Front page of current issueContents of current issue
What's in Festivale, including cover stories, the tour, indices, and what's new
what's new, Festivale's revision history Go to the online shopping mall where all the on-line stores areThe Bookroom: News, reviews, linksReel Life: The movie section with film commentary, coming attractions and release dates, links pages and more.Buy movie posters online; 40x82Technology BytesFestivale's guide to Melbourne and Victoria, photos, maps, linksFestivale's guide to Melbourne and Victoria, photos, maps, links

A Reel Life film section

Issue: Winter 2014

Maleficent (2014) movie review

Tell Me a Fairy Tale

In a magical land of fairies and humans, where curses can be made and promises broken there lived a fairy ...

Now does this sound like a film that should have an "M" classification? What were the censors smoking? Seriously.

Yes, this is a classic fairy tale, full of good and evil, but with the depth to enable characters to be both, and to be redeemable. Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) loved and lost and her decision to take it out on others drives this film.

It's difficult to write anything about this film without giving away the story, but suffice to say that it is full of special effects, but not at the expense of the acting.

movie poster, Maleficent, Festivale film review; 220x326

Movie poster, Maleficent

Maleficent works as a fairy story and as a fantasy, and offers something for adults and children. Don't be put off by the rating, this is based on a Grimm fairy story and, of course, fairy stories traditionally are cautionary tales full of evil and violence.

Go see it, enjoy!

Add your comments

by Ali Kayn
Australian release 29 May 2014
For credits and official site details, see below
Search Festivale for more work by the film-makers below.
See also:

Just the facts:

Title: Maleficent (2014)
Written by: Linda Woolverton (scr); Charles Perrault("La Belle au bois dormant") et al
Directed by: Robert Stromberg
Running time: 97 mins
Rating: M

The Players: Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning,

Official website:
IMDb entry

For session times of current films, use the cinema listings on the Movie links page. For scheduled release dates, see the coming attractions section.

For more information about this movie, check out the internet movie database.
For the latest additions to Festivale, check out the change history section.


For posts about Melbourne events, places, news, reviews, giveaways, see our Facebook Page:



Coming attractions, Movies by month, Australian movie release datesIndex of movie reviewscontents of current FestivaleA Reel Life movie section