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Brave, a review by Danae Cassandra

Brave
Year of Release:  2012
Directed By: Brenda Chapman, Mark Andrews
Starring:  Kelly Macdonald, Emma Thompson, Billy Connolly, Julie Walters
Genre:  Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy

Overview:
Pixar Animation Studios, the creator of Toy Story 3, whisks you away on an astonishing adventure to an ancient land full of mystery and tradition.  Bursting with heart, unforgettable characters and Pixar's signature humor, Brave is "a rousing, gorgeously animated good time," raves Peter Travers of Rolling Stone.

Take a heroic journey with Merida, a skilled archer and headstrong daughter of King Fergus and Queen Elinor.  Determined to carve her own path in life, Merida defies an age-old custom sacred to the unruly and uproarious lords of the land.  When Merida's actions inadvertently unleash chaos in the kingdom, she must harness all of her skills and resources - including her clever and mischievous triplet brothers - to undo a beastly curse before it's too late, and discover the meaning of true bravery.

My Thoughts:
This is another winner from Pixar.  I've loved every one of their films that I've seen and Brave is no different.  Their animation gets better with every film - the technique, the detail, the movement, everything simply improves in their animation tech each time.  This is also a great fairy tale.  Yes, it's a pretty simple story.  That's what a fairy tale is.  For those critics who accused this film of not being as original as Pixar's other films, I challenge them to find a female-centered children's film that A) isn't about romance and B) has a strong mother figure.  Tough call, ain't it?  Merida is a wonderful, strong character with plenty of flaws to make her believable.  Her mother, Elinor, is the same - a strong, good role model in many ways, but with believable flaws.  Great messages, marvelous animation, lots of fun.  Recommended for anyone.

Also on the disc, a wonderful, sweet little short called La Luna that was really great, and a bonus Brave-related short, The Legend of Mordu.  I'd recommend watching La Luna before the film as it was shown in theatres, and Legend after, since it is a spoiler.  There's lots of extras on the blu, but I didn't feel like pulling my player out so we just watched the DVD.

Bechdel Test:  Pass

Overall:  4/5

(From Brave on November 24th, 2012)

Just Like Heaven, a review by Danae Cassandra

Film #5 of Scavenger Hunt #22
Task #24: Watch any film with the word "JUST" in the title (for the UK magazine Just Seventeen)



Just Like Heaven
Year of Release: 2005
Directed By: Mark Waters
Starring: Reese Witherspooon, Mark Ruffalo, Donal Logue, Dina Waters, Ben Shenkman
Genre: Romance, Comedy

Overview:
Reese Witherspoon stars in the spirited romantic comedy Just Like Heaven. When David (Mark Ruffalo) rents his new apartment, the last thing he wants is company. Then Elizabeth (Reese Witherspoon) shows up, insisting the apartment is hers...until she disappears right before his eyes. He's convinced she's a spirit. She's convinced she's still alive. As they search for the truth of Elizabeth's past, their relationship changes from resentment to romance. Also starring Jon Heder, Just Like Heaven is a delightful film that critics declare is "one of the best romantic comedies to come along in years" (JP Sarni, Sirius Satellite Radio).

My Thoughts:
This is an utterly predictable rom-com. It's also a cute, sweet little story about two lonely people finding each other in the sort of unconventional way that only happens in a fantasy. It's escapist fluff, but that's what you're generally looking for in this sort of film.

What I really like about this one, though, is that the two people are actually decent human beings. They're not being intentionally mean to each other and they're not screwing over anyone else to be together. There's way too much of that in the genre, and though it's played for comedy, I've never found that sort of thing funny.

Bechdel Test: Fail
Mako Mori Test: Fail

Overall: 3.5/5

(From Scavenger Hunt #22 on January 7th, 2017)

The IT Crowd: Version 3.0 - (mini) marathon, a review by DJ Doena

Synopsis: Jen has a builder in her home and Roy is quite sure (99% ... 60/40) that he's seen him on "Builders from Hell". Now Jen can't let him out of her eyesight. Meanwhile Moss is bullied by some guys in the park and Douglas shoots himself in the leg with his father's service revolver.

My Opinion: A great start to the new season. Love to see Jen getting more and more paranoid and Roy re-evaluating his surety. And I loved Moss' role-playing and trying to find a snappy comeback. I never cared much for Douglas though. I liked his father better.

Synopsis: Moss has found a website that allows him to use the right sentences about last night's football game. Roy tries it, too and gets them both to hang out with a bunch of real men. But these new friends are not what they appear to be. Meanwhile Jen is dating a guy that looks like a stage magician.

My Opinion: I am a German and I never cared much for football either. This week a player returned from FC Barcelona to the VfB Stuttgart and a friend of mine couldn't be happier about it - I couldn't care less, the only thing I found interesting was that the player's name is "Hleb" which is a transcription of the russian хлеб* and means "bread". Back to topic. I enjoyed to watch Roy panicking in the car after the robbery and also in their hideout. And I found it hilarious that Moss took the money just to count it.

* Remember when Christopher Plummer said "to be or not to be" in klingon? The "Х" letter sounds pretty much like the "H" in taH pagh taHbe'.

Synopsis: Jen is applying for a new job in a different company but fails to explain what "IT" stands for. Meanwhile Roy crashes a minute of silence for a dead colleague and lands himself on the streets not even having a shirt anymore. And Moss is in his "happy place" while Douglas gets tasered every time he gets aroused.

My Opinion: What I liked about this episode was Roy's "walkabout" in the streets and Jen's attempts at not having to say what "IT" actually stands for . But I didn't really like the entire harassment storyline and Moss' part in it.

Synopsis: Jen was awarded with the "Employee of the Month". But now she has to give a speech to the shareholders. And the speech is about her area of expertise - meaning IT. Roy and Moss are so generous and lend her "the internet", a black box (wireless of course, everything is wireless nowadays) that what demagnetized by Stephen Hawking himself.

My Opinion: One of my favourite episodes of the show. I simply love the entire scene when they let Jen borrow "the internet" (Youtube). And I love it when their prank totally backfires on the shareholder assembly.

Synopsis: Jen has joined Friendface, a social networking site where you find all the people you never wanted to see again. Roy and Moss join also and soon Roy has to face a woman he dumped because she looks like Batman's Joker. And Jen is invited to a class reunion where she can't show up without her husband - Moss.

My Opinion: An obvious pun on Facebook which I really liked, especially the part about persons you'd rather not see again. Especially the "Joker" and Roy's attempts at "winning over" Jen made me laugh so hard.

Synopsis: In order to organize a charity fundraiser the girls of the seventh floor want to make a nude calendar and Roy gets to photograph them. But Jen sabotages it and convinces the girls that it would be a far better idea to photograph their grannies - until she becomes responsible for the success of that calendar.

My Opinion: The Geek Calendar shooting was so funny, how Roy had to convince Moss and the others to get into certain poses was so hilarious.

The Season - My Opinion: Too bad that UK seasons are always this short, I am quite certain that the writers would have no problem to come up with more ideas. But it is as it is.

(From The IT Crowd: Version 3.0 - (mini) marathon on July 31st, 2009)