Brave

Brave - Dirs. Dirs. Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman & Steve Purcell (2012)

Brave marks several firsts for Pixar. It's their first period piece and their first fairy tale. It was to be the first Pixar project directed by a woman in Brenda Chapman (inspired by her relationship with her daughter) until she was replaced by Mark Andrews and Steve Purcell though she still receives credit. Brave is also the first Pixar film to feature a female protagonist in the lead role.

Set in the Scottish Highlands long ago, Brave follows the strong-willed Princess Merida (Kelly Macdonald) and her equally stubborn mother, Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson). Merida prefers to roam free and practice archery while the Queen prefers Merida be molded into a proper lady. That includes lessons in refinement and diplomacy. Now that she's come of age, tradition calls for Merida to be married off to one of the sons of the neighboring clan leaders. Merida discovers a witch (Julie Walters) deep within the forest and asks her for a spell to change her fate. Of course, it all goes wrong with Elinor being turned into a bear. It's Mother Bear, instead of Brother Bear.

You can't help but be awestruck by the beauty of the animation. Pixar has outdone themselves once more in creating a vibrant world of misty mountains, dark forests, and evergreen hilltops. Even Merida's flowing red locks seem to have a life of their own. Animators actually created new software just to render her wild mane of hair, which symbolizes Merida's thirst for freedom. The contrast between mother and daughter is never more apparent than when Merida is forced to wear a restrictive Maid Marian outfit. She slips a tuft of hair from underneath her cap in a defiant expression of identity. There's a palpable tenderness to their relationship even when Elinor is in bear form. The animators do an impressive job in making her emote strictly through paw and facial movements. The creative minds of Pixar have been behind some of the most memorable father-son relationships depicted in cinema, from Nemo and Marlin in Finding Nemo to Russell and his crotchety surrogate Mr. Fredricksen in Up. No surprise that their first exploration of maternal bonds should be as equally heartfelt.

There's plenty of humor (and naked buttocks) to be found in Brave. Much of the humor derives from the "wee devils" that are Merida's younger brothers, the triplets Hamish, Hubert, and Harris. Kelly Macdonald (who replaced Reese Witherspoon) heads up a cast of talented Scottish thespians who end an aura of authenticity. The actors include Robbie Coltrane, Kevin McKidd, Craig Ferguson, and the great Billy Connolly as Merida's father King Fergus, who lost a leg in battle against the demonic bear Mor'du.

The critical response to Brave was surprisingly mixed. Perhaps, reviewers were expecting Pixar to completely deconstruct the Disney princess genre. However, Pixar didn't need to reinvent the wheel with Brave because it is so lusciously animated and well-crafted.

Rating: *** (*****)

Men in Black III

Men in Black III - Dir. Barry Sonnenfeld (2012)

The Avengers has been an unstoppable juggernaut since its release on May 4^th. There was only one super-powered being capable of knocking Marvel's magnum opus off its box office perch and that would be Will Smith. The former Fresh Prince is a guaranteed draw though I'm sure everyone would like to forget about Wild Wild West. But, Smith hasn't starred in a film since 2008's overwrought Seven Pounds and it's been a decade since the forgettable Men in Black II. Smith and Tommy Lee Jones slip comfortably back into the suits and sunglasses for a $55 million Memorial Day opening.

An intergalactic biker assassin named Boris the Animal (Jemaine Clement) has escaped from a maximum security prison on the Moon. Agent K (Jones) was the one who not only apprehended Boris, but blew off his left arm back in 1969. K also thwarted an invasion by Boris's people, the Boglodites, which lead to their extinction. Boris plans to travel back in time and prevent all this from happening. Agent J (Smith) literally jumps back to the 60's by leaping off the Chrysler Building to team up with the younger K (Josh Brolin).

Men in Black III was making headlines within the industry for the all the wrong reasons. The script by Etan Cohen (Tropic Thunder) went through multiple drafts by David Koepp and Jeff Nathanson, both of whom went uncredited. This is nothing new for a big budget blockbuster, but going into production without a completed screenplay is a rarity. With only the first act set in stone, MIB3 went into production in the fall of 2010 to take advantage of lucrative NY tax breaks that were feared to expire by the end of the year. A scheduled two month break was stretched to three as the rewrite process dragged on while some crew members continued to be paid. All told the budget was rumored to have ballooned to $300 million.

After viewing Men in Black III, it is clear the beleaguered writing process took its toll on the threequel, which is rife with plot holes. The fact that J still remembers the proper timeline is glanced over with a single line. Yet, it's never explained how J is with MIB since the man who recruited him no longer exists or why the aliens waited forty years to invade the Earth. MIB3 rehashes the fish out of water story from the previous installments as J deals the culture shock of the 60's. Don't expect any deep contemplation about Vietnam or political turmoil. Race relations are dealt with in an amusing sequence where J is pulled over by a pair of prejudiced cops. J is also befuddled by the primitive technology employed by the department back in the day. The 60's section is where the film shines thanks to the retro-futuristic production design by Bo Welch and the practical effects by make-up wizard Rick Baker, who was obviously inspired by the drive-in classics of the yesteryear. But, inconsistency raises its ugly head once more. The MIB are hampered by portable neuralizers attached to cumbersome battery packs and clunky looking jetpacks. Yet, they utilize gyroscopic monocycles that resemble the 'It' from South Park that would still be considered high tech in the future. While K's stoic demeanor has been an accepted personality trait, the filmmakers saw a ridiculous need to explain how he became this way. Never mind that K had lighthearted moments in the other pictures. Thus, the film builds to a final denouement that makes little sense.

One of the reasons the original Men in Black succeeded was the chemistry between the smart alecky Will Smith and the straight laced Tommy Lee Jones. Here, Jones is reduced to an extended cameo with the bulk of the picture shouldered by Josh Brolin, who does an uncanny impersonation of No Country for Old Men co-star. Brolin's vocal mimicry is so good you'd swear they dubbed Jones's voice over his. Bill Hader brings a much needed breath of fresh air as Andy Warhol, who happens to be an undercover MIB agent. A spinoff featuring the adventures of K and W in the seventies would have been more interesting than what we actually get. Will Smith is in full quippy Will Smith mode even if some of his humor ("I got no problem pimp slapping the shiznit out of Andy Warhol.") is as outdated as the vintage MIB gadgets. My goodness, he doesn't even sing a goofy theme song.  Luckily, the movie has a strong villain in Jemaine Clement from Flight of the Conchords. It helps that speaks like Tim Curry and looks like "Macho Man" Randy Savage. Michael Stuhlbarg is also a great addition to the franchise as a nebbish extraterrestrial with the unique ability to see all possible timelines.

The perfect sequel should feel like a necessary continuation of the series along with whetting the appetite for further films. Men in Black III didn't need to be made and didn't make me clamor for Men in Black IV. If you can look past a plot rife with clichés and plot holes, you'll find an acceptable piece of popcorn entertainment. The demographic that will enjoy Men in Black III the most will likely be the kids who weren't even born when the first picture hit the screens.

Rating: ** ½ (*****)

An Education

An Education - Dir. Lone Scherfig (2009)


The bourgeois, coming-of-age tale of a British schoolgirl isn’t exactly the type of film I rush out to the theaters to see. However, An Education was almost universally praised by critics and so I gave it a shot. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed An Education, but I shouldn’t have been. The cast is a collection of A-list British thespians and director Lone Scherfig helmed the Danish rom-com Italian For Beginners which I was equally surprised by, especially since it stuck out of the Dogme 95 movement like a sore thumb. I mean that as a compliment. The film was based on the memoirs of journalist Lynn Barber and the script was adapted by Nick Hornby, the author of High Fidelity and About a Boy, both of which were turned into films.

Carey Mulligan (22 at the time of filming) plays the 16 year-old, Jenny, who considers herself far too sophisticated for the boys at her school. She excels in her classes and is well on her way to Oxford. Jenny enjoys art, existentialism, French pop music and French film, none of which hold much interest for her friends or her decidedly middle-class parents (Alfred Molina and Cara Seymour). Her life forever changes on one fateful, rainy day when she and her cello are given a lift by the handsome David (Peter Sarsgaard). This dashing older man welcomes Jenny into his Bohemian existence. He introduces her to his best friend, the equally urbane Danny (Dominic Cooper), and his girlfriend, the dim Helen (the underrated Rosamund Pike). Jenny’s life becomes a whirlwind of art auctions, jazz clubs, concerts, and fancy restaurants. David even takes her to Paris.

And what do Jenny’s parents think? You’d figure they would blow the roof off their suburban home at the idea of a man dating their underage daughter. But, David pours on the charm and wins them over easily. He even convinces them he’s pals with C.S. Lewis. David’s proclivity for bending the truth should have been the first clue that something was up with him. Other clues stare Jenny right in the face when she witnesses David and Danny “liberate” an antique map from an old lady. However, David’s biggest secret isn’t discovered until the film’s heartbreaking climax.

Taking place in 1961, An Education is set at a time when Beatlemania and the swinging sixties London culture were still a long ways away. The duality between conservative post-war culture and forward feminist thinking is firmly in play here. Jenny’s father, in particular, wants nothing more than for his daughter to go to Oxford and make something of herself. Yet when David arrives, he sees a new opportunity. Why bother to spend thousands of dollars on university when he can marry her off right away?

Scherfig directs with an even hand with Jenny’s home and school portrayed in cold colors as closed places. This is in comparison to the warm and wide open spaces of Paris. Hornby has an excellent ear for dialogue, but it’s the cast who really pull the film together. Carey Mulligan deserves all the praise she has received for her star-making turn as Jenny. She’s witty, intelligent, yet vulnerable. With her hair done up, you can see a little of Audrey Hepburn in her, especially in the Roman Holiday-style sequence in Paris. Alfred Molina, known more for his villainous roles in films like Spider-Man 2, shows off his comedic chops as Jenny’s stuffed shirt father. Emma Thompson and Sally Hawkins, who shot their scenes in one day, add a level of gravitas despite their brief screen time. As David, Peter Sarsgaard is shockingly effective. His posh accent is so well-done, I had to double check his IMDB page because I didn't remember him being British.

An Education is a bittersweet story, one that is still full of life and romance.

Rating: ***