Saturday, January 4, 2014

Disney's BRAVE

After moving back to Northern California, I watched one new movie a day to try and relax. BRAVE is one the films I watched having never seen it before.

Facebook:
Finally just saw BRAVE. It really touched me. It reminded me of the relationship I have with my mother. We come from two different perspectives and don't always agree, but we come around in the end. Also, I noticed a couple of voices were VERY familiar! My love, Craig Ferguson, was a Macintosh! I'd know that voice anywhere!! Billy Connolly, another favorite, Emma Thompson and Julie Walters. What surprised me were the other major actors I didn't recognize such as Robbie Coltrane and Kelly Macdonald. Kelly I know from No Country For Old Men. Wow. And I now see why the film won the Oscars. One word. TEXTURE. That's a new pixar feature; is excellent, realistic textures on trees, rocks, water, and hair! Overall a great film. Anything involving the love for your mother to the brutality of animals will hit you in the heart like an arrow! Ha!



BRAVE is a great story about tradition, responsibility, and honesty. Merida, a stubborn, free spirited Princess in Scotland, is next to find a husband and get married. Merida isn't keen on an arranged marriage and isn't ready to give up her freedom just yet. She enjoys riding horses, practicing with her bow and arrow, and enjoying her own adventures. Desperate to change her mother, Queen Elinor's forceful push on marriage, propriety, and tradition, Merida comes across a witch in the forest. She innocently requests that whatever magic she leaves with, will only manipulate her mothers opinion of marriage. The witch is by no means a villain. She is a business woman, who doesn't seek to ruin lives. She fulfills the request by concocting a cake for the Queen to eat. It is only explained that once she eats the cake, she won't be pushing for marriage anymore. Merida runs home, excited to finally get her freedom back, gives her mother the cake. Queen Elinor takes one bite, and begins to feel sick. Merida keeps pressing her about marriage and at this point can barely speak. Merida tucks her mother into bed, and leaves her to rest. Later when Merida checks on her, she finds a large, black bear in her place! There is a legend of a bear that is mighty and ferocious and still lives among the villages. Merida must now hide her mother to ensure her safety. What she doesn't know yet, is that her three younger, mischievous brothers have found the rest of the cake and all indulged themselves in it. You can imagine what happens to them.

Merida only wanted to "change her fate" and not be controlled by tradition, her family, or society. She just wanted to be free and choose her own fate. To break the spell the witch says, "Fate be changed, look inside. Mend the bond torn by pride." Merida needs to listen and be understanding and less stubborn. At the same time, Queen Elinor needs to understand her daughter better and know who she truly is. While the spell has kept the Queen a bear, Merida has stayed with her to protect her. This is how they bond through the majority of the film.

It is a very touching story, with a colorful cast. The animation is top quality and very beautiful. It will make you want to visit Scotland! 




No comments:

Post a Comment