i experienced something new yesterday.
there was nothing particularly interesting on tv last night, i fancied a quiet night in watching tv so i mooched to shop to treat myself to a dvd.
the selection was crappy but disneys brother bear was on the shelf so i picked it up
i got about 2 feet away from the shelf when i stopped and looked glumly at my potential purchase.
for the first time in my life, i couldnt face the prospect of watching an animation. i didnt purchase it in the end. i chose to buy nothing and paint instead.
i think i can trace this event back to a conversation i had about six months ago with a collegue about how disney plots were at the bottom of the cliche formula barrel.
in fact it was all ruined for me when pocahontas came out.
so
is this film worth purchasing?
I haven't seen "Brother Bear" yet, so can't comment on it, but after seeing the film about the buckskin horse (Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron), with money being so tight I'd have to agree with your friend and not buy into something just because it's new.
I'd seen the trailers of "Spirit" and was impressed with some of the shots, but after viewing the movie I was disappointed. The story was pretty cliche and some of the shots were so shoddily composited it was laughable.
Wait for it to come to TV and view it free, then decide whether or not to buy it.
Pat Hacker, Visit Scooter's World.
I know exactly how you feel Victor. I remember drooling to see the latest Disney or Warner Bros. Film release. I think it my bubble was burst when I waited anxiously for almost a year to see Tarzan, and finally walked out of the theatre unsatisfied to say the least. It just didn't blow me away like I was so accustomed to. It was a great accomplishment, like all Disney films, but it either lacked originality, or lacked passion.
Now "Brother Bear" is the first Classically Animated Disney release, that I never bothered seeing in the theatres, or buy. I might buy it for artistic reference, but I've already been warned that it falls into the same generic pattern that Disney's suffered lately. I actually find it kind of sad to be honest with you.
But I digress...there is a little something that I noticed at AWN about a short film that Disney's been on the works of, that apparently has a noticeable "Looney Tunes" influence...I've forgotten the name, and it isn't posted on AWN's main page anymore...but it's about a blue cat...and the single screenshot looks VERY appealing. It has a spice and rawness about it that Disney's been lacking for some time now. It's hopefully a new approach, a new look, a new something.
So check it out if you can, and I'm sorry for your sadness...I know it's saddening Victor...Disney's been one of our loves growing up.
Adam
I saw Brother Bear in the thearters. It was all right. Nothing too stunning. Nothing too horible. I actally liked the humans the best, but of course were only on screen for like 5 minutes. They tried a few things to show the difference between the human world and the animal world. If you know someone who owns it already, borrow theirs. I'm not planning on buying it, but I did buy the art of book.
The blue cat short is called "Lorenzo," and is playing befor the movie Raising Hellen which opens this weekend. From what I remember, they tested some new technology on the short, to make it look like moving brush strokes. It looks fun.
...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."
I feel exactly the way you do with many new animation. Even ones I like. I would have them in my library as reference, I would tell myself. Nowadays who am I kidding? When will I ever do full animation again?
I am however watching more anime, classic Tv series along with golden age animation.
IMO as for brother bear, it is not worth purchasing. It is full of anachronistic writing and dumb jokes that are told, not so much expressed nor derived from situation and Phil Collins' tunes played over one too many montages. And "outtakes" that just don't fit and shatter that suspension of disbelief to what could have been a mystical prehistoric action-adventure. It's that multiple personality screwball humour/serious action-adventure that Disney has done in recent years brought to a fevered pitch.
But... agian in imo It is the best animation of the most convincing bears anatomically and designwise that has ever been done.
I enjoyed Spirit. It wasn't a masterpiece, but it was the best 2D Dreamworks toon. I don't know if it's worth renting. Maybe wait for it to come on TV (like I did).
If you haven't seen Emperor's New Groove, rent that. To my mind it's Disney's most thoroughly entertaining 2D feature. (Dumbo's a close 2nd. Hope I'm not forgetting any.)
And of course there's the Triplets of Belleville and all the lovely Miyazaki movies you may not have seen. Try to get the subtitled versions.
There are a bunch of animated features that I either haven't seen or haven't seen in a long time that I'd like to get my hands on.