I would dare to say, that they're very few actresses currently who could dawn the horned head piece, make up, sorceress eyes and prosthetic cheek bones the way Angelina Jolie has in Disney's Maleficent. While she's look nearly stunning in every scene she's featured in, she's also the only reason to go. The move is a retelling, of sorts, of the original Sleeping Beauty tale, only this time, Maleficent goes on a quest derived from personal heart ache and betrayal and finds redemption in loving the daughter of her betrayer, a young girl by the name of Aurora, played by Elle Fanning. While the movie it self does have it's interesting moments, mainly courtesy of CG animated fight scenes and the fairy creatures themselves, the portrayal of Maleficent by Jolie seemed, at times, felt too easy and that's a good thing. It was a role she was born to play and she adds a mix of dynamism and character to a villain we've really only known as the evil fairy witch. The story does a good job of dispelling some old Hollywood tropes, as well as some very noticeable differences, (the "you're not wanted" scene is portrayed through a different character entirely, making it much more damaging in context) and provides a fitting much more positive for younger viewers than the original tale. All in all, Jolie sails a film that is a little hit or miss, but a good family movie with a surprising ending that sheds new light on a long time Disney icon. Maleficent is in theaters now.
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