Grin and BEAR it ... BROTHER here is my review

[SharonKurland]

That's so ironic, it's not funny.

Flyer at WDW's Happy Haunts Event (OH, did it suck...don't get me started) touted a Princess event slated a few months away.

God help us.

 

[JeffNOrangeCounty]

LOL!! Good One Bill.

You owe me for pitching you that softball!

HardiHarHar

(musing) ...I wonder if this means Roy E. will have to wear a tutu to "work". Grin.

Jeff

PS: SK - What no Bro Bear tie in? No scary bear parade? No multi windows on MS to tie in the .. what is it now ..
45th full-length-animated-feature! Where's the synergy?
Where's the promotion? Where is the confidence of foloowing in the path of Giants of happy meal tie ins?

PSS: I still liked Brother Bear. "There is no accounting for taste.."

 

[JeffNOrangeCounty]

ahem,
Looks like Disney likes 2D after all....
From LP:

LPWire: Brother Bear Filmmaking Trio Set to Make Next Film for Disney Feature Animation

'Brother Bear' Directing Duo Aaron Blaise and Robert Walker and Producer Chuck Williams Set to Make Their Next Film for Disney Feature Animation

The filmmaking trio responsible for guiding Disney's exciting new animated feature, "Brother Bear" -- directors Aaron Blaise and Robert Walker, and producer Chuck Williams -- have signed an exclusive deal to make their next feature for Walt Disney Feature Animation, it was announced today (10/31/03) by Dick Cook, chairman of The Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, and David Stainton, president of Walt Disney Feature Animation. Under the terms of the arrangement, Williams will produce, and Blaise and Walker will direct an unspecified animated feature for the Studio. All three of the filmmakers have been key contributors to Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida since its first day of operation in 1989. "Brother Bear" marks the directing debut for Blaise and Walker.

Commenting on the announcement, Cook said, "Chuck, Aaron and Bob have done a remarkable job with 'Brother Bear' and have created an exceptional and richly rewarding motion picture experience for moviegoers of all ages. With their combined knowledge and experience in animation, they have brought a unique vision and perspective to the art and storytelling process. 'Brother Bear' has a spirit and excitement that reflects the sensibilities of these three talented filmmakers. We are looking forward to working with them on their next film."

Stainton added, "All of us at Disney are extremely proud of 'Brother Bear' and the incredible team responsible for making it. It is a great artistic achievement with a story that is emotional, funny and entertaining. Aaron, Bob and Chuck have proven to be a great creative team. They have some great ideas for future projects and we're sure that their efforts will be just as rewarding. It is truly a pleasure to work with them."

Chuck Williams made his feature producing debut on "Brother Bear," following a distinguished 14-year career at Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida. He edited the Studio's debut project, "Roller Coaster Rabbit," and did second-unit work on "The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast," "Aladdin," and "The Lion King." Following "The Lion King," he shifted to Feature Animation's Special Projects unit, working as editor and eventually producer on projects including the "Voyage of the Little Mermaid" attraction, the "Lion King" and "Aladdin" video games, the "Hercules" storybook, the Walt Disney World attraction "Legend of the Lion King," as well as original animation for Disney's California Adventure. In 1998, he took on the role of developing feature projects for Disney's Florida Animation Studio, which led to the development of "Brother Bear."

Aaron Blaise joined Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida in 1989 and went on to contribute to a variety of features. He served as supervising animator for the characters of Rajah the tiger on "Aladdin" (1992), Young Nala on "The Lion King" (1994) and for Yao on "Mulan" (1998). Additional credits include character animation assignments on "Beauty and the Beast" (1991) and "Trail Mix-Up" (1993), and assistant animation credits on "The Rescuers Down Under" and "Roller Coaster Rabbit" (both 1990).

Robert Walker has been a key player at Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida since it began in 1989. He started there as a journeyman layout artist on the Roger Rabbit short, "Roller Coaster Rabbit," and subsequently moved up to head of layout for the Florida Studio, overseeing scenes for features including "The Rescuers Down Under," "Beauty and the Beast," "Aladdin" and "The Lion King." He went on to supervise the layout department on Florida's first feature effort, "Mulan" (1998) and helped to guide the layout department for the 2002 hit animated feature, "Lilo & Stitch."

--Posted October 31, 2003
Source: Walt Disney Pictures

 

[Disney Bean Counte]

Jeff...don't forget...

Princess Mononoke. Hell...even Cowboy Bebop.

You know...when I saw Princess Mononoke the first time, it had the same effect on me that Disney animation used to have. It created a sense of wonder that I hadn't experienced in any animated material in ages.

 

[JeffNOrangeCounty]

Saturday rant...

I thought if I mentioned Bebop the Disney Gods would definitely "take the fire away".
--------------------------

I just wish folks (and citics) could see that even if Disney is somewhat formulaic, that it works. BB rips off Lion King, LK rips off Bambi, Bambi rips off the Bible, etc. "There is nothing new under the sun".
Someone wise once said - "Build a Big building, fill with animatronics, catchy tunes, and a omnimover".
A formula that works in the parks. It is why my family keeps going to the parks and movies. The formula.

However...
If you go to the well to often and oversaturate the public they get cynical. Eisners big mistake. Walt knew he couldn't be in every Sears and Montgomery Wards without the public tiring. Do you remember when we were kids how hard it was to get a MM shirt?

Jeff

 

[xfkirsten]

Just got back from seeing Brother Bear myself... and i loved it! It's certainly no Little Mermaid or Lion King, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

A few points I liked:

-The animation. I really noticed it on Kenai in particular, characterization was great. I, for one, will be asking for the "Art of Brother Bear" for Christmas.

-The fact that it had a strong moral. I guess I'm biased, cause the whole theme of the movie was something I've thought about a lot movie. And I think it's something a lot of people really don't stop to think about.

-I got into it emotionally, even with the obnoxious kid yelling across the theater whose mom did nothing to try to quiet her. I even cried once or twice, and noticed that I wasn't alone in that.

A few things I didn't like:

-While the music was good, like Tarzan, some of it seemed just thrown in there. The montages got a bit old.

-A couple of plot points were a bit predictable, but at least for me, it didn't lessen the impact.

-The mountain goats. I just didn't see the point of them.

Overall, though, this one gets a thumbs up from me. And if anyone comes across Kenai "model sheets," pass em my way!

-Kirsten

 

[Michael Zielski]

Fascinating post from LP, Jeff--now I know how Woody felt--I'm officially freaked out! I'm just a little confused at this point, lots of conflicting info on this animation issue. Suffice it to say, the headstone apparently hasn't been selected for the plot yet(thankfully)......

Brother Bear Thought for the Day: "Welcome" will become a new Disney anthem(I can't help it, I'm hooked on the song, I suppose kind of like Kramer and the Kenny Rogers chicken); I can't wait to see how it's presented in the movie(today, I hope).

Mike

 

[JeffNOrangeCounty]

Re:Where is my animated features?

From what I have read, Bill, The crews are not comepletely gone. Even you mentioned that the direct to videos would still be churned out. I do see that many were forced to retire and some were shown the door. Traditional Union busting IMHO to get the wages back down. It seems that TWDCo has dramitcally cut down the staff to meet the budget. (without reducing the salaries for the brass, we might also mention)

Most other animation studios have also reverted from the high flying 90's when animators named there own wage to a more humble "could I have a job working for your cable outlet". The number of jobs and working projects are gone and the high priced talent may be afloat, but we shouldn't count out animation quite yet.
It survived television. It survived the 60's. (70's too)
It survived the takeover of Team Disney. I predict, although the crystal ball is a little fuzzy, It will survive again. I think BB will have decent numbers to prove profitable. If that makes me an ostrich, in your eyes, so be it. Its not the medium, it's the Disney formula, and people vote with thier wallets and feet.
Jeff

 

[Michael Zielski]

I saw Brother Bear Sunday. I'll try to keep this short, as I really only want to make one point.

I suppose my thoughts may be biased regarding the movie, as I'll always have an attachment to it because of the years I spent living in Alaska; but trying to put sentimentality aside.....I was surprised.

I was surprised how strongly the film impacted me emotionally. It ambled along on a fairly predictable path until a pivotal moment was reached--and at that point, it grabbed me and held on. My wife was even surprised, by some rather mature situations that were created.

My one point, that the film definitely proved for me is that the whole CGI vs. traditional animation issue is, with all due respect, really a moot point, when looking at the potential success or failure of a film. The simple truth is that the real strength of a film has got to be in its story and characters, and that is the reason why Brother Bear ultimately succeeds.

Brother Bear's mountains, forests, glaciers, and tundra vistas certainly attracted me--but the depth of the story, and its characters, is what I took home(along with some great music and songs).

Mike

P. S. Kirsten--I spotted "Brother Bear, a Transformation Tale" at Borders, just before we saw the movie--beautiful artwork, concept sketches--I'd definitely ask Sandy Claws about it!

 

[Jessica L]

I saw Brother Bear last Sunday and loved it as well! I thought it was done amazingly. Probably my only complaint was that Tina Turner really can't sing... but I must admit her singing is growing on me. The ending was perfect - just how I wanted it to end. I went into this movie knowing very little about the story. Usually I'll know everything that is going to happen, but this time I wanted a surprise and I sure got a few!

Florida Animation is the most amazing team! They're batting 3 for 3 in my book.

Saw the preview for Home on the Range and winced a little. Looks super silly with weird animation. Is this Burbank's way of going out "gracefully"?

I also saw the preview for Teacher's Pet and I am so excited for this movie! I am a huge fan of the show and have seen all the episodes about 10 times. This movie looks great!

Hope everyone gets a chance to see BB sometime soon.
It gets two thumbs up from me!

Jessica

 

[xfkirsten]

P. S. Kirsten--I spotted "Brother Bear, a Transformation Tale" at Borders, just before we saw the movie--beautiful artwork, concept sketches--I'd definitely ask Sandy Claws about it!

Yay! I shall have to go bug Sandy Claws now. Not sure how much he's willing to spend on me after getting me an early present of a DL AP.

-Kirsten

 

[Dirk]

Hey there, Hi there, Ho there,

add another excited guest who loved Brother Bear!

This one really made me laugh and cry with the characters ... I totally got into the story even so the songs tried hard to pull me back out ... and the ending ... perfect, just as my heart wanted it to be.

I'll give it not only a thumb up but 10 out of 10 points for being a truely emotional, heart warming film with just enough excitement. And yes, the animation is wonderful too. 2D allows the animators to simplify characters while still giving them strong looks and emotions without getting into the "cheap looking" faces CGI creates if too many details are omitted.

I want more of this - as long as it is not a sequel!


Yours
Dirk

 

[Michael Zielski]

the heart and soul of the matter......

I mentioned above that the heart and soul of a film has got to be its story and characters......basic, right? This is where I thought Brother Bear scored big points, even above the beauty of the animation--which brings us back to......speaking of animation, and heart and soul......

Animation 101, Basic Question: Is the heart and soul of the CGI vs. traditional animation issue simply one of economics? Is it just significantly cheaper to produce CGI films(thinking back to the recent bloated budget of "Treasure Planet")? Is this the reason why traditional artistry is getting hosed, plain and simple?

Mike

 

[Gurgitoy2]

I'm not sure how many Aladar shirts there were...they were all on clearance before the film came out, so who could tell?

 

[JeffNOrangeCounty]

Jeff,

Perhaps we're discussing this issue from different backgrounds. I am an animator. I've worked in feature, television and direct to video. ...
Perhaps what I'm talking about is the difference between making a meatloaf and mashed potatoes yourself versus buying the Swanson version. You have more control on the end result if you cook it yourself. Of course, if you're a bad cook, the Swanson version might be better. Julia Child has learned immeasureable things about cooking by virtue of the fact that she's done it for decades. In her most recent show, she is the mentor for many other chefs, adding her expertise to their artistic, culinary endeavors.

By discontinuing the continuity of Disney animation (and having the "nine young men" scatter to the winds....Goldberg gone, Pruiksma gone, Baxter gone, etc.) They are losing the accumulated expertise that was passed down from their mentors, the Nine Old Men.

...

The reason that I am so vocal about this issue is that, though I like Swanson's Salisbury Steak from time to time....every once in a while, I'd like to savor a gourmet meal. And though I love Japanese food, I'd like to have an American one ever so often.

Bill,
You and I are not so far apart after all.
It sounds as if you are "hopeful" (used in a Very broad sense) and yet extremely disapointed with the Company. I apologize if I caused you any grief.

I was perhaps more surprised that the movie was so well done IMHO. That is all. It does give me hope that the "magic" won't be completely eliminated by the bean counters.

The strong points of the current film does not compare with the angst of those on the unemployment line. Better corporate decisions in handling the pixie dust are needed in almost every corner of the WDCo. It sounds like you could use a strong drink and some encouragement. (or some of those cool tunes you referred to earlier)
Hang in there.
Jeff

 

[Michael Zielski]

Thanks Bill.....so, no simple answers.

But, the Disney "suits" may be following the whims of a public whose opinions have been known to change with a shift in the breeze, while a foundation of traditional artists is abandoned......only one passage fits:

He cried in a whisper at some image, at some vision--he cried out twice, a cry that was no more than a breath:
"The horror! The horror!"
--Joseph Conrad

Mike

P. S. By the way, my son has an Aladar t-shirt, which has been discarded with time, in favor of ones that fit better.......

 

[David S.]

I, too thoroughly enjoyed Brother Bear. I thought it had a tremendous amount of heart and was really moved by it. I love animal stories so I enjoyed that aspect of it (especially since there haven't been many lately).

I thought the scenery was gorgeous. There were many likable characters and the movie treated the serious themes with dignity and heart.

This was my favorite feature animation project since Fantasia 2000 and favorite single-story feature animation project since the days of Pocahontas and Hunchback or maybe Tarzan.

Music-wise, as in Tarzan, like Ursus said, there were moments where I wondered if maybe the characters could have been singing instead of an off-screen vocalist, but this did not take away from my enjoyment of the story.

The songs didn't blow me away on first listen as much as, say "When You Wish Upon A Star", "A Spoonful of Sugar", or "Under The Sea", but they didn't annoy me either. The transformation music featuring the Bulgarian choir was interesting.

There are normally few films in a given year that interest/excite/impress me, so in most years this would have clearly been my favorite film of the year.

This year has been SUCH a good year for me movie-wise, but I would still put Brother Bear somewhere in my favorite Top 4 of 2003 which I think is saying something considering this year's crop of movies. (In no particular order, my favorites for the year were Brother Bear, Finding Nemo, Seabiscuit, and of course The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King - 4 true classics, IMO)

Well done, Feature Animation! Anybody who would break up the unit that made this film is crazy! Hear that, Eisner?

David