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| Image Courtesy: Walt Disney Pictures |
Movie Review by: DeAlan Wilson
In this new take on the classic Sleeping Beauty story, we get to see Angelina Jolie in a wonderful new production working at her very best. Starring as the films lead character Maleficent, a beautiful winged fairy who befriends and falls in love with a human named Stefan (Sharlto Copley) who ultimately betrays Maleficent's love and trust of him by cutting off her wings while she is asleep so that he may present them to a dying King in order to be named successor to the throne himself.
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| With wings Angelina Jolie flys high in MALEFICENT Image Courtesy: Walt Disney Pictures |
Scorned by love, Maleficent seeks revenge by casting an irreversible evil spell on the newly crowned King’s first born child, Aurora (Elle Fanning). In fear that the spell will come true, the new King sends his newborn child away to a secret country cottage hidden deep within the woods to be watched over by a trio of three hummingbird sized fairies, Flittle (Lesley Manville), Knotgrass (Imelda Staunton) and
Thistletwit (Juno Temple) who all provide great comic relief for the
film and shine brilliantly in MALEFICENT.
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Above: Little fairies as humans. (l.to r.)Flittle (Lesley Manville) Knotgrass (Imelda Staunton), and Thistlewit (Juno Temple). Below: In their original miniature size. Courtesy: Walt Disney Pictures |
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As Aurora grows in age, the now scorned fairy Maleficent becomes very fond of the adorable little girl and decides to reverse the curse. However the curse is irreversible. Destined to prick her finger on a spindle wheel needle and fall into a deep sleep forevermore Aurora prematurely returns to her father (the King) and his castle.
The film MALEFICENT elevates this classic fairytale story to a whole new level. (Kind of like what the Broadway show WICKED does for the story of Dorothy and The Wizard of OZ.)
Angelina Jolie shines brighter than ever in MALEFICENT. With her stellar on-camera acting technique Jolie nailed her role perfectly. Some of her most powerful moments occur when she has absolutely no dialogue at all. To watch Jolie silently transition her character from a loving, peaceful fairy before her wings are cut-off and stolen to her awakening to realize she has been butchered and betrayed is astounding. It brings whole new meaning to the common paraphrase of William Congreve’s famous line from the play The Mourning Bride (1697) “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”
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| A woman scorned, Angelina Jolie stars in MALEFICENT Image Courtesy: Walt Disney Pictures |
Budgeted at $200 million, this new Walt Disney Studios film was directed by Robert Stromberg (Pirates of The Caribbean, The Hunger Games), cinematography by Dean Semler (Dances with Wolves) and produced by the London based special effect and post production studio, Moving Pictures Company (X-Men,Godzilla, Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows: Part 2).
With stunning visual effects, great actors, a tried and true classic story and great overall production design by Dylan Cole (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King) and Gary Freeman (Saving Private Ryan) the folks at Disney have another winner on their hands.
PLUS: See the Official Disney Trailer
Movie Review By: DeAlan Wilson
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