Brave Discussion

[kayumanggi]

VARIETY

Walt Disney began his feature career with a princess story. Now Pixar gives princesses a go after making a dozen other toons, and though the studio brings its usual level of perfectionism and heart to the assignment, "Brave" seems a wee bit conventional by comparison with, say, how radically "The Incredibles" reinvented the superhero genre -- not that Pixar's eager international following will object. Adding a female director to its creative boys' club, the studio has fashioned a resonant tribute to mother-daughter relationships that packs a level of poignancy on par with such beloved male-bonding classics as "Finding Nemo."

"Brave" may not be a romance, but it is most certainly a love story, using this enchanted device to explore the dynamic between Merida and her mother. Thompson brings deep reserves of empathy to the film's less obvious but equally strong female role model, matched by a number of touching, nonverbally protective actions after she takes on bear form. The animation is at its best when allowing Elinor's character to shine through her awkward new shape.

Familiar though its elements may be, "Brave" feels quite different from earlier Pixar films, demonstrating a refreshing versatility in an oeuvre that was starting to look a bit staid, especially as sequels overtook the slate.

Musically, gone are Randy Newman's folksy tone and Michael Giacchino's infectious pep, making room for a different signature from Scottish composer Patrick Doyle. When Merida needs some alone time, the soundtrack offers lovely ballads by Gaelic folk singer Julie Fowlis, but in nearly all other moments, Doyle's dynamic bagpipe and strings arrangements swarm into action.

That energy reinforces the film's restless, almost agitated spirit, further mirrored by virtual 3D cameras that swoop and race through the meticulously conceived environments. While elaborate attention was clearly paid in designing this tale's belligerent gents (with amusing voicework by the likes of Connolly, Robbie Coltrane and Craig Ferguson), Merida and Elinor appear to be its two least detailed characters. Yet Merida's wild red mane more than compensates for any personality absent from her expressions.

The toon "Brave" most resembles is DreamWorks' "How to Train Your Dragon," offering the flipside of that pic's sensitive-boy predicament in its adventure-seeking heroine. An interesting study could be made in contrasting the two studios' approaches, no doubt, and yet celebrating their respective accomplishments drives home how far both have come since the year when "A Bug's Life" and "Antz" bowed opposite one another.

Edited June 11, 2012 by kayumanggi

[kayumanggi]

DEN OF GEEK

For those with certain expectations from the studio, I should say that there isn't a moment to match tear-jerking scenes from WALL-E, Up or Toy Story 3, and nor do I think this one will breach many fans' top five favourite Pixar movies. Given the quality of most of its films up to this point, however, that's hardly a negative. Pixar seems to be at its best when touching upon themes of family, particularly with regard to parenthood, and it's absolutely back on form here.

It's almost a tradition that Pixar trailers tend to give away very little about their corresponding movies. In this case, the trailers and marketing have largely gone no further than half an hour into Brave, and you'll understand why when you see the film. For me, the trailers did just enough to make me want to see the film, and so the twist in the tale came as quite a surprise, after what some might view as a slowly-paced opening act.

Even more surprising, despite the very handsome trailers, is just how gorgeous this film truly is. It's traditional that big movies with lots of spectacle tend to have accompanying reference books about their artwork, and this is the first movie I can remember seeing that made me want to go out and buy The Art Of.. tome immediately, just to look at the development of the visuals.

The Scottish Highlands are so lovingly rendered and marvellously recreated that it's impossible to imagine that they were going to be almost completely covered in snow until a certain point in the production process. Pixar showcases the details magnificently, with shots that are reminiscent of the swooping helicopter sequences in live-action epics like The Lord Of The Rings. This is, by far, the best-looking film it's ever made.

Alongside the emotional core of the film, there are comedic family dynamics at work elsewhere. Merida's dad, King Fergus (Billy Connolly), has some nice interplay with Lords Dingwall (Robbie Coltrane) Macintosh (Craig Ferguson), and MacGuffin (Kevin McKidd), but each has a funny and distinctive dynamic with their own children. Most enjoyable is the way McKidd also voices his character's son, Young MacGuffin, with an incomprehensible Doric dialect that is consistently funny without being over-egged or mean-spirited.

The thing that really stands out is that it's not a carnivalesque depiction of Scotland, but an authentic love letter to its national personality. The obvious attraction is its wealth of storytelling, as Pixar has always placed story first and foremost.

There's no such repetition in Brave, a Pixar fairytale which manages to emulate that familiar sense of Disney-ness from classic animation, while also blazing a trail in animated landscapes and consistently feeling very original. In Merida, it's created an all-new Disney princess, bucking trends and subverting expectations in the more modern tradition, while her creators focus on rediscovering the magic that made us fall in love with their work in the first place.

Edited June 11, 2012 by kayumanggi

[kayumanggi]

I'm so loving these reviews.

[forg]

Good reviews so far, excited to see this one

[kayumanggi]

DAILY RECORD

Having been the regular go-to studio for top-drawer animation with heartfelt stories and engaging characters, Cars 2 was a rare bump in the road for them.

The question is, will they return to the wondrous glory of a WALL-E or an Up?

Thankfully, their Scottish-set fairytale Brave has them back on track for what they are known best - emotive storytelling that puts some live-action script writers to shame.

It's a pleasure to reveal that in Brave, Pixar have managed to come up with a very Scottish story and make it accessible to everyone.

Visually, the mythical land in which Merida and her family live is sumptuous in its design. Leaves and grass are a vibrant green, the red of Merida's hair glows and the scenery is sublime.

One-third of the directing team (and story writer), Brenda Chapman, has devised a magical story that is as delightful as it is enchanting - ensuring Pixar fans of every age will appreciate what's going on.

As expected, the tale includes little humorous threads and aspects that won't fail to leave a smile on the face of audiences - Merida's mischievous trio of little brothers are worth a chuckle every time they appear.

Scenes of action evoke real feelings of danger and peril, yet again maintaining Pixar's flare for engaging audiences and making them care about central characters.

Dialogue is sharp and snappy and at no point does Brave ever feel over long. In fact, if there is one minor flaw it's that things seem a bit too rushed to reach a conclusion. The film zips by in around 90 minutes, but it's clear Pixar are doing a great job if the only fault that can be thrown at it is it's too short.

It wouldn't be Pixar if the film didn't have a deeper meaning - this time, kids, it's a case of dealing with your anger in the right way and change isn't always going to be something for the better.

Even the soundtrack deserves special mention - consisting of soaring songs and rousing instrumentals with tribal drums and the like.

Pixar's Brave bears all the hallmarks of classic Disney princess stories but with a 21st century aesthetic.

As we Scots would say - it's a pure belter! Four glorious kilts out of five!

[kayumanggi]

BLAST-O-RAMA

And I am very proud to say that the final film absolutely lives up to its promise.

Mixing elements of time tested fantasy with medieval legend, Scottish heritage with the strength of family and the classic Pixar heart, the story is an absolute joy – and no, it never cops out. Merida doesn’t suddenly fall in love. A man doesn’t save her. While a Princess in name, a “Disney Princess” she is not, and she will stand alongside Wall-E, Carl Fredricksen, Remy the Rat, Buzz, Woody and all of the Pixar greats. You feel her every bump and bruise along her journey towards becoming who she wants to be (or who she thinks she wants to be), and every successful moment is earned without being cloying.

It’s hard to not write out so many beats of the story, as, in what we’re accustomed to from the Pixar storytellers, there are many great moments, both big and small. So many great little gags which payoff and big ones that will leave you laughing for some time to come. And Merida’s little brothers, the red-haired triplets? They’re going to be the break out characters from this movie, a group of mischievous little demons that people will be talking about as the credits come to a close.

As for the animation? Pixar has never done better. The Scottish glens are beautiful and photogenic. Hair, costuming, fur, lighting, all the little details have rarely been done this well and this lovely. I had the pleasure of seeing the film digitally projected, and picking out all of the little details just had my eyes doing somersaults. (Be sure to look at the detail in the fur of Angus, Merida’s horse – the lighting done there is nothing short of astonishing).

But it wouldn’t be worthwhile if the magic weren’t there, and it truly is. The cast of the film isn’t huge, the number of talking parts are probably less than a dozen, but you really get a great feeling for each member of the cast. Every voice actor brings their A-Game, and you feel like the world of Brave is one which you never want to leave.

In a blockbuster summer full of capes, heroes, explosions and other epic tales, the film that might leave me with the most is the one that focuses on the love of a Scottish family. Sure, there’s magic and mayhem along the way, but the fact is, Brave is a film full of heart. And if you let it in, it will fill yours too. The Pixar record is back on track.

Absolute highest recommendation.

[kayumanggi]

These reviews are amazing.

[Olive]

what's the pos:neg ratio?

Edited June 11, 2012 by Olive

[kayumanggi]

HERALD SCOTLAND

Visual splendour taken care of, there's a story to chew on that's thrilling, funny, and yes, a little bit brave. Queue here for slapstick comedy and in-jokes for the oldies. At the same time, Mark Andrews' picture has some surprisingly spiky things to say about mothers and daughters and escaping convention. It's not exactly The Female Eunuch with cuddly woodland creatures, but this is intelligent, bold fare from the people who turned a rodent into a chef in Ratatouille and sent a septuagenarian floating across the sky in Up.

The story is simple by Pixar standards, which might disappoint those hankering after a Wall.E-style depth, or the layers to be found in the Toy Story tales. Yet clean and lean suits the film's muscular themes of loyalty and pride.

The Scots characters, mercifully, speak in authentic Scots voices. There is none of the Dick Van Dyke approach to accents here. Balancing Macdonald's sing-song tones is Connolly's grizzly bear growl, while Thompson, bringing dramatic heft to proceedings, has a gentle Morningside accent with a dab of Lewis. These genuine Scottish voices, moreover, say bona fide Scottish words like "tattie-boggle" and "manky". World, get ready to Google.

Those prone to blubbing – you know who you are, dads – should know that Brave is as ruthless in bringing a lump to the throat as the Disney classics of old. Besides tears there will be gasps of fright as well. But there's laughter and love and spectacle and magic here too. What a sublime tartan Pixar has woven.

[kayumanggi]

what's the

POS:NEG RATIO?

I don't know if all of these will end up at RT. But it's 12:1 so far.

[Olive]

OK, thanks.

out of likes

[A Marvel Fanboy]

You only need to look at the ratings of the reviews. Most of them so far are 8/10 or 4/5.

This was supposed to get lots of 5/5 reviews.

Old Pixar times has long gone.

[lab276]

Old Pixar times has long gone.

They don't have to be, it could a more gradual return to form than most were expecting.

[whoot]

You only need to look at the ratings of the reviews. Most of them so far are 8/10 or 4/5.

This was supposed to get lots of 5/5 reviews.

Old Pixar times has long gone.

It's okay IMO. They need to explore and train new artists. I'm glad they gave Mark Andrews a shot after the debacle with Chapman. If this movie stays in the B range and performs solidly, mission accomplished. Andrews will do better with his own story I would guess.

[lab276]

With the good reviews, I think $300m is definitely in sight.

[kayumanggi]

FINAL TRAILER

[kayumanggi]

You only need to look at the ratings of the reviews. Most of them so far are 8/10 or 4/5.

This was supposed to get lots of 5/5 reviews.

Old Pixar times has long gone.

Firedeep, I don't know. But there is really something wrong with you recently.

[A Marvel Fanboy]

Firedeep, I don't know. But there is really something wrong with you recently.

dont think so.

I never said reviews for Brave are not good, but not that spectacular, which is fact. Check old Pixar classics, except Cars and Cars 2, Finding Nemo, Up, The Incredibles, Toy Story 1/2/3, Monsters Inc, etc. They all got bunches of full stars (5/5) reviews. I mean, it's Pixar, they gotta deliver something better than what Brave seems (so far), something on the same level of their old classics above, after Cars 2.

Edited June 11, 2012 by firedeep

[A Marvel Fanboy]

It's okay IMO. They need to explore and train new artists. I'm glad they gave Mark Andrews a shot after the debacle with Chapman. If this movie stays in the B range and performs solidly, mission accomplished. Andrews will do better with his own story I would guess.

Yeah, it is not bad at all for a first time director.

[Mayhem2x3]

dont think.

I never said reviews for Brave are not good, but not that spectacular, which is fact. Check old Pixar classics, except Cars and Cars 2, Finding Nemo, Up, The Incredibles, Toy Story 1/2/3, Monsters Inc, etc. They all got bunches of full stars (5/5) reviews. I mean, it's Pixar, they gotta deliver something better than what Brave seems (so far), something on the same level of their old classics above, after Cars 2.

Pixar went through Cars, Rat and Wall-E before they created UP.