2011 seems to be the year that everyone called out, "MORE FAIRY TALES!" They came up with the shows Once Upon a Time (which is great by the way) and Grimm and two Snow White movies and Puss in Boots.
What is going on here?
I'll tell you: people just can't get away from fairy tales. They can make them less dark (Disney), make them way darker (Snow White and the Huntsman), give them a twist while retaining some of their classic elements (Mirror Mirror), apply some of their concept and characters to the real world (Grimm), or make a whole new tale with the traditional stories as a backdrop (Once Upon a Time which uses some elements created by Disney).
Or they can go the Pixar route and use universal themes to create a compelling and amazing story (I know it's going to be amazing. We don't even have to discuss the possibility of its not being so.)
They're everywhere!!!
And, as I've mentioned before, some of the themes have been updated which makes perfect sense in this day and age. Snow White and the Huntsman is hard core battle: Snow White is a warrior with armor and everything and Thor battling with her. Mirror Mirror features a princess fighting evil by doing good something along the veins of Robin Hood. However, she remains "classically feminine." In Brave The girl does not like girly things and wants her "freedom," obviously learning about bravery in the process.
I'm noticed that with Brave, some people are saying things along the vein of "The first female Pixar protagonist and she's a PRINCESS? Why?"
To that I answer, "Who not?" There's no reason that she shouldn't be a princess, and obviously her being one is going to be a major part of the story because it's part of what creates the conflict.
Another thing a few people are saying is, "Please don't give her a love interest! She doesn't need one! A woman can stand on her own!"
Oh please. There's absolutely nothing wrong with a woman falling in love in a film whether she is a strong heroine or a side character or a passive heroine. I know this sounds silly but Zenon could've done everything she did whether or not she fell in love with Greg (I know that's a little silly but it's definitely a good example). It's not as if a woman becomes completely handicapped when she falls in love. And just because she's in love doesn't mean that she is no longer independent. She can still be a hero and have a man. A girl falling in love in a story doesn't prove she "needs a man." She just fell in love. It happens all the time! And people who say that a woman's falling in love ruins the story or makes it weaker are denying the fact that people fall in love and that stories reflect this. And we never hear anyone saying, "Why does the hero have to fall in love? For once, can we have a movie where the hero can stand on his own without a woman?" See what I mean? After all, there's a reason there's two sexes. Simply put, unless you feel truly called to be single, we need each other.
So, Brave will still be good without a love interest for Merida, but if there were and it fit well into the story, I wouldn't mind her falling in love at all.
In conclusion: with Snow White and the Hunstman, I'm looking forward to Charlize Theron's evil queen. She looks pretty epic. With Mirror Mirror, I'm looking forward to . . . basically everything. And with Brave I'm looking forward to . . . EVERY FRAME AND EVERY PIXEL but most of all Merida's beautiful HAIR! It's absolutely gorgeous!
I'm noticed that with Brave, some people are saying things along the vein of "The first female Pixar protagonist and she's a PRINCESS? Why?"
To that I answer, "Who not?" There's no reason that she shouldn't be a princess, and obviously her being one is going to be a major part of the story because it's part of what creates the conflict.
Another thing a few people are saying is, "Please don't give her a love interest! She doesn't need one! A woman can stand on her own!"
Oh please. There's absolutely nothing wrong with a woman falling in love in a film whether she is a strong heroine or a side character or a passive heroine. I know this sounds silly but Zenon could've done everything she did whether or not she fell in love with Greg (I know that's a little silly but it's definitely a good example). It's not as if a woman becomes completely handicapped when she falls in love. And just because she's in love doesn't mean that she is no longer independent. She can still be a hero and have a man. A girl falling in love in a story doesn't prove she "needs a man." She just fell in love. It happens all the time! And people who say that a woman's falling in love ruins the story or makes it weaker are denying the fact that people fall in love and that stories reflect this. And we never hear anyone saying, "Why does the hero have to fall in love? For once, can we have a movie where the hero can stand on his own without a woman?" See what I mean? After all, there's a reason there's two sexes. Simply put, unless you feel truly called to be single, we need each other.
So, Brave will still be good without a love interest for Merida, but if there were and it fit well into the story, I wouldn't mind her falling in love at all.
In conclusion: with Snow White and the Hunstman, I'm looking forward to Charlize Theron's evil queen. She looks pretty epic. With Mirror Mirror, I'm looking forward to . . . basically everything. And with Brave I'm looking forward to . . . EVERY FRAME AND EVERY PIXEL but most of all Merida's beautiful HAIR! It's absolutely gorgeous!
