Once upon a time, in a small village nestled between mountains, there stood a magical tree known as the Tree of Nowhere. This tree was said to possess incredible powers and could grant any wish to those who found it. The villagers had heard stories of the tree for generations, but no one had ever been able to locate it. Many had searched, but all had returned empty-handed. One day, a young girl named Lily stumbled upon an old book in her grandmother's attic. The book contained a detailed map of the village, with a mysterious marking near the outskirts labeled as the "Tree of Nowhere.
"It was both a great pleasure and an extreme challenge to have such an extraordinary original. And we wanted to make sure we did justice to it," Jolie told a recent press conference in Paris.
Maleficent, released on Friday in the United States, amounts to a towering tribute to Jolie, who produces and stars in the film about the Disney witch with unlimited powers. Maleficent aims to be both a retelling of the fairytale - albeit taking several eyebrow-raising artistic liberties - and an exploration of her past, to show what made her so cruel.
The book contained a detailed map of the village, with a mysterious marking near the outskirts labeled as the "Tree of Nowhere." Intrigued by the legend, Lily decided to embark on a quest to find the elusive tree and have her wish granted. Armed with the map and a sense of adventure, Lily set off into the wilderness.
'Maleficent' exposes roots of Disney's wicked witch
LOS ANGELES - The wicked witch who has haunted generations of children in Sleeping Beauty has been brought grippingly to life by Angelina Jolie, in a modern retelling seeking to humanize the fairytale she-devil.
"Maleficent," released on Friday in the United States, amounts to a towering tribute to Jolie, who produces and stars in the film about the Disney witch with unlimited powers.
With a haughty bearing, curved horns and razor-sharp cheekbones, the 38-year-old actress embodies in all its glory the character drawn by legendary animator Marc Davis in the original 1959 classic.
"It was both a great pleasure and an extreme challenge to have such an extraordinary original. And we wanted to make sure we did justice to it," Jolie told a recent press conference in Paris.
"I was scared of her, but I loved her. I was fascinated by her when I was a child, so I didn't want to do anything that would not be good enough for all the people that had responded to her over the years," she added.
"Maleficent" aims to be both a retelling of the fairytale - albeit taking several eyebrow-raising artistic liberties - and an exploration of her past, to show what made her so cruel.
"I think it's nice to use these stories that we are familiar with to try to touch on deeper and bigger themes," said Jolie.
"She remains a villain, but there's just maybe more to her. I think it's an interesting message for children, because kids are drawn to dark things. They are drawn to things that scare them." She added: "The goal was not just to entertain children or retell the story. The goal was to try to see these deeper things of really understanding who somebody was, not judging them just by just what they seem to be."
Why is she so bad?
Robert Stromberg, directing for the first time after winning two Oscars in art direction - for "Avatar" and "Alice in Wonderland" - agrees it would have been boring to make a film simply about a wicked witch.
"We could have made a movie that was just evil sorceress, but it's very one-dimensional," he told AFP. "What we wanted to do is make the character more human in many ways.
"So to me, the interesting part was to ask questions of why is she so bad, why is she so angry, where does she come from?" The filmmakers were aware however that the liberties they take with the story could prove distracting. To minimise this, they filled the film with references - aesthetic, historical - linking it directly to the Disney classic.
Thus for example the scene where Princess Aurora is cursed to eternal sleep when she is christened follows astonishingly closely the equivalent scene from the 1959 animated film.
"We had to have the christening scene, which is the centre point of the film. We had to have that work. That iconic moment in the film is when we all recognise that this is the character that we all know and love from the Disney classic," said Stromberg.
"We shot that scene word for word from the animated classic. And it was Angelina's idea." In the end, more than Maleficent herself, it is the men around her who are shown in a less than favourable light.
The all-too-perfect Prince Phillip (played by Brenton Thwaites) and the cruel King Stefan (played by South African actor Sharlto Copley, from "District 9" and "Elysium") are lightweights compared to Jolie's magnificent Maleficent.
"It's interesting because it does make you wonder about what the male role in society is," Copley told AFP.
His own character "is a cautionary tale to a certain type of male behaviour: dominance and ambition and greed. It's not only restricted to men, but by large a lot of that in the world is male dominated," he added.
With a haughty bearing, curved horns and razor-sharp cheekbones, the 38-year-old actress embodies in all its glory the character drawn by legendary animator Marc Davis in the original 1959 classic.
She ventured through dense forests, crossed gushing rivers, and climbed treacherous hills. Along the way, she encountered various obstacles and faced her fears. Despite the challenges, Lily remained determined, for she believed that finding the Tree of Nowhere would bring her the happiness she desired. Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months, but Lily refused to give up. She encountered helpful creatures who guided her in the right direction and offered words of encouragement. Their presence gave her hope and strength to continue her journey. Finally, one sunny morning, after a year of searching, Lily stumbled upon the Tree of Nowhere. Standing before the magnificent tree, Lily felt a mix of excitement and nervousness. She carefully approached the tree and whispered her deepest desire. The tree shimmered and glowed, its leaves rustling in response. Suddenly, Lily's wish came true. From that day forward, the village prospered, and Lily's wish brought joy and happiness to all who lived there. The Tree of Nowhere became a symbol of hope, reminding the villagers that sometimes, the greatest treasures are found in the most unexpected places. The magic tree of nowhere symbolizes the power of determination and the rewards that come from never giving up. Lily's journey teaches us that sometimes, our goals may seem impossible, but as long as we believe in ourselves and keep pushing forward, we can achieve the seemingly unachievable. The magic tree of nowhere reminds us that sometimes, our dreams and desires may be closer than we think, waiting for us to discover them with unwavering resolve..
Reviews for "Connecting with Nature: The Magic Tree of Nowhere Experience"
1. John - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "The Magic Tree of Nowhere". The plot was confusing and hard to follow, and the characters were underdeveloped. The animation also felt outdated and the visuals were not engaging. Overall, I found it to be a lackluster and forgettable viewing experience.
2. Sarah - 1 star - I couldn't get through "The Magic Tree of Nowhere". The story felt aimless and didn't seem to have a clear direction. The dialogue was weak and the voice acting was unconvincing. The animation style didn't appeal to me either, as it lacked detail and depth. I would not recommend this film to anyone looking for an entertaining and engaging animated feature.
3. Michael - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "The Magic Tree of Nowhere", but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The pacing was slow, and the plot dragged on without any significant developments. The characters lacked depth and felt one-dimensional. The animation quality was subpar, with choppy movements and lackluster visuals. Overall, I found it to be a disappointing and forgettable film.
4. Emily - 2.5 stars - "The Magic Tree of Nowhere" had an interesting concept, but it failed to deliver. The plot was convoluted and overly complicated, making it hard to stay engaged. The dialogue was forced and lacked authenticity. The animation style was unique, but it didn't make up for the lack of substance in the story. I had high expectations, but sadly, they were not met.
5. David - 1.5 stars - "The Magic Tree of Nowhere" left me feeling underwhelmed. The storyline was confusing and poorly executed, leaving me disinterested in the fate of the characters. The animation was lackluster and lacked attention to detail. The overall experience was just dull and failed to capture my attention. I wouldn't recommend wasting your time on this one.