Adam and Dog
A Film by Minkyu Lee.
Awesome short film, I can see why it was nominated for an Academy Award.
Brave/ Dir. Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman, Steve Purcell/ Pixar 2012
I’m going to get straight to the point, you’re going to watch Brave. It’s a Pixar film. When it is an animated movie made by Pixar, chances are… you are going to see it (eventually). When it is a Pixar movie, there is certain expectation, a certain level of technical awe and polish that the audience expects. When it is a movie created by Pixar, people expect interesting characters, genuine emotion, and meticulous attention directed to craft an amazing story. That is what you expect when Pixar has produced hit after hit of animated classics like Toy Story, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Wall-E, Up, etc, etc. And when you have an animated movie about a princess with the Disney logo slapped all over it, you get another set of high expected criteria. That is why you’re going to see Brave.
But the question is should you watch Brave, and is it good?
That answer is awfully subjective, but from my point of view, the answer is yes.. with a but.
Brave was entertaining and I was enthralled by the story’s twist and turns. In terms of animation and wow factor, just like always, Pixar has created a technical masterpiece (that red hair had me going!). Our heroine is fleshed out, actually seems like a conflicted teenager (read: whiny, but justified), and is a fitting strong women for Pixar’s first female protagonist (finally!). The most impressive feat is that Brave feels like it belongs in the pantheon of Disney princess movies while simultaneously having that Pixar aura that differentiates itself from said Disney princess movies.
BUT…
It’s hard not to compare Brave to the preceding Pixar movies. It’s one of those, ”I know I shouldn’t, but it happens,” type of thing. In that sense, Brave just isn’t on par with the best of the best Pixar films. There are good moments, and an engaging story in Brave, however looking back 1 week after I saw the movie, nothing really stands out. No first 30 minutes of Wall-E, or pure emotional sentiments like Up. That’s not a knock though. It’s basically saying “Brave is good, really good, maybe even great… but its not the greatest.”
That’s the catch with Pixar. We expect the greatest… and it’s an awesome situation to be in. And guess what?… You’re going to watch it.
PS: Big ups to all the artists who worked on Brave. Excellent work! (I know some of y’all).
Tony Dezuniga
Co-creator of Jonah Hex, and artist for Superman & Batman, etc. in the 1970s, he was a pioneer for Filipino artists in the comic book industry. I, along with Daps1, got the honor and privilege of meeting and talking with him at the 2011 San Diego Comic Con. What struck me most was not his gritty art at Marvel or DC, but how he always kept his homeland, the Philippines close to his heart, as evidenced by his drawing of an Ifugao (One of the many Philippine Tribes) woman and child up above. Having the blood of the Ifugao tribe running through my veins through my mom’s side, I felt an even more intimate connection.
Tony Dezuniga passed away last Friday, May 11, 2012, but his influence on not only me, but many other folks will surely be felt, and of course seen.
Rest in Peace
The FISHERMAN—Trailer (by RiceCookerStudios)
I got into animation because I loved the medium, I loved the art, and I loved the way it told stories. It has that shade of innocence mixed with that abstract feel that is really hard to duplicate in a live-action project. One of my goals in animation was to create a project/ projects that told the beautiful stories of the Filipino People, of my people. Lo and behold, I’m lucky enough to know one such artist/ animator that has done just that. Congrats Tim and all those who worked to make The Fisherman happen. The Fisherman is currently playing on HBO for Asian Heritage Month and its also on HBO On Demand. Check it out if you can. Soon I’ll create and share stories too, and maybe I can also collaborate with all the folks that made The Fisherman happen.
