"THE BOURNE SUPREMACY" (2004) Photo Gallery

Below are images from "THE BOURNE SUPREMACY", the 2004 adaptation of Robert Ludlum's 1986 novel. Produced by Doug Liman and directed by Paul Greengrass, the movie starred Matt Damon as Jason Bourne:



"THE BOURNE SUPREMACY" (2004) Photo Gallery

"Breath of the Undead" [PG-13] - 2/15

"BREATH OF THE UNDEAD"

Chapter Two

The bell above Ostera's front door rang. Paige placed the last jar of St. John's Wort on one of the shelves and picked up an empty box. She then headed straight toward the front and found Harry standing near the counter. The clock on the wall read twelve fifty-four. Paige smiled at her boyfriend and kissed him. "Hey! Right on time."

"Isn't this a bit late for you?" Harry asked. "You usually have lunch about an hour earlier."

A hot wave of embarrassment washed over Paige's face. "Yeah, well . . . since Maddy had been covering my disappearances . . ." She paused. "We had decided to switch lunch hours for a month or two."

"Hmmm." Naturally, Harry knew about her recent trouble with Barbara. "So, that means Maddy should be returning just about . . ."

At that moment, the shop's second assistant, Maddy Oser, strolled into the shop. "Paige, I'm back!" She glanced at the red-haired witch. "Hi Harry."

"Maddy," Harry greeted with a smile. Then he turned to Paige. "Ready?"

Paige nodded. "Yeah. So, where are we going?" She grabbed his hand.

"How about the Grand Palace in Chinatown? I thought you might like some dim sum."

"The Grand Palace it is." Paige orbed her and Harry out of the shop and into an alley, off Grand. A few minutes after they had merged into a crowd of pedestrians, the couple entered a crowded restaurant.

A smiling maitre'd led Paige and Harry toward a table next to a green-and-red lacquered column. Another five minutes passed before a waitress appeared and asked if they wanted drinks. Both ordered hot tea. Once the waitress left, Harry glanced around and declared, "God, I'm hungry. I hope the waitress comes back with a menu, soon. And with one of the carts." He referred to the numerous carts that held bamboo baskets filled with dim sum. The servers pushed them around the dining room from one table to another, allowing customers to make their selections on the spot.

Paige glanced to her right and saw their waitress return with two menus in her hands. "Looks like it might happen very soon."

"Oh my God!" The woman's voice took Paige by surprise. She and Harry glanced up and found a very attractive Asian-American woman hovering beside their table. The woman stood at least five-feet six and seemed to be in her mid-to-late twenties. She possessed very delicate features that included high cheekbones, pale golden skin and dark hair styled in a long bob. "Harry McNeill? Is that you?"

Much to Paige's surprise, Harry sprung to his feet. He enveloped the woman into a bear hug. "Janet!" he cried. "Janet Hui! My God! How are you?"

"Pretty good, as a matter of fact." Miss Hui's eyes swept over Harry's figure in an appreciative manner that Paige found annoying. "Wow! You've certainly filled out since I last saw you. How long has it been since we had graduated from college?"

Still smiling, Harry replied, "Nearly five years ago, as a matter of fact. Five years in late May. Why don't you join us for lunch?"

Janet turned down Harry's offer - much to Paige's relief. "I'd love to, honey, but I'm meeting a friend for lunch. However . . . how about dinner, tonight? You can bring . . ." She glanced at Paige. ". . . your friend along."

"Paige," Harry added. "This is Paige Matthews. Paige, this is Janet Hui. She's an old school friend of mine."

Offering her hand to Paige, Janet greeted, "Nice to meet you." Then she returned her attention to Harry. "I wondered when you were going to introduce us to each other."

"I was about to," Harry protested.

Janet rolled her eyes. "Right." She said to Paige, "I hope to see you for dinner, tonight. You'll be in for a real treat."

A dim smile touched Paige's lips. "Thanks," she said in a lukewarm voice. "I'm looking forward to it."

"And you, Mr. McNeill," Janet said to Harry, "we've got a lot of catching up to do. By the way, I live at 6012 Tenth Avenue. In the Outer Richmond District."

Harry nodded. "That's not far from where Paige lives. We're looking forward to tonight. I only hope that I can say the same about your cooking."

"Watch it, McNeill!" Janet retorted with a mock glare. "I just might take back that dinner invitation. Besides, my boyfriend will be cooking, tonight. We usually have dinner around seven-thirty."

Another smile curved Harry's lips. "Then I guess I'll be looking forward to dinner, tonight." He pecked Janet's cheek. "We'll see you then." Janet smiled once more and moved on.

Once Harry had settled back into his seat, Paige went on the attack. "So, who is this Janet Hui to you?"

Harry calmly replied, "Ex-girlfriend from college. And a very good friend."

"So, how long did you two date?"

Harry peered closely at Paige. "You're not jealous, are you?"

"I hope, for your sake that you're not reading my thoughts!" The words came out of Paige's mouth before she could stop herself.

The red-haired man broke into a wide smile. "Well that answers my question."

"I am not jealous!" Paige exclaimed vehemently.

The smile still stamped on his face, Harry shrugged. "If you say so." Paige opened her mouth to retort, when he added, "Looks like the waitress is back with our tea and menus. And here comes the dim sum."

Paige shot a dark glare at her boyfriend before the waitress appeared at the table.

--------------

"I'm back, your Honor." Bourgh's secretary poked his head through the doorway of the judge's private office. "Just to let you know. Is there anything you need?"

Bourgh immediately stuffed a few items back inside the yellow envelope and glanced up. "No, thank you Ross," he said with a dim smile. "I'm fine."

Ross nodded. "Okay. But you should know that they will be sending jury candidates for the new trial in about . . ." He glanced at his watch. ". . . another twenty minutes or so."

Ah yes, the Becker trial. Bourgh had forgotten. Again, he thanked his secretary and dismissed him. Once Ross had left, the judge went to the door and locked it. Then he returned to his desk and dumped the contents of the yellow envelope on his desk.

The material that greeted Bourgh's eyes filled him with horror. Photographs of him having sex with his mistress inside a hotel room and at her private home, copies of bills for expensive gifts and bank statements, and a CD-ROM disk laid scattered on the desk. Bourgh picked up three of the photographs. Each one featured him and his mistress, Laura, in positions straight from the KAMA SUTRA book. His heart racing rapidly, Bourgh inserted the CD-ROM disk into his computer drive. Nearly a minute later, the judge found himself watching a video clip that featured him engaged in sex with Laura and a second woman beside a pool at Laura's Palo Alto home.

Cries and moans from the computer's speaker filled the office. A horrified Bourgh continued to stare at the screen. Then a woman's loud moan snapped the judge out of his reverie and he stopped the video clip. He was ruined. There seemed to be no doubt about that. The judge wondered if the Decker family had sent the package. It seemed like something to expect from such a corrupt family.

One last object caught Bourgh's eyes. A business card that read:

Cedric Lloyd, Attorney-at-Law (415) 653-8080

Bourgh stated at the card in his hand. He then glanced at the clock on the wall. It read one forty-eight. His first instinct was to tear up the card. But the photographs, the disk and other material from the yellow envelope made him realize it would not be wise to ignore the card's owner. Instead of using his office telephone, Bourgh reached inside his jacket pocket for his cell phone. He dialed the number on the card. Seconds later, a man's voice answered. "Cedric Lloyd, speaking."

After a brief hesitation, Bourgh said, "This is William Bourgh. I believe that you had sent a yellow envelope to my home, yesterday."

"Oh yes! Judge Bourgh! I wondered when you would call. I had expected to hear from you, yesterday." The man's voice oozed with smugness.

Feeling a shaft of anger, Bourgh growled, "You know I should have you disbarred for this! Blackmailing a Federal . . ."

A heavy sigh from Lloyd interrupted Bourgh. "Please, your Honor. I think you're the last person to be casting stone, judging from those photographs and the disk. I understand that keeping a mistress can be very expensive. You've even accepted a few bribes over the years to keep your finances in the black. Including one from a certain businessman named Paul Hans . . ."

The judge brusquely demanded, "What do you want?"

"Your help." Lloyd paused. "I suggest that we meet this evening. I know this little café on Balboa Street called Larkin's. It's in the Inner Richmond District. I'm sure that we might be able to enjoy some coffee, while we continue this conversation."

Smug bastard! Bourgh closed his eyes for a brief moment and took a deep breath. "Fine!" he finally snapped "I'll see you around eleven. Tonight."

Delight radiated from Lloyd's voice. "I'll be there. Good day." The line went dead.

Bourgh paused before he disconnected his cell phone. Then he sighed. Heavily.


END OF CHAPTER TWO

Top Ten Favorite Movies Set in the 1850s

Below is my current list of favorite movies set in the 1850s:


TOP TEN FAVORITE MOVIES SET IN THE 1850s



1. "Django Unchained" (2012) - Quentin Tarantino directed this Oscar winning tale about a newly freed slave who searches for his still enslaved wife with the help of a German-born bounty hunter in Mississippi. Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L. Jackson starred.





2. "The Charge of the Light Brigade" (1938) - Errol Flynn and Olivia De Havilland starred in this exciting adventure story set in both British India and the Crimean War. Michael Curtiz directed.





3. "Race to Freedom: The Underground Railroad" (1994) - Courtney B. Vance and Janet Bailey starred in this television drama about the adventures of four slaves who escape from a North Carolina plantation, while being tracked by a pair of slave catchers. Don McBrearty directed.





4. "Skin Game" (1971) - James Garner and Lou Gossett Jr. starred in this dark comedy about a pair of con artists who clean up in a slave selling scheme in Missouri and Kansas, before their scam finally catches up with them. Paul Bogart directed.





5. "Seven Brides For Seven Brothers" (1954) - Stanley Donen directed this famous 1954 musical about six backwoodsmen brothers When a backwoodsman in the Oregon Territory, who decides to marry after their oldest brother brings home a wife. Jane Powell, Howard Keel and Russ Tambyln starred.





6. "The First Great Train Robbery" (1979) - Michael Crighton wrote and directed this adaptation of his novel about three Victorian criminals who plot to rob a shipment of gold for British troops serving during the Crimean War, from a moving train. Sean Connery, Donald Sutherland and Lesley Anne Down starred.





7. "Wuthering Heights" (1939) - William Wyler directed this superb adaptation of Emily Brontë's 1847 novel. Merle Oberon, Laurence Olivier and David Niven starred.





8. "Westward the Women" (1951) - William Wellman directed this excellent Western-adventure about a trail guide hired by a Californian rancher to escort a wagon train of women heading west to marry men who have settled in the rancher's valley. Robert Taylor, Denise Darcel and John McIntire starred.





9. "Mountains of the Moon" (1990) Patrick Bergin and Iain Glen starred in this historical account of Victorian explorers Richard Burton and John Hanning Speke's expedition to find the source of the Nile River on behalf of the British Empire. Bob Rafelson directed.





10. "Jezebel" (1938) - William Wyler directed Oscar winners Bette Davis and Fay Bainter in this adaptation of Owen Davis Sr.'s 1933 play about a headstrong Southern woman, whose actions cost her the man she loves. Henry Fonda and George Brent co-starred.

"AFTER THE THIN MAN" (1936) Review

"AFTER THE THIN MAN" (1936) Review

Following the phenomenon success of 1934's "THE THIN MAN", Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer decided to cash in on that success with a sequel, two years later. "AFTER THE THIN MAN", released in 1936, proved to be the first of five sequels that starred William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles..

Although the story for "AFTER THE THIN MAN" was created for the screen by Dashiell Hammet; Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich, who adapted Hammet's novel for the 1934 movie, wrote the screenplay for this sequel. And W.S. "Woody" Van Dyke, who directed the first film, returned to direct "AFTER THE THIN MAN". Set nearly a week after "THE THIN MAN", this movie finds Nick and Nora Charles returning to San Francisco, following their vacation in New York. It is not long before they find themselves embroiled in the lurid problems of Nora's socialite cousin, Selma Landis. Apparently her ne'er do well husband Robert has disappeared to join his mistress, a nightclub singer named Polly Byrnes. Robert also tries to extort $25,000 from Selma's ex-love David Graham, on the promise that he will leave for good. Selma and her haughty mother, Aunt Katherine Forrest, asks Nick to find Robert and bring him back. Although Nick and Nora track Robert down to a Chinatown nightclub, where Polly sings, it is not long before he leaves and someone murders him before he can get that $25,000 and permanently be out of Selma's life.

Although "AFTER THE THIN MAN" failed to follow in its 1934 predecessor and earn a Best Picture Oscar nomination, Hackett and Goodrich's screenplay did. It is a pity that director "Woody" Van Dyke and the movie itself did not receive any nominations. Because the movie is regarded by many as the best of the six THIN MAN movies. Do I agree with this assessment? Honestly, I do not know. But I can say that it is my favorite in the series. I love "THE THIN MAN". But I really love this 1936 sequel. I feel that one of the reasons I regard it in such high regard is the story. The mystery surrounding Robert Landis' death and the other deaths that followed permeated with human drama. This will especially become obvious in the scene featuring Nick Charles' revelation of the murderer. Surprisingly, this seemed to be the case for both Nick and Nora, some of the other supporting characters and even Asta.

As many people know, the Production Code finally came into effect in July 1934, two years and five months before the release of "AFTER THE THIN MAN". Yet, there is something about Hackett and Goodrich's screenplay that reeked with a Pre-Code sensibility. Who am I kidding? There is so much about this movie that practically screamed PRE-CODE. For one, the story is filled with extramarital sex, adultery, hatred, love, extortion, class bigotry, and some of the raciest humor to come out of a MGM film from the 1930s. As an added bonus, "AFTER THE THIN MAN" featured at least three musical numbers - two of them performed by Dorothy McNulty (the future Penny Singleton from the "BLONDIE" movies). My favorite proved to be the lively New Year's Eve tune, . Only one aspect of "AFTER THE THIN MAN" makes it clear it was released during the post-Code period - twin beds for Mr. and Mrs. Charles. I do have one major complaint about Van Dyke's direction of "AFTER THE THIN MAN" - following Robert Landis' murder, the movie's pace starts to drag a bit, while Nick and Lieutenant Abrams conduct the investigation of the murder at the Chinatown nightclub and at Aunt Katherine's home.

Both William Powell and Myrna Loy returned in top form as Nick and Nora Charles. What can I say about them? What is there to say? They were perfect. They were magic. They were yin and yang . . . peanut butter and jelly. They were . . . oh, never mind. Whoever is reading this review probably has a very good idea about what I am trying to say. They were Nick and Nora . . . and that is all I have to say. The two second best performances came from James Stewart as Selma Landis' former boyfriend, David Graham and Joseph Calleia as the nightclub owner/con man "Dancer". Watching Stewart in "AFTER THE THIN MAN", it was easy to see how he became a star within two to three years. He gave a very natural and relaxed performance. And Calleia was deliciously menacing, yet suave as "Dancer". Frankly, I think he was one of the best character actors between the 1930s and 1950s.

Sam Levene gave a fine comic performance in his first appearance in a THIN MAN movie as Lieutenant Abrams. And Penny Singleton (I might as well call her that) was hilarious as the whining songstress/mistress Polly Byrnes. Elissa Landi gave an emotional portrayal as the much put upon Selma Landis, although there were times I found her a bit hammy. Alan Marshal has never struck me as an exceptional actor . . . just competent. But I must admit that I was very impressed by his portrayal of the slimy Robert Landis. William Law was deliciously subtle as "Dancer's" nightclub partner, George Zucco took his suave villainy schtick to portray Selma's sly and menacing psychiatrist. And yet, he gave one of the most emotional and funniest lines in the entire film. And what can I say about Jessie Ralph? I should have included her performance as the haughty and manipulative Aunt Katherine Forrest as one of the best in the film. Because she was magnificent in conveying Aunt Katherine's manipulative efforts in keeping her family together and her class bigotry against her nephew-in-law, Nick Charles.

I supposed there is nothing else to say about "AFTER THE THIN MAN". I cannot say that it is perfect. I feel that the sequence following the first murder could have been trimmed a bit. And one of the supporting performances occasionally drifted into hamminess. But aside from these complaints, I feel it was . . . perfect. In fact, thanks to Dashiell Hammett's story, Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich's screenplay, W.S. "Woody" Van Dyke's direction and a superb cast led by William Powell and Myrna Loy; I feel that "AFTER THE THIN MAN" is one of my favorite films from the 1930s . . . and my favorite in the six-film series.

"THE AMERICANS" Season One (2013) Photo Gallery

Below are images from Season One of "THE AMERICANS", the new FX television drama. Created by Joe Weisberg, the series stars Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys:


"THE AMERICANS" SEASON ONE (2013) Photo Gallery

"Consequences of Lust"

"CONSEQUENCES OF LUST"

All of Jane Austen's completed novels were first published during the Regency decade between 1810 and 1819, leaving present-day fans to celebrate the 200th anniversaries of each novel during this decade (2010-2019). Among those novels are "PRIDE AND PREJUDICE", now celebrating its bicentennial anniversary and "MANSFIELD PARK", which will be doing the same next year.

"PRIDE AND PREJUDICE" told the story of five daughters of an English landowner named Mr. Bennet, whose wife is desperate to find husbands for them all. The novel was written from the viewpoint of Mr. Bennet's second daughter, Elizabeth; and she becomes engaged in a stormy relationship with a very wealthy landowner named Fitzwilliam Darcy. Elizabeth and her sisters face a major social setback when the youngest sibling, Lydia Bennet, foolishly runs off with a militia officer named George Wickham during a visit to Brighton. Wickham turns out to be the son of the Darcy family's late estate steward.

Published in a year after "PRIDE AND PREJUDICE", "MANSFIELD PARK" told the story of a young English girl named Fanny Price, who is sent to live with her wealthy relations at an estate called Mansfield Park. During her first ten years with the Bertram family, Fanny falls in love with her kind cousin, Edmund. Not long after her eighteenth birthday, the Bertram family become acquainted with a brother-and-sister pair named Henry and Mary Crawford. Edmund ends up falling in love with Mary, while Henry flirts with Edmund's two sisters - Maria and Julia. Eventually, Henry falls for Fanny. But due to her love for Edmund, she rejects his offers of marriage. And Henry responds by running off with one of Fanny's cousins - namely the newly married Maria Bertram Rushworth - with devastating consequences.

The Lydia Bennet/George Wickham relationship and the Maria Bertram Rushworth/Henry Crawford relationship shared many similiarities. Both featured feelings of lust between the romantic pairs. However in Maria's case, I suspect she may have felt some love for Henry. The so-called "elopements" in both novels threatened to drag the families concerned into scandal. And the men in both relationships possessed reputations for skillful seduction and a penchant for mindless flirtations. But there are differences.

Lydia Bennet was an unmarried girl of sixteen years old. Maria Bertram Rushworth was a married young woman in her early twenties during her disasterous affair with Henry Crawford. Two, George Wickham possessed an inability for genuine love and a mercenary's heart for money. Henry Crawford, despite his flaws, displayed a capability for genuine love; and possessed enough money to not even care about marrying an heiress. Thanks to Fitzwilliam Darcy's own feelings for Elizabeth Bennet; he searched for the missing Lydia and Wickham, paid off the latter's debts and arranged for the pair's wedding and Wickham's commission into another regiment. The Bennet family expressed relief over Lydia's marriage and Elizabeth expressed gratitude toward Mr. Darcy for solving their family problem.

Matters turned out differently over the Maria Rushworth/Henry Crawford affair. Determined to save the reputations of her family and the Bertrams, Mary Crawford suggested a similar vein of action to the Bertram family. She suggested that her brother Henry marry Maria, following the latter's divorce from Mr. Rushworth. Mary's plans never had a chance, due to Henry's refusal to marry Maria. Even worse, Edmund Bertram expressed outrage over Mary's plans and broke their engagement before marrying Fanny. And Sir Thomas punished Maria by forcing her to live in seclusion with her Aunt Norris.

I must admit that I found Austen's different methods in dealing with the fates of Lydia and Maria rather mind boggling. Did she ever realize that she had contradicted herself when she gave Maria Rushworth a harsher fate than Lydia Wickham? Mind you, Lydia's fate did not strike me as a bed of roses. She found herself married to a man who was a wastrel that did not love her. But as Austen hinted in the conclusion of "PRIDE AND PREJUDICE", Lydia and Wickham always had Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy to help them out of a financial jam. For some reason, Austen decided that Maria would face an uglier fate - banishment from Mansfield Park and her family and forced to live in seclusion with Aunt Norris. Austen also decided to punish Mary for suggestion the same thing that Mr. Darcy carried out in "PRIDE AND PREJUDICE".

Why? Why did Austen give a harsher fate for not only Maria Rushworth, but also Mary Crawford? Did she feel regret for not being harsh enough with Lydia? And what about Mr. Darcy? Why did he receive the gratitude for something that Mary Crawford was punished for suggesting? Because he was the protagonist's love interest? Did Austen expect her readers to change their views of Mr. Darcy's intervention, when she allowed Mary to not only fail in "MANSFIELD PARK" and be punished in the process? Or did Austen have another message in mind? Is it possible that Maria and Mary's cruel fates were some kind of an indictment against the Bertram family's claim of moral righteousness? Personally, I have no idea.

"MALEFICENT" (2014) Review

"MALEFICENT" (2014) Review

I am probably the last person on this earth who would associate Angelina Jolie with a Disney film, let alone one made for children. Then again, I have never seen Jolie in another movie like her recent film, "MALEFICENT".

Despite some adult themes found in this new film, I honestly believe that "MALEFICENT" is basically a movie for children. It is not just based upon Charles Perrault's 1697 fairy tale, "La Belle au Bois Dormant", but also the Disney Studios' 1959 animated adaptation, "SLEEPING BEAUTY". Only this film is told with a twist. Some would say with a feminist twist. Linda Woolverton's screenplay features the story's main villainess, the evil and vindictive fairy, Maleficent, as the movie's main protagonist. The film begins with Maleficent as a young and powerful fairy who serves as the main protector of a fairy realm called Moors that borders a human kingdom ruled by ruthless monarch named King Henry, who covets it. Maleficent befriends a young boy named Stefan, who works as a kitchen servant for the king.

The years pass as Maleficent and Stefan's friendship grows to something close to a romance. But King Henry's latest attempt to invade Moors leads him to offer his daughter's hand in marriage and his kingdom to the man able to kill Maleficent. Ambitious and longing to rise above his station, Stefan sets out to collect the bounty on his old friend. Unable to kill her because of their friendship, Stefan drugs Maleficent and burns her wings off with iron (a substance lethal to fairies) and presents the latter to King Henry as proof of her death. Stefan eventually marries King Henry's daughter, Princess Leila, and eventually assumes the throne following his father-in-law's death. When Maleficent learns about the birth of Stefan and Leila's infant daughter, Aurora, she appears uninvited at the christening and places a curse on the infant princess. On her sixteenth birthday, Aurora will prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and fall into a death-like sleep. After Stefan is forced by Maleficent to beg for his daughter, she alters the curse with the addition that it can be broken by true love's kiss. Stefan arranges for Aurora to be raised by three pixie fairies - Knotgrass, Flittle and Thistlewit. And despite her initial dislike of Aurora, Maleficent begins to secretly care about the girl, when the neglectful pixie fairies fail to take properly care of her.

There is a good number of elements for "MALEFICENT" that I found very admirable. I believe it is one of the more visually stunning films I have seen in recent years. A great deal of credit has to go to Dylan Cole and Gary Freeman's production designs. The pair did an excellent job in recapturing medieval life . . . at least in a fantasy world. Dean Semler's photography of parts of rural England, which served as King Stefan's realm, added to the movie's visual style. But the work from the special effects team, especially for creation of the fairy realm and other sequences that featured magic, truly enhanced the movie's visual style. I also have to add a word about Anna B. Sheppard's costume designs for the film. I could wax lyrical on how beautiful they looked. But there are times when I believe that images can speak louder than words:







I will not claim that Sheppard's costumes are an accurate reflection of medieval fashion. But . . . hey! I cannot deny that I found them beautiful.

As for the plot for "MALEFICENT", I cannot deny that it proved to be something of a conundrum for me. Woolverton's screenplay and Robert Stromberg's direction clearly seemed to hint that it is basically a movie for children. The dialogue, the movie's style of humor and especially its use of the three fairy sisters as the movie's comic relief practically screams "Kiddie Film" to me. And yet . . . Woolverton's screenplay also featured elements that seemed to indicate a movie with strong adult themes. The most obvious element proved to be the theft of Maleficent's wings. Unless I am mistaken, the entire scene struck me as a metaphor for rape. Think about it. Stefan drugs Maleficent (a stand-in for any rape drug) to knock her unconscious. Using iron - an indication of violence - he physically violates her by burning off her wings. The relationship that develops between Maleficent and Aurora not only proved to be unexpected, but is given a feminist twist. Aside from Maleficent's relationship with her aide Diaval, a raven whom she had saved by transforming him into a human; the male-female relationships in this movie proved to be either ineffective or disastrous. Even the use of "True Love's Kiss" had a twist I had failed to foresee . . . until several minutes before it actually occurred.

There have been other productions - both television and film - that mixed elements of children's stories and adult themes. ABC Television's "ONCE UPON A TIME" seemed to use a great deal of adult themes in its twist on fairy tales. Yet, the series continues to maintain some semblance of childlike morality in its portrayal of magic. J.K. Rowling's "HARRY POTTER" literary (and film adaptations) series becomes increasingly ambiguous as the saga progresses. And aside from the first film, George Lucas' "STAR WARS" film saga strikes me as a case study of moral ambiguity with touches of humor and characterizations for children. But these science-fiction/fantasy sagas seem capable of balancing humor and storytelling for children with adult themes.

I cannot say the same about "MALEFICENT". The movie's childish humor - courtesy of the three fairy sisters - struck me as heavy-handed and not at all funny. I also believe the movie's 97-minute running time made it difficult for Woolverton's script to maintain that balance between children and adult themes. More importantly, the movie's running time forced Stromberg and Woolverton to rush the story forward at a unnecessarily fast pace, especially during the movie's last half hour. Other aspects of the plot - Maleficent's background, her relationships with both Stefan and Diaval, and especially her developing relationship with Aurora. But there are two aspects that struck me as rushed - namely Aurora's relationship with the fairy sisters (which barely seemed to exist) and the last half hour in which the sleeping curse is played out. I cannot help but wonder if Disney's penchant for cinematic penny-pinching forced Stromberg and Woolverton to rush the movie's climatic act.

I certainly had no problems with the movie's performances. Angelina Jolie was outstanding as the movie's protagonist, the fairy Maleficent. Being the top-notch actress that she is, Jolie effortlessly captured every nuance of Maleficent's character - both the good and the bad. I have been a great admirer of Sharlto Copley in the past - with the exception of his villainous turn in the 2013 sci-fi movie, "ELYSIUM". Thankfully, his complex portrayal of this movie's villain, King Stefan, reminded me of his skill at portraying complex roles. At first, Elle Fanning seemed to be stuck with a role that struck me very sweet, kind . . . and boring. Fortunately for her, the Princess Aurora character became more interesting in the movie's second half and Fanning got the chance to show off her acting chops - especially in the scene in which Aurora confronts Maleficent about the curse.

The movie also featured solid performances from Sam Riley as Maleficent's confidant Diaval, Kenneth Cranham as King Henry and Hannah New as Queen Leila. I have been longtime fans of Imelda Staunton, Lesley Manville and Juno Temple. But I have to be honest - I was not that impressed by their portrayals of the three fairy sisters. It was quite obvious to me that Staunton, Manville and Temple did their best to make the three sisters - Knotgrass, Flittle and Thistlewit - interesting. Nor can I accuse them of bad acting. They were obviously giving it their all. There are times when external forces have a way of affecting an actor or actress' performance, whether due to bad direction or bad writing. In the case of the three actresses who portrayed Aurora's fairy guardians, I suspect their performances were sabotaged by Linda Woolverton's writing. The screenwriter's sense of humor struck me as subtle as a stampeding buffalo. I also believe that her screenplay may have hampered Brenton Thwaites' performance as Prince Philip. How can I put it? Thwaites gave a bland and boring performance, because he was forced to portrayed a bland and boring character. The 1959 animated version of the prince had more zing than this latest version. And I blame Woolverton's screenplay, not the actor.

Do not get me wrong. I rather liked "MALEFICENT". I found it to be a visually stunning film with some strong moral ambiguity in its plot and in some of the major characters, and a solid cast led by outstanding performances from Angelina Jolie and Sharlto Copley. I also enjoyed the feminist twist on the "Sleeping Beauty" tale. But due to some flawed characterizations and a failure to balance both the children and adult theme in its plot, I can honestly say that I did not love "MALEFICENT".