"Brave"

[MacGuffin]

Re: "Brave"

If you are a child though - the idea of your mother dying is HUGE and terrifying and very, very bad. Dying because of something you did? Oh my God, that's beyond huge. Just ask a kid whose parents are getting divorced how guilty and responsible they feel - and that's when it isn't their fault.

Because of Merida's actions, her father was about to slaughter her mother. In front of her and her baby brothers. There's not enough therapy in the world to get over that.

I don't think films aimed at children have to be "lesser" in any way, but to dismiss the loss of a parent as not much of a threat to a child is...dismissive.

Of course Merida isn't a child, but the children in the audience are, and at the age where losing Mom absolutely is a threat to their very existence.

I went to see this with my husband, our two twenty-something kids (boy and girl) and myself. The audience (all ages) really seemed to like it. Definitely a family movie - delightful guffaws from some under seven boy when the the three little brothers of Merida go after the key in the lady's cleavage.

It had an edge to it, I thought. Since, as pointed out above by bmcthomas a mother is in peril because her daughter put her there, to win a battle of wills. I had no idea if one of Merida's family was going to die because of her action. Movie had the quality of a an old folk tale, that may not end well. And because of that, I really liked it. I also loved that it was told from a female perspective, and dealt very realistically with the kind of power struggles that Mothers and daughters can get into.

The witch was the most problematic character to me, since she just seemed to be a f#%k up! Was she evil, or was she just a very bad spell maker? But, that was my only real complaint about the movie.

Loved the way they animated the mother after her transformation. And, I really loved Merida's hair! Apparently that was a technical breakthrough in animation technique, to be able to depict her hair in such a realistic way.

[bmcthomas]

Re: "Brave"

But it's not a kids' movie. It has nudity, breast jokes, violence, dismemberment, alcohol consumption, etc.

It needs that external conflict to keep people above the age of 12 entertained. And it doesn't have that.

Dumbo and Beauty and the Beast have alcohol consumption, I can't think of any Disney animated film without violence, Hunchback of Notre Dame had a whole musical number about lust, Little Mermaid had boobs...under your criteria no animated Disney films are for kids.

FWIW I am over twelve and was entertained. Much more so than I usually am by Disney films. My husband and I argue over whose turn it is to endure a kids' movie -this time I was glad it was my turn.

[Richmond Weems]

Re: "Brave"

But it's not a kids' movie. It has nudity, breast jokes, violence, dismemberment, alcohol consumption, etc.

It needs that external conflict to keep people above the age of 12 entertained. And it doesn't have that.

I swear to god, I'm going crazy. I actually agree with this.

HH

[SuperScribe]

Re: "Brave"

It has nudity, breast jokes, violence, dismemberment, alcohol consumption, etc.

Good god.

[Biohazard]

Re: "Brave"

But it's not a kids' movie. It has nudity, breast jokes, violence, dismemberment, alcohol consumption, etc.

It needs that external conflict to keep people above the age of 12 entertained. And it doesn't have that.

[bmcthomas]

Re: "Brave"

If you are a child though - the idea of your mother dying is HUGE and terrifying and very, very bad. Dying because of something you did? Oh my God, that's beyond huge. Just ask a kid whose parents are getting divorced how guilty and responsible they feel - and that's when it isn't their fault.

Because of Merida's actions, her father was about to slaughter her mother. In front of her and her baby brothers. There's not enough therapy in the world to get over that.

I don't think films aimed at children have to be "lesser" in any way, but to dismiss the loss of a parent as not much of a threat to a child is...dismissive.

Of course Merida isn't a child, but the children in the audience are, and at the age where losing Mom absolutely is a threat to their very existence.

[Biohazard]

Re: "Brave"

I agree. Something was missing in Brave. I didn't care that it was more about her mother being in danger. I mean, Merida is in danger of losing her mother forever...

True, but that's more of an internal struggle than an external force bearing down upon her and threatening her very existence.

I agree that it felt rushed. The tapestry thing was not clever or interesting at all.

[ATB]

Re: "Brave"

I agree. Something was missing in Brave. I didn't care that it was more about her mother being in danger. I mean, Merida is in danger of losing her mother forever...

My problem was that it felt rushed. I thought the moment Merida was locked in her room with the split mural thing should've been the midpoint. But it turned out to be the beginning of the climax. I wanted more.

[Biohazard]

Re: "Brave"

...I thought it was better than the movie. (And I still liked the movie.)

Same here. The short was amazing.

I saw Brave at one of the local drive-ins last night, and thought it was very good. Not great, though. It seemed to lack a lot of emotion and danger, especially when compared to other Pixar films like Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Wall-E, etc.

Merida's life is threatened maybe twice in the whole movie. When Marlin is looking for Nemo, he could die at any moment - and that made it exciting. Ratatouille - Remy could die at any moment when inside the kitchen, which makes up half the film. The protagonist is in a lot of danger. With Brave, not so much. It was more about the mother and less about Merida, and I think that was a big problem.

[Richmond Weems]

Re: "Brave"

The short was worth the cost of admission on its own!

Great point! I can't believe I didn't mention it earlier 'cause I thought it was better than the movie. (And I still liked the movie.)

HH

[cvolante]

Re: "Brave"

The short was worth the cost of admission on its own!

[Colin Holmes]

Re: "Brave"

I agree it wasn't Wall-E or Up or the Incredibles, but it's still so far beyond Madagascar they shouldn't even both be considered animation.

[David Alin]

Re: "Brave"

My wife of all wanted to badly see this... we did! It was a crowd don't ya
know! I agree about the Scottish accent... for the story was different than what I anticipated and enjoyed it truly than I thought.

Cheers for the beautiful animation it was truly fantastic!

-D

[Richmond Weems]

Re: "Brave"

My kids loved it. Well, one of 'em did, the other started yawning during the third act.

I thought it was pretty good (though I'd kinda agree with my 8 year old about the third act).

HH

[Architeuthis Dux]

Re: "Brave"

What I liked about it was its comparative lack of snide "in" jokes and pop culture references. (Note I said "comparative.")

My family has been giving me the skunk-eye because of my bad Scottish accent, as well.