Yeah, this post is
long overdue but life can most certainly get in the way sometimes, but here it
is nonetheless. After weeks of waiting, we finally made it to see Maleficent in theaters. Surprisingly it
was a small crowd considering that it had only been out three weeks. We grabbed
our seats and eagerly awaited the start of a movie whose previews were as
seductive as possibly could be. I was loving how recently film makers were and
entertainers were trying to take old well known stories and give us a twist—the
other side—maybe even the truth that we were told to never believe all along.
And that’s just what they did in this spectacular film!
But like always, I
left feeling like a heavy load was just implanted on me from the depth of the
film. Contrary to the request at the start of the movie, I couldn’t help but
take out my phone and jot down notes of lessons I felt like this movie taught
us all.
First off, the movie
begins with a clear demonstration of what goes on today. A majority group
fearing a minority group and the latter is invaded and attacked for no apparent
reason. Why? Why invade a peaceful group that does not bother you? Because you
fear them? Because they are different? Because you assume they are terrorists?
And I use that last term not to reference the 21st century
implementation, but rather the way the film demonstrated it. They were
absolutely terrified by these different beings when there was no need to be.
The lesson here is
fearing the unknown could not be more stupid. On top of that, you reap what you
sew, and boy do you sew a great deal of evil when you oppress another. Invading
other people’s lands and lives can produce a mass spread of darkness and
destruction, and you will reap even more of what you sew when you find how much
damage you’ve instilled in the personalities of the victims. I fear to even
imagine what years of this oppression will do the continuously dwindling
population of Middle Easterners. It’s been reported that since the start of the
Syrian Revolution, millions of children have gone without education or any sort
of schooling. That’s millions of children remaining ignorant to significant
life skills and information to survive for almost four years. What a shame!
What a sickening shame!
Second, the movie
illustrates quite how strong selfishness and greed can be. It portrays the way
that it can ruin the strongest of bonds, the strongest of loves and the
strongest of lives in just a moment. It becomes like a cancer that takes over
and sooner rather than later is eternal. Catch yourself before it latches on
tightly and grows.
Thirdly, the film
teaches people how significant overreactions can be in life. That allowing
yourself to overreact in a moment of heated anger or revenge can forever bring
you a lifetime of regret. And it may be something unchangeable, because lesson
number four is, no matter how much you try, fate will always play out.
Lesson number five is
a difficult one and yet a beautiful one, or maybe a painful one. In the movie
we witness how possible it is for people to change—for the better and for the
worse—but what ends up being the most real is who they always were on the
inside. Sadly Steffan proved himself to own a very ugly heart, and we find that
Maleficent never was evil. That ties in to lesson number six which show us just
how powerful media outlets can be in making us believe who’s the enemy and who
isn’t.
Beautiful lesson
number seven is that true love can come from the most unlikeliest of people and
places…and I’ll let you watch the movie to find out whose kiss awakens the
sleeping beauty.
Lesson number eight
had me hypnotized from start to finish and that is that no matter what anyone
says, red lipstick is most definitely created for us fair skinned girls. I now
own two tubes. Thank you Disney!
Last, and most
certainly not least, Maleficent teaches us all a very important cautioning
lesson: NEVER ever mess with a woman and her heart. We will make you pay.
