Maleficent

Saturday afternoon I went to see the movie Maleficent, a retelling of the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale from the perspective of the villain.  In this version, Maleficent curses the baby Aurora because she has been betrayed by her father, King Stefan. It is an interesting interpretation which will, I am sure, have feminists debating a woman's loss of power at the hands of a jealous man for years (the scene where Stefan violates her by taking her wings is disturbing to watch, to say the least).  Maleficent lives in an enchanted world filled with fantastical creatures and much of it is computer generated.  Granted, all fairy tales use some sort of magic or enchantment so we willingly suspend our disbelief, but I found it difficult to immerse myself in Maleficent's world because the CGI is so sloppy in my opinion.  The pixies, especially, seem fake, particularly when they speak.  Many of the live action performances are very stilted.  Every time Sharlto Copley (King Stefan) speaks it seems as if he uses a different accent and I grew weary of Elle Fanning (the teenage Aurora) and her wide-eyed grin.  However, I absolutely loved this movie for one reason and one reason only:  Angelina Jolie!  I believe that Angelina Jolie is Maleficent:  misunderstood as a rebellious teenager,  betrayed by someone she loves who abandons her, castigated for shocking behavior, and redeemed by the love of a child.  Her performance is brilliant and you literally cannot take your eyes off her.  The scene where Maleficent weeps after discovering the loss of her wings is raw, emotional, and extremely powerful.  You thoroughly understand the transformation which follows.  As a villain, Jolie is very still and her cold stare is definitely unnerving.  Her powerful voice at the christening scene (as well as the green smoke emanating from her fingertips) is truly frightening.  As much as I loved her evil side, it is in Maleficent's redemption where Jolie shines.  There is an incredibly touching scene with the toddler Aurora (played by Jolie's real life daughter Vivienne Jolie-Pitt) where you can literally see the cruelty evaporating from her face.  Her developing relationship with Aurora is very affecting, especially in the scene where Maleficent sees the effect of her curse.  Even though this is not a great movie, I believe it is worth seeing for Angelina Jolie's tour de force performance.