Merida glows (a faint red) as the vivacious heroine in Pixar's Brave.
It's hard to say just by watching the previews what to expect when you see Brave. You know she likes archery, horseback riding, and has a glorious mane of bright red hair. The hair, I'm jealous of, but I'm not jealous of the expectations placed on Princess Merida. Three neighboring clans show up with goof-head sons in tow to compete for Merida's hand in marriage. Ugh. Poor sixteen year old girl, unable to choose her own fate. And fate is something Merida talks a lot about, as if it were a tangible force. To change her fate and escape the possibility of an arranged marriage, Merida runs into the forest looking for a magical solution to her problem.
This is a beautiful movie, in more ways than one. The visuals were stunning, I recommend seeing it in 3D so her crazy detailed hair actually seems like its going to whip around and smack you in the face. And the story itself is very passionate and touching. I was surprised to find that this movie is about a girl and her mother, and their struggle to understand each other. It has been a long time, if indeed ever, since I've seen a movie so profoundly feminist, without shoving it down your throat. Steel Magnolias shoves it down your throat, because they deal with dumb and mean men who can't keep up with them. But the men in Brave aren't wife beaters. They have their own skill sets, and help the women out, even if the clan leaders are dopey at times.
That's why I thought this movie was so brilliant. It shows that a woman can be the main character, not fall in love with a prince, still love her daddy, and kick butt the whole time. Merida, as well as her mother, shows a very healthy range of weakness and strength. Which is what makes them "Brave", because you wouldn't have to be brave if you had no weaknesses to overcome.
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