Mirror, mirror on the wall… Who is the fairest Snow White adaptation of them all? “Snow White and the Huntsman” and “Mirror, Mirror” asked that question when they were both released in 2012, in a phenomenon called Movie Twins.
Movie Twins occur when two films with a remarkably similar premise get made and released in the same year. It happens WAY more often than you would think.
Check out these paired movie synopses — I’ve highlighted what’s different in the second of each one, that’s how similar these things are — and name both films in the set of Movie Twins.
Questions:
- It’s 1998. An asteroid is heading for Earth to cause a mass extinction event, but a team of oil drillers with a nuclear bomb can save us by blowing it up. OR It’s 1998. A comet is heading to Earth to cause a mass extinction event, but a team of astronauts with a bunch of nuclear bombs can save us by blowing it up.
- It’s 2011. A professional man and woman in New York meet and become friends. They add casual sex to their relationship, fall for each other, fight about it, then make up at a train station. OR It’s 2011. A professional man and woman in Los Angeles who knew each other as kids reconnect as friends. They add casual sex to their relationship, fall for each other, fight about it then make up at a hospital.
- It’s 1964. Orders to launch a nuclear attack on Russia are mistakenly sent to a group of U.S. bomber pilots and the president has tense dealings with Russia to try to call the planes back and save the world from nuclear disaster. OR It’s 1964. Orders to launch a nuclear attack on Russia are sent on purpose to a group of U.S. bomber pilots and the president has hilarious dealings with Russia to try to call the planes back and save the world from nuclear disaster.
- It’s 2005. The author of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” travels to Kansas to research the murders that will be the basis of his nonfiction novel, “In Cold Blood.” It’s 2006. The author of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” travels to Kansas to research the murders that will be the basis of his nonfiction novel, “In Cold Blood.” This time the actor doesn’t win an Oscar.
- It’s 1998. A community of insects are saved from a villain’s hostile takeover, thanks to the efforts of one unlikely hero who falls in love with their princess. OR It’s 1998. A community of insects are saved from hostile villains, thanks to the efforts of a crew of misfit outsiders and one unlikely hero who falls in love with their princess.
Answers up after the trailer for “Mirror, Mirror,” which I never saw but looks absolutely batshit and I think I have to rent it this weekend.
Answers:
- “Armageddon” and “Deep Impact”
- “Friends with Benefits” and “No Strings Attached” (Weirdly, Justin Timberlake ISN’T in the one called “No Strings Attached.”)
- “Fail Safe” and “Dr. Strangelove”
- “Capote” and “Infamous”
- “Antz” and “A Bug’s Life”
Love movie trivia? Check out the movies from 2000 visual quiz or pick up a copy of my ’90s movie trivia book!