Brave is a beautiful story from a beautiful company. Pixar has quite the track record in animated films and I’m happy to see Brave continue the tradition. Family values are the center piece of this one which is always a solid foundation to build on. Mix in some fairytale mythos and you’ve got a movie that will be remembered fondly for generations.

Princess Merida is a very strong willed and determined young woman. When thrust into the tradition of betrothal, Merida rebels and mistakenly unleashes a curse that threatens to ruin everything she knows and cares for. It’s a simple tale with a neat little twist filled with endearing characters that you can’t help but root for.

As with every release, Pixar updates their visual game with some of the best animation in the world. The landscapes are just stunning, the character designs are unique and charming and all the special effects make for a truly believable world. I was surprised at how much slap stick humor was in this one, but I didn’t think it distracted from anything. The voice cast goes a long way too, some great performances throughout (Kelly Macdonald in particular, I’m a big fan of hers).

The Pixar name sets a certain bar of expectation and I think Brave fits into the family very well. With the two Cars movies giving me the only sense of “ho-hum” from this studio I am happy to see this return to form. It’s a really well made story for kids and adults, with a real vibe of love and care pushing it forward. There’s a fun lead in, a dramatic turn and then a courageous mad dash at the end. Now while it’s not my favorite Pixar movie, Brave is better than most movies released today.