A&E
Animated Version Re-do Worth the Time ‘The Addams Family’ reboot proves to be funny and slightly frightening while delivering a positive message for viewers.
BY PAULA SWEENY REPORTER
Released Oct. 11, “The Addams Family” provides big laughs and a little spookiness for everyone. The movie is a take on the original 1938 cartoon by Charles Addams and the many different shows and movies that have been produced since then. Though the plot is different and incorporates new characters, it still includes all your favorite characters. Newlyweds, Gomez and Morticia move into a creepy, abandoned mansion where they raise their kids, Wednesday and Pugsly, so they won’t be bullied for their oddness by the outside world.
Years later, flamboyant interior designer and popular TV personality, Margeaux Needly, moves into the town, Assimilation, just down from their mansion. All the residents have the same, basic personalities and Margeaux fixes up the houses to look exactly the same. The Addams family struggles with Margeaux as she tries to push them out of the neighborhood so she can sell all the houses in Assimilation. But Margeaux’s daughter, Parker becomes fast friends with Wednesday. Each are deemed bad influences for each other according to their mothers. Meanwhile, Pugsly is practicing for his Mazurka, a right of passage for all Addams family members. If he fails, he will be disowned from his family. Between the unlikely friendship of Wednesday and Parker, and Pugsly’s pressure to honor his family, this story proves to promote a
positive message of acceptance. Directed and produced by Conrad Vernon, from “Shrek”, “Shrek 2” and “Boss Baby,” the animation was pretty and welldetailed. Also, the characters’ images fit their personas perfectly. Their differences stuck out juxtaposed with the normal townies.
With a star-studded cast, including Finn Wolfhard, Snoop Dog and Nick Kroll, the iconic theme song and sarcastic humor will draw you in and keep you laughing. This PG movie is the perfect mix of humor for all ages and is the perfect way to embrace the Halloween season.
Photo used with permission from EPK.TV/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc.
Maleficent: Mistress of Unnecessary Sequels “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” is a fun movie, but lazy writing and excessive plot holes make it hard to enjoy. BY JENNA BARACKMAN MANAGING WEB EDITOR
Like every other Disney movie, “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” left viewers satisfied with a cliché, happy ending. Princess Aurora, played by Elle Fanning, was crowned the queen of the Moors, unifying the human and mythical kingdoms. She was set to marry Prince Phillip, played by Brenton Thwaites, to further unify the two. But Malificent’s angry opposition to the marriage seemed unfounded. With nothing left to expand on from the first movie, a sequel was frankly unnecessary. The original “Maleficent” film at least had purpose and explained the backstory of the Disney classic “Sleeping Beauty.”
Nevertheless, a movie with three female leads, beautiful cinematography and a generally enjoyable plot seemed promising. But in the end, it turned out sorely disappointing. The main conflict is Maleficent is framed for cursing the king, Phillip’s father, played by Robert Lindsay, when it was actually Phillip’s mother, played by Michelle Pfeiffer, who poisoned him. The conflict of the movie could have easily been avoided with one conversation. When asked if she was behind the mysterious curse of the king, Maleficent bluntly replies only the word “no” and then flies away without saying or doing anything else to defend herself. Then, out of nowhere Aurora and Maleficent immediately hate and disown each other. The conflict is similar to that of William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” where the conflict could have been completely avoided by a 10-word conversation. Additionally, the villain, Prince Phillip’s mother Queen Ingris, was a very minor character in the first film. However, in the sequel, she is
suddenly the main villain. Yet her backstory is underdeveloped. Due to her minor role in the original film, audiences had a difficult time making a connection and her role seemed forced. The climax of the movie, a battle scene between fairies and humans, was especially weak since audiences had no loyalty to either side. In addition, no dynamic characters were developed on either side, making it increasingly difficult to root for one side over the other. “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” is yet another lazy film from Disney this year. From the liveaction version of “The Lion King” to “Toy Story 4,” every Disney movie this year has either been a bad remake or an unnecessary sequel. This streak seems to mark an end to the shining, golden age of Disney, and appears to only do fan-fare as opposed to the meaningful and emotional movies Disney has produced in the past. Though on the surface level it’s enjoyable, “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” is just another reminder of Disney’s corporate greed and loss of creativity. (Photo used with permission from EPK.TV)
OCTOBER 2019
25
