It’s no secret that I’ve been eagerly awaiting the release of Brave since 2009 (back when it still bore the superior title of The Bear and the Bow); it hits theaters today, and it turns out there’s bad news and good news. The bad news about Brave is that it’s lesser Pixar. The good news is that lesser Pixar is still magical, transporting, and beautiful. Continue reading
Brave is still a couple of months away yet, but that just means it’s getting to that time where Pixar really ramps up its marketing for its latest film. By now you’ve all likely seen the trailers, the most recent of which prominently display the great King Fergus (Billy Connolly) in all his glory, including his … Continue reading
In my book, 2011 has been a great year for movies. Good stuff has abounded throughout this particular revolution of the planet, both on the side of light lifting– Limitless, Paul, Cedar Rapids, Captain America— and in the realms of more substantial material, such as Drive, Weekend, The Tree of Life, and Win Win. Even … Continue reading
I always knew I’d end up revisiting the essay I wrote on Pixar and gender roles in 2009; it was always a matter of time. Their projected 2012 release, at the time titled The Bear and the Bow before the lauded studio cut the name down to Brave for those of us who appreciate brevity, caused something of … Continue reading
What happens when Pixar– animation giant, champions of quality kids’ movies, purveyors of heartfelt entertainment– releases a sequel to a film other than Toy Story? Apparently, and depending on who you talk to, an outcry across the Internet. Virtual rioting. Armageddon. Ragnarok. Götterdämmerung. Forty years of darkness, the dead rising from the grave, dogs and … Continue reading
A Constant Visual Feast 