Turning Red (2022)

[Athena]

Produced by Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. Directed by Domee Shi, in her feature directorial debut, and written by Shi and Julia Cho. The film stars the voices of Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, Ava Morse, Hyein Park, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Orion Lee, Wai Ching Ho, Tristan Allerick Chen, and James Hong.

[Spartan Girl]

Ooh cool, we get a full thread for the movie!

Like I said in the Disney thread, this movie was great. Anybody can relate to the general puberty allegory and finding a hidden side of yourself that is constantly suppressed. The haters complaining about not being the “target audience” was just crap. I mean, hello, wasn’t that what Teen Wolf is about too? Yet I don’t seem to remember any complaints about not relating to Michael J. Fox’s character. Gee, I wonder why 🤔

And I really appreciate that Disney is continuing the trend of parents being the unintentional villains because of generational trauma. Let’s face it: Disney parents never had a great track record to begin with (hi Triton, Moana’s dad, Agnar and Iduna, Sultan, and many MANY others)

Big laugh at Panda Mei twerking to distract her Panda Monster mom. Also LOL at the thirsty concert goers.

[Brn2bwild]

It's a relatable movie, yet so rare at the same time.  I can't remember the last movie that treated the tween girl perspective with respect.  Usually when a tween girl is centered, it's because she's "different from the others."

[Ms Blue Jay]

There was a viral review about how Chinese people in Toronto is not a big enough population to make a movie about and that Domee Shi is just "writing for her friends".

Toronto is the 4th most populous city in North America.  It has more people than all the cities I see on my television everyday:  Seattle, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Boston, Atlanta, blah blah blah blah blah blah moreso than everything in the US except New York and LA.  And apparently there are 300,000+ Chinese people (that's just Chinese - not even all Asian people) in Toronto.  Anyway that critic is such a dickhead.

Edited March 15, 2022 by Ms Blue Jay

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Spartan Girl said:

Like I said in the Disney thread, this movie was great. Anybody can relate to the general puberty allegory and finding a hidden side of yourself that is constantly suppressed. The haters complaining about not being the “target audience” was just crap. I mean, hello, wasn’t that what Teen Wolf is about too? Yet I don’t seem to remember any complaints about not relating to Michael J. Fox’s character. Gee, I wonder why 🤔

That’s a damn good point. It’s bizarre to me how many people are calling the movie horny or are up in arms about an honest acknowledgement that girls have periods. 

1 hour ago, Spartan Girl said:

And I really appreciate that Disney is continuing the trend of parents being the unintentional villains because of generational trauma. Let’s face it: Disney parents never had a great track record to begin with (hi Triton, Moana’s dad, Agnar and Iduna, Sultan, and many MANY others)

Me, too. I didn’t think about it at the time, but Soul also deals with some of the same issues. They are really nailing the kids movie that makes people face deep emotional trauma and makes people feel seen. 

1 hour ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

There was a viral review about how Chinese people in Toronto is not a big enough population to make a movie about and that Domee Shi is just "writing for her friends".

I find it sad that some people never develop enough empathy to see beyond ethnicity or gender and look for commonality. That reviewer seemed to believe it was flaw in the plot that he couldn’t relate to it rather than consider that it was a flaw in him that caused him to other the characters to such an extent he was blind to the universality of a coming of age story. 

I hate that I grew up not seeing myself represented in movies like this but I do appreciate that it forced me to look beyond the obvious in finding characters I can relate to. 

[Schweedie]

5 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

There was a viral review about how Chinese people in Toronto is not a big enough population to make a movie about and that Domee Shi is just "writing for her friends".

This would be such a bullshit argument even if it *weren't* for those 300 000 Chinese people in Toronto. Since when can we only appreciate movies that are about us specifically? And even if not being the target audience prevents you from enjoying the movie, which I can understand, why would you just everyone else feels the same?

I've heard so many women say how much they recognise their thirteen-year-old selves in this movie, even without the Chinese heritage.

[Spartan Girl]

Also “Has the red peony bloomed?” was such a good line. I appreciated that the movie didn’t just shy away from periods with just that euphemism, it showed pads and everything. Say what you want about Mei’s mom, but the lady is prepared.

[Ms Blue Jay]

4 hours ago, Schweedie said:

This would be such a bullshit argument even if it *weren't* for those 300 000 Chinese people in Toronto. Since when can we only appreciate movies that are about us specifically? And even if not being the target audience prevents you from enjoying the movie, which I can understand, why would you just everyone else feels the same?

I've heard so many women say how much they recognise their thirteen-year-old selves in this movie, even without the Chinese heritage.

Well, obviously.  The critic actually had the gall to whine to everyone "I am not in it."  That's how non-white people feel looking at American pop culture every single day.  Yet, we can still consume it and relate to it because of the human element.

But, I will still defend my city for not being tiny and insignificant like he implied.  And the Asian population in Toronto is much bigger than a group of friends.

Edited March 15, 2022 by Ms Blue Jay

[Schweedie]

1 hour ago, Spartan Girl said:

Also “Has the red peony bloomed?” was such a good line. I appreciated that the movie didn’t just shy away from periods with just that euphemism, it showed pads and everything. Say what you want about Mei’s mom, but the lady is prepared.

I may have rewound that line many, many times. Sandra Oh delivered it perfectly.

9 minutes ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

Well, obviously.  The critic actually had the gall to whine to everyone "I am not in it."  That's how non-white people feel looking at American pop culture every single day.  Yet, we can still consume it and relate to it because of the human element.

But, I will still defend my city for not being tiny and insignificant like he implied.  And the Asian population in Toronto is much bigger than a group of friends.

That critic clearly doesn't know all that much about demographics!

[dkb]

In ‘Turning Red’ I finally saw myself reflected in a main character

"While Mei and I do not have the exact same upbringing, she gives me hope that the young Asian Canadian girls of the future won’t need to hide different parts of their lives from the other, or, worse, erase parts of who are to exist."

This part^^^^^

 

[Sakura12]

What is that reviewer talking about? Besides Toranto having a large Chinese community, her friends were not even Chinese. Miriam is white, Priya is Indian, and I think Abby is Korean. 

I liked that the friend group wasn't all Chinese or white like they usually are. When you live in a city you will have lots of different friends. 

How can anyone not relate to going through puberty? While it's different for boys and girls, the changing body, the developing crushes and trying to find out who you are away from your parents is universal. That's what this movie is about and it's completely relatable. Not every single part obviously since it's one girls story but the main theme is something we all went through as humans. 

I like that Pixar is making movies for parents to watch with their kids and start to talk about difficult subjects. Inside Out was about mental health, Soul was about death, Luca was about accepting who you are and this one is about puberty. Pixar has movies that you can watch at different stages in your life and will hit different each time. 

 

[Ms Blue Jay]

At least the critics are liking it.

 

[Sarah 103]

One of the many things I liked about this movie was that Mei was so worried about her friends/classmates would think when they saw her as the red panda. She was so sure they would think she was this ugly horrifying monster and flee in terror. Instead they thought she was the most fluffy adorable thing they had ever seen and wanted to party with her. 

I love how Pete Doctor described the movie as "it's a bit like the Incredible Hulk, but way more adorable."

 

 

 

[Brn2bwild]

Just want to add how much I wish I had a friend group like Mei's when I was that age.  They were so supportive and accepting the whole time, whereas so many of the girls I went to school with were superficial and judgmental.

[Dandesun]

On 3/15/2022 at 4:46 PM, Ms Blue Jay said:

At least the critics are liking it.

 

I guess everyone's forgotten about Brave. You know, where Merida drugged her mother and turned her into a bear in order to get out of the expectations put on her?

[lampshades]

47 minutes ago, Dandesun said:

I guess everyone's forgotten about Brave. You know, where Merida drugged her mother and turned her into a bear in order to get out of the expectations put on her?

Brave and Turning Red have about an equal audience tomato-meter so maybe they haven’t?

Edited March 17, 2022 by lampshades

[Sarah 103]

I have serious, honest, no-snark questions. Why are people online are calling the movie "woke?" Is it because it has a diverse cast of characters? It is because the lead character is a young woman? Is it because there is tension between the parent who wants the kid to follow the older tradition and the kid who wants to do things thier own way? 

I am not a troll trying to start an argument or win internet points. I am someone who is genuinely confused. Thanks to anyone who can answer my questions. 

27 minutes ago, Dandesun said:

I guess everyone's forgotten about Brave. You know, where Merida drugged her mother and turned her into a bear in order to get out of the expectations put on her?

I agree and would go much further. Here is a list of Disney portagonists/main characters (including Pixar) who disobyed thier parents/parental figure. This list is far from complete:

• Cinderella snuck out to the ball after her stepmother told her not to go.
• Ariel and Luca went up to the surface to learn about people despite parent(s) telling them not to
• Simba went to the elephant graveyard even though it was off limits
• Mulan snuck off to join the army
• Pocahontas snuck away to see John Smith
• Nemo swims out further than he is supposed to
• Remi spends time with people inside
• Coco secretly plays music and sings

Disobeying parents isn't a "woke" thing. It isn't even a Disney thing. Maybe it's like The Princess Bride, "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

[lampshades]

4 minutes ago, Sarah 103 said:

I have serious, honest, no-snark questions. Why are people online are calling the movie "woke?" Is it because it has a diverse cast of characters? It is because the lead character is a young woman? Is it because there is tension between the parent who wants the kid to follow the older tradition and the kid who wants to do things thier own way? 

I am not a troll trying to start an argument or win internet points. I am someone who is genuinely confused. Thanks to anyone who can answer my questions. 

I agree and would go much further. Here is a list of Disney portagonists/main characters (including Pixar) who disobyed thier parents/parental figure. This list is far from complete:

• Cinderella snuck out to the ball after her stepmother told her not to go.
• Ariel and Luca went up to the surface to learn about people despite parent(s) telling them not to
• Simba went to the elephant graveyard even though it was off limits
• Mulan snuck off to join the army
• Pocahontas snuck away to see John Smith
• Nemo swims out further than he is supposed to
• Remi spends time with people inside
• Coco secretly plays music and sings

Disobeying parents isn't a "woke" thing. It isn't even a Disney thing. Maybe it's like The Princess Bride, "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

I think it’s mainly just because of the period stuff. I think that still makes a lot of people very uncomfortable for whatever bizarre reason.

[Dandesun]

13 minutes ago, Sarah 103 said:

I have serious, honest, no-snark questions. Why are people online are calling the movie "woke?" Is it because it has a diverse cast of characters? It is because the lead character is a young woman? Is it because there is tension between the parent who wants the kid to follow the older tradition and the kid who wants to do things thier own way? 

I am not a troll trying to start an argument or win internet points. I am someone who is genuinely confused. Thanks to anyone who can answer my questions. 

I agree and would go much further. Here is a list of Disney portagonists/main characters (including Pixar) who disobyed thier parents/parental figure. This list is far from complete:

• Cinderella snuck out to the ball after her stepmother told her not to go.
• Ariel and Luca went up to the surface to learn about people despite parent(s) telling them not to
• Simba went to the elephant graveyard even though it was off limits
• Mulan snuck off to join the army
• Pocahontas snuck away to see John Smith
• Nemo swims out further than he is supposed to
• Remi spends time with people inside
• Coco secretly plays music and sings

Disobeying parents isn't a "woke" thing. It isn't even a Disney thing. Maybe it's like The Princess Bride, "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

I would say that a diverse group of characters and the main characters being female is a HUGE part of it. It goes along with all of the comments about not being able to relate to girl stuff like getting a period or loving boy bands (despite the fact that a boy also loved that band... and the post credit scene with Dad.) There are people who have a really fucking hard time 'relating' to something that isn't defaulting to white and male never mind that the rest of us have had to deal with that pov character for the majority of our entertainment consuming lives if we're part of Western culture. There are complaints in these reviews about people wearing hijabs and turbans and HOW DARE THEY?!

So, yes, I would say that the 'woke' complaint is regarding how this movie is about girls... and not even WHITE girls. Consternation!! Uproar!!

[Fukui San]

There's now a dependable squad of reactionaries who show up to naysay any cultural offering that is diverse that argue that it is bad and unpopular and "too woke" even when it can demonstrably shown to be successful critically and financially. It happened for Marvel when they did Black Panther, Captain Marvel, and Shang Chi when when they grossed an average of a billion dollars per movie. It happened for Star Wars Episode 8 and Star Trek: Discovery. It'll certainly happen with Kamala Khan, the upcoming Ms. Marvel, a Muslim girl superhero. And it happened with Turning Red.

There was a dumb review from Cinema Blend where the review said "Some Pixar films are made for universal audiences. ‘Turning Red’ is not. The target audience for this one feels very specific and very narrow. If you are in it, this might work very well for you. I am not in it. This was exhausting." Social media spent all day dunking on this review, as if Ratatouille or Cars was somehow more "universal" than a girl growing up in Toronto, and it was pulled. Since then a lot of weird proxy battles have been happening around this movie which, when the dust settles, will probably be seen as a typically good Pixar movie.

[Sakura12]

This is probably the most relatable Pixar movie since every person goes through puberty. 

I think it's more that people are uncomfortable talking about it, when we shouldn't teach kids to be ashamed of it. We should prepare them more for it. This movie can maybe help parents with that. 

[Guest]

5 hours ago, Sarah 103 said:

 

I have serious, honest, no-snark questions. Why are people online are calling the movie "woke?" Is it because it has a diverse cast of characters? It is because the lead character is a young woman? Is it because there is tension between the parent who wants the kid to follow the older tradition and the kid who wants to do things thier own way? 

 

I would say that those are the underlying reasons why but it’s also has to something more than that because Encanto did not get the same reaction. I feel like the key thing that gets a movie labeled as woke is the clear intention by the filmmakers to be empowering to a minority group particularly when it is about uplifting women. Turning Red’s main features labeling it “woke” seems to be mentioning periods, showing that teen girls are physically attracted to boys and twerking. Those three in particular are being seen as hypersexualization. Which apparently it is “woke” because girls are allowed to have experience love but not lust. 

There does seem to also be an element of people who view encouraging kids to be their own person rather than blindly being obedient to their parents is “woke”. 

[Spartan Girl]

I actually liked how they incorporated the anime styles into the movie, like the sparkly/teary eyes and the big laugh. They even had Panda Mei ogle that guy in the store complete with a Tex Avery-style “Aaaoooga!” 😂😂😂

[Chyromaniac]

22 hours ago, Dani said:

I would say that those are the underlying reasons why but it’s also has to something more than that because Encanto did not get the same reaction. I feel like the key thing that gets a movie labeled as woke is the clear intention by the filmmakers to be empowering to a minority group particularly when it is about uplifting women. Turning Red’s main features labeling it “woke” seems to be mentioning periods, showing that teen girls are physically attracted to boys and twerking. Those three in particular are being seen as hypersexualization. Which apparently it is “woke” because girls are allowed to have experience love but not lust. 

There does seem to also be an element of people who view encouraging kids to be their own person rather than blindly being obedient to their parents is “woke”. 

Sadly, I think another difference between this and Encanto is that the later film takes place in Colombia, rather than Toronto.  In other words, the non-white characters are “where they belong.”  Didn’t that early review talk about how “audience limiting” it was to make a film about a Chinese girl in Toronto- as if Canada is a caucasian setting by default?  Despite the fact that the Chinese population of Toronto is actually something like 300,000?  Not to mention that practically every major city in North America has a neighborhood large enough to be literally called Chinatown?  Or, as has been well stated here, maybe people can enjoy or identify with stories about characters that aren’t direct reflections of themselves…

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, Chyromaniac said:

Sadly, I think another difference between this and Encanto is that the later film takes place in Colombia, rather than Toronto.  In other words, the non-white characters are “where they belong.”

That probably does play a part but I think it’s more that anti-Asian sentiment is very high right now. There is a lot of open hostility in day to day life so a movie like Turning Red where the protagonist is unapologetically “Asian” (from certain people’s perspective) is a lightening rod in a way Encanto wasn’t. I suspect that most of the people who create the drama are people who would ignore most of these movies. Then when a movies gets a certain kind of buzz they pounce. Encanto never got that focus so they really didn’t bother going after it.

Turning Red also deals with generational trauma issues that are strongly association with Asians. While Encanto can be perceived as more universal. Neither of those views are really accurate but the people who get upset over these things are generally not looking at anything all that deeply. 

[Chyromaniac]

For sure- there’s, ironically, a rich tapestry for what fuels intolerance.

[galaxygirl76]

On 3/15/2022 at 6:40 AM, Spartan Girl said:

Also “Has the red peony bloomed?” was such a good line. I appreciated that the movie didn’t just shy away from periods with just that euphemism, it showed pads and everything. Say what you want about Mei’s mom, but the lady is prepared.

My favorite part was when the dad figured out where that conversation was going and he backed away slowly  🤣

[Ms Blue Jay]

2 hours ago, Chyromaniac said:

Sadly, I think another difference between this and Encanto is that the later film takes place in Colombia, rather than Toronto.  In other words, the non-white characters are “where they belong.”  Didn’t that early review talk about how “audience limiting” it was to make a film about a Chinese girl in Toronto- as if Canada is a caucasian setting by default?  Despite the fact that the Chinese population of Toronto is actually something like 300,000?  Not to mention that practically every major city in North America has a neighborhood large enough to be literally called Chinatown?  Or, as has been well stated here, maybe people can enjoy or identify with stories about characters that aren’t direct reflections of themselves…

Right, two of the most famous things about Toronto is - half of Toronto is recent immigrants.  And half of Toronto is visible minorities.  (obviously with some overlap).   

Edited March 19, 2022 by Ms Blue Jay

[Kel Varnsen]

Watched this with my kids yesterday and it was a lot of fun. I liked the 2002 setting since I think making it modern wouldn't work as well with smart phones and social media, Mei's Panda would become known world wide pretty quickly. I also liked in the end the whole world just accepted that Mei could turn into a Panda, instead of the usual "we must keep it a secret because people will be scared or scientists will want to study you". Instead everyone was just cool with it. I mean it might not be realistic, but who the hell cares when you are talking about a movie where a girl can transform into a panda.

My kids also thought it was cool because they have a good friend named Mei whose parents call her Mei-Mei.

On 3/15/2022 at 5:09 PM, Sakura12 said:

I like that Pixar is making movies for parents to watch with their kids and start to talk about difficult subjects. Inside Out was about mental health, Soul was about death, Luca was about accepting who you are and this one is about puberty. Pixar has movies that you can watch at different stages in your life and will hit different each time. 

 

It still blows my mind that Pixar is basically a studio that makes movies for kids and yet they have 2 very good but very different movies about death and the afterlife but only 1 movie about a talking dinosaur.

Edited March 19, 2022 by Kel Varnsen

[Hiyo]

Quote

Why are people online are calling the movie "woke?"

Because to certain segments of society, any movie that doesn't feature a white heterosexual (possibly Christian) lead will trigger them.

[Ms Blue Jay]

I know I've been defending it like a lawyer in here but I'm finally watching it.  I didn't expect it to be so funny.

For the complaints that it's not relatable, that's very funny.  Coming from a woman this is so relatable it's extremely painful.  Too relatable if anything.  

[Spartan Girl]

All this so-called backlash feels like the Captain Marvel sexist bullshit all over again, only this time it can’t be vindicated by box office returns. But I am going to watch it tonight out of spite.

Edited March 19, 2022 by Spartan Girl

[Ms Blue Jay]

On 3/15/2022 at 5:09 PM, Sakura12 said:

What is that reviewer talking about? Besides Toranto having a large Chinese community, her friends were not even Chinese. Miriam is white, Priya is Indian, and I think Abby is Korean. 

I liked that the friend group wasn't all Chinese or white like they usually are. When you live in a city you will have lots of different friends. 

I'm also going to surmise that Tyler is Jamaican and Vietnamese, based on his parents and his name

Quote

Tristan Allerick Chen as Tyler Nguyen-Baker,[5] Mei's classmate and former bully who initially picks on her.

Which is awesome.  I grew up with a lot Chinese Jamaican kids but you never seen that reflected in Hollywood movies.

I also grew up amongst a huge East Indian population, so it was cool to see the Sikh security guard and Priya.  

Edited March 19, 2022 by Ms Blue Jay

[Guest]

8 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

For the complaints that it's not relatable, that's very funny.  Coming from a woman this is so relatable it's extremely painful.  Too relatable if anything.  

We’re just half the population of the world. I guess that’s too niche to be have broad appeal in some people’s eyes. I’d love to see someone make the same statement about genres that target men. 

7 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

All this so-called backlash feels like the Captain Marvel sexist bullshit all over again, only this time it can’t be vindicated by box office returns. But I am going to watch it tonight out of spite.

It does feel the same. 

Edited March 20, 2022 by Guest

[SomeTameGazelle]

It seemed improbable that their deadline to raise the money for the concert tickets was the day of the concert and not the day tickets went on sale. That distracted me a bit worrying that the girls were going to find out the concert was already sold out. 

Loved Mei's doodling. 

[Browncoat]

The only thing that disappointed me about this movie is that there wasn't a short film before it.  I really liked it a lot.  I love that Mei chose to  keep her panda, and that her mom's panda got put in the tamagotchi.  Mei's friends were the best.

The haters can just fuck right off.  This movie was great.  

[Cress]

I loved the movie. Mei's panda form was so cuddly and cute that I could understand Abby begging her to transform. I hoped that some of the aunties might decide to keep their panda forms too, but I guess they've been living too many years without them. Besides, they can always break their talismans again if they ever need to release their pandas. The family had made the ritual sound like a once-in-a-lifetime thing that you could never revisit, but it looks like they can, so long as there's a red moon and people to sing around the circle.

That one scene where Mei's Dad was cooking looked so good! It was like so delicious looking and almost 3-D real.

Edited March 21, 2022 by Cress

[Schweedie]

On 3/20/2022 at 2:52 PM, SomeTameGazelle said:

Loved Mei's doodling. 

One of my favourite moments was when she looked at what she'd drawn and had that moment of "Oooooh!" before getting her game face on and starting to scribble furiously, haha.

ETA - it did amuse how the pandas in the film are depicted as these large, potentially terrifying creatures, when in reality they're basically similar in size to a racoon.

Edited March 23, 2022 by Schweedie

[tennisgurl]

Disney went through its over the top theatrical villains. Then its twist villains. Now the true nemesis of all Disney protagonists is...unprocessed generational trauma! I thought this movie was delightful, it was so cute and funny, I really like that Pixar is making movies like this and Luca, slice of life stories about growing up just with some fantastical element. I had a great time watching it, Panda Mei really was cute as a button, and the characters were all so likable, even the flawed ones like Mei's mom. 

As someone who was also an eighth grade girl in 2003, this movie really spoke to me, but I think that anyone who can remember puberty can relate to this movie, regardless of gender or ethnicity. I'm not even close to Chinese but I lost it when Mei's aunts all came storming into their house, it reminded me so much of my own family, my mom is also one of five daughters with a mom who rules the roost and her sisters will immediately spring into action anytime the aunt signal goes up in the sky. I think anyone who gives this movie a chance can see some of themselves and their families in this. 

[Fukui San]

Just want to note that one critic's "This isn't relatable at all" is another person's 10 year old daughter pointing to the screen and laughing at the dad character Jin Lee while he's cooking dinner and shouting "Look dad! That's you! Ha ha ha!"

Edit: Seriously, this is shaping up to be a family in joke for the rest of my life.

Edited March 25, 2022 by Fukui San

[Kel Varnsen]

6 hours ago, Fukui San said:

Just want to note that one critic's "This isn't relatable at all" is another person's 10 year old daughter pointing to the screen and laughing at the dad character Jin Lee while he's cooking dinner and shouting "Look dad! That's you! Ha ha ha!"

I really don't get the complaints that this movie isn't relatable. Why does every movie have to have relatable characters to be good. Getting exposure to people and places that are different from your life is a good thing. Hell Goodfellas is probably one of my favourites movies and yet I probably have more in common with Mei than I do with Henry Hill (and not just because we both live in Ontario).

[moonorchid]

I heard the critics and it’s honestly just sounding like a bunch of boys who found out this is a movie featuring a woman’s menstrual cycle and they freaked out and turned it off.

This is seriously the story of anyone who experienced being a teenager and loving anything to the point of insanity. 

[Sakura12]

I just found out the voice actress for Abby, my favorite character is a storyboard artist for Pixar. She worked on Toy Story 4 and Soul. For her first time doing any acting she did great. 

[SlovakPrincess]

I watched this with my 5-year-old nephew and he had a blast. 

The analogy to girls getting their first period / puberty obviously went right over his head and he wouldn't have understood if I tried to explain it anyway -- but every little kid can understand wanting to please your parent while also wanting to explore more independence, and learning to manage your anger and other uncomfortable emotions in an healthy way.  This is just universal to kids.  

Little kids will love watching the adorable giant red panda and the heartwarming make-up between parent and child at the end.  Older kids will key into the fact that this is also about puberty and pre-teen angst.  I don't really get why people had an issue with this movie, either.  

I'm also not sure why the specific setting of a Chinese family in Toronto was not "relatable" for some of the critics.  Did we all grow up in a mermaid community in Italy (Luca)?  In a coral reef in Australia (Nemo)?  In a small provincial town in France populated mostly by idiots and one smart woman and her inventor dad (Beauty and the Beast)?  Literally no American child grew up in a kingdom, and yet for years many Disney films centered on monarchies (Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid).  

Edited April 2, 2022 by SlovakPrincess

[AnimeMania]

Watch: Deleted Scenes from ‘Turning Red’ (on Digital Today!)

The article contains links to 3 scenes that were imagined but didn't make it into the movie.

Turning Red will be available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on May 3.

additional information about the releases can be found here.