I mentioned in my Guardians of the Galaxy review that that film was probably close with one other as my favourite movie of the year. That other film happens to be Disney's Maleficent, and I was lucky enough to pick up the blu-ray when it came out. Side note, for anyone who is curious: Disney no longer sell the blu-ray/DVD double packs in the UK. Apparently they are still sold in the US. I would like to know why they aren't sold in the UK anymore, as I did like getting them, and found them to be good value for money. As it stands, in the UK, only the blu-ray release comes with special features.
Disney's Maleficent is a re-telling of the Sleeping Beauty story, using the characters from their animated version, and deliberately looking at the back-story of the evil faerie Maleficent, and wondering just what it was that cause her to become so evil. So... it's a bit like Wicked, in that respect. (I am seeing Wicked in January. I will write up a review. Looking forward to seeing it!) Also, for people who think that Maleficent was only made a faerie for this movie... please read the original Sleeping Beauty fairy tale. And yes, Maleficent is a faerie, not a fairy. There is a difference. Mistaking the two, if you ever happen to meet a member of the fae, could prove to be problematic.
Now, here's the thing. This movie has been reviewed and reviewed. It came out in May of this year, and the blu-ray/DVD release was in October in the UK. So... I don't think I'm reviewing it as such, more just talking about what I thought about the film.
I thought it was amazing.
Okay, okay, so there were bits that clearly needed a bit more work, and having read the novelisation, there were some cuts scenes that would have benefited the film had they remained in it. That being said... it's still really good. Learning about Maleficent's past does soften her from being the Mistress of All Evil, yes, but your mileage may vary on whether that's a bad thing or not. Considering how they portray the events that happen to her in her life, and the real world connections they have, I can't help but think Maleficent is a very important movie, and frankly I'm a little amazed that this stuff got past the Disney radars.
It really is a film worth checking out, easily the best of the live action stuff that Disney's put out in recent years. (I may acknowledge that Saving Mr. Banks is a decent film, but that is NOT how the production of Mary Poppins happen, that is NOT how P.L.Travers was in real life. Actually the story of what Disney did to her kind of sheds a bad light on the guy. And Oz: the Great and Powerful was a pretty looking thing with nothing really interesting to say). It gives me a bit of hope for the upcoming Cinderella live action film.
Into the Woods... well, that I'll wait and see.
Disney's Maleficent is a re-telling of the Sleeping Beauty story, using the characters from their animated version, and deliberately looking at the back-story of the evil faerie Maleficent, and wondering just what it was that cause her to become so evil. So... it's a bit like Wicked, in that respect. (I am seeing Wicked in January. I will write up a review. Looking forward to seeing it!) Also, for people who think that Maleficent was only made a faerie for this movie... please read the original Sleeping Beauty fairy tale. And yes, Maleficent is a faerie, not a fairy. There is a difference. Mistaking the two, if you ever happen to meet a member of the fae, could prove to be problematic.
Now, here's the thing. This movie has been reviewed and reviewed. It came out in May of this year, and the blu-ray/DVD release was in October in the UK. So... I don't think I'm reviewing it as such, more just talking about what I thought about the film.
I thought it was amazing.
Okay, okay, so there were bits that clearly needed a bit more work, and having read the novelisation, there were some cuts scenes that would have benefited the film had they remained in it. That being said... it's still really good. Learning about Maleficent's past does soften her from being the Mistress of All Evil, yes, but your mileage may vary on whether that's a bad thing or not. Considering how they portray the events that happen to her in her life, and the real world connections they have, I can't help but think Maleficent is a very important movie, and frankly I'm a little amazed that this stuff got past the Disney radars.
It really is a film worth checking out, easily the best of the live action stuff that Disney's put out in recent years. (I may acknowledge that Saving Mr. Banks is a decent film, but that is NOT how the production of Mary Poppins happen, that is NOT how P.L.Travers was in real life. Actually the story of what Disney did to her kind of sheds a bad light on the guy. And Oz: the Great and Powerful was a pretty looking thing with nothing really interesting to say). It gives me a bit of hope for the upcoming Cinderella live action film.
Into the Woods... well, that I'll wait and see.
I hadn't seen the trailer yet, thanks for sharing it! This looks very good, I definitely am going to watch it - on DVD, I never go to the cinema :-).
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