The Fifth Estate ( review )

 

Director Bill Condon
Screenplay  Josh Singer
Based on Inside WikiLeaks: My Time with Julian Assange and the World's Most Dangerous Website by Daniel Domscheit-Berg WikiLeaks: Inside Julian Assange's War on Secrecy by David Leigh and Luke Harding
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch , Daniel Brühl, Anthony Mackie , David Thewlis , Alicia Vikander Stanley Tucci, Laura Linney
Music  Carter Burwell
Cinematography Tobias Schliessler
I was very interested to see this movie but unfortunately I have to somehow agree with the prevailing opinion that while the cast was excellent the story was kind of lacking. The movie has beautiful cinematography, they’ve used cool visual tricks and have an interesting creative ideas of how to represent the virtual world (some less successful than others )… but it seems that even the best actors and pretties visuals doesn’t really mean a good film. I can’t say that the Fifth Estate is a “bad movie” but I can say it’s kind of unsatisfying. I am aware that this is just a movie and not a documentary, but nevertheless , I feel it didn’t add much to the outgoing discussion about WikiLeaks . But lets leave the WikiLeaks issue aside , a movie from this sort should be engaging , provocative and clever, no ? My impression from this films is , however , that in their struggle to make it “entertaining” and to turn it into some kind of political thriller, they missed a great opportunity to create a deeper and more meaningful film. They seem to overlook the essence of the story  in favor of fast cut scenes, cool music and energetic keyboard typing .

 I consider myself quite the wrong person to write reviews sometimes( but I do write them nevertheless )  because I don’t like to say negative things about people ... and yet I need to say that Bill Condon’s last few movies ( I mean the last two Twilight films and the Fifth Estate ) are kind of … lazy (story-wise) . Condon has done some highly acclaimed movies in the past , but the Fifth Estate , as well as the Breaking Dawn  films are movies who lack soul . I'm not going to discuss the Twilight story's virtues or lack of such , but as a random viewer of it , I got this impression that the movie is made in a "boring" , predictable way– beautiful visually , with scenes that are put in order to make us like the characters but are so “static “ and “soulless’ that alienates us instead . Moreover , the Breaking Dawn films have some forced “action” and "excitement " into them while the story is about something completely different. This is the exact same feeling coming from the Fifth Estate ( with the great difference that the cast of the Fifth Estate has done their job amazingly while some of the Twiligh cast members seemed bored with the story themselves . also the subject in the TFE is much much more interesting ) – of a movie that tries to look “cool” but turns out to be too “cold” for my taste .

I have a particular problem with this film - there are a lot of clichés in there . Especially in the way the two main characters are presented– we have Daniel who is the “normal” , “nice” guy and there is Julian who is the weird , anti-social type .  ( and not to mention all the scenes with the US government's people  that looked as if they are based on every other Hollywood movie and not on real events ... )

The creators of the Fifth Estate claimed that the movie doesn’t take sides and that they try to show many points of view but … they often fail to balance those points of you .

 The character of Julian Assange always remains  distant and I think he was not given enough screen time or good scenes to actually … how to say it  – to have a chance to "speak for himself". Then suddenly at the end they add this interview with him as to save the movie from being too biased.
The story never lets him “shine” enough - his speeches are short or cut in the middle and there is not enough time for him to really grow on you. As far as I know Assange from interviews , he might be a little strange but he is really well-spoken and has a special charm . Cumberbatch portrays him quite accurate but just the film doesn’t allow him to really have his moment. Maybe here is the point to mention that Benedict Cumberbatch is really good in this role and is trying to make the character as engaging as he can.

As for Daniel Bruhl , I really like him and I was especially impressed by his performance in RUSH this year . He delivers a very good performance here as well , but in comparison to Niki Lauda , I find Daniel Domscheit-Berg a little bit boring as a character and I blame the script for it again . ( I feel so bad to write negative  things …) In any case , all actors did a very good job – the cast was one of the most positive aspects  of the film . ( I liked also the visual style of the film and the music score ) .

 I was very into the characters , taking them seriously and all … until the dance scene with Benedict and Daniel when I tried so hard not to laugh! ( All their fans should watch the movie for this scene at least! )
 My biggest regret is that I had to I watch this movie dubbed ( ☹ ) and every time I do that I feel I have missed out so I will definitely see it again .

In conclusion I might say that the Fifth Estate has an excellent cast and beautiful visuals and while it manages to create a specific and interesting atmosphere , it fails to deliver a satisfying take on one of the most discussed issues of today.
In any case , I think it’s good they made this film because it might make more people interested in the discussions surrounding WikiLeaks . Above all I hope that most of the people who saw this movie would actually take the advice of making their own research about the newly born “fifth estate” .

review by Viki 

Gravity ( movie review )

Year :  2013

Genre : sci-fi , drama , triller 

Director: Alfonso Cuarón

 Main Cast : Sandra Bullock, George Clooney,

 Ed Harris

Gravity is for sure one of the most visually astonishing and trilling movies of the year . That’s all I can say without revealing any spoilers. The story is quite straightforward – it’s about surviving in conditions where no life could exist. More than that is about finding one’s personal will to live and one’s courage to keep fighting for one’s life no matter what .

Now from here on they might be some spoilers! Don’t say I didn’t warn you .

I didn’t find the story very “surprising” but nevertheless the movie was pretty intense. The most interesting aspect is the fact that Gravity is made in a way that makes the viewer feel really involved – as if it’s all happening to him / her.  

The 3D helps enhance the feeling of zero gravity and it’s a nice addition to the beautiful visuals of the film. Sandra Bullock’s character was too busy to fight for her life in order to just sit there and admire the view and we can’t really blame her for that – because Space is scary. Beautiful and terrifying ! ( that’s why I love it ) 

It was an interesting touch to make Sandra’s character to be someone who has “ no life” , who has lost the most precious thing a person can lose – her own daughter and still she finds in herself the will to fight for her live and to not give up .  I expected to see more of George Clooney but in any case he was in the movie just enough.

Probably it was only a matter of time now , with all these new technology , for someone to decide to bring us  “back to space” in a more frightening and realistic way.  It seems that this was the main idea of the creators of the film and I think they did a very good job .

I’ve always loved space and mainly went to see the movie for it’s visuals . I got want I went for and I am pretty happy with the movie. 

I suggest you to go see it on a big screen if you haven’t seen it yet – trust me , it just won’t be the same seeing it on your home TV , no matter how HD it is . 

review by Viki 

photos from http://gravitymovie.warnerbros.com/

RUSH ( movie review )

     First time I heard about Rush, I though it is going to be some sort of Formula 1 version of the Fast and The Furious. Later I got to know more about the subject of the movie so I got more and more interested in it. Therefore I went to see it the first day it arrived at the theatres in here.
Now don’t get me wrong – I do enjoy watching Fast & the Furious type of movies from time to time, but I didn’t go to see Rush because I wanted to see fast cars – I went to see it because I became interested in the characters it portraits. 

I must say that I had only seen the first trailer and I had avoided watching any more clips from it and I also did not go to read about what really happened to James Hunt and Niki Lauda , because I didn’t want to know too much about the plot . And I am so glad that I did that . The story was more powerful for me that way.



So here is the actual review that I am writing to you mostly because I want to recommend you to watch Rush .  Please go see it on the big screen – the experience is so much better!
I like the movie because of few things , that I will list you in random order :

1.     The cast

I must confess that I like a lot both Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl , so  I might be kind of biased in my opinions . In any case I think they both did a very good job .  After all I like them because they are very talented actors and they proved it that once more .
Chris seems to always be very natural in his roles and the image of James Hunt suits him pretty well.  He is absolutely believable as the charming, reckless playboy and I can’t blame the ladies for falling in his arms just so easy. Still, there are moments when you can see that James has his fears and his "troubled emotions".
As for Daniel , he is just great in this role. He steels the show a couple of times. His character is a pretty interesting and so very different from James Hunt. He might seems less likeable but I was kind of impressed by Lauda more that once in this film .

Unfortunately the movie here is dubbed in Italian so I couldn’t appreciate well enough the accents that both main leads had to master in order to sound like their characters but I will make sure to watch the movie again in original language when is released on DVD or on digital format .  

The supporting cast is also pretty good.  I need to mention  that there are some very beautiful and talented actresses there.  It’s was a pleasure to watch them.

2.     Visuals, sound and music

The combination between all those components is very well done. There are some really great shots and lets not forget some very beautiful locations. The music and sound is also just so right . Works great on building up the tension . Especially during a race all blends together very well ( I really loved to hear the roar of the engines on high volume in the cinema.)
 Ron Howard really choose the right people to work with.

3.     The Story -  it’s balanced enough between the entertaining fun bits ,  those with more serious note  and the really trilling moments when you just can't get your eyes of the screen . You get to see a little bit of the life of both characters – their ups and downs . You won’t be drugged around their whole carrier – all is concentrated basically on a particular time period . It all builts up pretty well to the "grand finale " .  I wasn’t bored  and I enjoyed it all . 
 I just wanted there to be more interaction between Lauda and Hunt but I guess this is because I enjoyed watching them so much. But I can’t speak more without revealing too much so here is a warning : 

Whatever follows contains  spoilers!  Please do not read further if you haven’t seen the movie yet . Just come back to read and comment afterwards ;) 

There are many interesting aspects in this film – the lifestyle of those people who risk their lives for a living, the time period , this crazy but fascination sport ,  the rivalry between the characters and the ways it  defines them both  and influences their actions. Their different points of view and approach towards not only racing but towards life in general.
Also there is something in particular that I was impressed with and that I want to mention . I was impressed with Lauda’s actions . He almost burned to death but he came back to race just few weeks after the accident! And the best part is that later he managed to withdraw when he saw it was too risky. These are some difficult decisions and I admire him for both. 

The most impressive thing about this movie , however , for me is that this story is actually  real . James Hunt really won by just one point showing extreme determination at the end . Lauda really almost died and come back to race immediately after that.

I am often more impressed by people’s actions rather than by people’s words – in that sense , I think Rush “tell us “ more things that it might appear at first . 

I like movies who can entertain me but also tell me stories that I keep thinking about days afterwards . These movies are not only the once you enjoy but also the ones you remember.

Review by Viki

images from http://www.rushmovie.com/

Oz , the Great and Powerful ( review )

Name : Oz ,  the Great and Powerful

Year : 2013
Genre : Fantasy , Adventure
Director: Sam Raimi
Main Cast :  James Franco, Michelle Williams,
Rachel Weisz , Mila Kunis






(I am going to write a very quick review because I have no time ! )

Review :

I saw Oz , the Great and Powerful  in 3D on its opening day and I can say that I liked it in general! It has some flaws bit still it was fun, colorful movie with nice visuals and if you are looking for something to watch in order to be entertained that might be the film for you. The story was not a big deal, but that wasn’t a problem for me. 

I think James Franco suited well the character – more a trickster rather than “magician”. He is not the typical good guy and he is not even trying to be. With his slimy smile and music box , he made a lot of the people around me ( and me ) to laugh a lot .

The three witches were cool . Well ,  I wanted more Rachel Weisz because I love this actress very much !
This is the first time I actually watch Mila Kunis is a movie but I am not very impressed . Yes , she is beautiful but besides that her witch character was kind of weak ( in sense that she had a weak presence ) . I have the feeling she was there just for eye candy and nothing more . When she became “bad” she was so … fake. Screaming around how bad she is doesn’t really make her believable. Anyway …
I liked Michelle Williams even if her character was a little … how can I say it – too white. She was much better at looking unnaturally nice than Mila at the beginning of the movie.
Anyway – just don’t take this movie too seriously , because the movie is not made for that . True – it has a message and some subthemes but it is mainly for fun! ( I see it that way at least ) .

I really liked that ( spoiler follows !!! ) at the end Franco’s Oz did not become some knight in shining armor but used his real abilities to beat the witches. I am so tired of those “heroes” who in just a day time turn from some sort of I-have-never-touched-a-weapon type to mass murders.

I also liked the other characters , such as the doll ( China town was so cool ! ) and the Flying monkey and also the references between the “real “ life of Oz and what happen to him in the land of Oz.

I also should mention the happy citizens of Oz . Yes , the common villagers ,  who are always smiling -  I wonder what kind of mushroom they eat … To smile that much all the time seems exhausting ! Grumpy Cat would get a heart attack if he ever visits Oz !

In conclusion let’s say one more thing :  if  you are going to see this movie – go see it in 3D ! Because the beginning is really cool to be seen in 3D !!! ( i think it was my favorite part of the whole thing ! )

Let me know your opinion in the comments as well ! :)

photo from .filmofilia.com/

http://en.wikinoticia.com

http://collider.com

review by  Viki

Movies to watch at the cinema in 2013 !

I decided to make a list of the movies I am most eager to watch on the big screen in 2013 !

Note : As you will see , most of them are fantasy or sci-fi . The reason is simple - I  like to watch that kind of movies on the big screen in order to get  the " full experience" and appreciate better the sound and the visuals
There are other movies I want to see in 2013 , but for some of them I might wait for the DVD .( and that is because  1. I am on a student budget ....2. I have been living in Italy for a few years now but I am not still used to watch some of my favorite actors dubbed in Italian ... )

so here is -

 Which movies might make me go to the cinema in 2013 !

(ordered by release date ) 

Jack the Giant Slayer

Release dates : USA : 1 March ;  Italy 28 March ;  UK 22 March 

Why I want to see it : 

it might turn out to be the next ruined fairytale ... but it seems rather colorful and fun so I want to give it a try . Besides ,  there is Ewan McGregor in it ! 

Chances to actually go and see it  : 80%

Oz the Great and Powerful
Release dates :  Italy 7 March ; UK\USA 8 March ;

Why I want to see it : the visuals seems not to be exactly my type , the story seems predictable BUT there some good actors in the cast and since this is one of the few more "colorful" movies of this "covered with darkness" 2013 , I want to see it !
Chances to actually go and see it : 80%

Oblivion

Release dates :  11-12 April
Why I want to see it : Its simple : I like futuristic , sci-fi movies on a big screen ! ( and I haven't seen much of them lately ) I hope the story to be a little bit more original than the usual . We will see ...
Chances to actually go and see it : 60 %

 IronMan 3 

Release dates :  Italy 24 April ; UK 26 April ; USA 3 May

Why I want to see it : well , it's IronMan ! ( + the Mandarin and his rings ) . I haven't seen any of the other Iron Man movies at the cinema (only DVD )  so I want to see this one for sure ! Robert Downey Jr seems to be born to be Tony Stark . I am very interested to see how his character will develop ! and 3D IronMan flying around - this must be fun ! :)

Chances to actually go and see it : 100 %

The Great Gatsby

Release dates :  16-17 May

Why I want to see it : I have seen an older version of the Great Gatsby  and I am interested to see this one too .  I kind of like that time period  :)
Chances to actually go and see it : 60%

Star Trek Into Darkness

Release dates : UK\USA\ 17 May ;  Italy 6 June 

 Why I want to see it : For my surprise I did like the previous StarTrek so I am very eager to see this one ! There is Benedict Cumberbatch to make things even more intriguing so I can't wait to see this movie ! I am not such a big fan of StarTrek as I am of StarWars but I was following some of the TV episodes when I was younger and liked them a lot!  I will certainly enjoy to explore more of this universe . 

Chances to actually go and see it : 100%

Man of Steel 

Release dates : UK\USA\ 14 June May ;  Italy 19 June
 Why I want to see it : I spent a lot of time watching Superman on TV as a kid . I didn't find his colorful suit for ridiculous back then . I was very fond of him . I even saw some of the old Superman movies but the one from 2006 kind of disappointed me . Therefore I really hope this new approach to the story to be a good one !
Chances to actually go and see it : 100 %

The World's End

Release dates : UK 14 August ;  Italy  26 September ; USA 25 October

 Why I want to see it : because of the cast and because of Edgar Wright . Another important reason is that I went to such a pub, called "The World's End " in Edinburgh last spring . Lovely Place ! ;)
Chances to actually go and see it : 60 % ( but I will see it on DVD for 100% ! ) 

Thor: The Dark World

Release dates :  UK 30 October  ; Italy 7 November ; USA 8 November

Why I want to see it :
I liked the first movie and I want to see what Alan Taylor's vision will bring to the second one .I just love Thor and Loki , their conflicted relationship and disturbed family ! I really want to know how things will go for them after the Avengers ) .
Chances to actually go and see it : 100% ( + addition 100% cause there is Loki in it :P )



The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Release dates :  Italy 21 November ; UK\USA 22 November

Why I want to see it : Even though the first movie made me roll my eyes a few times  , I kind of enjoyed it . I like Jennifer Lawrence and she makes the movie for me . So If I have time I might as well see this second part as well .
Chances to actually go and see it : 50%

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Release dates :  13 December

Why I want to see it : I am a HUGE Tolkien fan so this movie is a Must for me . I can't express how excited I am to see Smaug !!! I think technology had reached the point to give us the dragon we all have been waiting for ...
Chances to actually go and see it : 1000 % ( and more than once for sure ! )

What about you ? What are the movies that will make you go to the cinema in 2013 ? Is there any movie you can suggest me ? 

Note : the release dates are based on information from IMDb . 

from Viki

Disney and Lucasfilm - a StarWars fan's comment

I had avoided to write about this subject for some time but I decided to  finally say something about it. Trust me I am trying to force myself to be as brief as possible.

I am a fan of Star Wars since I was 10 years old. I discovered the movies thanks to the 20th  STARWARS Anniversary when a special edition of the movies was released.
It was a good moment to become a fan because soon after that , the new episodes came along so the world was filling up with “galactic” excitement.

Being a kid and a  fan of Star Wars means that I have watched the movies too many times , have collected figures , magazines , bought all the DVDs and so on – but above all it means growing up with those characters and getting very attached to them.

Lucasfilm seemed to be something special for me . It was Lucas’s creation. I have always though that after he retires he will leave the company to some of his colleagues from the company to run it .
I consider him to be very good business above all else .  I have though that he would like his company to remain independent as long as it is possible. But maybe being a good businessmen for him meant to do this final deal with Disney .

Lucas said that he wants to give STARWARS a future . But I wonder : Can’t StarWars have a future of its own ? Can't Lucasfilm produce and make their own movies even without Lucas?
Apparently not . Hollywood becomes more and more monopolistic …. but the monopole of the filming industry  (and not only )  is another topic that I wont talk about now.

Ok , so Disney buys Lucasfilm . With StarWars in one pocket and Marvel in the other , Disney now gets the loyalty of millions of fans from some of the biggest fandoms in the world . By loyalty I mean that those people WILL watch their movies , no matter if they like them or not . Add to this all those curious movie-goers and you get a very big number of audience .
As long as this loyalty exist and as long as it brings profit more movies will be done from the same merchandise . It is as simple. It seems only fair that Disney will want to earn from its StarWars investment  by making the most of it – new movies .

Now let me be honest - I was disappointed and surprised with Lucas selling the company but  at the end of the day I am ok with it . Nothings is to be done. Nevertheless,  I am still not sure  how I feel about any future StarWars movies being done .

To have more StarWars movies could be really great idea but of course only if the movies are really good or at least good enough .
It is useless to say , that  NO new movie will EVER bring the same feeling and atmosphere as of the old StarWars because of many many  reasons .( I'm doing  you a favor for not listing them all … it will take me pages - but if you want me to - I will  ) .  Even though it will "never be the same" for the old fans the new StarWars  might however win new followers - those who are not emotionally attached to the old series . But I am an old fan so I have my doubts .

Let me share a few of them :

1. the characters – I really deeply and sincerely hope that they wont re-cast Luke , Leia and Han . They are emblematic characters and I feel it is too soon for them to be re-casted .
For sure many people who are new to the saga won’t have a problem with that but I would definitely feel bad about it ! Even if the new actors are great or whatever I just don’t want the image I have of them to be destroyed … or changed. As far as those original  characters go ,  I am a nostalgic and stubborn fan . I am very open-minded for anything else .

It is because of the nature and origin of the characters .  If we talk about Batman or even Dracula – those characters who have been created by book or a comics,  no matter how one adaptation of them could become emblematic , still  they are free to be reinterpreted .

In the case of StarWars the movie characters are the original ones – it would look like a fake to copy them and it would lack continuity to reinterpreted them . It could be such a tremendous risk for Disney to try to revive those characters now.

I hope the story will deal with their children or even distant relatives , decades after what happened in the previous movies. Reference can be created between the episodes but I prefer that Disney would choose to start something of their own , something new and exciting that can make people love those new characters . No one will compare any new characters to the old ones in the same way as inevitable will happen if there is a new Luke Skywalker. I am sure that 80% of the StarWars fans will already hate any potential new Luke before even know who will play him – this is how many fans react . You cannot create something almost "sacred" for someone and then easily alter it as you want– it just won’t be “sacred “ anymore …. But what do I know ? Maybe re-casting Luke , Leia and Han will be Disney winning card … ( hope not )

2 – My other preoccupation is the possible “infinity” of the Star Wars project .
The problem is that if those 3 movies are successful they will keep making more until … someone is watching them .  Over-stretched stories are never too good. I hope they make this new trilogy complete in itself.  But lets not look too much into the future now

3 - How about one thing that really annoys me – labels . Something like  “Star Wars fits Disney because it is perfect family entertainment movie “ ….. how about some more dark and twisted and “advanced”  StarWars ? Noooo ,  it has to be watchable by everyone , it has to be just entertaining , it must fit the formula …This is the keyword I am afraid of . To stay true to a story is one thing , putting a story into " a frame" is another .
This is how StarWars might lose most of its initial charm – if they try to make it fit to any kind of standards and expectations. Maybe this same reason made the recent StarWars Episodes to suffer a little in quality . Any future StarWars movies are already creatively limited by such labels. Limited by the fact they will be turned into a product that is to be released every few years on an exact schedule ... Some may thing this is a good thing ..It works with other movie franchises. In any case , it  lowers my personal expectations to be really amazed by Episode 7 , so I just can hope to be entertained by it at least . I don't blame Disney -  it is only understandable that any company that invest a lot in anything has to be sure it will sell .

When StarWars was made it was revolutionary movie for its time , it was different , made with  enthusiasm by young  people who wanted to explore new possibilities … now it will be just the next in line blockbuster . I am afraid of it becoming too closed and confined in its own shadow ….

Said all this , I can assure you that I will go to watch Episode 7 and  I might even like it  but this would never be that StarWars of before , the one I loved . I can watch something with the  mind of 10 years old kid just ones . That StarWars that I saw back then is forever part of my and my childhood and nothing can ever ruined it for me - because it is a memory . I hope the new StarWars can become such kind of a memory for the nowadays 10-years-olds ...but something makes me doubt that it will . Please , Disney , prove me wrong  !

In the end of the day , the StarWars "re-birth" makes me thing of a kind of sad pattern I notice about Hollywood – they don’t want to take risks , they prefer to invest in projects that will bring a secure profit .
I believe they are a lot of people full of ideas about new worlds , new characters and new stories – many of which maybe more relevant to our own time and society but those often remain unnoticed .

It is true that most great stories are universal and they are going to be retold many, many times for generation to come . But which are  the great film stories that our own generation has to tell and to leave into history ? I refer to those special stories that last in time – those with characters you remember, created with visual imagination that amaze you , stories that relate to everyone.
Even “new stories” as Twilight or Harry Potter had a chance to be produced as movies only because they had attracted people’s attentions as books.
Can filmmakers be given a chance to make something big out of an original idea ? I don’t say original movies don’t exist but they seems to be too few . And please do not talk to me about Avatar ! It had the most unoriginal story ever ! It was about special effects and even those couldn’t make me think of this movie as something revolutionary or at least special ( note:  I am not  anti-avatar ... the movie  had its moments but too much expectations leads to no good in my case ) . I went out track as usual and started a topic that  is very long so I stop here .

Just if I could I would suggest to the producers in Hollywood to give a chance to new stories to come to live  because I do not really want to spend my life as a movie fan only in waiting  episode after episode to come out ….

written by Viki 

photo source : www.cinefish.bg

Movie Villains - Part 1 ( Disney Villains )

Since Halloween is coming soon, I decided to write a few posts about Movie Villains. Not sure how relevant this actually is to Halloween since some villains are evil but not scary but I am sure some of you will actually dress up as some particular movie villain and not just an anonymous ghost or a vampire , so … lets give you some suggestions with those posts ! 

I will start first with those kinds of villains we grew up to "fear" – the cartoon villains and more specifically, the Disney ones. I will also comment on those who remain to be my favorite ones.

Disney villains are not at all really scary because their creatures’ goal was not to scare the sh** out of the kids and make them have nightmares but instead “the bad guys“ are representing “evil” in a soft , entertaining way . 

Almost none of those villains is very complicated – they are malicious and have bad intentions and you don’t usually pity them but also you don’t usually really hate them. Most of them are simple greedy to have something that doesn’t  belong to them . You know , the usual things -  beauty , power , world domination .

Most of those characters are characterized by being physically ugly and unattractive. Sometimes they might even seem ridiculous and “funny” but in any case they are all very strongly characterized. 

Take Ursula from the Little Mermaid , for example – her half octopus monstrous body does leave an impression but she is actually pretty entertaining while making her evil schemes or in her attempts to look “nice “ in front of Ariel. Also, I remember that when I was like 7 years old I found her quite menacing and intimidating at the end of the movie when she became enormous and start stirring the ocean water with her stick as if making a soup . Therefore, for me, she fulfills well the role of both an entertaining and scary villain. 

Another of my favorite bad guys is Iago ( the parrot from Aladdin ) . He is an example of a “bad” character that people loved so much that he got the chance to join the good ones in the sequels that Disney made for Aladdin.

The movie about the magic lamp, was , I think , one of the most funny Disney movie and was full of entertaining characters (the Jeanie leading the way)

The always sulky and complaining “evil” parrot is one of those characters, being as entertaining and loved as any of the “good ones “. 

No one can deny that a well made bad guy character can be more fun than any “good” one . Good ones can get boring at times and it is their opponent that gives the real flavor to the story. 

Now to prove that not all bad people are necessary ugly , here comes  Gaston in Beauty and the Beast . He is supposed to be good-looking but with bad character. His vanity and ridiculously high self-esteem makes viewers laugh at him most of the time until, almost like Ursula but in his own way, he gets pretty bad at the end . 

I may go on forever commenting on every Disney villain I have seen … but it is too late at night . 

Let me ask you – who is your favorite and least favorite Disney villain ? Did someone managed to actually scary you when you were a child ? 

I am will be happy if you post any comment! 

pictures from http://www.fanpop.com andwww.geekologie.com/

Vicky