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Maleficent has passed the $200 million mark in the domestic box office! It is now officially ahead of Godzilla and The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

Mooky wrote:Okay guys, we now know the actual reason for Cruella's villainy:



http://www.cracked.com/photoplasty_950_ ... verything/

I finally saw Maleficent today.

I have to say I really hated the beginning, with young Maleficent. It just felt strangely wrong, plus I didn't like the actress at all. (Also, why does a little girl wear lipstick...?) This being my least favorite part of the film might also have something to do with the narrator, who I also didn't like. I know it's revealed later that the narrator is Aurora, but I'd rather they just used someone cryptic and mysterious like Linda Hunt rather than mother-reads-a-storybook.

Either way, the movie grew on me after the christening scene. I didn't completely love that scene, which some have said is their favorite in the whole film, mostly because it was word for word from the animated film (and naturally inferior)--but also because the dialogue in the rest of the film didn't match it much at all. Plus, a few of Angelina's takes on the dialogue didn't work for me in comparison to the original, particularly Maleficent being loud. And, like someone else mentioned, the way "Stefan" was pronounced...

After that, the film improved for me on the whole, although I hated most of the stupid little animals here, similar to those in Oz, the Great and Powerful. I enjoyed all the actors except for young Maleficent and Stefan. I know everyone was talking about the changes to the good fairies, but I actually enjoyed them, even if they aren't the same characters at all. Even the animation/effects to make them tiny didn't bother me. I like how the wings returned to Maleficent at the end, how the raven became the dragon, how they had her staff be used as a cane following the loss of her wings, how her Curse was too strong for her to remove, and how they emphasized the Curse was said to require "True Love's kiss" because there was no such thing. Also, the Maleficent-Aurora relationship worked for me. I loved the part where teenage Aurora is getting all excited at the Moors and then Maleficent knocks her out. One question, why was iron painful to her?

Overall, I was struck by how beautiful the film was more than anything. Jolie was gorgeous, the backgrounds (real and 3D) were gorgeous, the costumes were gorgeous, imo. Overall, I'd say I liked it more than SW&tH and OtG&P, but probably on level with AiW.

Disney's Divinity wrote:I finally saw Maleficent today.

I have to say I really hated the beginning, with young Maleficent. It just felt strangely wrong, plus I didn't like the actress at all. (Also, why does a little girl wear lipstick...?) This being my least favorite part of the film might also have something to do with the narrator, who I also didn't like. I know it's revealed later that the narrator is Aurora, but I'd rather they just used someone cryptic and mysterious like Linda Hunt rather than mother-reads-a-storybook.

Either way, the movie grew on me after the christening scene. I didn't completely love that scene, which some have said is their favorite in the whole film, mostly because it was word for word from the animated film (and naturally inferior)--but also because the dialogue in the rest of the film didn't match it much at all. Plus, a few of Angelina's takes on the dialogue didn't work for me in comparison to the original, particularly Maleficent being loud. And, like someone else mentioned, the way "Stefan" was pronounced...

After that, the film improved for me on the whole, although I hated most of the stupid little animals here, similar to those in Oz, the Great and Powerful. I enjoyed all the actors except for young Maleficent and Stefan. I know everyone was talking about the changes to the good fairies, but I actually enjoyed them, even if they aren't the same characters at all. Even the animation/effects to make them tiny didn't bother me. I like how the wings returned to Maleficent at the end, how the raven became the dragon, how they had her staff be used as a cane following the loss of her wings, how her Curse was too strong for her to remove, and how they emphasized the Curse was said to require "True Love's kiss" because there was no such thing. Also, the Maleficent-Aurora relationship worked for me. I loved the part where teenage Aurora is getting all excited at the Moors and then Maleficent knocks her out. One question, why was iron painful to her?

Overall, I was struck by how beautiful the film was more than anything. Jolie was gorgeous, the backgrounds (real and 3D) were gorgeous, the costumes were gorgeous, imo. Overall, I'd say I liked it more than SW&tH and OtG&P, but probably on level with AiW.

I'm glad that you thought it was better than Snow White and Oz. Now, what did you think of the final battle between Maleficent and Stefan? Which I thought was Linda Woolverton going: "Let's get the battle scene from Beauty and the Beast and put it on crazy steroids"

Everyone thinks that Sharlto was bad, but I liked him despite the crazy accent. I still think that the scene where Maleficent discovers that her wings were ripped off was the most disturbing scene in the entire thing and Jolie was great in it. Between Linda's writing in Alice in Wonderland and Maleficent which movie do you think was better when it comes to story and character?

Iron burns fairies because this plot element in Maleficent is a reference to "cold iron" in folklore which repels any sort of supernatural beings.

Musical Master wrote:
I'm glad that you thought it was better than Snow White and Oz. Now, what did you think of the final battle between Maleficent and Stefan? Which I thought was Linda Woolverton going: "Let's get the battle scene from Beauty and the Beast and put it on crazy steroids"

I liked the battle scene better before she gets her wings back, because after that it's just her flying around undefeatable. The end when Stefan attacks her after she no longer wishes to fight and then he falls did remind me of B&tB. I have to say, too, it was odd seeing the character in pants... It probably wouldn't have took me by surprise if they'd had a dress over top of them.

Between Linda's writing in Alice in Wonderland and Maleficent which movie do you think was better when it comes to story and character?

I think Maleficent is overall a better film. Alice in Wonderland does have more interesting characters, just because Maleficent is the only character really fleshed out in Maleficent. Story-wise, I'd say they're equal. There are things I like and don't like both of their storylines.

Iron burns fairies because this plot element in Maleficent is a reference to "cold iron" in folklore which repels any sort of supernatural beings.

Oh, interesting. I had never read/heard that before now.

Finally saw Maleficent today. It was actually pretty good. Better than I expected. I only wish they didn't deviate too much from Sleeping Beauty. I was hoping it would be more like Wicked where you have The Wizard of Oz story going on, but then you pan over and see what is going on with the Wicked Witch of the West, and somehow both stories intertwine without having to change anything from the former's original plot. Regardless, it was good for what it was and as a stand alone story.

Musical Master wrote:Everyone thinks that Sharlto was bad, but I liked him despite the crazy accent. I still think that the scene where Maleficent discovers that her wings were ripped off was the most disturbing scene in the entire thing and Jolie was great in it. Between Linda's writing in Alice in Wonderland and Maleficent which movie do you think was better when it comes to story and character?

I thought Sharlto Copley was good. And I think Maleficent was better than all the other big fantasy films I saw: Alice, Oz, and both Snow Whites.

Mirror Mirror was just plain awful. I really enjoyed SWATH but won't be seeing the sequel if it becomes just 'The Huntsman' as its rumoured and Snow only has a cameo if at all.

Disney Duster wrote:And I think Maleficent was better than all the other big fantasy films I saw: Alice, Oz, and both Snow Whites.

I do too, although I didn't see Mirror, Mirror.

Snow White and the Huntsman would have been fine had someone else played Snow.

My girlfriend and I saw this at a local drive-in last week.

This was GREAT! There were plenty of obvious changes from the original Sleeping Beauty, and was mainly addressing a lot of the gaping plot holes from that film. But this was one of the few live-action remakes that I enjoyed all the way thru. And while it's hard to say if Tim Burton's lack of involvement helped this movie, but it turned out FAR better than the Alice in Wonderland remake.

The only problem is, this might inspire a lot of fan artists who were already pushing for an AuroraXMaleficent pairing.

Disney Duster wrote:

Musical Master wrote:Everyone thinks that Sharlto was bad, but I liked him despite the crazy accent. I still think that the scene where Maleficent discovers that her wings were ripped off was the most disturbing scene in the entire thing and Jolie was great in it. Between Linda's writing in Alice in Wonderland and Maleficent which movie do you think was better when it comes to story and character?

I thought Sharlto Copley was good. And I think Maleficent was better than all the other big fantasy films I saw: Alice, Oz, and both Snow Whites.

To me, Snow White and the Huntsman is the worst out of the three dispite a good, if over the top performance, from Charlize Theron.

Semaj wrote:My girlfriend and I saw this at a local drive-in last week.

This was GREAT! There were plenty of obvious changes from the original Sleeping Beauty, and was mainly addressing a lot of the gaping plot holes from that film. But this was one of the few live-action remakes that I enjoyed all the way thru. And while it's hard to say if Tim Burton's lack of involvement helped this movie, but it turned out FAR better than the Alice in Wonderland remake.

The only problem is, this might inspire a lot of fan artists who were already pushing for an AuroraXMaleficent pairing.

Hard to believe it was written by Linda Woolverton who also wrote Alice isn't it? (but a little amount of changes to the script was done by Burton himself, so yeah )

To me, her writing in Maleficent has redeemed herself and I wish her the best for that TV show she is pitching.

I personally would say Oz the Great and Powerful was the worst of these, but I think I would've liked it a lot more if they had got a better actress for the WWotW. Similarly, I think I would like SW&tH more if they had cast just about anyone else as Snow White; the only real difference between the two is that Charlize Theron is better than anything in OtG&P and I prefer SW&tH's darker look to OtG&P.

Musical Master wrote:Hard to believe it was written by Linda Woolverton who also wrote Alice isn't it? (but a little amount of changes to the script was done by Burton himself, so yeah )

Out of curiosity, do you know what Tim changed in Linda's script?

Old Fish Tale wrote:Out of curiosity, do you know what Tim changed in Linda's script?

The main thing I remember is more of a romantic relationship between the Hatter and Alice. They kiss twice in earlier drafts of the script, which, like Maleficent, have been leaked online. Yeah...I can see why that would be taken out. Good choice.

There's probably more, but I just skimmed through the script, and I haven't watched the Tim Burton Alice since 2010. I think Burton may have added more minor fantasy and action scenes and changed loads of the dialogue, which is a given. The plot seems the same.

Oh, I remember someone mentioning that. Yes, that was for the best. Perhaps Musical Master will have more to add. But thank you, Tangled.

Tangled wrote:

Old Fish Tale wrote:Out of curiosity, do you know what Tim changed in Linda's script?

The main thing I remember is more of a romantic relationship between the Hatter and Alice. They kiss twice in earlier drafts of the script, which, like Maleficent, have been leaked online. Yeah...I can see why that would be taken out. Good choice.

There's probably more, but I just skimmed through the script, and I haven't watched the Tim Burton Alice since 2010. I think Burton may have added more minor fantasy and action scenes and changed loads of the dialogue, which is a given. The plot seems the same.

Kind of similarly to how a romantic relationship between Malefient and Diaval was referenced in the leaked script? I don't think it was as overt as the Alice/Hatter relationship was, but it was definitely present. Glad that was axed, I was actually impressed that, despite Maleficent and Diaval being opposite gender characters being around each other for 16+ years, there was never any romantic interest shown between them. Pretty unexpected if you ask me.

Old Fish Tale wrote:Oh, I remember someone mentioning that. Yes, that was for the best. Perhaps Musical Master will have more to add. But thank you, Tangled.

Here is the stuff that Woolverton wrote originally but got changed in the end.

1. Alice tells her sister Margaret of what her husband Lowell had done in the beginning of the film and she gives him a mad face.

2. The Futterwacken in Linda Woolverton's original script is EXTREMELY DIFFERENT than the final film, it is described as a "joyous, wacky dance" and the Mad Hatter and Alice dance it together and afterwards they kiss. Tim Burton turned this into a breakdance to show how "quirky" the Mad Hatter is....

3. Mally and Alice have this somewhat funny, but absurd weapon fight because Alice wanted the Bandersnatch's eye that Mally stabbed out, with Alice winning.

4. There is more dialouge between the White Queen and Alice when they are in the kitchen together, it has been cut down in the final film.

5. As Tangled pointed out, the Mad Hatter and Alice have a more loving relationship than the final version but it can be argued that it has stayed.

6. Mally showed to have a crush on the Mad Hatter which is a big reason why Mally dislikes Alice in the movie, when the Mad Hatter/Alice kiss happens she is shown to be dissapointed but the Cheshire Cat comforts her.

7. In the Hightopp Clan attack scene, there was a moment where the Cheshire Cat tries to help a group of children escape but when he sees the Jabberwocky, he vanishes and the Jabberwocky kills the group; hence why the Hatter said: "You ran out on them to save your own skin".

In the end, Woolverton's work on Maleficent is FAR SUPERIOR to me than the work she did on Alice in Wonderland but Burton is to blame for it as well.

So, those changes made 'Alice in Wonderland' worse, in your opinion? Thanks for listing them, by the way. I only wish the futterwacken had looked different. Other than that, I was quite happy with what we got. But I seem to be alone in thinking that.

Old Fish Tale wrote:So, those changes made 'Alice in Wonderland' worse, in your opinion? Thanks for listing them, by the way. I only wish the futterwacken had looked different. Other than that, I was quite happy with what we got. But I seem to be alone in thinking that.

Yes, the changes that were made to me, were for the worse but I'm glad that the kiss was cut. But hey, if you liked Alice much more than Maleficent, then more power to you.

Seeing this again at the weekend, will be the third time now.

Really really excited to see it one last time on the big screen, and also to see the perfection that is Angelina's make up....stunning. I've been trying to create the same red lip but can't find the right one!!