Disney-Pixar’s BRAVE – Review and Giveaway

This giveaway is now closed and a winner will be chosen and notified shortly. Thank you to everyone who entered.

Disney-Pixar’s newest animated film, BRAVE, packs a dramatic and thrilling punch. I really enjoyed it the first time I saw it, but after reading the concerns of others about the film’s content, I wondered if maybe I had missed something. So when Disney contacted me and asked if I would like to receive the soon-to-be-released 5-Disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition, I jumped at the chance.

Since receving the movie last weekend, I have watched it twice with my youngest child. (Remember when you were a kid and could watch movies over and over…and over again?) I have to say, I don’t share the concerns voiced, though I do respect them.

BRAVE is ambitious in a lot of ways. We’re faced with a bold and brash Princess who doesn’t want to get married. This, of course, isn’t the first time Disney has explored that storyline (Aladdin’s Jasmine didn’t want to be forced into marriage, either. I know my Disney movies…) But for the first time, a Disney Princess movie doesn’t involve any sort of love story whatsoever.

Honestly, I found that refreshing.

Merida is not pining for a fella. She wants to grow up more. She isn’t opposed to marriage – she’s just not ready for it. I think this is a good message for little girls…if they even pick up on that theme at all. Chances are, most young ones won’t get the underlying messages of this movie, and that’s okay. Because it’s a fun movie to watch.

(Never before has an animated film left me with such a desire to travel. The scenery is so gorgeous that I’ve got half a mind to pack my bags and move to Scotland.)

BRAVE is a little scary in places. The evil bear, Mor’du, makes several gnarly, growly appearances and the much of the movie takes place at night, which adds an air of tension. This has not affected my children in the slightest, but if you have kiddos sensitive to those sorts of things, you should be aware. It is not, in my opinion, any scarier than other Disney movies (a gigantic octopus witch getting stabbed in the stomach with the mast of a ship anyone? It’s a wonder any of us ever slept again after that one…)

I also enjoyed the complexity that BRAVE explores in the relationship between mother and daughter. Merida and her mom, Elinor, fight almost non-stop the first half of the movie. A few years ago, when my own daughter was younger, this may have bothered me. But considering I wanted to bash my head against the wall this morning due to a battle over shoes (SHOES! JUST PUT THEM ON PUT THEM ON PUT THEM ON!), I get it a little more. This mother daughter thing is give and take and I loved the resolve at the end of the movie on the part of both characters.

BRAVE is a little…um…braver than other Disney films. In one scene, a bunch of the men walk by having shimmied down the palace walls using their kilts as ropes, and we are greeted to our first ever Disney butts. I found this hilarious – you may not. But at least you know. I also enjoyed the relationship between Elinor and Fergus, Merida’s wily, burly father. Yes, the Queen comes off looking more polished than her husband, but he is also a very strong character who fights bears and protects his family without fear. And I love the sweet bond that is shown between father and daughter.

In all, I found BRAVE to be delightful and fun and I’m thrilled with the bonus features on this five disc combo pack (which includes 1 Blu-ray 3D disc, 2 Blu-ray Discs, 1 DVD and 1 Digital Copy). The bonus features further solidify my longing to visit Scotland.

Today, thanks to Disney, I have the privilege of offering one lucky winner their own 5-Disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition of BRAVE. Simply leave a comment to enter. You can leave a comment about anything at all. But if you have been to Scotland before, would you please tell me in the comments section – is it as beautiful as it seems in animation?!

There are four ways to earn additional entries:

 

– Share this giveaway on Facebook, then come back and let me know you shared it.

– Share this giveaway on Twitter then, you guess it, come back and let me know about it.

– Post this giveaway to Pinterest, then come back and leave yet another comment.

– Post about this giveaway on your blog for a final entry.

This giveaway will be open until Tuesday, November 13. I will draw a winner at 12:00 PM EST. I am working with Disney-Pixar in promotion of the release of BRAVE on DVD. I was provided a copy of the 5-Disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition for review. I was not paid for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Comments

  1. Candy martin says

    Yes, my dear, Scotland is beautiful. I would love to go back. Don’t you need to do some research in Scotland for a future book ? Not sure your dad and Lee would fall for us going on another trip!

    • Hmmm…interesting. Surely there is something I could write about that require a month long trip. You know… for “research.”

  2. Danielle T says

    never been to Scotland but i love traveling and hope to go one day!

  3. Lauren saw Brave with Steve and loved it. It’s on her birthday list for this week!

  4. I haven’t seen it yet! So add me to the list of those who want to win it!

  5. Kel, I’ve not been to Scotland either but have always wanted to go. My “people,” after all, hail from Scotland and Ireland (at least on one side of the fam). Perhaps we should organize a girls’ trip? … 🙂

  6. I’ve never been…but I was absolutely fascinated by the animation in Brave, and hope to make it there someday! I can’t wait to watch Brave again!

  7. Brave fans here! I was also pleasantly surprised there was no love story other than that of a strangely realistic family.

  8. Danielle Johnson says

    I also like the lack of love interest. As a mother and daughter I was moved by the mother/daughter dynamic. My favorite Disney of late remains Tangled though – it also looks a bit at the complicated mother/daughter dynamic and at least she and Flynn take a day and some actual interaction to fall in love 🙂

  9. Scotland is on my bucket list. Maybe we’ll rig up the RV with pontoons….

  10. I pinned!

  11. And I shared on FB! And when I clicked to post this I got the stern WordPress warning: “You are posting comments too quickly. Slow down.” BAHAHAHAAHAAAA

  12. Fun! 🙂 I actually haven’t seen this one, but my kids have. Also, how fun is her hair?

  13. Also, shared on FB. 🙂

  14. Jenny Temple says

    LOVE your blog – never been to Scotland and haven’t seen Brave yet…would love to do both!

  15. Jenny Temple says

    Shared on Twitter too!

  16. I’ve never been to Scotland. Another of those things I probably should’ve done when we lived in Europe. Sigh.

  17. I shared on twitter.

  18. I pinned.

  19. I liked.

    Can you tell we haven’t seen this movie yet and would rully like a free copy? 🙂

  20. sonja lange says

    We LOVED this movie!

  21. Terrell Hoffman says

    Haven’t seen it yet…but looking foward to it! Thanks Kelli for the review!!

  22. My sentiments exactly Kelli! It was really refreshing to have a Disney princess end the movie without falling in love. My husband and I went to this one alone though. I thought it might be a bit scary for my 2 and 4-year-old, and there was a little girl crying in the bathroom afterward about a scary bear. Other than that, loved it!

  23. I’ve made it to Ireland, and if Scotland is anything like that, it is truly as beautiful as the movie makes it look! My maiden name is Scottish, so I was thrilled to see a movie about a Scottish princess. My girls loved it!

  24. Matt Stringham says

    never been to scotland, but it sure does look beautiful!! Wish I could go there one day!

  25. Matt Stringham says

    I shared it on facebook!

  26. Matt Stringham says

    I shared it on twitter!

  27. Matt Stringham says

    And lastly, I pinned it on pinterest

  28. Rachael H. says

    Thanks for the giveaway! I have never been to Scotland but I would love to go!

  29. Rachael H. says
  30. Rachael H. says
  31. Stephanie G says

    Would love to win this for my little girl. If you get to Scotland….please take me!

  32. Jennifer Young says

    I wish I’ve been to Scotland! I’d really love to win this for my 2 daughters though!

  33. Jennifer Young says
  34. Jennifer Young says
  35. My boys are grown, so I am not entering the give away, unless I misunderstood and you are actually giving away a trip to Scotland. In which case I will open a Pintrest account….and tweet….and like….and bake you a decadent nutella dessert! 🙂

    • HAhaha! If only Scotland would call and let me come review their…country and stuff. I would totally take you along. 🙂

  36. I have never been to Scotland, but my grandmother did and said it is so beautiful

  37. Cheryl W. says

    We were unable to see this in theaters, but are so excited that it has finally come to Blu-Ray. Thank you for the opportunity to enter.

    I have never been to Scotland, but it is definitely on my top 5 list of place I would love to visit.

  38. I saw Brave with my 50-year-old mom and my 21-year-old sister, while my husband was taking care of our 1-year-old at home. The whole mother-daughter storyline caught us all off guard. We were completely blubbering by the end, and I raced home to hug my baby. Disney strikes again!

  39. I loved Brave! There were a few scary moments (at one point during a scene with Mor’du Aiden leaned over and said, “I’m ready for this part to be over now”), but we all enjoyed it. Even though I’m a mom to boys, the development of the mother-daughter relationship had me in tears by the end… darn you, Pixar! I can’t even watch Wall-E without crying.
    Also, I have never been to Scotland, but some of my ancestors hail from Isle of Skye, and it is at the top of my list of places to go someday.
    Thanks for the giveaway!

  40. I really want to see this movie! Thanks for the giveaway

  41. Love this movie!!

  42. We loved BRAVE! I wasn’t a fan of the Disney butts though.

  43. What a great prize – saves me from buying it! Brave was a wonderful film, just the right amount of adventure for my 6 & 8 yr old girls! They still chat, play and draw pictures about the movie:)

  44. I shared on twitter!

  45. Thanks for the chance! We didn’t get to see this in the theater, and I know my girls would love it.

  46. never been to Scotland but does look nice in other movies and pictures, thanks for the giveaway my niece wants this for christmas!

  47. i would love this, i love this movie

  48. Great giveaway! I loved Brave (as did my 8 year old daughter!)