Maleficent

Title: Maleficent

Year: 2014

Director: Robert Stromberg

Rating (by MPAA): PG for sequences of fantasy action and violence, including frightening images

Synopsis: A vengeful fairy is driven to curse an infant princess, only to discover that the child may be the one person who can restore peace to their troubled land.

Official Page and IMDb Page

Official Trailer



STEPH SAID

Rating:


Review:

*This review contains spoilers*

Since this movie is a retelling of the Sleeping Beauty story, from Maleficent's point of view, I expected a few changes from the original Disney story. However, this movie doesn't have just a few changes; it is a completely different story. I didn't enjoy that. I mean, if they wanted to do a different story, then why sell it through a classic's name. The only similarities are the character's names and the curse; which seems like everything, but, when put into context, is not much.

Maleficent started as a young, good fairy who fell in love with a human boy, and grew to be the protector of the Moors, the magical realm where she lives. After being betrayed by the man she loved, she grows to be the bitter, vengeful creature we all know and love. So far so good, right? Well, not quite. The first thing I noticed about the Moors is that there are no other fairies. Maleficent's parents are dead, and even though she talks as if there are other fairies in the Moors, we never see them. She is, supposedly, the most powerful fairy. But, how can we know that, when we can't compare her to anyone? As I imagined, we don't see much of her magic in the movie. Just the curse she casts on Aurora and some transfiguration charms.

Also, I didn't like the fact that once Maleficent turns evil, she bounds the Moors, and everyone in it, in her darkness. I understand why she turned bitter and vengeful, and I would have understood if she shut everyone off. However, I can't understand how she betrayed her whole country; everyone in the Moors loved her and trusted that she would protect them. Instead, she ensnared them, literally and figuratively, when she started a dark, oppressive reign over the Moors, and surrounded it with gigantic thorns.

These are just small details, yet, as the actual story started to develop I encountered bigger problems with this movie. The firsts of which have to do with the curse. Stefan made Maleficent miserable, so she wants to return the favor, and curses Stefan's daughter, Aurora. The curse scene tries to be grandiose, key word being “tries”. The scene looks forced. Especially when Maleficent doesn't even know with what to curse Aurora and starts looking around the room. She notices a spinning wheel that happened to be in the christening ceremony and thinks “Ehh... What the heck... This can work as well as anything else.” Stefan, with all the power he has as king, decides to gather every spinning wheel of the kingdom and hide them in the castle, instead of burning them to ashes. 

Maleficent suddenly is not as evil and starts looking after Aurora, who was sent to live with three pixies. Maybe, Maleficent wants her to grow up safely so she can die at the right moment. No matter why, she looks after Aurora. When Aurora is a teenager Maleficent reveals herself to Aurora, and Aurora immediately names Maleficent as her fairy godmother, even though Maleficent doesn't even have wings. They start to bond and care for each other. But, the day before her sixteenth birthday Aurora finds out about her curse and the fairy who cursed her. She went to talk with her fairy godmother and immediately says that her fairy godmother is the evil fairy who cursed her. Five minutes before she thought that Maleficent was the greatest of the fairies, the one that had protect her her entire life. Now, out of the blue, she knows that said fairy is the evilest of fairies, the one that cursed her as a baby.

The following scenes are about the curse being fulfilled, and Aurora being awaken by a kiss. Some expected changes are made from the original story. I don't mind those. The ensuing battle, on the other hand, lefts much to be desired. That was the perfect moment to showcase Maleficent's true magical powers. Instead, she transform someone else into a dragon and that's about it.

The resolution of the story is the worst. If the ending of this movie had aligned with Disney's Sleeping Beauty's storyline, I would have given it a higher rating. Except it did the complete opposite. Maleficent ends up as a good guy and she unites the Moors and the kingdom of men through Aurora. Which seems nice considering Aurora's good nature, but isn't. The inhabitants of the Moors were free and now aren't. Also, we don't know who will reign after Aurora. What if they don't share her kind nature? What will happen to the magical creatures of the Moors?

One of the things I disliked the most about this ending is that it is implied that Aurora ends up with a prince that she only saw once. I know Disney is trying to distant itself from their love-at-first-sight-with-a-prince-charming past. Yet, of all the things they could change from their initial story, they left that part intact.

If this movie gets a two-star/ok rating, instead of a one-star/bad rating, is due to the amazing magical creatures of the Moors. Among them: the Ent-like guardians, the pixies that took care of Aurora, and, most importantly, Diaval, the raven.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Year: 2014

Director: Marc Webb

Rating (by MPAA):  PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action/violence

Synopsis (IMDb): Peter Parker runs the gauntlet as the mysterious company Oscorp sends up a slew of super villains against him, impacting his life.

Official Page

Official Trailer

STEPH SAID

Rating:

Review:

Do you know how Hollywood likes to mess up a really good movie, with an awful sequel? They take already big movies and try to make them even bigger to make them "better", and they fail miserably. Exhibit A: Two Fast, Two Furious; Exhibit B: The Matrix Reloaded; Exhibit C: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. I was scared that might have happen to the new Spider-man, but I'm happy to say it didn't. This is another win for Spider-man, yet again; it was a truly amazing movie. This sequel follows in its predecessor's footsteps. It had a perfect balance between drama, action, comedy and romance; it managed to create perfect moments of dramatic intensity, followed by carefree moments filled with Peter's charisma and charm.

In this instance we get to delve into Peter's past, or technically, his parents'. We find out why they left Peter behind, why they disappeared, and about Richard's involvement with Oscorp. However, I'm sensing that what we find out is merely the tip of the iceberg.

The newcomers, Jamie Foxx and Dane DeHaan, and their respective characters, are literally at the center of this movie; the movie revolves around these two. And they deserve it. Their enactments were amazing and their characters, brilliant and astounding. Their gradual progression from good to evil was gripping and exciting. If I didn't know how things were going to turn out, I could have been completely fooled by Harry's good boy haircut and Max's pity-inducing Spider-man obsession. In fact, I was captivated by their good counterparts. I couldn't believed that they were going to turn evil eventually; maybe the trailers were mistaken, I hoped. Unfortunately, my hopes were extinguished.

Harry's transformation from a world traveled brat to the Green Goblin, the specific moment of the transformation, was chill-inducing. (In a great way!) That is one of my favorite parts of the movie. DeHaan's acting afterward was even better that before. He literally created a completely different character for the Goblin. As he said, Harry was dead. There was no trace of him in the Goblin.

One thing that I usually don't notice in movies, but adored in this one, is the soundtrack. The music for this movie, especially the original music, dazzled me. The effects it was accompanied by helped increased its impressiveness.

The movie's critical and climactic plot-twist was undoubtedly surprising. Even though I was expecting it, and knew what was going to happen, I was caught off-guard. It was beautifully made, with no room for mistake. I like that the movie didn't portray it as it happened in the comics, that way it was more visually easy to understand. Most people that say the movie wasn't as good as the first one is, probably, because they didn't like or understand this twist. To those people I say: review the story developed through Spider-Man 1, 2 & 3.