It's one thing not to meet the handsome prince or to need to make it to the big race. It's completely another to be held against your will for almost the whole movie, and nearly burned alive for attempting to escape. Seriously! Poor Jessie looks at her little plastic hand as it is beginning to melt. Name calling and degrading language are used throughout the film. At times Disney will clothe such talk in a sing-song fashion. Even this attempt to mark fanciful pretend is missing. Obviously, my children will not be seeing this movie.
The goal of the villian in this film is to hurt other toys to save himself. To this end, the other toys are abused, manipulated, held against their will, and seen as altogether worthless. I hardly think that Disney/Pixar would portray such abuse of a character represented by a "person". Do they really think that kids won't identify with Buzz and Woody? Any little boy who has ever seen Toy Story wants to be Buzz or Woody as much as any little girl wants to be a Disney Princess. Can you imagine Cinderella (after being told she is an unloved, worthless, idiot) beginning to scream from painful burning sensations as she is overcome with the immense heat from the fire, only to be rescued just in time? I don't think so.
What is going on with kids movies? Really...Rio, a movie for kids about breeding containing all sorts of inappropriate sexual content? AAAAHHHHH!!!!!
John Isaac, sweet and sensitive as he is, cried the first time he saw "Tangled" because Mother Gothel was so mean. Mean, selfish behavior happens. It is necessary to some extent to identify the villain.
Torture/physical abuse, verbal degrading, and reproductive issues all exist in the real world too. I get that. I just don't understand why these themes are seen in movies, supposedly made for young children.


1 comment:
i didn't know you blogged! love your insight into kids' movies. you are so right. and i am guilty of subjecting my wee ones to the evil villains clothed in fuzzy fur and smiley faces. i need to be more aware!
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