Review #37: Maleficent

Release Date: May 30th, 2014
Writer: Linda Woolverton
Director: Robert Stromberg

Logline: A vengeful fairy 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. (Source: IMDb) Action-Adventure, 97 min.
Bechdel Test: Passed all 3 tests

Review
Maleficent is another chapter in the recent Disney franchise of classic film remakes with spectacular special effects and awful stories. Along with Alice in Wonderland, and Oz the Great and Powerful, Maleficent rips the story of a classic tale out of it's slumber and spins it to prominently feature Angelina Jolie's cheekbones. Not that that's a bad thing, of course.

In this film, the original Disney classic of Sleeping Beauty is retold through the eyes of the villain, Maleficent herself. As with all the recent Disney live action films, the visual effects are raised to new heights. Unlike the two previous endeavors, Maleficent never feels like it's showing off. It weaves a tapestry of fantastical beings, and seamless effects to entrance the audience. The magic of the pixie's is whimsical, while the power of Maleficent is dark and sinister.

I have to say, I'm a little over the one-note acting performances as seen in this film. As great as Angelina Jolie is at stomping around and looking amazing, she hardly breaks from that mold. Elle Fanning becomes quite grating despite only having a handful of dialogue due to her perky bubblegum persona. As for King Stefan, his charm wears off immediately and I was disenchanted with this overwrought performance. None of these characters conveyed any depth beyond the exterior, which is frustrating for a film built as a character study.

What kills this movie is the plot, combined with the weak character motivations. The entire purpose of this film is justifying the curse Maleficent places on Princess Aurora, and redeeming her character thereafter. I'm not sure it even comes close.

As the film opens, Maleficent is a carefree winged-elf being who as a adult is essentially all powerful. Even her biggest weakness cannot stop her powers or harm her physically. Her young love Stefan becomes power hungry and betrays her to become King.  From then on, it's all out war between the two factions: The kingdom of men fighting against the woodland realm of magical creatures. The theme of revenge is so overblown that it loses all meaning by the end because no one is even aware of what they are feuding about, a point often brought up by those second in command for both sides.

Without question I would rank this film above Alice and Oz. It's far more coherent and a more satisfying ride. There are silly, enjoyable moments, and Angelina Jolie is able to carry this film on a few lines of dialogue. It's far darker than any previous endeavor by Disney and shows that there is a potential for more in-depth, dark story telling.

Portrayal of Women: I have a hard time rectifying this film as being a feminist action movie as many are calling it. Perhaps it earns that title simply for having two female leads.

It does not represent women in any kind of equal way, it actually pits men against women. There's a very clear theme that arises about the powers of "man" against the magic of "woman." wherein all the armies of men are literally men, and all the magical creatures that could be gendered are women. The great betrayal that Stefan commits against Maleficent is when he drugs her and mutilates her body, leaving her for dead, and returning home a king. If you want to interpret that as a rape metaphor I wouldn't blame you because that's where my mind went.

It's almost incredible that this ended up in a Disney action film, when Alice in Wonderland concluded with the Mad Hatter doing a cringe inducing dance sequence. I honestly am at a loss for what any good feminst should interpret from this. At the end of the day, Maleficent was an all powerful being, so of course she would get the upper hand in battle. So what then should thematically be interpreted? That the ambition of men is dangerous? To fear the wrath of woman?

I honestly can't help but feel it's nothing but lazy writing with an unexplanable gender divided motif. There is nothing magical about relationship that was built between Stefan and Maleficent, and there was nothing magical about the way he choose to end it. It's an uncomfortable topic (date rape?) to place in a family movie, no doubt, but further then that something with no storylike enchantment has no place in this fairy tale. It's an inappropriate and incomplete social commentary that has no sufficient resolution.

Sisterhood Moment: Any movie that features 2 hours of Angelina Jolie is going to feature more than a few "Every girl wants to be me" moments, that I love. From the scene showing her wrath and rage as she stomps through the forest and bricks from the footpath go flying behind her, to showing up in the castle at the end and rising up in some sick leather pants, Angelina can't do much wrong. I'm pretty sure that's how every girl feels when they go out wearing leather pants. It's the "Bitch, you can't handle this" look, and she nails it.

Plus, the scene where Angelina acts with her young daughter, Vivienne, is adorable. They share a special connection that radiates through the screen. It's a great moment, especially if you've been tipped off to their relationship.

Rating: 2.5 Evil Curses

IMDb - Maleficent (7.2)
Wikipedia - Maleficent
Rotten Tomatoes - Maleficent (48%)

Review #35: Mrs. Doubtfire

Sorry for the delay in recent updates! We've had a busy summer but are back at it. -SS/AW

Release Date; November 24th, 1993
Writer: Randi Mayem Singer and Leslie Dixon

Director: Chris Columbus

Logline: After a bitter divorce, an actor disguises himself as a female housekeeper to spend time with his children held in custody by his former wife. (Source IMDb) Family comedy. 125 min.
Bechdel Test: Passed all 3 tests.

Review

Given the tragic news of Robin William's passing, Alyssa and I felt it we had to honor his outstanding legacy with a review of one of his most revered films.

Mrs. Doubtfire encapsulates what we loved about Robin. He was comically silly, with hysterical one liners, and pop culture jokes. He was also vunerable and sincere. That's what we remember about this Oscar winning actor. His choices across many of his films show the world how to use comedy to make the lives of others better, even in seemingly impossible situations. To those who grew up with his films, he offered up a piece of his heart and we are so grateful to have the films of such an inspirational person.

There's something very heartfelt in the DNA of Mrs. Doubtfire. Kids films often have a morality lesson that gets hammered home. Instead, Mrs. Doubtfire relays the experiences that modern families have. It doesn't shy away from the pain of a childhood divorce, but it doesn't dwell in misery either. The kids and parents are both characters who can make mistakes and are not perfect.

I often find myself enamored with films that refuse to condescend to children, even if that's their target audience. The same movie that features a goat at Chris's birthday party, and a "drive by fruiting", also features Daniel sharing the story of hooking up in a bathroom stall with a waitress. I have a lot of appreciation for a movie that isn't afraid of bordering on offensive for the sake of entertainment.

If you haven't watched Mrs. Doubtfire in the 20 years since it's release, it's worth revisiting. It's a film that holds up. You might remember the scene where Daniel sets her rack on fire, trying to cook. Or when Daniel drops the Doubtfire mask out the window, and makes due by slamming his face into a cake. You probably don't remember the makeover montage featuring many Robin imitations, or the dinosaur rap. You might not even remember that this whole film is about a custody battle. This is definitely one worthy of at least a second view. o

Portayal of Women: Rewatching Mrs. Doubtfire 20 years later is an interesting experience. I found myself questioning the portrayal of the "gay uncles" and a cross dressing main character. I know someone is going to say "Hey Sarah, that's not the question!" but really it's the same concept of underrepresented people. In one respect, it's nice to actually see gay characters on screen, and to see that cross dressing characters can be shown in a positive light. But Daniel is still called a freak and considered to be crazy. Take from that what you will. Considering it's 20 years old, perhaps we should call it progressive and leave it at that.

Sisterhood Moment: Everyone remembers that scene where Daniel panics needing to look like Mrs. Doubtfire but without the mask, and he covers his face with icing. My favorite part of that exchange is that he spends the scene with cake on his face serving the social worker tea. And she rubs icing onto her face to see if this facial mask works. Kills me. I'd using an icing beauty regime. o

Rating: Always a staple in the Robin Williams top 5. Always a staple in best family movies. 5/5

IMDb - Mrs. Doubtfire (6.8)

Wikipedia - Mrs. Doubtfire

Rotten Tomatoes - Mrs. Doubtfire (71%)

Review #34: Nanny McPhee & Nanny McPhee Returns

Release Date: January 27th, 2006 & August 20th, 2011
Writer: Emma Thompson
Director: Kirk Jones & Susanna White

Logline: Emma Thompson stars as a governess who uses magic to rein in the behavior of seven ne'er-do-well children in her charge. (Source IMDb) Family, comedy, fantasy. 97 min. & 109 min.
Bechdel Test: Both films passed all 3 tests.

Review
One part Matilda, one part Mary Poppins, and one part Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and you have a recipe for Nanny McPhee. No wonder this Emma Thompson vehicle has been such a success world wide. Not being part of the generation that grew on Nanny McPhee I cannot say whether the franchise has the same staying power as those inspirational films, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were many more McPhee's to come.

The story of both films is essentially the same, but focused on different families. In both, a single parent (Colin Firth in the first, and Maggie Gyllenhaal in the second) are overrun by their out of control children. Their families and livelyhood is threatened and they are in desperate need of help. Nanny McPhee arrives in a puff of smoke announcing that

"When you need me but do not want me, then I must stay. When you want me but no longer need me, then I have to go." 

Obviously children attempt to sabotage their new nanny, but Nanny McPhee uses her magic to give them a taste of their own medicine. As the kids lie in bed faking sick to avoid their chores for the day, she makes sure they are unable to leave their beds and take the foul tasting remedy. Silly kids, tricks are for... Nanny McPhee.

Kids are going to love any movie that doesn't speak down to children, despite the morality lessons contained. The universe is bright and textured with the wacky off-kilter look of a cartoon. There's plenty silly British wit, sight and sound gags, and a kids movie staple: slapstick comedy. It's a classic kind of kids movie.

For the parents however, these films are less than desirable. Nanny McPhee is a film that will be exhausting on repeat. The linear, step-by-step story is rigidly mechanical, and there's only so many times you can laugh at barnyard animals. If you're going to put it on for the kids, leave the room and maybe have a drink or two. Adults watching this recipe for success will weep from boredom.

Portrayal of Women: Both films feature strong supporting female characters, but in different ways.

The first film features Cedric (Firth) after the unexpected death of his wife. He is distant from his kids, and has to go on a journey to connect with them. There are two maids who are women, and there is an evil future stepmother who is attempting to get Cedric's money. Cedric's Great Aunt also insists on taking one of Cedric's girls for some sort of housewife etiquette schooling. Ultimately the good woman in Cedric's life turns out to be the young maid who had been caring for the children all along.

As great as it is to see a diverse representation of women, this collection of storybook stereotypes pin women as either the virgin or the villain. I suspect Thompson followed the original book quite closely as source material.

The second film branches away from the classic roles. Instead of a single father, it's a single mother Isabel (Gyllenhaal) who's husband has gone missing in the war. She has to stand up for her family and her rights as a property owner against her less than desirable brother. The two mobsters collecting debts are women. The owner of the shop where Isabel works is played by the great Maggie Smith. I love any film that puts a twist on traditional gender roles, even if it's relatively minor. The importance of placing women in a variety of positions, like a position of power, in any children's fiction cannot be understated.

Sisterhood Moment: Maggie Gyllenhaal's scene with Ewan McGregor. Now THAT'S a fantasy for adults. Just turn that into the opening of 50 Shades of Grey. Too much?

Rating: Two annoying kids in the movie theater with a baby.

IMDb - Nanny McPhee (6.6)
IMDb - Nanny McPhee Returns (6.0)

Wikipedia - Nanny McPhee
Wikipedia - Nanny McPhee Returns

Rotten Tomatoes - Nanny McPhee (73%)

Rotten Tomatoes - Nanny McPhee Returns (76%)

Review #32: The Parent Trap

Release Date: July 29th, 1998
Writer: Nancy Meyers, Charles Shyer
Director: Nancy Meyers

Logline: Identical twins, seperated at birth and each raised by one of their biological parents, discover each other for the first time at summer camp and make a plan to bring their wayward parents back together. (Source: IMDb) 127 min. Family, Comedy.
Bechdel Test: Passed all 3 tests

Review

There’s absolutely no way I can do an unbiased review of this movie. I’ve been obsessed with it for 16 years and am confident that I will continue to be obsessed with it for the rest of my life. So instead of a review, I am going to tell you how this film has impacted me.

I present: A Life Molded by Nancy Meyers’ The Parent Trap.

• I will fight anyone who denies that Lindsay Lohan is the greatest actress of our time

• I own the soundtrack to this movie and still listen to it on a regular basis

• If I have twins, their names will 100% be Hallie and Annie. Even if they're boys.

• I thought the Beatles’ Abbey Road picture was a rip off from this movie for an embarrassingly long time

• I try to say “I have a brilliant beyond brilliant idea” as much as possible

• I tried oreos and peanut butter

• I know that the only way to know if it’s true love is if L-O-V-E is playing in the background

• I dream of the day I get a powder blue suit

• I learned the handshake

• I went ahead and changed my friend Jessie’s name to Chessy

• I’m still convinced I’m going to find the love of my life on a boat

• I’ve always been upset that my birthday is in August and not on October 11

• I know that you have to pause in life to make mental memories

• When I grow up, I want to be Elizabeth James

• I know that sometimes you do just have to cry hysterically
• I'm always wondering why we aren't talking about Dennis Quaid more

• I believe the greatest word in the English language is "actually"

• I only say "a lot, a lot, a lot" in a British accent

Are there a lot of plot holes in this movie? Yes.
Is it realistic? Not even a little.
Is my appreciation for it clouded by nostalgia? Probably.

Nevertheless, this movie is pure joy from start to finish. It's got practical jokes, summer camp and the greatest love story of the century. What more could you possibly want?
Watch it right now!

Portrayal of Women: The cast of this movie is made up of mostly women and each one is unique and well defined. We have Elizabeth James, the elegant entrepreneur, Meredith Blake, the glamorous villain, and Chessy, the humble housekeeper. There are no duplications of character and each one has an important purpose in terms of plot. They are in no way placeholders - they are integral to the overall story and theme.

Then we have the twins, Hallie and Annie. Hallie is a little rough around the edges while Annie is always perfectly put together. They're smart and witty and brave. What I like about them is that although they're the coolest 11 year olds around, neither of them is perfect and they both make mistakes. They're well-rounded and fairly realistic characters in a totally unrealistic story.

Overall, the film is a great example of how to increase female representation in a film as well as how to positively display friendships between girls. 

Sisterhood Moment: The movie is basically 127 minutes of sisterhood moments. If I had to pick just one, I would pick the ear piercing scene. Complete terror.

Rating: 5 pics of Leo DiCaprio plus all the yellow headbands.

IMDb - The Parent Trap (6.3)
Wikipedia - The Parent Trap
Rotten Tomatoes - The Parent Trap (86%)