Turning Red is a new game that hopes to combine the best of both worlds – gaming and geek culture. It will be released on Steam in 2022, but it has already made waves for being one of the few games with an all-female team at its helm from “all walks of life”.
In the 2022, Pixar released a movie called “Turning Red”. It is about a robot that turns red and becomes self-aware. Read more in detail here: turning red pixar.
TURNING RED REVIEW (2022)
“The goal isn’t to push terrible things away. It’s about making place for it and learning to live with it.”
Movies
Pixar used to be my absolute favorite thing on the planet. They’ve made some of my favorite films, and I used to want to work there as an artist when I was younger. I still believe the iconic studio is capable of greatness, but they’ve disappointed me several times in recent years. However, I’ve attempted to be upbeat about Turning Red, the studio’s most recent film. The film was published for free on Disney+ yesterday, after a less-than-stellar marketing effort. Domee Shi directs the picture, becoming Pixar’s first female solo director since Brenda Chapman was fired from the studio’s Brave. Shi previously directed the short film Bao, which screened before Incredibles 2 and was noticeably superior than the blockbuster. Having said that, the trailers for this film did not fill me with optimism. The inclusion of NSYNC’s “It’s Gonna Be Me” in advertising materials tainted my opinion of the picture. In addition, the humour and animation technique were not particularly Pixar. Is Turning Red a triumphant return to form or just the latest in a string of missteps for the once-famous studio? Let’s get started.
Turning Red is a coming-of-age film about Meilin Lee (Rosalie Chiang), a Chinese-Canadian girl whose life changes irreversibly when she reaches thirteen. Set in 2002 Toronto, the film follows Meilin as she re-evaluates her relationship with her dominating mother (Sandra Oh) when a family curse turns her into a gigantic red panda whenever her emotions get too strong. Despite her mother’s wishes, the hitherto shy, reserved daughter rushes at the opportunity to attend a huge concert with her friends, and the two fight for the first time ever. Is it possible for Mei to finish her self-discovery path without alienating her family?
Although the film has only been released for two days, the most common criticism I’ve heard is that it lacks relatability. I must say that I disagree. I’m not Chinese, I’ve never been to Canada, and Mei’s music tastes are terrible, yet I recognized a lot of things in this movie. Despite my mother’s expectations, I’ve battled to be honest with myself, and it took me twice as long as Meilin to reach the proper decision. When people claim a tale or character isn’t relatable because of where it’s set, the character’s gender, or other factors, I find it strange. For one thing, I don’t think individuals can be understood just on the basis of their fixed traits. That’s constricting, and it shows a disturbing lack of humanity. I’m not going to accuse someone of being racist or anything just because they didn’t like a film; it’s ridiculous and shuts down any real criticism that needs to be spoken. However, I am disturbed when reviews mention anything like this. Although Pixar’s Brave isn’t a very terrific film, I recall several critics saying it wasn’t relevant to them since it was about a girl’s connection with her mother ten years ago. I suppose I’ll never get it since some of my favorite characters are male, of a different ethnicity or orientation than I am, and so on. Where did “the substance of one’s character” go?
With all of that stated, Turning Red was a nice surprise for me. I like it a lot more than Luca and possibly a little more than Soul. In the trailers, I found Mei to be a little unpleasant, which I believe was done on purpose. This age group of children irritates me more than most others. Children are obnoxious, uncomfortable, and obsessed. Mei is also just discovering that she loves guys, which is an awkward period for most children. Another aspect of the picture that I felt genuine was Mei’s relationship with her friends. Miriam (Ava Morse), her closest friend, is another character I enjoyed, and their bond is especially touching. What they did with this film’s bully character, Tyler, made me happy and relieved (Tristan Allerick Chen). This is a far cry from Ercole’s obnoxious behavior in Luca. Despite its fantasy concept, Turning Red portrays its characters like genuine people, which is something I like.
I’m also astonished at how similar the basic concepts of this film are to those of Encanto. The films were released less than a year apart and from separate studios, so it must be a coincidence. Turning Red, like the viral Disney blockbuster, is concerned with intergenerational trauma. The first half of the film focuses on Mei’s apparently ideal relationship with her parents, particularly her mother. This scene in the film struck a chord with me. Ming, Mei’s mother, is well-intentioned yet overbearing, as if she is attempting to prevent her daughter from growing up at all. She wants Mei to be flawless, avoiding the perils of guys and loud music in favor of filial piety and tradition. Mei contributes to the situation by avoiding disagreement with her mother at all costs. She even lets her buddies take the blame for something she did to be in Mommy’s good graces at one point. Ouch. The film, like Encanto, cleverly explores issues of empathy and the recurring nature of these traumas. In other words, these issues are more widespread than our parents’ difficulties. We’re given clues and crumbs about Ming’s own mother (who has a fantastic character design) and their strained relationship. While this film has a largely female cast, I like how the male characters are handled with respect and given opportunities to shine.
Tyler and Mei’s father, Jin, are the finest examples. My favorite part in the film was also a watershed moment (haha) in how I felt about it overall. Jin tells Mei about a video he discovered as her mother, grandmother, and aunts are preparing the ceremony to remove her panda curse. Mei and her pals filmed a home video, which she describes as “dumb and humiliating.” Mei’s goofy side, Jin argues, is a part of her, just like the red panda apparition, and he enjoys it. He also informs her about Ming’s panda spirit and their relationship. Ming’s choice of spouse was the catalyst for her permanent separation from her mother. Jin normally follows Ming’s lead, but he’s more willing to listen to what Meilin genuinely wants and believes. Ming makes the same errors as her mother and doesn’t realize it until it’s nearly too late.
I also enjoy the movie’s designs a lot more than I expected to. Domee Shi was influenced by Studio Ghibli’s visual style. Mei’s panda shape and the designs of the elder characters are excellent examples of this. The Chinese imagery and architecture are stunning, and I like Mei’s journey into the spirit realm throughout the ceremony. This reminded me a lot of Avatar or The Tale of Princess Kaguya. Ludwig Göransson’s music is wonderful and unlike anything else I’ve heard from him. Even Jordan Fisher’s pop tunes (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Hamilton) aren’t all that terrible or obnoxious. I was startled to learn that Billie Eilish co-wrote the songs with Finneas O’Connell, who plays one of the boy band members.
It’s one of the lighter Pixar characteristics that I have a problem with in Turning Red. There’s nothing wrong with embracing your goofy side; in fact, this video encourages it. But, by no means, are the emotional passages in Turning Red comparable to those in Coco or Up. Similarly, Encanto had a stronger impact on me than this. To be honest, I’ve watched Encanto many times, and I enjoyed Turning Red more after only one watching than I liked Encanto after my first viewing. The pop songs aren’t bad, and they serve a function in the film, but they’re not my style. I also believe the last scene should have been more comprehensive. Perfect endings, for example, include the song at the conclusion of Coco and the final ballroom scene in Beauty and the Beast. They leave the spectator with a strong sense of optimism and that everything has been settled completely.
Overall, I had a great time reading Turning Red. It isn’t flawless or the finest Pixar film ever, but it accomplishes its goals. It’s sincere, humorous, lovely, and completely unique. All I wanted was to appreciate it more than Luca and not be bombarded with time allusions after hearing certain things. I received all of that and more, and I’d suggest Turning Red to everyone, particularly families and animation aficionados. It’s a pity this film is only available on Netflix in the United States.
Plot – 9
Acting – 9 points
7.5 for direction/editing
6 – Music/Sound
8 – Comedy
7.9
Good
Overall, I had a great time reading Turning Red. It isn’t flawless or the finest Pixar film ever, but it accomplishes its goals. It’s sincere, humorous, lovely, and completely unique.
