Maleficent: Mistress of Evil

Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling - Paul Gooch, Arjen Tuiten, David White

In-Laws, am I right?  (Just kidding, I love my in laws dearly, especially if they are reading this blog.)  Maleficent's daughter Aurora has gotten engaged, and neither family is thrilled about it.  But in laws have to have dinner together, and when Aurora's soon to be mother in law lays a trap to have Maleficent act out and have everyone turn against her, and all the while the mother in law's minion secretly works in a lab to develop a potion that would eradicate all fairy kind, well, let's just say that all does not go well for the two families.  Maleficent discovers that there are more of "her kind" and she comes into her own, but not in the most productive of ways.  The two communities (fairy and human) are being lulled into war, and Aurora's mother in law reveals herself to be a murderous villain (this is not a spoiler).

I was not excited to watch this film.  Though I enjoyed the first one (which was nominated for an Oscar in costume design), I didn't think there was enough there to warrant a sequel.  I was wrong.  I really enjoyed this one!  It was fun - one could say enchanting - and the makeup is impressive.  When movies like these are nominated for an Oscar, I do sometimes think to myself, "say that out loud.  Bad Grandpa, Oscar nominee."  But it is not unusual for "low art" to achieve in the technical awards, and this one is at least good enough to spend the time.  But, I would only recommend it under the following conditions:

1. You saw the first one (Maleficent) and LOVED it.

2. You try to see every single nominated film, as I do.

3. End of list.

Here's the trailer: