Top 5 Films for Mother's Day

In most parts of the world today, Mother's Day is celebrated.  And as I'm sitting at home sick (having given my own mother the flu), I got to recalling some of my favorite films that feature great, moving and memorable mother-daughter relationships with her.

5. Brave - One of the few animated feature films that contains a solid relationship between a mother and daughter.  In most animated feature films (see Disney films), the mother doesn't make past the first fifteen minutes.  However, in Brave (co-directed by Brenda Chapman), headstrong Princess Merida and Queen Elinor learn to finally listen to each other and what they wish for their lives. In the end, like every fairy tale, all's well that ends well.

4. One True Thing - Meryl Streep, who excels in most mother's roles, plays the long-suffering wife and mother to a novelist husband (William Hurt) and her writer daughter Ellen (Renee Zellweger).  In the film, Ellen comes to realized how unfairly she's treated her mother and comes to share a closer relationship as her mother is diagnosed with cancer.  Keep the tissues handy as Streep, of course, absolutely brings it.  And if you're still longing for some weepy films, check out Steel Magnolias or Terms of Endearment.  Don't say I didn't warn you.

3. Freaky Friday (1976) and Freaky Friday (2003) - This is the ultimate mother-daughter movie.  What could get a mother-daughter who don't see eye to eye than spending a day in each other's shoes? Literally!  These two Disney films are classic entertainment with Jodie Foster and Lindsay Lohan (before her downfall) playing the daughters.  But the newer version needs to be seen for Jamie Lee Curtis' absolutely fearless performance. 

2. Stepmom - This one never fails to bring on the waterworks.  And I always have an urge to sing 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough' afterwards.  Susan Sarandon and Julia Roberts are at their best when they become part of one big large happy family when Roberts marries into the family.  The last scene is so good between the two women who each have fears and insecurities for their children.  I can watch this film anytime.

1. Imitation of Life (1934) and Imitation of Life (1959) - My final recommendation features strong performances from the actresses in both films. Similar to the recent HBO mini-series Mildred Pierce starring Kate Winslet, the films features lasting friendships between white widow, her black housekeeper and their heartbreaking relationships with their daughters.  Watch these if you can.

63rd Ace Eddie Award Winners

And finally, last night the the 63rd Annual ACE Eddie Awards were held and here are the winners in the film categories.  Director Steven Spielberg was also honored with Golden Eddie for Filmmaker of the Year. 

BEST EDITED FEATURE FILM (DRAMATIC):
Argo - William Goldenberg, A.C.E.

BEST EDITED FEATURE FILM (COMEDY OR MUSICAL):
Silver Linings Playbook - Jay Cassidy, A.C.E. & Crispin Struthers

BEST EDITED ANIMATED FEATURE FILM:
Brave - Nicholas C. Smith, A.C.E. & Robert Grahamjones, A.C.E.

BEST EDITED DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE):
Searching for Sugar Man - Malik Bendjelloul


 

11th Annual VES Award Winners

A bit late blogging about the awards from last week but here it is.  The 11th Annual Visual Effects Society Awards were held on February 5th, 2013 and the night's big honors went to Life of Pi and Brave who walked away with four awards each.  Director Ang Lee was also honored with VES Visionary Award for his exemplary work and techniques in the film.

Here are the winners in the film categories:

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects-Driven Feature Motion Picture
Life of Pi
Donald R. Elliott
Susan Macleod
Guillaume Rocheron
Bill Westenhofer

Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Feature Motion Picture

The Impossible
Felix Bergés
Sandra Hermida
Pau Costa Moeller

Outstanding Animation in an Animated Feature Motion Picture

Brave
Mark Andrews
Steve May
Katherine Sarafian
Bill Wise

Outstanding Animated Character in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture

Life of Pi: Richard Parker
Erik De Boer
Sean Comer
Betsy Asher Hall
Kai-Hua Lan

Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Feature Motion Picture

Brave: Merida
Travis Hathaway
Olivier Soares
Peter Sumanaseni
Brian Tindall

Outstanding Created Environment in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture

The Avengers: Midtown Manhattan
Richard Bluff
Barry Williams
David Meny
Andy Proctor

Outstanding Created Environment in an Animated Feature Motion Picture

Brave: The Forest
Tim Best
Steve Pilcher
Inigo Quilez
Andrew Whittock

Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Matt Aitken
Victor Huang
Christian Rivers
R. Christopher White

Outstanding Models in a Feature Motion Picture

The Avengers: Helicarrier
Rene Garcia
Bruce Holcomb
Polly Ing
Aaron Wilson

Outstanding FX and Simulation Animation in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture

Life of Pi: Storm of God
Harry Mukhopadhyay
David Stopford
Mark Williams
Derek Wolfe

Outstanding FX and Simulation Animation in an Animated Feature Motion Picture

Brave
Chris Chapman
Dave Hale
Michael K. O'Brien
Bill Watral

Outstanding Compositing in a Feature Motion Picture
Life of Pi: Storm of God
Ryan Clarke
Jose Fernandez
Sean Oharas
Hamish Schumacher

40th Annie Award Nominations!

The 40th Annual Annie Awards nominations have been announced today.  All the major studios, Pixar, Walt Disney, Sony Pictures, DreamWorks and Aardman all make an appearance.  But who will walk away with the big prize on February 2, 2013?  Let's take a look at the film categories!

Best Animated Feature
Brave – Pixar Animation Studios
Frankenweenie – The Walt Disney Studios
Hotel Transylvania – Sony Pictures Animation
ParaNorman – Focus Features
Rise of the Guardians – DreamWorks Animation
The Pirates! Band of Misfits – Aardman Animations
The Rabbi’s Cat – GKIDS
Wreck-It Ralph – Walt Disney Animation Studios

Annie Award for Best Animated Special Production
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 – Warner Bros. Animation
Before Orel – Trust – Starburns Industries, Inc.
Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem – Illumination Entertainment
Disney Tron: Uprising – Beck’s Beginning – Disney TV Animation
Dragons: Gift of the Night Fury – DreamWorks Animation
Justice League: Doom – Warner Bros. Animation

Best Animated Short Subject
Brad and Gary – Illumination Entertainment
Bydlo – National Film Board of Canada
Eyes on the Stars – StoryCorps
Goodnight Mr. Foot – Sony Pictures Animation
Kali the Little Vampire – National Film Board of Canada
Maggie Simpson in ‘The Longest Daycare’ – Gracie Films in Association with 20th Century Fox TV
Paperman – Walt Disney Animation Studios
The Simpsons – ‘Bill Plympton Couch Gag’ – Gracie Films in Association with 20th Century Fox TV

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT CATEGORIES

Animated Effects in an Animated Production
Andrew Nawrot, Joe Gorski, Grant Laker – ‘ParaNorman’ – Focus Features
Andrew Schneider ‘Ice Age: Continental Drift’ – Blue Sky Studios
Andy Hayes, Carl Hooper, David Lipton – Rise of the Guardians – DreamWorks Animation
Bill Watral, Chris Chapman, Dave Hale, Keith Klohn, Michael K. O’Brien ‘Brave’ – Pixar Animation Studios
Brett Albert – ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ – Walt Disney Animation Studios
Jihyun Yoon – ‘Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted’ – DreamWorks Animation
Joel Aron – ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ – Lucasfilm Animation Ltd.

Animated Effects in a Live Action Production
Jerome Platteaux, John Sigurdson, Ryan Hopkins, Raul Essig, Mark Chataway ‘The Avengers’ – Industrial Light & Magic
Stephen Marshall, Joseph Pepper, Dustin Wicke ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ – Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Animation
Sue Rowe, Simon Stanley-Clamp, Artemis Oikonomopoulou, Holger Voss, Nikki Makar, Catherine Elvidge ‘John Carter’ – Cinesite
Willi Geiger, Rick Hankins, Florent Andorra, Florian Witzel, Aron Bonar ‘Battleship’ – Industrial Light & Magic

Character Animation in a Feature Production
Dan Nguyen ‘Brave’ – Pixar Animation Studios
David Pate ‘Rise of the Guardians’ – DreamWorks Animation
Jaime Landes ‘Brave’ – Pixar Animation Studios
Phillppe LeBrun ‘Rise of the Guardians’ – DreamWorks Animation
Pierre Perifel ‘Rise of the Guardians’ – DreamWorks Animation
Travis Hathaway ‘Brave’ – Pixar Animation Studios
Travis Knight “ParaNorman’ – Focus Features
Will Becher ‘The Pirates! Band of Misfits’ – Aardman Animations

Character Animation in a Live Action Production
Erik de Boer, Amanda Dague, Matt Brown, Mary Lynn Machado, Aaron Grey ‘Life of Pi – Orangutan’ – Rhythm & Hues Studio
Erik de Boer, Matt Shumway, Brian Wells, Vinayak Pawar, Michael Holzl ‘Life of Pi – Tiger’ – Rhythm & Hues Studio
Jakub Pistecky, Maia Kayser, Scott Benzu, Steve King, Kiran Bhat ‘The Avengers’ – Industrial Light & Magic
Mike Beaulieu, Roger Vizard, Atushi Sato, Jackie Kochler, Derek Esparza, Richard Smith, Mac Tyrie – Columbia Pictures – THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN – Sony Pictures Animation

Character Design in an Animated Feature Production
Bill Schwab, Lorelay Bove, Cory Loftis, Minkyu Lee ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ – Walt Disney Animation Studios
Carlos Grangel ‘Hotel Transylvania’ – Sony Pictures Animation
Carter Goodrich ‘Hotel Transylvania’ – Sony Pictures Animation
Craig Kellman ‘Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted’ – DreamWorks Animation
Heidi Smith ‘ParaNorman’ – Focus Features
Yarrow Cheney, Eric Guillon, Colin Stimpson ‘Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax’ – Illumination Entertainment

Directing in an Animated Feature Production
Genndy Tartakovsky ‘Hotel Transylvania’ – Sony Pictures Animation
Johan Sfar, Antoine Delesvaux ‘The Rabbi’s Cat – GKIDS
Remi Bezancon, Jean-Christophe Lie ‘Zarafa’ – GKIDS
Rick Moore ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ – Walt Disney Animation Studios
Sam Fell, Chris Butler ‘ParaNorman’ – Focus Features

Music in an Animated Feature Production
Alexandre Desplat ‘Rise of the Guardians’ – DreamWorks Animation
Bruce Retief ‘Adventures in Zambezia’ – Saltzman Communications
Henry Jackman ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ – Walt Disney Animation Studios
Joel McNeely, Brendan Milburn, Valerie Vigoda ‘Secret of the Wings’ – DisneyToon Studios
John Powell, Adam Schlesinger, Ester Dean ‘Ice Age: Continental Drift’ – Blue Sky Studios
John Powell, Cinco Paul ‘Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax’ – Illumination Entertainment
Mark Mothersbaugh ‘Hotel Transylvania’ – Sony Pictures Animation
Patrick Doyle, Mark Andrews, Alex Mandel ‘Brave’ – Pixar Animation Studios

Production Design in an Animated Feature Production
Kendal Cronkhite-Shaindlin, Shannon Jeffries, Lindsey Olivares, Kenard Pak ‘Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted’ – DreamWorks Animation
Marcello Vignali ‘Hotel Transylvania’ – Sony Pictures Animation
Nash Dunnigan, Arden Chen, Jon Townley, Kyle McNaughton ‘Ice Age: Continental Drift’ – Blue Sky Studios
Nelson Lowry, Ross Stewart, Pete Oswald, Ean McNamara, Trevor Dalmer ‘ParaNorman’ – Focus Features
Norman Garwood, Matt Berry ‘The Pirates! Band of Misfits’ – Aardman Animation
Patrick Hanenberger, Max Boas, Jayee Borcar, Woonyoung Jung, Perry Maple, Peter Maynez, Stan Seo, Felix Yoon ‘Rise of the Guardians’ – DreamWorks Animation
Rick Heintzich ‘Frankenweenie’ – The Walt Disney Studios
Steve Pilcher ‘Brave’ – Pixar Animation Studios

Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production
Emmanuela Cozzi ‘ParaNorman’ – Focus Features
Johanne Matte ‘Rise of the Guardians’ – DreamWorks Animation
Leo Matsuda ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ – Walt Disney Animation Studios
Lissa Treiman ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ – Walt Disney Animation Studios
Rob Koo ‘Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted’ – DreamWorks Animation

Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production
Adam Sandler as Dracula ‘Hotel Transylvania’ – Sony Pictures Animation
Alan Tudyk as King Candy ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ – Walt Disney Animation Studios
Atticus Shaffer as “E”Gore ‘Frankenweenie’ – The Walt Disney Studios
Catherine O’Hara as Weird Girl ‘Frankenweenie’ – The Walt Disney Studios
Imelda Staunton as Queen Victoria ‘The Pirates! Band of Misfits’ – Aardman Animations
Jim Cummings as Budzo ‘Adventures in Zambezia’ – Saltzman Communications
Jude Law as Pitch ‘Rise of the Guardians’ – DreamWorks Animation
Kelly MacDonald as Merida ‘Brave’ – Pixar Animation Studios

Writing in an Animated Feature Production
Chris Butler – ParaNorman – Focus Features
Gideon Defoe – The Pirates! Band of Misfits – Aardman Animations
Hayao Miyazaki, Keiko Niwa, Karey Kirkpatrick – From Up on Poppy Hill – GKIDS
John August – Frankenweenie – The Walt Disney Studios
Mark Andrews, Steve Purcell, Brenda Chapman, Irene Mecchi -
Brave – Pixar Animation Studios
Phil Johnston, Jennifer Lee – Wreck-It Ralph – Walt Disney Animation Studios

Editorial in an Animated Feature Production
Catherine Apple ‘Hotel Transylvania’ – Sony Pictures Animation
Joyce Arrastia ‘Rise of the Guardians’ – DreamWorks Animation
Mark Rosenbaum ‘Secret of the Wings’ – DisneyToon Studios
Nicholas A. Smith, ACE, Robert Graham Jones, ACE, David Suther ‘Brave’ – Pixar Animation Studios
Tim Mertens ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ – Walt Disney Animation Studios

JURIED AWARDS

Winsor McCay Award – Oscar Grillo, Terry Gilliam, Mark Henn
June Foray – Howard Green
Ub Iwerks – Toon Boom Animation Pipeline

21 Films Animated Feature Films Submitted for Oscars

Alright, here we go.  It's November and I'm pretty much going to start talking non-stop about awards season namely the Oscars from now on.  Did I mention how much I love the Oscars even though it inevitably disappoints me in some way or the other every year?  The anticipation frankly leading up to it is, hands down, the most exciting part of the race. Nothing beats it.  

Okay, so submissions have started for documentary films, foreign language films and my favorite, Best Animated Feature, a category I look forward to since its addition in 2001.  

21 films have been submitted for next year's Oscars including the usual suspects from Pixar (Brave), DreamWorks (Madagascar 3, Rise of the Guardians) and Blue Sky (Ice Age Continental Drift).  I'm pleased to see two Indian animation films, Delhi Safari and Hey Krishna (Krishna aur Kans) submit themselves although I'm surprised that Arjun: The Warrior Prince doesn't have its name up there.  

Here is the list of the films competing against each other for the nomination.

• Adventures in Zambezia   
• Brave
• Delhi Safari
• Dr. Seuss' The Lorax
• Frankenweenie   
• From Up on Poppy Hill
• Hey Krishna
• Hotel Transylvania    
• Ice Age Continental Drift
• A Liar's Autobiography: The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman
• Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted 
• The Mystical Laws
• The Painting  
• ParaNorman   
• The Pirates! Band of Misfits 
    
• The Rabbi's Cat
    
• Rise of the Guardians  
• Secret of the Wings    
• Walter & Tandoori's Christmas 
    
• Wreck-It Ralph
    
• Zarafa

Glad to see some different movies in the mix as well such as Frankenweenie, ParaNorman and the delightfully named French submission, Walter & Tandoori's Christmas.  We'll see which five eventually make the cut on January 10, 2013.

Movie Review: Brave

The 13th feature film of Pixar Animation Studios, Brave, should prove very lucky rather than unlucky as it means Pixar is back on track with its original content.  Apart from Monsters University next year, the studio is back to concentrating on new stories to tell instead of sequels and prequels as that's where their strength lies.

Brave is the story of Princess Merida (Kelly Macdonald) who really yearns to be her own person and not have to live up to the expectations of a perfect princess of her kingdom DunBroch and especially her mother, Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson).  Merida excels at archery and has her own views even though it may seem selfish or immature to others.  It takes a life-changing incident for her to realize that sometimes compromises must be made.

This is the first princess story that Pixar has tried to tell and they have deviated a bit away from the Disney model of princess stories.  There is no Prince here coming to save Merida, she has to figure out how fix things herself.  But Merida and her family have a strong bond that is prevalent in all Disney family films.  Previously titled, "The Bear and the Bow", the film was to be directed by Brenda Chapman who had worked as co-director on The Prince of Egypt.  But midway through, she left the project and was replaced by Mark Andrews.  She would have been one of the few lone female directors in animation.  Jennifer Yuh Nelson (Kung Fu Panda 2) beat her to it.

I could tell where Andrews had his influence on the film, there are bit more of action sequences in chasing the bear and a bit of infighting amongst the clans.  But I'm so glad that the core of the story and film remains the relationship between Merida and her mother.  It's the very best part of the film.  Queen Elinor discovers what her daughter is capable of and Merida discovers, as it has always been evident to the audience, that her mother wants what is best for her.  When a witch's spell dramatically changes Elinor, they are forced to actually communicate and listen to each other and work their way back to being a regular family again.

The bonding sequences between mother and daughter are both funny and touching.  When Merida thinks her mother is lost forever, a tear (or two!) managed to sneak out.  Thank heavens for the clunky 3D glasses to mask them.  The movie looks gorgeous.  It really is an extended tourism ad for Scotland.  The animals, the giant bear Mordu and Angus the horse, are extremely realistic and in Mordu's case, very scary.  From fur on the animals to Merida's hair which is insanely curly with sunset colors that pop onscreen.  Amazing hair and fur!

I liked the little nod to Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli with the will o' the wisps which reminded me of the little spirits present in My Neighbor Totoro.  Her younger brothers Hamish, Harris and Hubert are triple terrors in the castle who bring a smile whenever they are onscreen.  I hope we'll be seeing them in a short again soon.

Which brings us to the short before the film, La Luna.  Nominated for the Best Animated Short this past February, La Luna, directed by Enrico Casarosa is beautifully told tale without much dialogue about the three generations who work together to take care of the moon.  Resident Pixar music director Michael Giacchino gives the score.  I love the idea of the short before the actual feature and I hope more studios besides Pixar pick up on it.  It's a great tradition.

Back to Brave, I think it's a worthy addition to the Pixar treasure trove.  I was extremely pleased to see so many boys also lining up to see what it being marketed as "Pixar's girl movie".   I don't think it really mattered to them.  So Princess Merida joins the rest of the Disney princesses and is the first princess to emerge out of Pixar but what audiences will take away is seeing Merida, the fearless and strong young woman who dares to believe in change.

PS: Stay tuned until the end for the lovely dedication to Steve Jobs and a post-credits scene.

Directed by Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman, Steve Purcell (co-director), Screenplay by Brenda Chapman, Mark Andrews, Steve Purcell and Irene Mecchi, Edited by Nicholas C. Smith, Music by Patrick Doyle.

Voice talents of: Billy Connolly (Fergus), Julie Waters (The Witch), Robbie Coltrane (Lord Dingwall), Kevin McKidd (Lord MacGuffin/Young MacGuffin), Craig Ferguson (Lord Macintosh), Peigi Barker (Young Merida)

Rating:  


Watch the film on Redbox here: http://www.redbox.com/movies/brave

Ready, Set, Bow!

Princess Merida from Brave

The hottest weapon in Hollywood that's making an old school comeback through several big blockbusters is the simple bow and arrow.  Typically used for hunting, the origins of the bow and the arrow can be traced back to the Paleolithic age (10,000-9000 BCE) around what is now Germany.  Many civilizations have the archery weapons present in their tradition of storytelling told through generations.  But the emergence of guns as weaponry made them outdated and old-fashioned.  Now it has become more of a recreational activity and has been featured on and off in the Summer Olympics since 1900.

Katniss Everdeen of The Hunger Games

It is also making a comeback in the movies.  Look around and many of the heroes and more significantly, heroines of these films are archers.  Katniss Everdeen, Clint Barton aka Hawkeye, Prince Arjun from the Mahabharata and in the Pixar film Brave opening today, Princess Merida are all picking up the bow and arrow to show their skills.  Before this, the most famous archer of them all was the legendary Robin Hood who had several Hollywood incarnations, animated and live-action.  The most famous Robin was, of course, Errol Flynn but we recently can recall Kevin Costner and Russell Crowe filling in those shoes as well.

Errol Flynn as Robin Hood

So, why the surge in archers?  It just boils down to timing.  The Hunger Games books have been out for years and the films that features all our protagonists have also been in the works for years.  It is extremely fortuitous that 2012 coinciding with the Summer Olympics puts the sport and bow and arrow in focus.  Not to mention the movies all released on top of each other and were huge blockbusters.

Clint Barton aka Hawkeye

The Avengers has made over a billion dollars worldwide and sits at #3 as the all time box office champ behind Avatar and Titanic.  The Hunger Games stayed atop the US box office for four straight weeks and made over $500 worldwide.  The sequel, Catching Fire, will release on November 22, 2013.  Brave too is poised to do the same from the first original content from Pixar since 2009.  The crew of Pixar actually went to the Scottish Highlands to research the authenticity in the scenes and some of the animators even took archery lessons to get it right.

Geena Davis

The sport will even welcome people who might not previously be inclined to it earlier.  Famously former actress and Oscar winner Geena Davis took up archery and even tried out for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.  This year's archery event will take place at the famed Lord's Cricket grounds in London from July 27-August 3rd where 128 men and women from around the world will compete for medals.  Archers from South Korea, USA and Italy have usually excelled in the sport.

Prince Arjun from Arjun: The Warrior Prince

2012 might as well proclaim itself the year of the bow and arrow.  The past few months have show how well these films have hit the target at the box-office.  It's certainly not because of the weapon they use but how the skill and accuracy employed by the bow and arrow so defines these heroines and heroes.  It becomes their second skin.  It publicizes the sport of archery and gives us characters to root for and admire.  Not bad for the simple bow and arrow.

News Update: Gravity, Brave, Catching Fire and more!

(Video: Rope of Silicon)

• A new Brave featurette by way of France comes our way showing a lot more new scenes with references to the wish-gone-wrong and that ferocious bear.  I really can't wait to see how all this unfolds onscreen.  
• Gary Ross is not retuning for Catching Fire.  He cites the tight production schedules as an issue.  After days of will he/won't he, The Hunger Games sequel Catching Fire will definitely have another director.  The Hunger Games has spent the third weekend on top so I doubt Lionsgate will have a problem finding another to fill Ross' shoes.
• Joseph Gordon-Levitt has dropped out of Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained as he doesn't have the time as he is focusing on his directorial debut.  Don't worry, Gordon-Levitt fans, he still has Premium Rush, Looper, Lincoln and a little movie called The Dark Knight Rises coming out this year.  
• Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity starring George Clooney and Sandra Bullock will feature some very long shots.  According to executive producer Chris DeFaria, who spoke at a conference at USC, the opening sequence will contain a one 17-minute take and many shots will be 6-10 minutes long.  The film, however, is only two hours.  The cinematographer for this film is Emmanuel Lubezki (The Tree of Life).  What do you think? Are you looking forward this new style by Cuaron?

New Brave Characters Posters

Thanks to Entertainment Weekly, we have four new characters posters from Brave to fawn over, telling us a bit more about themselves and from co-director Mark Andrews.

First up is Merida herself with all that unruly reddish gold hair.  Of course, she's pictured with her bow and arrow ever ready for some adventure.  Merida wants to go against ages old tradition and asks a witch to grant her a wish that goes horribly wrong.

Next we have Merida's parents King Fergus and Queen Elinor.  King Fergus is the ruler of DunBroch kingdom and he likes to tell the story of the time when he lost his leg to the big bear Mordu while Queen Elinor is "the" woman behind the king, the one who runs it all and she wants Merida to grow up and assume her responsibilities.

The three Scottish warriors are Lord Macintosh, Lord MacGuffin and Lord Dingwall.  Merida has to marry the son of either of these Lords and she's not going willingly.  

And finally we have Hamish, Harris and Hubert aka The Triplets and Merida's younger brothers.  They  share the same shade of red as their sister's hair and are always getting into trouble.  

Interestingly, this movie is yet not rated.  The Incredibles was the first Pixar film to get a PG rating, followed by Up, will Brave join its ranks?  All these character posters come with the tagline 'Change Your Fate'.  We find out more on June 22.  

Around the World in Posters: Brave, Mirror Mirror and Delicacy

(Photo: iTunes Movie Trailers)

Jeremy Renner is "Bourne" again in The Bourne Legacy.

Princess Merida and mysterious blue spirits in the new Japanese poster of Brave.  Absolutely beautiful!

Moonrise Kingdom, Mirror Mirror, 65th Cannes poster and more after the cut

New photos from USA Today's 2012 Preview

The first week of the new year has yielded so many new looks to some anticipated movies of 2012.  Thanks to USA Today and the preview guide for 2012, we have some new photos from The Avengers, The Bourne Legacy and more.

Thor meets Captain America in The Avengers.

First look at Jeremy Renner in The Bourne Legacy.

Who are these adorable redheaded moppets with Merida from Brave?

I spy The Hobbit's feet.

Noomi Rapace in Ridley Scott's Prometheus.

It's Daniel. Daniel Craig in Skyfall, the next James Bond film.

Charlize Theron reigns as Queen in Snow White and the Hunstsman.

New Photos: Brave and Frankenweenie

Princess Merida from Brave

Frankenweenie

Two new film stills come our way courtesy of Empire Online.  First up, another look at Princess Merida in action from Brave and secondly, it's a first look at Tim Burton's Frankenweenie.  If Frankenweenie is anything like previous Burton ventures like Corpse Bride and The Nightmare Before Christmas, we should be in for a film unlike any other.  Brave releases next June while Frankenweenie opens October 5, 2012

New Brave Trailer

There is much to be excited for as the Brave trailer releases as not only is it Pixar's first original (not based on any previous material) film in a while, it also features Pixar's first female lead. Let's have a look at Merida as voiced by Kelly Macdonald (Broadwalk Empire).

Set in Scotland, the trailer doesn't give away too many plot points but it introduces us to all the major characters while giving mysterious glimpses to the bear.  Merida, a skilled archer, seems a typical heroine, wanting to prove her worth to her parents.  Kelly Macdonald now voices Merida which seems the perfect choice.  Reese Witherspoon was to have voiced Merida but I felt her voice would have been too recognizable and too American.  The trailer ends in a perfect tease, "If you had a chance to change your destiny, would you?" I'm curious to find out what secrets Brave holds.  Brave releases in theaters June 22, 2012. 

First Look at Princess Merida from Brave

(Pic: Stitch Kingdom)

So far, we'd only seen her hidden or obscured by that fiery red hair but this time around, we get our first look at Princess Merida in a rendered hi-res image.  Pixar's first featured heroine, it's been a long time coming.  I can't believe this doesn't release until next year.  So until then, feast your eyes on this photograph and I hope the Brave teaser gets released online soon so I can post it here.  I'm incredibly curious about the story!

First Look: Pixar's Brave Teaser Poster

Lots of news to report today and so let's get blogging!!

Entertainment Weekly (EW) just unveiled the first look at the teaser photo of Brave, Pixar's original feature film debuting next year.  One of the main reasons I've been looking forward to this film in what seems like forever is the first female lead character in Pixar flick and co-directed by a female director, Brenda Chapman.

This gorgeous poster already promises what the concept art has already shown us, this one looks to bring  us right in the middle of the Scottish Highlands and I hope Princess Merida teaches us a thing or two about the title, Brave.  I'm already loving the tagline, Change your fate.  Love this!  

First Look: New concept art for Pixar's Brave

I've been bemoaning the lack of originality in Hollywood especially with so many sequels coming out, some I look forward and some I wonder do we really need more?  But I'll never say no to an original Pixar offering.  Here's a first look at beautiful, beautiful (yes, twice!) color scripts from Brave which is due to release June 2012.

                                          

It offers a glimpse of Pixar's first female heroine in Merida featuring a tale set in the Scottish highlands.  Lots of new information being released about the film as well.  Originally, Reese Witherspoon was to have voiced Merida but instead Kelly Macdonald (Broadwalk Empire, Gosford Park) which is great considering she's Scottish.

Since Entertainment Weekly summarizes it so well, I'm going to quote them here.

Brave is set in the mystical Scottish Highlands, where Merida is the princess of a kingdom ruled by King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson). An unruly daughter and an accomplished archer, Merida one day defies a sacred custom of the land and inadvertently brings turmoil to the kingdom. In an attempt to set things right, Merida seeks out an eccentric old Wise Woman (Julie Walters) and is granted an ill-fated wish. Also figuring into Merida’s quest — and serving as comic relief — are the kingdom’s three lords: the enormous Lord MacGuffin (Kevin McKidd), the surly Lord Macintosh (Craig Ferguson), and the disagreeable Lord Dingwall (Robbie Coltrane).

Sounds amazing!!!  Brave was originally titled The Bear and the Bow.  (P.S. Can you spot the bear in any of these photos?)  It was also supposed to be the first Pixar film directed by a female.  Brenda Chapman left the project though she will still be credited as co-director.  Mark Andrews, who directed the short One Man Band, will see the film through it's release date.