Film Review: BRAVE (2012)

Directors: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman & Steve Purcell
Writers: Brenda Chapman (story/screenplay), Mark Andrews, Steve Purcell & Irene Mecchi (screenplay), Michael Arndt (additional screenplay material)
Running time: 100 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): PG

Genre: Animation/Action/Adventure
UK Release date: 13^th August 2012

Watched on Sky+ Saturday 30^th March 2013.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE UNINTENTIONAL SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I freely admit I’m a fan of the animated feature and in particular the works of the Pixar Studio. But since they’ve been part of the Disney family I can see a definite shift in their style and content. If course they’ll never admit it, but Disney have had an effect on the quality of Pixar’s output in recent years, and it’s not been entirely for the better (IMO). I’ll still watch them though in the hope they’re going to find something of their pre-Disney magic again. And so we come to Brave; it won this years Oscar for best animated feature so it can’t be all that bad I suppose. Here’s a very brief summary before I give you my thoughts.

Merida (voiced by Kelly Macdonald) is a princess, she lives in a castle with her mother, Elinor (Emma Thompson), father Fergus (Billy Connolly) and her three little brothers. Merida and her mother don’t always see eye to eye; Elinor wants her to behave more like a princess and Merida would rather go out riding and shooting her bow. It all comes to a head when it revealed that Merida is to be betrothed to the eldest son of one of the three neighbouring tribes. They all come to the castle and Merida is not best pleased when her mother tries to make her choose. She storms out of the castle and into the forest where she finds a mysterious stone circle and some Willo the Wisp that lead her to a cottage where a witch (Julie Walters) lives. Here Merida buys a spell to change her mother; but it doesn’t turn out quite how she expected.

I first have to praise the animators at Pixar, the film really does look quite stunning, as we’ve come to expect. I will put aside the many historical inaccuracies or I could be here all day; needless to say, a lot of poetic license has been used. There were some really comic moments which I found quite refreshing, but the general narrative was skewed towards a female audience (I felt). Not that that’s a bad thing; I still found myself wrapped up in the story as much as I would have been if it had been a more male orientated work. Over all, it’s very enjoyable with some great comic moments. Definitely one for mothers and daughters rather than fathers and sons, but still worth a look if you have the inclination.

SteelMonster’s verdict: RECOMMENDED

My score: 7.3/10.

IMDb Score: 7.2/10 (based on 111,200 votes when this review was written).
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1217209/

MetaScore: 69/100: (Based on 37 critic reviews provided by Metacritic.com at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Tomatometer’ Score: 78/100 (based on 214 reviews counted at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Audience’ Score: 79/100 (based on 160,330 user ratings counted at the time of going to press).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/brave_2012/

If you’re crazy enough… You can find me on Facebook at:
http://facebook.com/andy.steel3

FAVOURITE QUOTES:
Young Merida: I saw a Willo the Wisp!
[runs up to Elinor]
Young Merida: [Elinor picks her up and holds her]
Queen Elinor: A Willo the Wisp? You know, some say that Willo the Wisps can lead you to your fate.

Princess Merida: If you had a chance to change your fate, would you?

King Fergus: [in flashback] I saw something that day, something I'll not forget. It stands 12 feet tall, with razor sharp claws. Its hide littered with the weapons of fallen warriors. Its face scared with one dead eye. I drew my sword and...
[cut to the present]
Princess Merida: CHOMP! Dad's leg was clean off!
King Fergus: Awwwwww... That's my favourite part!
[Merida giggles]

Queen Elinor: Merida, a princess does not set her weapons on the table.
Princess Merida: Mom, it's just my bow!
Queen Elinor: A princess should not have weapons in my opinion.
King Fergus: Princess or not. Learning to fight is essential!

Princess Merida: A Cake?
[witch picks up the cake from the boiling cauldron]
The Witch: Do you not want it?
Princess Merida: No! I want it, but... Are you sure if I give this to my mom, it will change my fate?
The Witch: Trust me, deary. It will do the trick.

LINKS:
(Note: All were working at the time of going to press)
Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PixarBrave
Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/DisneyPixar
Official Site: http://www.disney.co.uk/brave/
Trailer:

Film Review: TOY STORY 3 (2010) – [Rewatch]

Director: Lee Unkrich
Running time: 103 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): U

Genre: Animation/Comedy/Drama
UK Release date: 19^th July 2010

Watched on Sky+ Thursday 2^nd June 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

NOTE: What follows is my original review of the film when I first saw it in July last year (2010). It recently premiered on TV and I felt I should see it again. Fortunately my opinion has not changed, hence the repeat outing for this review. It was good to watch it in the privacy of my own home because I got something in my eye towards the end and there was a handy box of tissues nearby… Hope you enjoy the review.

-o0o-

The toys are back for their third outing. And as the 3D debate rages on I took the high ground and stuck to the supposedly outmoded two dimensions for this one. After all that’s exactly the number of dimensions the screen has. But enough of this I hear you say, tell me more about the film.

Andy is growing up fast and is on his way to college soon. He has not played with the toys in quite a while and, quite frankly, they’re worried. With talk of the attic, and even worse, the trash, even Woody is getting apprehensive. Andy’s mum tells him to sort out his room, things for the attic, things to go to college with him and things to go out for the trash. His sister Molly also gets a box to put toys in to donate to the Sunnyside day-care centre (yes I know I used the English spelling, I’m English, what can I say?). By some mix-up all of Andy’s toys end up in the donation box, I won’t say how because I don’t want to spoil it. All seems very pleasant when they arrive. They are greeted by a bear called Lotso who is very nice to them, but all is not what it seems at Sunnyside. I think that’s enough of the plot to whet your appetite. You wouldn’t forgive me if I gave too much away would you.

As we have come to expect from Pixar, this is an exceptionally well made film with a great plot, endearing characters, lots of adventure, comedy and one or two tear-jerking moments along the way. Great work, as ever, from the voice talents of, Tom Hanks as Woody, Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear, Joan Cusack as Jessie, Ned Beatty as Lotso, Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head, Michael Keaton as Ken, Wallace Shawn as Rex, John Ratzenberger as Hamm, Estelle Harris as Mrs. Potato Head, John Morris as Andy and Jodi Benson as Barbie.

There are some great moments, like when Ken met Barbie for the first time, Mr. Potato Head as a tortilla and Buzz Lightyear in Spanish mode has to be seen to be believed! I really enjoyed this film, I really engaged with the characters I know so well for the previous two films and found myself quite choked at the end. All three films have been tremendous and I really hope they don’t make a fourth, finish on a high guys! Over all, highly recommended.

My score: 8.7/10

LINKS:
(RT=Rotten Tomatoes)
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0435761/
RT Page: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/toy_story_3/
Official Site: http://disney.go.com/toystory/
Trailer:

Film Review: WALL-E (2008) - Revisited

Co-Writer/Director: Andrew Stanton
Running time: 90 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): U

Genre: Animation/Comedy/Adventure
UK Release Date: 18^th July 2008

Watched on Sky+ Monday 30^th May 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

As I may have mentioned before, I’m quite a big fan of animated films. I have some friends who will only watch anime, but I have a much broader palate. I wasn’t going to watch this today when it came up on TV as I had seen it before, but I got enchanted by it all over again and ended up sitting all the way through it (again).

All life has left the Earth, it sounds pretty bleak, but it’s not really, they’ve gone on a big space ship while an army of robots cleans up the place. And now, some 800 years later, there’s only one robot left, Wall-e. He spends his days collecting and compacting the garbage and making enormous towers out of it. He’s not alone though, and insect, probably a cockroach, is his companion. Wall-e lives in the back of an old truck, where, apart from a bunch of spare parts, he also has a collection of interesting things he’s found over the years. Amongst these is a video of an old musical that he plays every night, and a plant that he found.

One day he’s going about his business when a spacecraft arrives and drops off another robot, EVE. After a bit of a sticky start, they begin to talk and Wall-e shows EVE around. She has spent most of her time going around scanning everything she sees, looking for something. Later, with a big storm brewing, Wall-e takes EVE to his ‘house’; he shows her some of the things he’s collected. When she sees the plant she immediately puts it inside her chest and shuts down. Wall-e is dumbfounded and tries to revive her, but fails. All he can do is wait with her until the spacecraft returns, which eventually it does. As it takes off, Wall-e stows away and he is taken to another, much larger ship, the Axiom where the humans are. This is where things start to get interesting, so I’ll leave it here.

This is a very well made film with some great comic touches, particularly in the opening scenes. The first third of the film was really engaging and very enjoyable, however, as soon as Wall-e and EVE make it to the Axiom it becomes slightly more predictable, which is a shame. There isn’t a great deal of dialogue, but it was all done well, honourable mentions go to the voice talents of, Ben Burtt as Wall-e & M-O, Elissa Knight as EVE and Jeff Garlin as Captain McCrea.

This is the second time I’ve seen this film and I can say I enjoyed it much more second time around. The filmmakers are great at giving characters to the robots, even though they cannot really talk properly. I found the opening scenes particularly good, although I didn’t much care for the song from the musical that they kept playing. I guess Wall-e is so appealing because he looks a little like the iconic alien, E.T. As I said, the latter scenes when they make it to the Axiom do get a little predictable, but I still found it very enjoyable… Recommended.

My score: 8.7/10

LINKS:
(RT=Rotten Tomatoes)
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0910970/
RT Page: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/wall_e/
Official Site: http://adisney.go.com/disneyvideos/animatedfilms/wall-e/
Trailer:

Film Review: CARS (2006)

Directors: John Lasseter & Joe Ranft
Running time: 117 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): PG

UK release date: 28th July 2006

Watched on Sky+ Friday 24th December 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I have seen this film a couple of times now and, I have to admit, I didn’t like it much at first, but after a second viewing, it’s starting to grow on me a little. Made by Pixar, who have made some brilliant animated features, I expected something of a higher standard, but having said that, it’s not all that bad. But more of my thoughts later, here’s a brief summary first (summary haters please re-surface Main Street while I write the next paragraph).

Lightning McQueen is a race car; he is an up-and-coming star and has qualified for a race-off in California for the Piston Cup. Loaded onto his transporter, Mack, he sets off for the long trip dreaming of victory. An accident leaves him lost in the desert and he finds himself in the little town of Radiator Springs. Sentenced to re-surface Main Street, which he inadvertantly destroyed, McQueen is not happy and, at first, tries to escape. When this fails, he begins to accept his fate and, with the help of his new friends, Doc Hudson, Sally Carrera, Mater, and many others, he discovers that friends are more important than ambition. I won’t tell you how it ends,… but they are making a sequel.

Technically, of course, I can’t fault this one, the animation is spot-on. The story telling, well, it does get a bit baggy in the middle, but there is a rather good ending which I found, after a second viewing, partly makes up for it. The performances were ok too, but nothing particularly special. Honourable mentions go to; Owen Wilson as Lightning McQueen, Paul Newman as Doc Hudson, Bonnie Hunt as Sally Carrera and not forgetting Larry The Cable Guy as Mater.

I guess this is one of those ‘almost, but not quite’ movies that you’ll come back to several times hoping it will be better. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good, but not quite up to the high standard I’d expect from Pixar. I guess they set the bar very high with the Toy Story trilogy. So, over all, although it’s not as good as the other Pixar films (IMO), it’s still perfectly watchable and so… Recommended.

My score: 7.1/10

LINKS:
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0317219/
Official Site: http://disney.go.com/cars/cars2/index-cars2.html
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/screenplay/vi2483750681/

Film Review: UP (2009)

Directors: Pete Docter & Bob Peterson
Running time: 96 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): U

Watched at the cinema Saturday 10th October 2009.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I am a great fan of animated films, and I must say this is, without a doubt, the best I’ve seen this year! I really wanted to stand up and give it a round of applause at the end; unfortunately it’s not something we do here in the UK. Hats off to the guys at Pixar, they’ve done it again! A great script, some great characters and a truly excellent story. But I’ll tell you a little about the plot before I continue to sing its praises.

Carl Fredrickson is a 78 year old retired balloon salesman who decides one day to go on an adventure. He is doing this to keep a promise he made a long time ago, don’t worry, I won’t give that part away. Attaching thousands of balloons to his house, he takes off and heads towards South America. Little does he know that Russell, a Wilderness Explorer was on his porch at the time of take-off. The pair finally makes it to South America, not far from the location Carl wants to go to. Having lost some of the balloons on the journey they have to walk the house the rest of the way. This is where the real adventure begins. They meet a giant bird called Kevin, a talking dog called Dug, an old-time adventurer called Charles Muntz and a whole pack of highly trained dogs. That’s all I can tell you I’m afraid, do yourself a favour and go and see it, it’s really worth it!

Now, I’m not going to get into the 2D, 3D debate, my local cinema can only offer films in 2D, which I found to be perfectly adequate. I guess, having never seen a modern 3D film, I’m not missing it. Technically, another faultless piece of work from Pixar, we’ve come to expect nothing less from those guys. I think the casting was bang on, tremendous work from the voice talents of Edward Asner as Carl, Jordan Nagai as Russell, Christopher Plummer as Charles Muntz and Bob Peterson as Dug and Alpha (the lead dog). As I said at the beginning, I wanted to stand up and give it a round of applause. I very rarely feel this way about a film, I guess the last time was the first ‘Lord of the Rings’ films. This just shows how much I really enjoyed it, a really touching tale set within a great adventure and an awful lot of laughs! I absolutely loved it!!

My score: 9.5/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1049413/
Official Site: http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/up/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/screenplay/vi172163609/

Film Review: RATATOUILLE (2007)

Directors: Brad Bird and Jan Pinkava (co-director)
Running time: 111 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): U

Watched on Sky+ Sunday 9th August 2009.

PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This was a breath of fresh air, I liked it a lot. A well conceived, well written and excellently executed script, it was all you could ask of a modern Disney animated feature. When required, the rats looked like rats, the people looked like people and even the cars fitted the Paris backdrop (I know because I’ve been there). Here’s a summary.

Remy is a rat, the furry kind with a bald tail, and, as you might guess, he’s a rat who has a talent for food. Having been inspired by Chef Gusteau while watching TV, he finds himself in Paris at Gusteau’s restaurant. Unfortunately Chef Gusteau has passed away and the kitchen is now being run by Skinner, a small man with ambitious to own the restaurant. Gusteau’s illegitimate son, Linguini, gets a job as a garbage boy, but finds himself befriended by Remy when he accidentally ruins the soup and Remy fixes it. They discover a way that Remy can control Linguini’s actions and he gets a reputation for excellent cooking. Then Remy discovers the papers that prove the restaurant really belongs to Linguini and Skinner is displaced. As you might imagine, the plot gets kind of exciting from here on in, particularly if we throw in Remy’s estranged family, a scary food critic and Colette, a fellow chef and girlfriend of Linguini.

An extremely well made film, with an enjoyable plot, great dialogue and great animation by Pixar. Excellent performances from the voice talents of Patton Oswalt as Remy, Lou Romano as Linguini, Ian Holm as Skinner, Brian Dennehy as Django, Peter O'Toole as Anton Ego (the food critic) and Janeane Garofalo as Colette. Over all, great all round family entertainment and I highly recommend it!

My score: 8/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0382932/
Official Site: http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/animatedfilms/ratatouille/