Originally Posted By FerretAfros I just saw it this afternoon, and I have mixed feelings about it. The first chunk of the movie (until Merida and her mom spent the night in the woods) seemed like a movie I'd seen dozens of times before, but not in a good way. It wasn't bad, but there was just nothing that felt fresh to me. Between everything that we've seen in the previews for several months (which was a big chunk of this section), the gratuitous nudity, and the tired storytelling, the entire opening act left me really underwhelmed. However, when they woke up the next morning, after the flashback sequence, I really began to enjoy the film. It had a lot of things going for it, and seemed to be a pretty fresh take on a story that we've all seen before in many different ways. There were a few things I wished they had spent more time with, but overall, it was well done. I must say, that for taking a story that has so many similarities to Brother Bear, they really didn't seem to put much effort into distinguishing the two. I'm pretty sure there are a couple shots in Brave that were taken directly from the Salmon Run sequence in BB, and reanimated with the different characters. They work nicely in both films, but it did surprise me how strong the similarities were. The ending seemed pretty rushed to me. It was one of those movies where I expected another 40 minutes, but only got another 15. Not that it was bad, but there were just a lot of things that didn't get fully resolved. When we re-met about Mor'dor, I expected that he would also be freed from the spell, and possibly be the winning love interest. I also thought that his split from his brothers would be the thing that had to be put back together, but that also seemed to be a dead end. There was a lot of potential for neat ways to pull in the loose ends, but instead, they just left a lot of them out there. Overall, I did enjoy the movie, and thought that it had some really fresh situations, but it still just wasn't entirely satasfying. >>First this movie shall be forever known as, Brother bear 3: Sister bear.<< ...Mother Bear?
Originally Posted By mawnck Oh ... one note I forgot to throw in ... THERE'S A SCENE AFTER THE CREDITS. Don't leave. No, I'm not going to tell you about it. You should know better by now.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo >>>Yep! The first 2/3's of both films were so strong. Toy Story 3 however broke that trend -- not a dry eye in the house and I can't imagine a more satisfying conclusion to that trilogy.<<< Funny, I hated TS3, it was no fun at all.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I don't really like Ratatoulle much either. For me Monster's Inc or Cars are my fav, followed by Toy Story 2, the Increadibles or Wall-E. don't like Finding Nemo much either.
Originally Posted By dagobert My order would be like that: 1. Ratatouille 2. Toy Story 3 3. Wall-E 4. Toy Story 2 5. Cars 6. Toy Story 7. Monsters Inc 8. Up 9. Finding Nemo 10. The Incredibles 11. Cars 2 and A Bug's Life
Originally Posted By planodisney Wow, Incredibles 2nd to last. To me, it's just genious film making. Has everything a movie could have.
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>Wow, Incredibles 2nd to last. To me, it's just genious film making. Has everything a movie could have.<<< Yes I know, but it's more like that the Monsters Inc., Up, Toy Story, Finding Nemo and The Incredibles are on the sam level. All of them are good and a lot better than Cars 2 and A Bug's Life, but definitely not as good as the other Pixar movies. Unfortunately we have to wait until August to see Brave or Merida - Legend of the Highlands, that's how it's called over here (translated from German).
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<For me Monster's Inc or Cars are my fav, followed by Toy Story 2, the Increadibles or Wall-E.>> Monsters Inc. is far and away my favorite. Boo is the most adorable character that Pixar has ever come up with!
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORWEN: Oh, can I list my favs, too? Number One is The Wizard of Oz. Number Two is The Sound of Music. Number three is-- ORGOCH: Ketch yer broomstick, sister! This here topic ain't 'bout ev'rybody's fav'rite movies! It's 'bout ev'rybody's fav'rite Pixar noses!!!
Originally Posted By Dabob2 For me it's: 1. Finding Nemo 2. Toy Story 2 3. Up 4. Wall-E 5. Monsters, Inc. 6. Toy Story 3 7. The Incredibles 8. Ratatouille 9. Toy Story 10. A Bug's Life 11. Cars 12. Cars2
Originally Posted By DDMAN26 1. The Incredibles 2. Finding Nemo 3. Ratatouille 4. Up 5. Wall-E 6. Toy Story 3 7. Toy Story 8. Toy Story 2 9. Monsters Inc 10. A Bug's Life 11. Cars 12. Cars 2 Honestly though it's like picking your favorite child, you sort of love them all. Even Cars 2, which is kind of like the character played by Tom Hulce in Parenthood, you know he's a screw up but in a way you still love him
Originally Posted By DyGDisney 1. Monsters, Inc. 2. Ratatouille 3. Wall-E 4. Up 5. Toy Story 6. Brave 7. Toy Story 3 8. Finding Nemo 9. Toy Story 2 10. Cars 11. A Bug's Life 12. The Incredibles 13. Cars 2
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>Wow, Incredibles 2nd to last. To me, it's just genious film making. Has everything a movie could have.<< Totally agree. Incredibles would be top of my Pixar list as well.
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones The exact order doesn't really matter to me. High tier: Incredibles Ratatouille Finding Nemo First 20 minutes of Up Wall-E Toy Story 2 Mid-Tier: Toy Story Bug's Life Monsters Inc. Toy Story 3 Rest of Up Low-Tier: Cars Brave Oh God What Are You Doing Tier: Cars 2
Originally Posted By FerretAfros Heading slightly back on topic, I've had a little more time to digest the movie, and there were a couple things that stood out to me as really great moments. The first was during the film's opening, when it had a series of long, scenic establishing shots. Nothing very dramatic or unusual for most movies, but it was a very fresh approach for an animated film. I can't think of another one that has an opening like that; it did a really good job of showing us the setting, and giving us an expectation of what to expect from the film overall, without actually saying anything about it. The other part that stuck with me was the scene where Merida and the Queen are arguing their points of view, but are both doing it as a rehearsal of what they mean to say. It seemed like a new concept for an animated film, but I also couldn't think of a live action film that had done something like that so effectively. Also, as mawnck pointed out earlier, the animation of the queen in bear form had some pretty great moments. Overall, most of the film didn't stick with me; I didn't spend the day thinking about it. It does seem to have its moments of greatness, but overall comes off as pretty pedestrian. Not bad by any means, but just not up to my expectations. And when you run your company based on customer feedback surveys, how can you ever exceed expectations?
Originally Posted By planodisney Whats funny for me is just how much Cars has grown on me over the years. I have a 3 year old boy who is obsessed with the characters and so are most of his friends. I'm sure seeing something that brings him so much joy has had an impact on me as well. I have to laugh when I see someone post, in the DCA expantion thread, that Carsland as a them for an entire land wont last. There are MILLIONS of boys who absolutely love Cars and all its characters. Someday those boys are going to be men with families. And so on and so on!!
Originally Posted By u k fan I think Bug's Life is massively under-rated and I really enjoy Cars. I'd much rather watch that than any of the Toy Story movies (which I think are amongst Pixar's worst) Back on topic, Brave is released here next month I think so I'll have to wait to comment on it, but on the trailers I've seen the Queen's accent seems all over the place. Is it like this in the movie as usually I think Emma Thompson is spot on?!!!
Originally Posted By EmmaJayne ' I expected that he would also be freed from the spell, and possibly be the winning love interest. I also thought that his split from his brothers would be the thing that had to be put back together, but that also seemed to be a dead end.' That is pretty much exactly what I said about a 3rd of the way through. That's really where I thought it was going, like mend the bond between Merida and her mother as well as the four brothers. Also, I really thought that stone circle they continually wound up in was going to be a bit more symbolic. I quite liked the idea of a heroine who doesn't find a happily ever after by marriage. That's a very un-Emma statement because I love the princess movies and all I ever wanted was to grow up and get married ( next year people!) but at least it seemed like a new concept and a clear break from the more traditional princess movies. I also felt the ending was so, so rushed. Her final line about 'being brave enough to find it' or whatever, felt like it should have moved me to tears ( like most Pixar films do) but instead it felt like a tacked on after thought. Honestly, I enjoyed the adverts more than the movie!!
Originally Posted By Liberty Belle >>I quite liked the idea of a heroine who doesn't find a happily ever after by marriage.<< The friend I went with was REALLY bothered by the lack of a love story! It didn't really bother me either way.
