Photo Source: movies.disney.com
Maleficent may not be suitable for small children. I just saw it and I was a bit taken back by some of the scenes. Sitting in a theater full of families with small children, I was concerned. As a future mother of small children, my thoughts ran to how they’d sleep tonight. Whether the cries and screams that I heard throughout the movie were actually due to what was on the big screen is uncertain. Nightmares? Maybe. If you have small children please be mindful that Maleficent is rated PG. Parental Guidance IS suggested. Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, read on for my overall thoughts of the latest Disney movie.
Maleficent was a BEAUTIFUL movie.
Within minutes of the start of the movie, I was in awe of the scenery. The magic that the Moors possessed was colorful and fairytale~esque. Maleficent as a fairie child was beautiful. The twinkle in her eyes, polite demeanor and playful approach towards the other magical creatures of the Moor made me wish a place like that really existed. Her courage and leadership skills as she grew older left me wondering how this innocent soul could become the Maleficent that we all know and are slightly frightful of.
Photo Source: movies.disney.com
Maleficent has all the elements of a fairy tale:
- A feud between two lands
- A love story
- True Love’s kiss
- Conflict
- Suspense
- A Fairy God Mother
Maleficent has a twist in its story plot.
While Maleficent did have a lot of the components that make up a traditional disney fairy tale, the story that unfolds is not one we’ve heard before. It’s a dark tale. We get to see Maleficent in a new light. We understand where her anger comes from and we sympathize with her. We’re with her on her journey from childhood to adulthood and we feel protective over her. This is rare to see in a Disney movie.
7 lessons to be learned from Maleficent.
- We can be friends with others that are not like us. Humans vs Magical Creatures. This can mirror the differences in our own world. Religion, race, culture, language are all things we can look past when getting to know new people.
- We might not understand why our loves need to go out in the world to chase dreams, but we should support them just the same.
- True love does exist. It often lies in the most unexpected places.
- Holding onto hate doesn’t solve your problems. Choose forgiveness instead of revenge. Let it go.
- Everyone has strengths and weaknesses.
- We must let go of those who have hurt us to make room for those who will love us.
- Sometimes we can’t take back what we say.
Here are 5 tips if you decide to see PG movies with small children:
- If your child is under the age of 5, don’t bring them. Even if they understand the difference between reality and fantasy, some of the scenes in the movie will give them nightmares. You don’t want to be “That Parent” with the child that is screaming because they’re scared.
- Have a conversation with your child. Have them explain to you what the difference is between a story and real life. If they can give you examples then you might be cleared to go.
- How did your child react with other movies with graphic scenes. This is NOT your cartoon fairytale.
- Watch your child during the movie. During scenes that are violent or show monsters, take their hand and/or cover their eyes. This is what they may be seeing in their nightmares.
- Talk to your child after the movie. Have a conversation with your child. Have then walk though the things they loved and what they didn’t like. Ask them if anything scared them. Creating a dialog to feel out their thoughts on the movie will give you the words to remind them that it was just a movie. The things they saw are not real.
- Show them the trailers of the movie.
Here’s the trailer:
Pick up Sleeping Beauty to give your kids a Prequel on Amazon.
Have you seen Maleficent? What were your thoughts? Are you mindful of the movie ratings when selecting which ones to take your child to?
Until then,
Disclosure: The link to Sleeping Beauty is an affiiiate link for Amazon. If you purchase the DVD a small portion will go toward the upkeep of My Pocketful of Thoughts
