Maleficent: An Extraordinary Message for Girls

by | May 30, 2014 | Children, Extraordinary Women, Families, Moms, Movies, Parenting

IMG_5185“Maleficent was an action adventure and heart-warming story,” according to our daughter, whose favorite Disney princess has always been Sleeping Beauty or Aurora.  (Yes, she really did say that!)  We grown-ups have always gotten a thrill out of seeing Angelina Jolie famously kick butt in her action movies like Lara Croft: Tomb Raider or Wanted, but we know that they can also be a little violent.

We therefore had a little trepidation when Disney graciously invited us to the advance screening of their new PG-rated Maleficent, a retelling of the Sleeping Beauty tale, starring Angelina Jolie.  Our daughter was begging to see it, though, so we went.  We figured we could always take a bathroom or popcorn break if the movie became too intense.

The movie is intense, and we think that if your child is younger than nine or easily scared, some of the scenes might be tough to handle.  We’ll be interested to see how Common Sense Media rates the film, while remembering that when we were young many of us were scared by the Wicked Witch of the West (and those flying monkeys!) in The Wizard of Oz. 

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Maleficent: An Extraordinary Message for Girls

Maleficent  is Disney movie magic at its best, featuring spectacular 3D special effects that are sure to entertain audiences of all ages.  We believe that the movie is so well done that, like Frozen, all girls should see it when they are ready.  The extraordinary message of love and forgiveness is one that everyone needs to hear.  In real life, family doesn’t have to be blood relatives.

The World Premiere Of Disney's "Maleficent"

The Los Angeles Maleficent Premiere at the Same Time as Our Screening
Personally, we hope that Angelina Jolie gets an Oscar nod for this truly extraordinary and ultimately relatable role.  This inspiring movie reminds us that true love can be many things.  And our girls need as role models strong female leaders who can stick to their principles and fight to do the right thing.  We are so happy that after seeing Maleficent our daughter still ranks Aurora as her favorite Disney princess!  (After you see the movie, you will know what I mean.) 

Maleficent: the Official Multi-Touch Book

You can even download the official multi-touch book to prepare your children in advance here: Free Book.

If you end up loving this movie, we recommend reading The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch to your children as well, another new spin on fairy tales.

Finally, here is a quick teaser preview of another updated Disney Princess Classic due in March:  Live Action Feature of Cinderella.

We hope you and your family enjoy Maleficent: An Extraordinary Message for Girls.

After you’ve seen it, let us know what you think!  

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