Maleficent

In a completely alternate version of the story you think you know, Angelina Jolie shines as the complex and (according to this story) misunderstood titular character, Maleficent.

 

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

 

In order to fully enjoy this movie, you have to accept the fact that this is NOT a live-action version of “Sleeping Beauty.”  This is the story of Maleficent, and as such it’s going to provide you with her side of the fairy tale.  Once you can do that, you’ll find that this is actually a very interesting story, and in the same vein as their other hit movie Frozen, challenges the classic fairy-tale concept of what true love really is.  Maleficent started off as an innocent and loving child, but when she was betrayed in a very painful way, she sought revenge by placing a curse on the daughter of the man who betrayed her.  However, after watching that daughter grow and developing a relationship with her, Maleficent found out that she truly loved her all along.  It is her kiss that actually breaks the curse that she put on her, and in the end, Maleficent essentially adopts Aurora as her own and has her live as a Queen in the Moors.  What adds to this interesting concept is that the whole time the movie is narrated by Sleeping Beauty herself, Aurora.  So it’s not like Maleficent was trying to redeem herself by telling her own story, we actually get a third perspective that tells us the truth behind the classic story.

 

SPOILERS DONE! 🙂

 

If you saw and enjoyed Oz: The Great and Powerful, then you’ll immediately recognize and love the world that Maleficent comes from, the Moors, where all sorts of magical creatures live.  Seeing a young Maleficent fly through this world and say hi to all of it’s denizens is beautiful.  It stands in stark contrast to the dark, gray world of humans.  The special effects in this movie are fantastic, and really add to the magical feel of the mythical Moors.  In addition, the make-up and costumes in this film are great as well: I don’t know how they did it, but they made Angelina Jolie’s face look just as angular as her animated counterpart, and her dress immediately reminded me of the animated movie (I especially love how we are introduced to this new look for Maleficent through her shadow, it’s creepy and beautiful).  For once, I did not see this film in 3D, but I can imagine that some of these scenes in the Moors must of looked gorgeous in 3D.

This film also has a bit of humor to it, embedded in many of the dark elements of the film, which gives it a nice balance and doesn’t make it overly depressing.  There are a lot of somber moments in the film, but that only makes the brighter moments of the movie stand out that much more.  The relationship that Maleficent develops with her sidekick Diaval (played perfectly by Sam Riley) and the silly antics of Aurora’s three guardian fairies are particularly hilarious.

So now for the casting: Angelina Jolie does a wonderful job as Maleficent.  Her character serves as both hero and villain, with truly frightening moments of evil and other heartwarming moments of love and affection.  All the while, the movie finds ways to make you sympathize with Maleficent.  You know she’s doing wrong, but at the same time you understand why she does what she does.  It’s not an easy character to play, but if anyone can handle the challenge, it’s Jolie.  Elle Fanning does a fine job as Sleeping Beauty, aka Aurora.  She was “cursed” by Maleficent to be loved by all, and Fanning is definitely charming and adorable throughout the film, which makes her few moments of sadness and anger that much more powerful.  Sharlto Copley has been doing very well since District 9, and has truly shown his acting range.  This character is also a bit complex, starting off as a man who is driven to do anything to be king, and watching him slowly descend into madness and paranoia after Maleficent places the curse on his daughter.  As mentioned earlier, Sam Riley does an excellent job as Maleficent’s right-hand man Diaval, a crow that thanks to her powers can become a man and all sorts of other creatures, all while maintaining the feel of a crow (once again, great job in special effects)!  The other supporting cast is great as well, particularly the fairies.

FINAL DIAGNOSIS: 9/10

Disney once again does a fairy tale right, but this time completely twists one of their classic stories and villains.  It’s an interesting take on the story, and is bolstered by the fine acting of its cast and the beautiful special effects that can be both magical and frightening.  It is a complex story filled with complex characters, but is a fun ride to see how they all come to be.

Elysium

The director of the critically acclaimed (and Oscar-nominated) District 9 delivers another jaw-dropping, action-packed film with a powerful message about classism and healthcare.

What made District 9 so great was that is was an exciting sci-fi alien movie that also served as a social commentary on discrimination and immigration issues.  This film continues that great blend, to an even more exciting degree.  Many people that I know felt like District 9 was great but a bit too slow.  No need to worry about that this time around, this movie is exciting from beginning to end, and had me at the edge of my seat numerous times throughout the film.  Simply put, this movie is gorgeous in every way, especially in IMAX.  The high-tech weaponry was stunning to watch, the superhuman strength gained by donning an exoskeleton was awesome to witness, and the powerful contrast between the squalor of future LA and the incredible, surreal beauty of Elysium was fantastic to behold.  The special effects are great and feel natural in the film, and the cinematography is great, especially on Elysium; I guess it’s because it’s in stark contrast to the bland, sandy wasteland that is left on Earth, but the colors on Elysium are bright and vibrant and pop off the screen so beautifully.  One thing that I also found kind of interesting is that even though there are so many futuristic innovations in the world of this film, some of the displays on their monitors look like they were from computers from the ’80s.  Though it did throw me off a bit, it was also kind of nostalgic in a way.

The acting is great in this film as well.  Matt Damon does a fine job in his role of a man just trying to turn his life around and fulfill a promise he made a long time ago.  I don’t want to spoil to much, but there is a reason why he ends up needing that exoskeleton, and it makes his journey (and the ending of the film) that much more beautiful.  His Spanish is not bad either (he plays a boy that grew up in an orphanage in LA), I was pretty impressed!  Alice Braga (I Am Legend, City of God) does a great job in her role as well, and has a great chemistry with Matt Damon, despite the ups and downs in their relationship.  Jodie Foster (SO MANY FILMS hahaha!) plays a frightening role as Delacourt, a power-hungry Secretary of Defense who will stop at nothing to protect Elysium, no matter the consequences.  In an interesting twist, Sharlto Copley, who played the good guy/protagonist in District 9, play the terrifying villain in this film, Kruger, a former agent-turned-mercenary who plays by his own rules to get what he wants: more power and control.  It just goes to show what a great actor he is; he goes from being a lovable dope to a brutal killer!  The other actors in this film also perform very well in their roles.

Now to the main part of what makes this movie so great, the story.  Again, I don’t want to spoil to much, but as anyone can tell from the trailers, there’s two big important parts to this film: 1) the rich live in a beautiful paradise up in space called Elysium, and 2) one of the most amazing features of Elysium is the fact that everyone has access to “med-pods,” magical (science is magic right?) tubes that can literally cure ANY disease/injury within minutes.  Obviously, people down on Earth are dying and suffering with the little bit of medical help they receive, and will die trying to get up to Elysium for a chance to heal themselves and their children in these miracle devices.  This subtle nod to universal health care is powerful, and watching parents go to extreme lengths to save their kids is emotional.  What I also found delightfully ironic was the fact that people on Earth had jobs creating the very same robots that would later abuse them and prevent them from getting up to Elysium.  The stunning contrast between the two worlds is a fascinating demonstration of the unjust inequalities between the 1% and the 99% done in a clever, incredible way. Anyway, I would love to say more about it, but that would spoil some of the more intriguing and heart-wrenching moments of the film!

FINAL DIAGNOSIS: 9/10

This movie will definitely delight sci-fi and action fans, and is an absolute must-see for anyone who liked District 9.  It’s almost like a sister-film; it seems like it could take place around the same time as the events of District 9.  It’s a smart film that is beautiful in many ways, and is supported by a talented cast who make you connect to their characters and their struggles.  Don’t be surprised if Neill Blomkamp goes 2 for 2 and gets Oscar nods again this year!