AND SOMETIMES IT'S ABOUT RE-VISITING OLD FRIENDS: "TANGLED"

But of course Christmas is also about traditions. It’s about coming back to your roots (family meetings being a key personification of this fact) and all things being equal it’s about spending some family time, having way too much good food and having a bit of a rest at the end of the year before you embark on doing the whole thing all over again. It’s good to have familiar things around one at times like this. That’s why “Christmas films” is an entire genre; the themes are familiar but we watch them time and again and we all have our favourites we will never, ever tire of. That’s why we love Disney movies at Christmas time. And that’s why, much to my joy, there was a whole slew of re-runs on television of the year’s films. I had missed quite a few. Tangled was one of them. We all love our fairy tales right? That’s what Disney basically does – tell us fairy stories. What it has been very clever about doing though, is taking the classic fairy stories we all know and love and putting a spin on them. The stories keep up with the times, they fit in with the lives of the younger generations – lives a million miles apart from ours at their age. And yet, somehow, we all crowd round these films and enjoy them. Yes I am a massive fan of Disney. And Pixar.

Tangled is the story of a beautiful princess. When this princess was born, she had one magical quality : her hair. Her hair not only grew whenever she sang, it had the ability to heal and rejuvenate the people around her. The only pre-requisite is that the hair stays on the princess’ head as the moment it is cut, it loses its’ magic. Now of course this is an incredible resource for anyone – but a particularly wicked witch decides that she wants the hair all for herself. So the takes it. Princess and all. Having taken it/her as a baby she also has the time to make up a cover story. As far as Rapunzel is concerned the witch is her mother, the outside world is a very dangerous place – she has never left her isolated tower in her life – and her existence will be entirely lived out in that tower. Except, you know what they say about the best-laid plans of mice and men; so will go the witch’s plans. For all her conditioning and upbringing, Rapunzel still dreams of the outside world. This year she is turning 18 and despite all her mothers’ tactics she dreams of the outside world. And she is getting a little too big to be contained in the tower… However, for all her strength of character Rapunzel has never, ever lived in the outside world so she will need a guide. And she will get a guide in the shape of a passing rogue, Flynn Rider… But is the outside world all Rapunzel dreams of and more? Or is her “mother” actually right? Is she really simply too ill-equipped for the outside world?

I love what the film has done with the classic story of Rapunzel on so many levels. I mean, fairy stories have such a lot to work with though, don’t they? First of all, fairy stories only provide the bare essentials about their characters. No backstories, no actual character development, they are just dropped in fully formed and our imaginations have to do the rest of the work. This story gives Rapunzel a personality. And it is by no means perfect. I mean yes, she is a Disney princess so she has the “makings” of perfection (as it were), but to start with, she is far, far from it. On the outside world Rapunzel really struggles to cope. And like a lot of us who leave the safety of our family home to face the great “outdoors”, she has to grow up very quickly. This point is precisely why Tangled is so easy to empathize with. It is, essentially, about leaving home. A universal theme everyone can empathize with and we have all struggled with. For all the magical elements, the songs and comedy, it’s about taking those first faltering steps out of the nest… And the best part of it? This is a Disney fairy tale… So guaranteed happy ending in the end (oh come on, that’s not a spoiler). The film is, in short, a warm, relatable modern fairy tale. Our heroine is a Disney princess with just a spot of relatability (is that a word? It should be!) and it guarantees a new meeting with old friends – a bit like Christmas itself. 

BRAVE - A MOTHER - DAUGHTER TALE...

Ok. It’s a Disney – Pixar movie. Needless to say, I am going to rant about this one. Like a lot of people I spoke to, until I actually set foot in the cinema, I had only the vaguest idea as to what the film was about. A brave young girl, finding your own destiny, there were the vignettes with the three little brothers, Billy Connolly comes into it at some point… But I mean. It’s Pixar. How bad could it be? Naturally it was brilliant. Calendars may claim I’m going to be 30 in an alarmingly short while but my inner child needs Disney. And Pixar. Especially the two together. And don’t you hide in the back there, I know a lot of you out there agree with me.

So what IS Brave about, I hear you cry. Well, the premise of the story is quite a classic one. But I mean, is there really such a thing as a truly original story these days? I reckon not. With the exception or real life tales (because the truth is almost always stranger than fiction) I find that that you can foresee the course a lot of tales are going to take, especially in more mainstream films. But it’s not always about the story is it? It’s also about the execution. Especially in Pixar. And with me anyway, the fact that I could pretty much guess what was coming in no way meant I didn’t wave and shout at the screen (there were a lot of children in the cinema, I think it went unnoticed) and get very weepy frequently (the only thing stopping a full-blown bawl was the fact that I had makeup on and was going out later that evening). “Oh do get on with it!” I hear you cry. Fair point. So here is what Brave is actually about.

The person who is brave is Merida. She is a princess, the daughter of the head of a Scottish clan who lived in ancient times, when magic still lived in the world. But along with magic, existed families, tradition and duties. And although Merida would infinitely prefer riding, archery and woodland adventures as daily duties, her mother insists she must learn to be a lady. And if Merida wasn’t in enough trouble with learning to sow and play musical instruments, the day comes when tradition dictates Merida should marry one of the sons of the clan chiefs. Merida is NOT amused by this prospect, especially when said clans, clan chiefs and their sons arrive almost unannounced (to Merida at least) on her doorstep.  What Merida needs, as far as she is concerned is to change her destiny. And that would involve nothing short of a miracle. Or magic. This is why Merida jumps at the opportunity when fate leads her to a witch’s cottage in the woods. Surely a little magic can only help her predicament? The thing is, as we all know, when making requests from witches and other magical creatures, one needs to be specific. If one is not, one can find oneself in trouble. A lot of trouble…

This film is all a Disney film should be, with all the benefits and gloss of coming out of Pixar. It’s brilliant. It’s funny. It’s very emotional. And the reason it’s emotional is that it’s all about mothers and daughters. It’s a funny old bond, isn’t it really? One’s mother is often the one person you can count on through anything and everything and yet mothers and daughters especially almost seem to be made to fight. I should know, and if you don’t believe it ask my Mom. My Mom means everything to me now, she’s my confidante, agony aunt and I would be completely lost without her. But the road leading to this point in our relationships was fraught with screaming, slamming doors and flying furniture (I'll give you a hint, my mother neither screams, nor throws furniture. What can I tell you, I was a difficult teenager). That’s what this film is about. I defy any daughter who is close to her mother today to watch it and not need a slew of tissues (one little girl sitting near us actually had to be physically cuddled and comforted by her Mom during the film at some points. But don’t worry, the film doesn’t go all Bambi on you). Now. You go and watch Brave. Then do me a favour, go and give your Mom a hug if it’s physically possible. I know that’s what I wanted to do. (Mom, consider yourself cuddled. I love you.)