Maleficent Premiere Photos from the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood

May 30th audiences will get to see the dawning of the evil precursor to Sleeping Beauty. We always see the struggle of the hero or the heartache of the brave princess, but we never see the story that made the villain evil, the agony that broke their heart and made them wicked…until today. In theatres May 30^th 2014, the long awaited movie will captivate viewers with the story of the evil Maleficent and why she cast the curse over sleeping beauty.

The beautiful Angelina Jolie channels her dark side and embodies Maleficent in a spectacular performance full of malicious yet graceful disdain. Once a kindhearted young woman, Maleficent grew up in the harmonious Forest Kingdom and resided there until a neighboring army threatened to overtake the land. She fought back rising to become the protector of the kingdom until a horrible betrayal crushed her once gentle heart. This terrible disloyalty left her to trust no one, and her heart began to heal only at the thought of revenge.

In retaliation, Maleficent puts a curse on Aurora the infant daughter of the King that has invaded the Forest Kingdom. Played by the glowing Elle Fanning, Aurora slowly grows into a young woman, and Maleficent realizes that the blooming princess may be the key to once again creating peace in the Kingdom.

Directed by Robert Stromberg and produced by Joe Roth, this Disney movie has a delicate balance between gothic obscurity and hopeful, sun-flooded forests reflecting the competition between good and evil. It creates a highly dimensional film easily understood by children. Like every Disney movie, there is always a lesson to be learned. The underlying themes of Maleficent allow invitation for discussions on forgiveness and empathy.

This intense and masterly crafted film carries weighted ideas and opens the audience to a different point of view. It is rare that we understand the fundamental reasons that a character becomes evil, but this understanding is just as important as knowing why heroes are courageous. Knowing why a hero prevails and why they must possess honor is only half of understanding good and evil. Comprehending both sides creates the whole picture, and movies like this teach children to think beyond what is happening on the surface.

In addition to Angelina Jolie and Elle Fanning, the stunning cast includes Sharlto Copley, Sam Riley, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, and Lesley Manville. It is rated PG and runs about 97 minutes long.    

Maleficent releases in theatres May 30, 2014.
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