This week, we watched the short La Luna, feature film Brave, and show The Legend of Mor’du.
La Luna is one of my favorite Pixar shorts. The story follows three generations of men who move stars across the surface of the moon to change the phases of the moon. Though they have different methods of performing this task, they work together to make something beautiful. The relationship of these three men is what makes this short shine (no pun intended), as well as the breathtaking visuals. I highly recommend watching this on its own, or alongside Brave.
Brave is one of the most underrated Pixar movies ever made. There, I said it. Is it up to par with Toy Story and Finding Nemo? Probably not, but that doesn’t make it a poor, or even skippable film. In Brave, we have a wonderful fantasy Scottish setting, memorable characters, beautiful music, and a worthwhile message. All of these things together make Brave a winner.
Brave follows the story of young Princess Merida who doesn’t fit in with the expectations that the people have of her. When she bound to marry a suitor, she challenges these expectations, much to the disappointment and disapproval of the Queen, her mother. I don’t want to spoil any important plot lines, but the fantasy aspect of the film primarily picks up from here featuring witches and cursed bears.
One of the most noteworthy things about Brave is that first and foremost, it feels like a Disney film. No Pixar movie made before or after resembles Brave one bit. It feels like a Princess movie through and through and also does not particularly break new ground in storytelling or animation. This may be why it was not as well received as other Pixar films usually are upon their release. I did not see it upon its release, however. I first saw Brave at the beautiful El Capitan Theater in Los Angeles in 2017 as part of their Disney Princess film lineup. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it upon that viewing and, after watching it a second time this week, I still find it a delight.
One of the things that sticks out to me the most is the voice cast. Kelly Macdonald is impeccably cast as Merida, as are Emma Thompson and Billy Connelly as her parents. We also get the talents of Julie Walters, Craig Ferguson, and Robbie Coltrane in the film.
For those who may be skeptical to see Brave like I was initially, set your worries aside and watch this perfectly worthwhile and enjoyable film.
The second short I watched this week is called The Legend of Mor’du and goes into more detail on a certain curse that is integral to the storyline of Brave. I don’t want to spoil the film, so I’m not going to say any more about it except that it is an enjoyable short, particularly for fans of the film who want a little more.
Next week, we will be watching The Blue Umbrella, Monsters University, and Party Central.
Happy watching!
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