Brave: Definitely a favorite!!
So there's a certain thread at d_princesses, made by someone who didn't like the movie and basically gave a false review. I read her review before seeing the movie, and honestly, at the end I wanted to know what she'd been smoking, because she obvisouly remembered a different version of the movie than the one I'd just seen (and/or didn't explain herself very well).
I saw the movie last night, and I LOVED IT! The triplets were in it enough to suit me (and yes, Virginia, they do turn into bears - four members of the royal family suddenly there, naked, when there were four bears before? That doesn't imply something? How about one of the cubs holding Fergus by the leg, and then burying his face into Fergus's leg? Why would a random bear cub that wasn't his kid do that?). I LOVED the relationship between Merida and Elinor (yes, Virginia, my mother and I DON'T have a good relationship and theirs moved me). I adored how Merida was unselfish enough to want to help her mother turn back into a human, she didn't just go off and leave her mother to fend for herself. And in the end, every one was happy and got a compromise that would suit them.
And to be fair, yes Merida should have tried harder to talk to her mother - but Elinor was the adult, while Merida was a 16 year old girl. Elinor should have been trying harder as well. She could have explained to Merida why she wanted the wedding instead of just going "oh yes by the way, dear, you're getting married! And it is going to happen, you are going to do it, and that's the end of it!". It was very high-handed. Obvisouly I am paraphrasing there, but you get the point. I mean, it was Elinor who put Merida in a dress she couldn't breathe in and completly ignored her daughter about it. However, Elinor's hair down at the end of the movie? I love it!
I also loved the relationship between Fergus and Merida. He has a very strong-willed wife, and a very strong-willed daughter, and didn't want to get in the middle of that - I know I wouldn't!! - but he did seem more... caring of Merida's opinion. He wasn't all for marrying Merida off, and he tried to get Elinor to really talk to Merida. He's also very silly, and I love Billly Connolly - I thought he was perfect as Fergus. The "wee devils" sent me off into giggles every time they appeared on screen, which was good - the movie needed some comedy to counter the seriousness of everything else going on. It made the serious moments more poignant, to me.
Also, the way Merida's hair was animated! I was entranced by her hair the entire movie. Especially when you see toddler Merida! And the music! My boyfriend is a musician and sound engineer (fancy title for record producer) so music is a big thing with him, and he loved the music!
And yes, Merida was naive - but she was, once again, a 16 year old girl. Why must people try to fit a character into a little box that suits them, instead of seeing her in a different light - the light the creators intended?
I read the previous post before I saw the movie, of course. I was already going into the movie with little to no expections - doing that, it was much better then I was thinking it would be, and is definitely one of my favorites. I'm incredibly glad I received the LE doll yesterday in the mail as a gift from some friends. My boyfriend even liked Brave! And after the movie, well, I just did a lot of blinking and "what version of the movie did they see??". Moral of the story: only see the version of the movie you can handle. If you say, can't handle 3D visually, don't see it - no matter how much you want to see the movie. There will be other non-3D showings. If you think that has anything to do with you not liking it, see it again.
I'm not posting this to stir up trouble, merely giving some opinions on the other side of the fence.
End point: the movie was fantastic, as long as you don't try to box it into your little idea of what the movie should have been. If you enjoy it purely for the creators point of view, of trying to create a compelling story and amazing visual art, then that's what you'll bring away from it.
I saw the movie last night, and I LOVED IT! The triplets were in it enough to suit me (and yes, Virginia, they do turn into bears - four members of the royal family suddenly there, naked, when there were four bears before? That doesn't imply something? How about one of the cubs holding Fergus by the leg, and then burying his face into Fergus's leg? Why would a random bear cub that wasn't his kid do that?). I LOVED the relationship between Merida and Elinor (yes, Virginia, my mother and I DON'T have a good relationship and theirs moved me). I adored how Merida was unselfish enough to want to help her mother turn back into a human, she didn't just go off and leave her mother to fend for herself. And in the end, every one was happy and got a compromise that would suit them.
And to be fair, yes Merida should have tried harder to talk to her mother - but Elinor was the adult, while Merida was a 16 year old girl. Elinor should have been trying harder as well. She could have explained to Merida why she wanted the wedding instead of just going "oh yes by the way, dear, you're getting married! And it is going to happen, you are going to do it, and that's the end of it!". It was very high-handed. Obvisouly I am paraphrasing there, but you get the point. I mean, it was Elinor who put Merida in a dress she couldn't breathe in and completly ignored her daughter about it. However, Elinor's hair down at the end of the movie? I love it!
I also loved the relationship between Fergus and Merida. He has a very strong-willed wife, and a very strong-willed daughter, and didn't want to get in the middle of that - I know I wouldn't!! - but he did seem more... caring of Merida's opinion. He wasn't all for marrying Merida off, and he tried to get Elinor to really talk to Merida. He's also very silly, and I love Billly Connolly - I thought he was perfect as Fergus. The "wee devils" sent me off into giggles every time they appeared on screen, which was good - the movie needed some comedy to counter the seriousness of everything else going on. It made the serious moments more poignant, to me.
Also, the way Merida's hair was animated! I was entranced by her hair the entire movie. Especially when you see toddler Merida! And the music! My boyfriend is a musician and sound engineer (fancy title for record producer) so music is a big thing with him, and he loved the music!
And yes, Merida was naive - but she was, once again, a 16 year old girl. Why must people try to fit a character into a little box that suits them, instead of seeing her in a different light - the light the creators intended?
I read the previous post before I saw the movie, of course. I was already going into the movie with little to no expections - doing that, it was much better then I was thinking it would be, and is definitely one of my favorites. I'm incredibly glad I received the LE doll yesterday in the mail as a gift from some friends. My boyfriend even liked Brave! And after the movie, well, I just did a lot of blinking and "what version of the movie did they see??". Moral of the story: only see the version of the movie you can handle. If you say, can't handle 3D visually, don't see it - no matter how much you want to see the movie. There will be other non-3D showings. If you think that has anything to do with you not liking it, see it again.
I'm not posting this to stir up trouble, merely giving some opinions on the other side of the fence.
End point: the movie was fantastic, as long as you don't try to box it into your little idea of what the movie should have been. If you enjoy it purely for the creators point of view, of trying to create a compelling story and amazing visual art, then that's what you'll bring away from it.