Movie Night - Fairytales

If dragons weren’t magical enough, I decided to stick with the fantasy theme but specified it with fairytales.
 
I watched all three movies on my own.
 

The first film I watched was a rewatch: the live-action version of “Beauty and the Beast”. I really love this film, even though the classic Disney animation is still much better and my absolute favorite when it comes to Disney films. I did like some of the new songs they added and I believe Emma Watson did a great job as Belle. The only thing I didn’t like was how they made Lumiere look. So weird. Check my review HERE
 

Number two was a Disney animation, that has been on my watch list for a long time. And I don’t know why I waited so long to watch this, because I loved it. It’s “Tangled” and it’s a classic tale, with a satirical tone. And I love the bright colors. The songs are really good and my favorite scene is the one where Rapunzel and Flynn are in the boat with all those lanterns. Gorgeous! Check my review HERE
 

The final film is another live-action Disney film. And it’s more of a fairytale retelling. “Maleficent” already has a sequel, which I don’t think I will ever watch. I did enjoy this movie, mainly because Angeline Jolie is so fantastic. But other than that, the film could have been so much better I wished Disney had taken more risk by making the film way darker. Check out my review HERE
 
I enjoyed watching all three film, but “Tangled” was my definite favorite of this movie night.  

10s Movie Review - Maleficent

Director: Robert Stromberg
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Fantasy/ Family
Runtime: 97 minutes
Year: 2014
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Sharlto Copley, Lesley Manville, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, Sam Riley, Brenton Thwaites, Michael Higgins

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2021 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 26: A MOVIE WITH AN ANTI-HERO
 
Description: A vengeful fairy (Angelina Jolie) 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.

Review: “Sleeping Beauty” is a classic Disney animation that was screaming for a new interpretation. The classic may be beloved worldwide; there are also a few things to be said about it. The story is very thin and the characters are hardly given any depth. However, with  the evil witch Maleficent it does have one of the scariest Disney villains of all time. Memorably terrifying because there was no glimmer of compassion or humanity in this mistress of evil.  
So, with “Maleficent” the infamous shrew is given her own full movie. And Disney could have gone either way: work out the creepy cold-bloodedness even more or add more nuance. Debuting director Robert Stromberg goes full for the nuance, making “Maleficent” primarily a breezy family film.
It is the safer choice of the two, but also the dullest. Maleficent is transformed from a terrifying demoness into a nature-loving fairy who fights to preserve her magical forest, while people from the surrounding areas want to destroy it. She becomes the victim of deep betrayal and is not the same from that point on. Revenge she wants, and she gets it.
But soon she regrets it when it turns out that the baby she cursed grows up to be a very sweet girl. Perhaps even a little too sweet for the sober observer. Princess Aurora is played by Elle Fanning, one of the most talented actresses of her age, but her puzzled look and cheerful giggles quickly get on your nerves. Maleficent’s elaboration is better. The creators have given her a background that, for the most part, fits nicely with the 1959 classis. But otherwise, it’s all fat from original and surprising.
Fortunately, there are also plenty of things to enjoy. In the first place, the leading rol of Angelina Jolie, who plays her character with visible pleasure. She is at her best in the famous scene of the christening party: delightfully diabolical. And then there is the visual aspect of the film, which isn’t bad. Only he three fairies look pretty horrible.
I would have wanted a more dark version of the tale, but “Maleficent” is, mostly thanks to Jolie, still an entertaining film.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Trailer Sunday (113)

Here are this weeks trailers.

Maleficent
Description: The "Sleeping Beauty" tale is told from the perspective of the villainous Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) and looks at the events that hardened her heart and drove her to curse young Princess Aurora (Elle Fanning).
Director: RObert Stromberg
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Sharlto Copley, Sam Riley, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, Lesly Manville
Trailer: Trailer "Maleficent"
Comment: Spooky...

Divergent
Description: Beatrice Prior (Shailene Woodley), a teenager with a special mind, finds her life threatened when an authoritarian leader seeks to exterminate her kind in her effort to seize control of their divided society.
Director: Neil Burger
Starring: Shailene Woodley, Kate Winslet, Theo James, Ray Stevenson, Mekhi Phifer, Maggie W, Jai Courtney, Miles Teller, Zoë Kravitz, Ashley Judd, Ansel Elgort, Ben Lloyd-Hughes, Ben Lamb, Christian Madsen, Amy Newbold, Tony Goldwyn
Trailer: Trailer "Divergent"
Comment: I think the book was fantastic, so I hope they do it justice. It looks pretty cool.

Noah
Description: The Biblical Noah (Russell Crowe) suffers visions of an apocalyptic deluge and takes measures to protect his family from the coming flood.
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Starring: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Emma Watson, Anthony Hopkins, Ray Winstone, Logan Lerman
Trailer: Trailer "Noah"
Comment: Darren Aronofsky is a great director and it's a wonderful cast.

Cuban Fury
Description: 1987, A 13 year old natural born dancer with fire in his heels and snakes in his hips is working himself up to explode all over the UK Junior Salsa Championships. But then a freakish bullying incident on the mean streets of London robs him of his confidence, and our young hero finds his life diverted down a very different path. So it is that 22 years later, an adult Bruce Garrett (Nick Frost) finds himself out-of-shape and unloved - trapped in a downward spiral of self-pity, repression and Nando's take-outs. Only Julia (Rashida Jones), his smart, funny, gorgeous new American boss, gives him reason to live. But she's untouchable. Out of his league, so he imagines, with her perfect smile and perfect life. Unknown to Bruce however, Julia has issues all of her own. Luckily for him, she also has a secret passion. Then there's Drew (Chris O'Dowd), his alpha male colleague and horny king-monkey of the office. With Drew making no secret of his desire to get (his words) "all up inside Julia",...
Director: James Griffiths
Starring: Nick Frost, Chris O'Dowd, Rashida Jones, Ian McShane
Trailer: Trailer "Cuban Fury"
Comment: It's fun to finally see Nick Frost as the leading man.

Heaven is for Real
Description: A small-town father (Greg Kinnear) must find the courage and conviction to share his son's extraordinary, life-changing experience with the world.
Director: Randall Wallace
Starring: Greg Kinnear, Kelly Reilly, Thomas Haden Church, Connor Corum
Trailer: Trailer "Heaven is for Real
Comment: The trailer gave me goosebumps...