samm Levine (among others). The DVD for this unusual look at Snow White and the Seven Dwarves can be purchased via Amazon here.

So, there you have it, just some of the great fairytale gifts you can purchase for the NiceGirl in your life or for yourself if you want to add to your own collection. You only have a few more weeks before the big holiday gets here – so good “hunting”.

PS: Don’t think that fairytales are done just because the end of 2012 is only a little over a month away as there are more tales set for next year via Once Upon a Time and Grimm on TV. And, there are plenty more box office films, including a very dark look at Hansel and Gretel, starring Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton, a new Jack and the Beanstalk movie called Jack the Giant Slayer, as well as dueling Sleeping Beauty movies – Maleficent, starring Angelina Jolie that will be out in 2014 and a proposed modern-day take on the story as well as a potential Mother Goose tale starring legendary actress Shirley MacLaine and even a potential TV show about Ichabod Crane and the legend of Sleepy Hollow. And, while The Wizard of Oz is a classic film based on the legendary book, a new fairytale-inspired version will be making it to the big screen in March entitled Oz: The Great and Powerful.