Brave

Granddaughter Kate and I went to see the new movie, Brave, today. It was from Pixar, and the only criticisms I had heard was that it was too heavy handed in lessons taught, and not as good as Toy Story.Well, for starters, nothing is as good as Toy Story. Toy Story had it all, courage (bravery),heart (compassion), and smarts (intelligence). That’s the lesson I learned from The Wizard of Oz. This what is required to let you figure out that home is where your heart is.

Same thing in Brave: our rebellious Irish youth, Merida, wants her mother to change. Unfortunately, she gets her wish. She is thrown head first into adventure in the wild, wild, woods, into danger but never bloodshed. Actually, she got a scratch near the end, but we didn’t see the blood. She ends up saving the Kingdom, saving her mother, and ultimately, herself.

The complaint about heavy-handedness doesn’t hold water because the story is set in the time of Celts, Vikings, Blue Picts, and for all I know, Gauls. Twas nothing subtle about those people and the usual over-the-top fighting among themselves seems right at home.

The touch of Magic played well, too. Will ‘o the Wisps are real, we know now, just marsh gas, but for the sake of the movie script, they led to the witch’s lair. She was the one who produced the Magic Cupcake (I kid you not) that caused all the trouble. Merida held fast to her faith and to her mother, and it all came out all right in the end.

A Science Fiction Book Review

Boneshaker, Cherie Priest

This book, Boneshaker, was chosen for the February meeting of the SF club.  One thing I have noticed is a resurgence of mythical beasties in SF.  Vampires are wildly popular, this book has zombies, and I’m reading a juvenile about dragons amongst us. Come to think of it, Jerry has just finished reading a series of dragon books set in the Napoleonic era.

Boneshaker was a story of a young son looking for adventure in a dangerous part of the world, and of his mother going to rescue him and the adventures each has.  The plague that had destroyed and divided the world had left behind some Undead and that was really a mess.  I’m so over vampires, and now I am so over zombies as well.

Girl-Growing-Up Movies

Modern Fairy Tales: Fly Away Home, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and Whale Rider

The world is a hard place, but perhaps not a hard as it once was.  Hansel and Gretel is the story of a couple who could not afford to feed their children.  They planned to leave the children in the forest to their fate, but the resourceful children ended up in a gingerbread house and with a roasted witch.  That is a happier ending than being eaten by wolves.

Cinderella’s mother died, and she had a cruel stepmother.  Snow White had a wicked stepmother, too. Belle (Beauty) lived with her widowed father, but for reasons I have forgotten was sent to live with a mean and hateful man (Beast) in his castle.  All three of these girls persevered and triumphed solely by being beautiful of face and spirit.  The message seemed to be saying that girls could get along in the world if they were sweet, cheerful and kind enough.  There’s nothing wrong with sweet, cheerful and kind, but is that all there is?  I think not.