Seriously, you could have switched almost all of Mako's character beats from episode nine onwards to Bolin and it actually would have been interesting because it would show a fairly immature character becoming more mature over time.
I don’t believe that “Brave” co-directors Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman and Steve Purcell, or the Pixar team, had any intention of creating a lesbian-coded heroine. Instead they created an autonomous, independent-minded and indeed pre-sexual or nonsexual character, whose principal relationship is with her mother. (Although Merida appears to be a teenager, the intended audience for the film is much younger.) But pop culture is a fluid marketplace, and if Merida’s challenge to the traditional mode of femininity strikes a chord with viewers who’ve been fighting that fight their entire lives, then all you can say is more power to them, and there isn’t a theater proprietor in the country who’s likely to refuse them tickets. No one at Pixar will be dumb enough to say anything about this at all, most likely, except perhaps “Oh, gosh!” and “We welcome all points of view!”
While Markovitz's appeal to lesbian stereotypes is outrageous, his underlying question isn't. Merida really could be gay. She could be straight. She could be asexual. We just don't know. Over the course of the film, she shows romantic interest in neither boys nor girls; it's only by assumption that her parents—and, presumably, most viewers—think she's heterosexual.
Is this ambiguity intentional? Almost definitely. Pixar is notoriously meticulous—the Easter eggs and subtle references in each of its works are legion—and it's unlikely that the filmmakers simply didn't think to give Merida any sort of love interest. No, this is a deliberate sort of ambiguity.
I've been thinking about the witch, and I really like how they handled her.
Someone before was talking about how turning people into bears is her solution for everything. Want to have the strength of 10 men? Boom, bear! Want your mom to get off your back? Boom, bear!
And all the bear carvings, god damn, she just fuckin' loves bears! I like that she was just crazy (for bears!) and not villainous.
Also, my boorish step-uncle thought that her mother was calling her "merde" as in the french word for shit.
Saw it with some friends the other day, and was pretty disappointed after the first third :-\ Did anyone else feel like the slapstick was way too much most of the time?
This was a big worry from the trailers, but I thought the amount of it in-film was fine, and it certainly didn't negatively impact the emotion of the rest of the film
This film actually brought a damn tear to my eye
I can't even remember the last time a film has done that. It's been a really long time, though.
Oh hell yeah, much man tears were shed
when Elinor realizes what she's done and tries to pull Merida's bow from the fire. But then she turned into a bear and the movie turned into the three stooges or something. It was a really weird, disjointed experience
I thought that was a really nice touch.
This isn't the story of a mother who doesn't respect the things her daughter loves coming to accept them about her.
It's the story of a mother who knows what the world expects from her daughter and trying to do her best to make sure her daughter will be succeed in life.
She threw the Bow into the fire in anger but the second she has a moment to think she jumps to save it. She knows how much her daughter loves archery and how much the bow means to her and she cares.
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Muse Among MenSuburban Bunny Princess?Its time for a new shtick Registered Userregular
Just saw this film. It was a fun movie and my family liked it. My dad usually falls asleep through movies but he was awake for this one, a good mark in it's book. I feel like I've heard a disproportionate amount of criticism levied toward this film. Collectively we must be very disappointed about Cars 2 last year and are coming in with a lower level of trust in Pixar's following film.
I do have an unusual complaint myself: for all the praise heaped on Brave's visuals . . . I wasn't blown away. Sure, Merida's hair was gorgeous and the forest was lovely but this was the first Pixar film I've seen where the stylization and high level of detail come into friction. I was honestly put-off a few times by the proportions of the characters given the realistic textures and backgrounds, the stylized humans compared to the animals (certain obvious creatures looked fine but Merida looked downright odd with her horse), and the porcelain-doll skin was at odds with their richly textured hair and the fabrics they wore. I've never felt this toward any other Pixar film. Not to say the movie looked atrocious, but there were too many moments were I was pulled out of the film because of these aesthetic details I've mentioned. I've only heard this complaint from a few other sources so it isn't something that bothered a lot of people, but I do hope Pixar doesn't keep developing films along this aesthetic.
And that was my weird complaint.
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#pipeCocky Stride, Musky odoursPope of Chili TownRegistered Userregular
I honestly think it's the best looking Pixar flick to date
but I can understand the style not gelling with you. It can be a bit weird when they do more realistic humans.
I don't blame Pixar for Cars 2.
I blame Disney as they forced it through before they decided to tell Eisner to fuck off and buy Pixar.
That said I enjoyed Brave. Merida looked a little odd but I think that's more because she's purposefully got a brighter color scheme. Once you get past that it's atunning movie. I'm glad I paid for the Digital screening.
I have a podcast now. It's about video games and anime!Find it here.
I honestly think it's the best looking Pixar flick to date
but I can understand the style not gelling with you. It can be a bit weird when they do more realistic humans.
My complaint was more that the humans were too stylized as compared to their textures and environment. Except for the skin. Whatever happened to the freckles in the concept art? That would have made a difference.
I don't blame Pixar for Cars 2.
I blame Disney as they forced it through before they decided to tell Eisner to fuck off and buy Pixar.
That said I enjoyed Brave. Merida looked a little odd but I think that's more because she's purposefully got a brighter color scheme. Once you get past that it's atunning movie. I'm glad I paid for the Digital screening.
I don't blame Pixar for Cars 2.
I blame Disney as they forced it through before they decided to tell Eisner to fuck off and buy Pixar.
That said I enjoyed Brave. Merida looked a little odd but I think that's more because she's purposefully got a brighter color scheme. Once you get past that it's atunning movie. I'm glad I paid for the Digital screening.
What?
Pixar delayed the release of the FIRST movie to try and leverage a better deal with Disney. Disney owned sequel rights to Pixar movies at the time, but Cars wasn't released yet, and Pixar was refusing to concede with total ownership over future films. The scenario you're claiming would never have happened, since if Pixar hadn't gotten total ownership rights and there hadn't been an acquisition, Pixar wouldnt work with Disney anymore.
Yeah dude Disney didn't force Pixar to make Cars 2, Lasseter just fucking loves the shit out of Cars and would probably make only Cars movies forever and ever if he could.
Saw it with some friends the other day, and was pretty disappointed after the first third :-\ Did anyone else feel like the slapstick was way too much most of the time?
This was a big worry from the trailers, but I thought the amount of it in-film was fine, and it certainly didn't negatively impact the emotion of the rest of the film
This film actually brought a damn tear to my eye
I can't even remember the last time a film has done that. It's been a really long time, though.
Oh hell yeah, much man tears were shed
when Elinor realizes what she's done and tries to pull Merida's bow from the fire. But then she turned into a bear and the movie turned into the three stooges or something. It was a really weird, disjointed experience
I thought that was a really nice touch.
This isn't the story of a mother who doesn't respect the things her daughter loves coming to accept them about her.
It's the story of a mother who knows what the world expects from her daughter and trying to do her best to make sure her daughter will be succeed in life.
She threw the Bow into the fire in anger but the second she has a moment to think she jumps to save it. She knows how much her daughter loves archery and how much the bow means to her and she cares.
Yes yes yes yes THIS, I adore the way Pixar handled the mother character, it was so understanding of her perspective and how she
really did just want what was best for her daughter. I also loved that it (subtly) showed her frustration with the permissive father-- she always had to be the 'bad guy,' the one who says "no," the one who makes sure the kids don't exclusively eat pastries, mistreat their siblings, or bring about the downfall of their nation
I did feel it got a bit slap-sticky after the mom transformed into a bear which in certain scenes seemed to undermine the beautiful emotional resonance established earlier in the film, but I still enjoyed them
INTERESTINGLY I've found that a lot of the men I've talked to (and some male professional critics) do not like this movie very much. The general complaint seems to be that they felt the mother character was 'inconsistent' in her treatment of Merida, especially in the scene where she throws in and then subsequently fishes out the bow from the fire. I'm of course not saying that men in general think this way, but it's an odd trend I've noted among people I've talked to
I attribute that to the fact that this movie NAILED the experience of being the daughter of a loving mother whose ideas for what is good for you are at odds with your own, which may not be as accessible to people who have not experienced that
At first I thought the newt she threw into the fire was Randall from Monsters Inc. but when I looked it up, it was just a newt
Though in fact, the newt--and the fact that it explodes blue smoke--was a reference, but just to newt, the cancelled (and pretty bad sounding) Pixar film
once you catch on to the plot the whole movie is super predictable from end to end, its true
Maybe there's something wrong with me, because that didn't bother me at all
Incredibles is pretty predictable, and it's damn awesome. As is Finding Nemo, and several other Pixar movies. and Disney movies make their buck on predictable. I, too, don't understand that as a negative.
once you catch on to the plot the whole movie is super predictable from end to end, its true
Maybe there's something wrong with me, because that didn't bother me at all
It shouldn't.
Toy story for comparison had an absurdly predictable ending. The general plot of the film is a new guy shows up the established leader then they realize they should be friends. Bad guy gets his comeuppance
The fact that despite this toy story and brave had very well written and heartfelt stories is more important IMO
I have a podcast now. It's about video games and anime!Find it here.
Posts
oh?
which is smart
Someone before was talking about how turning people into bears is her solution for everything. Want to have the strength of 10 men? Boom, bear! Want your mom to get off your back? Boom, bear!
And all the bear carvings, god damn, she just fuckin' loves bears! I like that she was just crazy (for bears!) and not villainous.
Also, my boorish step-uncle thought that her mother was calling her "merde" as in the french word for shit.
PS4:MrZoompants
I thought that was a really nice touch.
It's the story of a mother who knows what the world expects from her daughter and trying to do her best to make sure her daughter will be succeed in life.
She threw the Bow into the fire in anger but the second she has a moment to think she jumps to save it. She knows how much her daughter loves archery and how much the bow means to her and she cares.
I do have an unusual complaint myself: for all the praise heaped on Brave's visuals . . . I wasn't blown away. Sure, Merida's hair was gorgeous and the forest was lovely but this was the first Pixar film I've seen where the stylization and high level of detail come into friction. I was honestly put-off a few times by the proportions of the characters given the realistic textures and backgrounds, the stylized humans compared to the animals (certain obvious creatures looked fine but Merida looked downright odd with her horse), and the porcelain-doll skin was at odds with their richly textured hair and the fabrics they wore. I've never felt this toward any other Pixar film. Not to say the movie looked atrocious, but there were too many moments were I was pulled out of the film because of these aesthetic details I've mentioned. I've only heard this complaint from a few other sources so it isn't something that bothered a lot of people, but I do hope Pixar doesn't keep developing films along this aesthetic.
And that was my weird complaint.
but I can understand the style not gelling with you. It can be a bit weird when they do more realistic humans.
Need some stuff designed or printed? I can help with that.
I blame Disney as they forced it through before they decided to tell Eisner to fuck off and buy Pixar.
That said I enjoyed Brave. Merida looked a little odd but I think that's more because she's purposefully got a brighter color scheme. Once you get past that it's atunning movie. I'm glad I paid for the Digital screening.
My complaint was more that the humans were too stylized as compared to their textures and environment. Except for the skin. Whatever happened to the freckles in the concept art? That would have made a difference.
Good work, Dapper.
That's... so incorrect
Not at all. They were nearing the end of their original contract and Disney basically said do these sequels or we will. Cars was on that list.
What?
Pixar delayed the release of the FIRST movie to try and leverage a better deal with Disney. Disney owned sequel rights to Pixar movies at the time, but Cars wasn't released yet, and Pixar was refusing to concede with total ownership over future films. The scenario you're claiming would never have happened, since if Pixar hadn't gotten total ownership rights and there hadn't been an acquisition, Pixar wouldnt work with Disney anymore.
But yeah, this was good. Pretty. Saw it in 3d
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Yes yes yes yes THIS, I adore the way Pixar handled the mother character, it was so understanding of her perspective and how she
I did feel it got a bit slap-sticky after the mom transformed into a bear which in certain scenes seemed to undermine the beautiful emotional resonance established earlier in the film, but I still enjoyed them
INTERESTINGLY I've found that a lot of the men I've talked to (and some male professional critics) do not like this movie very much. The general complaint seems to be that they felt the mother character was 'inconsistent' in her treatment of Merida, especially in the scene where she throws in and then subsequently fishes out the bow from the fire. I'm of course not saying that men in general think this way, but it's an odd trend I've noted among people I've talked to
I attribute that to the fact that this movie NAILED the experience of being the daughter of a loving mother whose ideas for what is good for you are at odds with your own, which may not be as accessible to people who have not experienced that
Cried again
Fuck anyone who says this isn't a great film
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As a current Disney cast member DO NOT MAKE ME HAVE THIS ARGUMENT AGAIN
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Agreed, I really liked the bow into the fire scene; just, the latter two thirds of the movie was so formulaic it fell rather flat.
Maybe there's something wrong with me, because that didn't bother me at all
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At first I thought the newt she threw into the fire was Randall from Monsters Inc. but when I looked it up, it was just a newt
Though in fact, the newt--and the fact that it explodes blue smoke--was a reference, but just to newt, the cancelled (and pretty bad sounding) Pixar film
The movie was really good you guys
Incredibles is pretty predictable, and it's damn awesome. As is Finding Nemo, and several other Pixar movies. and Disney movies make their buck on predictable. I, too, don't understand that as a negative.
Because about halfway through the film I went "OH, I'm watching a Fantastic Four movie. Hope Mole-Man shows up."
Note: That is not a complaint about the film. I love the FF.
It shouldn't.
Toy story for comparison had an absurdly predictable ending. The general plot of the film is a new guy shows up the established leader then they realize they should be friends. Bad guy gets his comeuppance
The fact that despite this toy story and brave had very well written and heartfelt stories is more important IMO
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Need some stuff designed or printed? I can help with that.
Your in a disney film?