Ideally I would watch all of the movies I review once each in order to judge them fairly. But I cheated a little for this "Redbox Reviews" post. I actually saw Maleficent for the first time when it hit theaters last year and then I watched it again on DVD about a week ago. And it just so happens it was better the second time than it was the first. But for the sake of fairness I'll try to judge Maleficent based on my first viewing.
Maleficent was one Disney's most anticipated movies of 2014, largely due to the fact that the titular character is played by Angelina Jolie. And she certainly didn't disappoint. With her already striking bone structure enhanced by vampire-esque makeup she literally looked like she stepped out of the cartoon Sleeping Beauty. Despite the narration spoken by an older Aurora and bit parts played by the younger Aurora (Elle Fanning) and other minor characters, most of the dialogue is focused on and spoken by Jolie in a dreamy but dark British accent. Overall, Jolie is certainly the brightest light in Maleficent.
Though the special effects are good and the costume design is pretty incredible, what Maleficent lacks is strong supporting characters. Despite the modern take on the fairy tale (and spoiler alert: its modern "true love isn't just romantic love" theme), Aurora is no more empowered in this story than she was in Disney's cartoon, which is probably not viewed by critics as the most shining example of feminism in film. The prince, who we only see briefly in the movie, is equally weak and even ditzy, but maybe that's a modern twist on the typical guy-who-saves-the-girl story line. Either way, the minor characters weren't working for me.
The verdict? Maleficent is a kid-friendly film with beautiful costumes and even more beautiful Angelina Jolie, but the overall story, including the development of secondary characters, is lacking. I give it a score of 7 out of 10. Maybe that's a little harsh but I did give Boyhood a 9 out of 10.
On to Begin Again...
I was a little afraid to watch this one, probably because I'm such a fan of the critically acclaimed and cult favorite film Once. I still think Once is a better film, but can you can't really compare apples and oranges. One is an indie film starring real life musicians and was made for practically nothing; the other stars well known and experienced actors Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo and was made on a considerably larger budget.
But I happy to report that Begin Again is surprisingly good. The music is a pleasant mix of coffee shop style and indie pop, the actors are great (It's nice to see Keira Knightley actually play a happy character for the first time in years.), and despite its happy ending the movie is never overly sentimental. Gretta (Knightley) is a talented singer and songwriter who gets dumped by her newly famous singer boyfriend (Adam Levine) and, on a whim, records an album with has-been producer Dan (Ruffalo). The two bond over their love of music as they walk the streets of New York and record the album in various locations live.
Some of the dialogue is a little forced and at times it seems like the film is trying too hard to be cool and contemporary. It doesn't tug at your heartstrings or leave you thinking about it for hours like Once, but it is a pleasant watch and I'd watch it again for a pick-me-up. I give it a 7.5 out of 10.
So, what do you think of my reviews? Have you seen these movies yet? What Redbox rentals should I check out next? Let me know with your comments below. :)
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