Maleficent (Live-Action)

[lord-of-sith]

Musical Master yes I have seen it! Twice already! I can safely say that I really truly enjoyed it, and that is all to do with viewing it in the right mindset. If I expected to see a movie dealing with the exact same Maleficent from the 1959 film, I would have obviously been disappointed. Luckily, the original screenplay being leaked over a year ago, which really worried me at the time, allowed me time to realize what kind of movie we were going to get. I can't help but wonder if Disney secretly allowed for the script to be leaked in order to tell hardcore fans (aka the people who would bother to read it) what to expect. For what it is, I find it to be a good movie and people can't seem to get over the deviations from the 1959 film. Everyone who I've seen it with (including strangers whose comments I heard while leaving the theater) really really liked it. I found it to lack the awkward performances of Oz and the overt make-no-senseness of Alice (long with its own awkward performances). And, of course, Jolie was astounding, which was good, as she is the entire movie.

Kraken Guard it would seem that your enjoyment of the movie (or lack there of) is tied exclusively to other people's (mostly those you don't know) opinions on something that you like. I totally get wanting people to like stuff you do in the same way that you do, but I think you would be much better off enjoying it for yourself and not worrying if people who matter so little to your life "understand" it. Do what you want of course, but I think you would be happier if you enjoyed the original for yourself whether than worrying about if people will get the wrong impression from this movie. The original is timeless and not going anywhere.

[xxhplinkxx]

This movie lost me at the end... maybe in the middle actually. Only thing truly enjoyable was Jolie's performance.

[Disney Duster]

Um, Maleficent did get hurt and hateful because of love. No one remember's her getting a kiss from Stephen, or you know, the rest of their relationship before he took her wings?

One thing that bothered me about this movie though was this weird occasional quick cut to a zoom of the shots. Like when Diaval runs toward the camera as a wolf there's a quick cut to a closer-up shot of him. Or when Aurora gets closer to pricking her finger there was a quick cut to her being further to it and closer to the camera.

[Musical Master]

Um, Maleficent did get hurt and hateful because of love. No one remember's her getting a kiss from Stephen, or you know, the rest of their relationship before he took her wings?

One thing that bothered me about this movie though was this weird occasional quick cut to a zoom of the shots. Like when Diaval runs toward the camera as a wolf there's a quick cut to a closer-up shot of him. Or when Aurora gets closer to pricking her finger there was a quick cut to her being further to it and closer to the camera.

I guess that you can blame the editor for that.

[Disney Duster]

I thought it was the director but maybe it is the editor.

[Miss Manday]

Yes, Maleficent was hurt by her 'love', but that final straw was her wings. That was what started her rampage. And that's much better to me than "Oh, my supposed true love just married someone else to be King."

[moviefan12]

I saw this movie over the weekend and I was against at first as I've never been a big fan of Maleficent (they don't understand why so many Disney fans praise her as the greatest Disney villain) and Sleeping Beauty is one of my least favorite Disney movies. But I have to say that I really liked this film as I liked the movie. I'm hesitant to call it good but I did like the tale that was told and I liked the characters and I really liked Maleficent in this movie.

[Atlantica]

"I will not ask for forgiveness. What I have done is unforgivable. I was so lost in hatred and revenge....you stole what was left of my heart. And now I've lost you forever. But I swear, no harm will come to you as long as I live...and not a day shall pass that I won't miss your smile".

Best.... Lines.... Ever....

Yes, my gosh, how she says it was just beautiful, and heartbreaking.

[MeerkatKombat]

My sister went to see it. I haven't. I'm not willing to drop a tenner on a cinema ticket so I'll wait for the DVD. Hearing lots of mixed reviews for it.
My sister really enjoyed it and said it is good as long as you can mentally distance it from its animated counterpart (which she adores).

[candydog]

I'm not willing to drop a tenner on a cinema ticket so I'll wait for the DVD.

Oh my god yes! I completely agree! Cinema tickets in the UK have become insanely expensive. I just moved back to England after living abroad in a few different places/countries for years and I was shocked by how expensive it was! I saw it in 2D and still paid over £11! (About $19)

[Disney Duster]

Yes, Maleficent was hurt by her 'love', but that final straw was her wings. That was what started her rampage. And that's much better to me than "Oh, my supposed true love just married someone else to be King."

Well she lost her love and her wings around the same time. But I get what you mean how it's better than just lost love that made her turn the way she did. Though what really sent her into evil, from what I remember, was finding out he did it all, taking her heart and her wings, just to become king.

[Musical Master]

Yes, Maleficent was hurt by her 'love', but that final straw was her wings. That was what started her rampage. And that's much better to me than "Oh, my supposed true love just married someone else to be King."

Well she lost her love and her wings around the same time. But I get what you mean how it's better than just lost love that made her turn the way she did. Though what really sent her into evil, from what I remember, was finding out he did it all, taking her heart and her wings, just to become king.

That part where she loses it and angrily shoots out green magic for the first time made me jump a little.

[Vlad]

That's exactly what my concern is for this movie!

What if people now decide that Stefan was secretly the bad guy in the original, and that the three fairies never really cared for Aurora? That the reason for Maleficent cursing Aurora was because he had robbed her of her wings some years prior? What if people consider this one as the canon?

So what if they consider it that way? Why do you care so much of how people will see the film?

What's also strange is I never got the Cinderella teaser before my viewing! I really was looking forward to seeing it on the big screen. I guess only some theatres do it? Was it in 3D, whoever saw it?

Yeah, I was kinda disappointed at that, too. I was looking forward to seeing it on the big screen.

Kraken Guard it would seem that your enjoyment of the movie (or lack there of) is tied exclusively to other people's (mostly those you don't know) opinions on something that you like. I totally get wanting people to like stuff you do in the same way that you do, but I think you would be much better off enjoying it for yourself and not worrying if people who matter so little to your life "understand" it. Do what you want of course, but I think you would be happier if you enjoyed the original for yourself whether than worrying about if people will get the wrong impression from this movie. The original is timeless and not going anywhere.

Precisely!

[Kraken Guard]

That's exactly what my concern is for this movie!

What if people now decide that Stefan was secretly the bad guy in the original, and that the three fairies never really cared for Aurora? That the reason for Maleficent cursing Aurora was because he had robbed her of her wings some years prior? What if people consider this one as the canon?

So what if they consider it that way? Why do you care so much of how people will see the film?

Because Disney might catch on with how popular this movie is, and might try to do stuff with the original. More prominence in merchandise; at the parks; sort of replace the original Maleficent in their own secretive way. Heaven knows, they may very well attempt what George Lucas did at the end of Return of the Jedi when it comes to Anakin's ghost...

[Atlantica]

I think having more Maleficent in the parks and merchandise in whatever form can only be a good thing, surely ?! I know I'd certainly appreciate it.

Though have a look at Alice; made crazy money and has not replaced the original in any way at all. Not in meet and greets, not in the aesthetic of the park or ride areas … nothing.

[Kraken Guard]

I think having more Maleficent in the parks and merchandise in whatever form can only be a good thing, surely ?! I know I'd certainly appreciate it.

Though have a look at Alice; made crazy money and has not replaced the original in any way at all. Not in meet and greets, not in the aesthetic of the park or ride areas … nothing.

I'd appreciate more of the original Maleficent, but I fear she's going to get snubbed by Joleficent.

Yeah, but everyone pretty much agrees that Alice sucked. Maleficent, from what it seems like, seems to be a pretty huge hit.

[Atlantica]

Yeah, but everyone pretty much agrees that Alice sucked. Maleficent, from what it seems like, seems to be a pretty huge hit.

I don't think Maleficent will do Alice numbers at all. I much, much prefer it, but I just think it won't make it up there. I'm not sure everyone agrees it sucked, as it was just so huge for Disney.

Disney are all about the money and the numbers, but yet they didn't force Burton Alice on us in any way. Which I personally thought was a bit of a shock, as I was fully expecting the traditional Alice replaced by Mia's incarnation….yet, it hasn't even made a dent. So I wouldn't get panicked.

[Musical Master]

Yeah, but everyone pretty much agrees that Alice sucked. Maleficent, from what it seems like, seems to be a pretty huge hit.

I don't think Maleficent will do Alice numbers at all. I much, much prefer it, but I just think it won't make it up there. I'm not sure everyone agrees it sucked, as it was just so huge for Disney.

Disney are all about the money and the numbers, but yet they didn't force Burton Alice on us in any way. Which I personally thought was a bit of a shock, as I was fully expecting the traditional Alice replaced by Mia's incarnation….yet, it hasn't even made a dent. So I wouldn't get panicked.

I agree, you don't need to worry Kraken, the original animated film is not going anywhere due to Maleficent.

BTW: The scene that made me laugh:

Prince Phillip: I'm looking for a girl

Maleficent: Of course you are.

(uses a knock-out spell on Phillip)

[lord-of-sith]

Yeah, no matter how popular this film may become, it's not replacing anything of the original. It's just not. I mean look at the merchandise that has already been released. At Hot Topic, most of the merchandise for this film utilizes the original Maleficent. Shirts and merchandise are being sold with Marc Davis' original drawings on them! That HAS to be a plus for a Maleficent fan, regardless of how you feel about the film. Plus they can't pay for Jolie's image forever, so they'll continue to release merchandise with the original image on it.

[candydog]

I don't really care whether or not other people see this movie as "canon". Truth be told I'm sure that most of the people in the movie theatre when I saw it hadn't even seen the original! To the movie-going masses this was just a fairytale action movie with Angelina Jolie. I hope it sparks more interest in the original though, it's always been an underrated movie in my opinion.

I think a lot of people who KNOW the original are disappointed because it strayed too far from the original, to the point where the stories of the two films cannot possibly co-exist in the same universe.

Now a lot of people will say: "Oh, but if you just view them as two separate entities completely you can just appreciate them as different movies."


But the thing is, the movie isn't REALLY supposed to be a separate entity is it? I mean it's Disney's Maleficent. The point of "origin" stories is that the backstory can plausibly exist within a world with which the audience is already familiar. If you completely dismantle that world, and remove key elements of the source material, what's the point in the project?