Maleficent (Live-Action)

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Musical Master
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Re: Maleficent (2014): Official Discussion

Post by Musical Master »

Wow I'm glad that the both of you really liked it, it sounds as if Linda Woolverton has redeemed herself as a writer. Now I can redo the questions to this: Does Prince Phillip have any scenes? How is both the Battle of the Moors and at Stefan's castle visually? Thanks again. :)
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Re: Maleficent (2014): Official Discussion

Post by robster16 »

I just got back...

This, to me, is a movie that should NEVER have been made! I truelly respect and understand reinterpreting movies, but this is just. I'm at a loss for words how awfull I think it is and I'm usually always very open and positive about things. It looks beautiful but other then that... just plain awfull. I'm in shock... truelly...
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Musical Master
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Re: Maleficent (2014): Official Discussion

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robster16 wrote:I just got back...

This, to me, is a movie that should NEVER have been made! I truelly respect and understand reinterpreting movies, but this is just. I'm at a loss for words how awfull I think it is and I'm usually always very open and positive about things. It looks beautiful but other then that... just plain awfull. I'm in shock... truelly...
The Twilight films, THAT's what should've never EVER been made....Curse you Melissa Rosenberg you talentless hack..... :x But if you did not like it, then that's fine.
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Re: Maleficent (2014): Official Discussion

Post by estefan »

Well, I guess it's not hard to interpret robster's feelings about the movie. So, to the other posters who saw the movie tonight and liked it, how did you feel about the changes to Sleeping Beauty? That's the thing I'm most curious about hearing from other people (especially fans of the animated feature) since seeing the movie on Monday.
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Re: Maleficent (2014): Official Discussion

Post by DancingCrab »

Musical Master wrote:it sounds as if Linda Woolverton has redeemed herself as a writer.
On the contrary, it sounds like the majority of the criticism (even from some of the positive reviews) is coming from her screenplay not living up to it's potential.

The movie is currently back down to 56% (rotten). It will indeed shift up and down over the weekend, but I think it's clear we have a mixed reception here.
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Musical Master
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Re: Maleficent (2014): Official Discussion

Post by Musical Master »

DancingCrab wrote:
Musical Master wrote:it sounds as if Linda Woolverton has redeemed herself as a writer.
On the contrary, it sounds like the majority of the criticism (even from some of the positive reviews) is coming from her screenplay not living up to it's potential.

The movie is currently back down to 56% (rotten). It will indeed shift up and down over the weekend, but I think it's clear we have a mixed reception here.
But there is SOME positive reviews that really did like the story and from some reviews from IMDB thought it was a HUGE improvement over Woolverton's work on Alice in Wonderland. But I'll judge this when I see this.
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Re: Maleficent (2014): Official Discussion

Post by WillytheDino »

estefan wrote:Well, I guess it's not hard to interpret robster's feelings about the movie. So, to the other posters who saw the movie tonight and liked it, how did you feel about the changes to Sleeping Beauty? That's the thing I'm most curious about hearing from other people (especially fans of the animated feature) since seeing the movie on Monday.
You need to go to the movie with an open mind. The story is, indeed, changed. It all goes along with the original story up untill the kissing scene and the fight with Mal/Phillip that is not there.
But if you watch this movie as a seperate film, you'll see that the changes towards the end make sense; it would not make sense if Maleficent would fight Phillip and if Phillip would kiss Aurora. The fact that Maleficent kissed her made sense in this movie. As a seperate story.

All the elements are there from the original story but they are ruffled op: the wall of thorns is there to protect the land of the Moors from the king and they are not around the castle, Aurora and Phillip do have a forest scene, he does kiss her (it just does not work) etc etc but as you see, it's a retelling.
Musical Master wrote:Wow I'm glad that the both of you really liked it, it sounds as if Linda Woolverton has redeemed herself as a writer. Now I can redo the questions to this: Does Prince Phillip have any scenes? How is both the Battle of the Moors and at Stefan's castle visually? Thanks again. :)
Philip has scenes, he is in 3 or 4. One where he meets Aurora (cute), then he meets Maleficent and she brings him to the castle, he tries to kiss Aurora but it fails, and he is brieflly seen at the end.

The visuals are amazing, you should really see it for yourself!
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Atlantica
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Re: Maleficent (2014): Official Discussion

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estefan wrote:So, to the other posters who saw the movie tonight and liked it, how did you feel about the changes to Sleeping Beauty?
See, I don't view it like that; its a separate entity in itself. Like, I don't regard Snow White & The Huntsman as 'changing' Disney's version….two different films, with a diff take. Except this time, its done by Disney themselves which makes it even more interesting.

Agree about the script though - she is so overrated I can't even :roll: By far and away the worst part about Alice (bar Johnny Depp) was the clonking clunking script.
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Musical Master
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Re: Maleficent (2014): Official Discussion

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Atlantica wrote:
estefan wrote:So, to the other posters who saw the movie tonight and liked it, how did you feel about the changes to Sleeping Beauty?
See, I don't view it like that; its a separate entity in itself. Like, I don't regard Snow White & The Huntsman as 'changing' Disney's version….two different films, with a diff take. Except this time, its done by Disney themselves which makes it even more interesting.

Agree about the script though - she is so overrated I can't even :roll: By far and away the worst part about Alice (bar Johnny Depp) was the clonking clunking script.
So is the script in Maleficent an improvment over....That "other movie"?
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Atlantica
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Re: Maleficent (2014): Official Discussion

Post by Atlantica »

Do you mean Alice? If so, then YES ! That script is beyond awful (in my opinion).

I still, to this day, can't see why Alice was so huge. Helena and Anne were wonderful, but other than that ?? Guess thats just me as clearly people out there loved it ! :lol:
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Re: Maleficent (2014): Official Discussion

Post by adamw92 »

I hate that I've let this happen but I've actually talked myself out of going to see this. I usually don't like deciding on if I want to see a movie based off of other's opinions as I like to go by my own but everything I've read spoiler wise sounds awful. I think it'll be one of those "wait for the dvd/blu-ray release to watch" movies now for me.
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Re: Maleficent (2014): Official Discussion

Post by Victurtle »

I really enjoyed it! However the negativity is well justified.

Just be warned though, it's told like a traditional fairytale in that the film almost lists things that happen (with some pretty visuals), so there isn't much flow in the film. I personally did not like the narration (it highlighted Linda's awkward writing), but I'm glad others did.

I loved the pixies. I thought they retained their animated counterpart's characteristics, but this time round they never develop. Yes they were annoying, but they were meant to be, they were done really well.

Overall, I thought all of the main characters and visuals were done well. The weakness was in the flow of the script and directing. It was very apparent it was Strongberg's debut, but given the script he was handed, he handled it well.

I think it's ambiguous who is narrating. When she said "I am the sleeping beauty" I interpreted to mean I, Maleficent, am the sleeping beauty. I was once beautiful, but then I was hurt, but I was awoken from my hateful slumber by love and became beautiful again". It might be a lit of a stretch, but that's my preferred interpretation.
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Re: Maleficent (2014): Official Discussion

Post by DisneyJedi »

Well...

I saw the movie last night and in all honesty...

It was better than I thought it would be. :)

Yes, I still prefer pure evil Maleficent to sympathetic Maleficent, but this definitely was a great movie.
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Re: Maleficent (2014): Official Discussion

Post by candydog »

Atlantica wrote:
See, I don't view it like that; its a separate entity in itself. Like, I don't regard Snow White & The Huntsman as 'changing' Disney's version….two different films, with a diff take. Except this time, its done by Disney themselves which makes it even more interesting.
The difference is though that Snow White and the Huntsman was based on the fairytale Snow White, not directly on the Disney version. Maleficent is based directly on the Disney version of Sleeping Beauty.

As I said, I found Angelina Jolie and most of the movie too camp to take seriously. The movie could have been given much more depth.

I'm also sort of disappointed by how loosely it was based on the Disney film. Looking at a similar property such as Wicked, one of the things that works about the show (which I'm not the biggest fan of), is that they constantly refer to the movie in funny little ways, and elements from the film are still present, such as how the ruby slippers/tin man/cowardly lion etc all came to be.

Yes the hallmarks from the Disney movie were there, but not in the most clever or congruous of ways. It's hard to believe that the two films are related, regardless of creative license. With movies like this, people want to see how the backstory and the "retelling" actually ties in with the original.
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Re: Maleficent (2014): Official Discussion

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At this point...Screw the critics! I'm paying for this baby! :D
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Atlantica
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Re: Maleficent (2014): Official Discussion

Post by Atlantica »

Yay for the UK! Really surprised at it beating Captain America II !

http://variety.com/2014/film/news/box-o ... 201195738/
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Re: Maleficent (2014): Official Discussion

Post by Lady Cluck »

I knew the critics would rake this over the coals. It was obviously a piece of shit from the rumors about the script, and the first glimpse of footage really confirmed how awful it would be.
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Re: Maleficent (2014): Official Discussion

Post by supertalies »

I have mostly heard mixed reactions to the movie.

A lot of people seem to like the actors and the way the movie looks, but most reviews I´ve read criticised the story (which I feared after reading the leaked script).

Going to see the movie for myself tomorrow or the day after, so we´ll see.. I´m trying to keep an open mind. :)
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Re: Maleficent (2014): Official Discussion

Post by Atlantica »

Lady Cluck wrote:I knew the critics would rake this over the coals. It was obviously a piece of shit from the rumors about the script, and the first glimpse of footage really confirmed how awful it would be.
That isn't the case at all, and there isn't anything 'obvious' about it being awful. Don't be so narrow minded and avoid the film due to critical opinion; see it yourself before judging it.
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Re: Maleficent (2014): Official Discussion

Post by Lady Cluck »

Well below 50% on Rotten Tomatoes is nothing to be proud of, especially when there's usually good will for Angelina and the numbers usually drop as more reviews come in.

I will see it eventually though. Maybe it'll be worth a laugh :lol:

I would like to see the misunderstood villain backstory trope stopped in its tracks.
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