Prediction: Maleficent

Shiri’s Prediction:  My gut says all style and no substance.  The trailer is absolutely beautiful to watch and I’m sure the movie will be as well and I definitely dig Maleficent’s gear.  But how can it not get mired in a bog of rapidly cooling nacho cheese?  I think the idea of making a movie focused on the villain’s side of things is a great concept  and somewhat innovative in a mainstream film.  Admittedly, I’ve always rooted for Maleficent because Sleeping Beauty is a twat who can’t follow a very simple instruction.  Which raises a couple of issues: #1: Why are Disney heroines always so oogy? and #2: Why are all of the cool chicks evil?  I mean think about it: Sleeping Beauty?  Dumb.  Snow White?  Naive. Ariel?  Whored herself out for a man.

There’s some improvement as we move into a more modern era, but they’re very tiny baby steps and Belle still goes back to an abusive relationship.  Pocahontas still exists as a stereotypical amalgamation of all native peoples.  And don’t even get me started on fucking Tinkerbell and her little cabal of life sucking animated demons.

But Maleficent?  Cool.  Ursula?  Women knew what she wanted.  You know that talking teapot had something up her spout.  Point is, it’s a bummer that to have a strong, female central character, we have to have a villain.  Doubt I’ll waste the time or money on this one in the theatre, but there’s a shot for video if I’m really bored and out of Dowton Abby and have already watched the latest season of Sherlock 5-6 times.

Luke’s Prediction: Take the most visually stunning of all the Disney villains and tell the story from their point of view? Tell me more. You say you are going to give the role to an actress with enough skill and charisma to chew on scenery with style (e.g. Glen Close in the live action 101 Dalmatians)? Interesting. Expand the story to have a few over the top Lord of the Rings style battles? Uh, OK. Try and make the villain sympathetic?Uh, well… And release it as a Disney film rather than Touchstone or Buena Vista? Uh, oh.

I really want to like this, and might go see it in the theaters based on the reviews, but I worry about how it will be done. Making Maleficent a character we can understand the motivations of without having to agree with them (see Hannibal for this done right, and Dexter for it done wrong, oh so wrong) is a tough sell, especially for a family friendly film. Which it will have to be carrying the Disney logo.

Who would be next? Steve Carell as Price John from Robin Hood?