Comments for Peggy Orenstein

Comment on At Least She’s Not Dead: “Brave” Mother’s Day Trailer by peggy

peggy — Thu, 17 May 2012 09:08:34 +0000

I hope it really is a family movie. The last few Pixar movies really have not been–not in the sense of being for little kids. They were too intense/scary. That scene in Toy Story 3 in the incinerator nearly pushed my daughter round the bend. She was SOBBING. Also tears during Up (which she never wanted to see again). And we had to leave Ratatouille when the scary bad guy trapped the rat (she was littler still then).

Since it’s getting a PG rating my guess is that it might be too intense for kids under maybe 8, but we’ll see.

Anyway, I am planning to see it. Likely the day it opens. And with my daughter (and husband) in tow…..

Comment on At Least She’s Not Dead: “Brave” Mother’s Day Trailer by m@w

m@w — Thu, 17 May 2012 08:57:09 +0000

Since I knew about it, I was really waiting for this movie to come out. I was planning it to be a family movie and I didn’t mind if it was a princess movie, my four years old son doesn’t despise princesses. Yet.
I hoped she was an unconventional princess and that she could appeal to girls into the princess phase that there’s more in being a princess than fancy dresses and charming princes as there is more than that in being a girl. It will be out later in Italy, probably in September, and the title has been changed in “Ribelle” (rebel, works for both a girl and a boy), rather than the more literal translation “coraggiosa” (works for girls only, for a boy it would be “coraggioso”). “Brave” reminds us more of “bravo/a”, meaning clever. I don’t know if this are the reasons behind it, but I would have preferred the title to remain unchanged.

Comment on Pixar: Are you “Brave” Enough to Just LET YOUR FILM BE ABOUT A GIRL? by Some of my recent click recommendations « blue milk

Some of my recent click recommendations « blue milk — Thu, 17 May 2012 01:10:51 +0000

[...] Pixar, are you brave enough to let Brave be about a girl? at Peggy Orenstein’s blog. Pixar is all but putting up signs saying, ”EVEN THOUGH BRAVE IS ABOUT A GIRL BOYS AND MEN WILL LIKE IT! WE’VE GOT DICK AND BUTT AND FART AND VAGUELY HOMOPHOBIC JOKES! SEE?NO COOTIES HERE, GUYS, NO SIRREE! YOU CAN SEE THIS AND STILL BE A MAN!” [...]

Comment on At Least She’s Not Dead: “Brave” Mother’s Day Trailer by Anne-Marie

Anne-Marie — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:29:57 +0000

Doesn’t every girl see her mother as a force to rebel against? I’d rather *that* be the impetus for Merida’s rebellion than to see another orphaned princess. From all the various previews, and I think I’ve seen about four now, I have gotten the impression that even as a sort of enforcer of tradition, she is still loving. I don’t have to like the mother, though, to appreciate that a mother/daughter relationship appears in a princess film at all.

Comment on Pixar: Are you “Brave” Enough to Just LET YOUR FILM BE ABOUT A GIRL? by MistressofBoogie

MistressofBoogie — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:11:12 +0000

Oh, I can’t help it – I’m still HUGELY excited about this film! Utter pants trailer, but the Japanese one makes it look amazing, so I’m going with that one. The UK trailer isn’t bad, either.
Can’t seem to find out what the certificate will be in the UK, but I’m definitely taking my 6 year old whatever it is…

Comment on Pixar: Are you “Brave” Enough to Just LET YOUR FILM BE ABOUT A GIRL? by Sarah Mozelle

Sarah Mozelle — Wed, 16 May 2012 02:51:57 +0000

it’s fascinating how a movie can be “spun” based on the trailers.
i can’t add anything to the gender conversation that’s not been said, but i will say that i am actually glad there is a PG rating because i think the action sequences are way too long and stressful for little kids in pixar G movies (nemo, toy story & monsters, inc). but i digress…
as a curly-topped redhead, i feel like the stereotype of redhead = feisty is being reinforced.blech
as for her name, why couldn’t they just name her colleen or something? merida is strangely similar to meridia the weight loss pill and mirena the birth control pill.

Comment on At Least She’s Not Dead: “Brave” Mother’s Day Trailer by Rebecca

Rebecca — Tue, 15 May 2012 17:54:36 +0000

All the trailers I’ve seen so far, including this one, make it seem that Merida’s mother enforces oppressive patriarchal norms on her daughter, but don’t show much evidence of the broader context that would compel her to do so. As far as I can tell, it’s not a very sympathetic portrayal–but there’s not that much to go on in the trailers.

I guess I’m reserving judgment until I see the film.

Comment on Pixar: Are you “Brave” Enough to Just LET YOUR FILM BE ABOUT A GIRL? by Amy

Amy — Tue, 15 May 2012 02:46:04 +0000

Not Pixar, or a kids’ film, but I HAVE seen movies do something similar in reverse… think of the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the stupid love story aspect of it that was nowhere in the book. Wonder how often action movies throw in romance for that reason.

Comment on Pixar: Are you “Brave” Enough to Just LET YOUR FILM BE ABOUT A GIRL? by Anne-Marie

Anne-Marie — Mon, 14 May 2012 22:57:29 +0000

PS I am not happy that my niece won’t be able to see this for a few years. That is seriously disappointing. I’d like her to leave the princess phase playing with a bow and arrow. (She’s FIVE already!)

Comment on Pixar: Are you “Brave” Enough to Just LET YOUR FILM BE ABOUT A GIRL? by Anne-Marie

Anne-Marie — Mon, 14 May 2012 22:54:22 +0000

I am very glad she has a mother. I’m also glad that her horse is a real horse. No skinny and pretty little pony for the girl.

I think it IS important to hold Pixar to a high standard. In interviews, their filmmakers talk about all the work that goes in to each picture. They take pride in detail and in their stories. If they’re going to take the time and effort make UP as good as it was (and I love that movie) and even to make the Toy Story sequels much more tolerable than your average animated sequel, then they don’t deserve any slack here. I’m not a fan of the “let’s just be glad there’s a ‘movie for girls’ in the first place” attitude.