Brave (2012)

The Incredibles is my all-time favorite Pixar movie. After seeing Brave and thinking about the ballyhoo regarding the roles female characters typically play in Disney films, I wondered why Helen and Violet Parr have not come up in the conversation. Merida, the skinned-kneed princess at the center of Pixar's latest feature, may be a step forward for strong female characters, but that's after two steps back that somehow happened between the release of The Incredibles and this movie.

Many critics' pre-release concerns about Brave focused on if this was a story about a princess and a suitor and whether or not the film would forego those conventions. Although Merida's behavior suggests a fierce sense of independence, I found she lacked agency, which is the foundation of the conventions this film may (or may not) have attempted to defy. In the opening moments of the film, younger Merida stumbles upon a Will o' the Wisp in a nearby forest. When she shares the news of her discovery, she is told the wisps usually lead followers to their fate. The wisps become MacGuffins ex machina throughout the film, leading Merida from one story bullet point to the next. The only real choice Merida makes in the movie is at the witch's house (where wisps led her) in asking for a spell to change her fate. In other words, Merida wants her agency handled by a different agent.

As I drove home from the theater, I kept thinking about Helen Parr/Elastigirl and the choices she made in The Incredibles. Helen chose to honor the rules about going undercover, leading to a reasonably nice family life. She then chose to don her super suit to rescue her husband – there was no prophecy or fate at play. Violet's journey through the movie involved her exploring her own agency. Although she felt invisible (both figuratively and literally) at the beginning of the story, she learned how to utilize her power to everyone's benefit. Merida does come around to seeing things from her mom's point of view at the end of Brave, but the outcome is still what was expected of her: to become a "proper" princess and eventually marry someone from a neighboring clan.

My other issue with this movie was the sheer cartoonishness of it. Yes, it is an animated film, but the tone seemed off from previous Pixar films. SO MUCH OF THE DIALOGUE WAS SHOUTED AND UNNECESSARILY LOUD. This, combined with the antics of Merida's triplet brothers and the constant brawling of the visiting clans made this feel more like a Warner Brothers cartoon. The only character who wasn't cartoony: Merida. It felt as though the animators were not having fun with her, despite her fabulous red hair and adventurous spirit. So much energy seemed to be spent on the brothers and the constantly-screaming maid, as well as post-spell Elinor.

As a movie in general, I thought Brave was okay and a positive move towards stronger female characters for young women to recognize. However, as a Pixar film, I thought this was one of the production house's weaker entries.

Captain America (2011)

I was never a comic book reader growing up, though I do enjoy superhero movies. If asked to name DC or Marvel characters, I would probably score a 60 on that test. However, I tend to favor the Marvel characters/films (Batman being the major exception).

That being said, I knew absolutely nothing about the character Captain America before entering the theater. A little jingoism goes a long way with me, so a guy wearing skin-tight stars and stripes isn't necessarily going to draw me in. I think that instinct is what may have hampered my ability to enjoy this film. Also the fact that Captain America is a really boring character.

That isn't a critique of Chris Evans. I think he did a fine job with what he had to work with. The problem with the character is that, as far as I can tell, CA has no fatal flaw. Superman has kryptonite, Batman has his residual guilt and loner sensibilities, Spider-Man is in a constant state of puberty. In Act I we learn that Scott (pre-CA) is a glutton for punishment who won't give into bullies. After his transformation, Scott now has superspeed, greater strength, a souped-up metabolism and 99% hit accuracy. The metabolism prevents drunkenness, which is a non-issue after Scott's best friend dies, but I don't see any super villains using that information against the hero.

Given all these stats, it's difficult to feel any suspense in any of the missions the Captain faces in the movie. The prison rescue, which reminded me of the NES Metal Gear game, had some tension, but that was before the audience learns that the hero is practically invincible. When it gets to the final battle, you know he is going to survive and save the day, not just because that's how movies work but because you see the resulting wreckage at the beginning of the film.

I thought the main supporting cast did an okay job. Tommy Lee Jones played his part as the crusty commander perfectly. Hugo Weaving was an interesting casting choice, in that it made this movie seem like a prequel to The Matrix. The only casting choice that drove me nuts was for the ragtag team that worked with CA after the prison rescue. Hey, it's a coalition of token minority representation! Anachronisms be damned! Though what bothered me was how their contribution to Act II was completely tacked on. This, the musical number shortly after CA's transformation, and the receptionist going tongue-to-tongue with Scott were moments that completely removed me from the movie experience that made the movie...less than what it could have been.

The epilogue was intriguing. I enjoyed The Truman Show feel to what was going on. Perhaps when The Avengers comes out next summer, Captain America's fatal flaw will be Rip Van Winkle syndrome. Though how important is it for Scott to be able to microwave a burrito or use an iPod?

Overall, Captain America was a good popcorn movie, but it's not a fantastic superhero film. The action sequences were strong, but the lack of suspense caused by the main character's poor construction (a fault caused by the source material and not the script) hold this movie back.