Fresh from cinema.. ..Brave

So.. Wednesday I met my sister and her boy-friend and we went to the movies to watch a film we were waiting for since... well... a long time...

Here it is:

BRAVE (USA, 2011) by  Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman and Steve Purcell

In a nut-shell:

10th Century, in the Highlands of Scotland: Merida (spoken by my beloved Kelly MacDonald) - daughter of King Fergus (great Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (yay for Emma Thompson) - is not too pleased that she   - according to her mother - shall behave more lady-like and interest less in archery. And what is worst: Now the sons of three Lords of other Clans are supposed to fight for her hand in marriage - but Merida (really not keen to be married to one of those just because of an old tradition) hopes that a little bit a magic can help her with her stubborn mother - but sometimes a little change can wake a beast also in the most refined woman.. 

This is a film for fans of...

... Scottish accents

... bears

... brave heroines

... feminist fairytales

... wood carving

Since this is a Disney Pixar film you will also be seeing a little short film.. LA LUNA - which is quite nice.. Well.. I was told it is - actually just the moment it started I found a really wonderful text message on my mobile phone - and wrote a long answer to it - just to find out that there was no net working in cinema (surprise.. surprise..) - I am aware that this isn't actually professional when it comes to film critics.. but well.. ANYONE is actually paying me for this.. so: I will do what I want.. - just btw. my phone was completely mute no one was disturbed.. And again: it was a wonderful message...

- Anyway: I saw parts of this short film and it looked rather nice..

BRAVE has several references to Steve Jobs (who was quite important to Pixar and who co-founded the computer firm Apple) - you just have to look and listen: There are sources saying that Merida trying to eat an apple and being interrupted in doing so is by several critics called a reference to the firm Apple - but well.. I don't know about that.. Could be just as good an "easy-to-design-for-an-animations-film"-fruit... But I think that there is a Lord MacIntosh might be no accident..

~ Lords MacIntosh, MacGuffin and Dingwall.. ~

Hitchcock fans will be smiling when they learn that there is one Clan Leader by the name of MacGuffin.. ...

~ King Fergus and Queen Elinor...
- I adore that green dress.. ~

My sister and I agreed on Queen Elinor looking a lot like our mother.. and we were amazed that Merida wore a dress similar to one my sister owns.. (My siblings and their friends are active in medieval re-enactment groups..)

~ I love this poster.. it's so much "Jugendstil"/Art Nouveau.. ~

Of course history fans will notice that there are slight factual errors in this flick.. But besides: We just loved this film.. We had really great fun - it was hilarious and quite exciting - and: yes.. poor little me got teary eyed..

All we ever saw of this film before watching it in cinema was this clip.. and it was enough for us to decide to see the whole movie:



I think you might like to have a bit more info - well that is.. more pictures..:

 

Give this 100 minutes of film a try anyway - because even the shyest of girls can be very brave - I ought to know... And maybe you'd like to stay untill the end of the film.. a cute little scene follows the credits.. If you don't stay.. well.. no harm done either..

Thank you for escorting me to the movies!

Yours

Irene