A few weekends ago, I went to see the movie "Zootopia," an animated film about a world populated by evolved animals, with my little cousin and her dad. Now, I'm not really kid person -- or a kid's movie person -- but my little cousin's pretty much the most adorable five-year-old that's ever existed, so I pretty much couldn't say no.
I don't go to movies much anymore, especially not since one adult movie ticket started costing almost as much as my college tuition, and I'm pretty sure the last children's movie I saw in theaters was 2007's "Bee Movie." I think we can all agree that was a disappointing film -- not exactly the "An Inconvenient Truth For Kidz" it was trying to be. In fact, I thought the animated film genre had pretty much died right around the birth of "Minions"; those sick, brain-infecting, horrible minions, man.
But, in under two hours, "Zootopia" reminded me exactly why I, as a kid, I used to love every movie produced by the evil Disney empire back in the day (a.k.a. the late 1990s) and why I -- and all my fellow adults -- should totally still be watching animated movies.
1. You're finally old enough (and wise enough) to appreciate all the hidden dirty jokes and adult humor.
Since pretty much the beginning of time -- or at least the beginning of Disney/Pixar films -- the writers of children's movies have been slipping "mature humor" into feel-good family movies, a subtle nod to the adult viewers of these movies -- parents, chaperons, and nannies nationwide -- as if to say, "We're sorry for all the cutesy dialogue and heavy-handed moral lessons...this one's for you."
"Zootopia" is, of course, no exception. The writers, clearly enamored with their own genius, make about every family-friendly reference to the phrase screwing like rabbits (the main character is a bunny) that they possibly could. And, there are some beautiful, clean moments that children just plain wouldn't get. For instance, everyone who works at the DMV is a sloth. I REPEAT THE WORKERS AT THE DMV ARE LITERAL SLOTHS! Six-year-old you might have missed the brilliance of this, but adult you -- the one who lost three hours of your life renewing your license last month -- totally will. Add in the film's "Breaking Bad" and "Godfather" references, and there's something here for every adult in the crowd.
As an adult, being able to laugh shameless all of the dirty jokes and adult-oriented humor is one of the great perks of watching animated movies. You don't even need to be self-conscious about your laugh-snorts, the sound of all the mature references whizzing right over the heads of anyone under the age of sixteen will totally cover them up.
2. The soundtracks are killer.
We're totally ignoring the atrocity that was "Frozen" here, obviously. I'm not saying that there haven't been some amazing musical scores written for grown-up movies, because there have. However, I challenge anyone to come up with a song from any adult movie that even comes close to rivaling the cultural staying power of classics like "Be Our Guest" from "Beauty and the Beast" or "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" and "Hakuna Matata?" from "The Lion King." Sorry, "Chariots of Fire," it just can't be done.
"Zootopia," a newcomer to the genre, totally holds it own in this category. I mean, when was the last time an R-rated drama ended with a Shakira concert featuring a super-inspirational and catchy song about determination and some sexy dancing tigers? Never.
3. They're usually just adult movies in disguise.
"Zootopia" is a film centered around small-town police academy graduate Judy Hopps, who moves to the big city with dreams of fighting crime and making a difference. However, upon arrival, Hopps discovers that the city can be cutthroat, especially when you're the newbie, the subject of constant ridicule from your tougher, more experienced coworkers. Even Hopps' boss thinks she won't last the week. When Hopps stumbles upon a lead in the precinct's major case, she goes against the direct orders of her boss, risking her career -- and possibly her life -- to chase it down. Along the way, Riley blackmails a conman (with a heart of gold) into partnering up and together the pair uncover a conspiracy far more sinister than they expected...
Ignoring the fact that Judy Hopps is an adorable bunny rabbit and all the other characters in this film are also animals, the entire time I watched this film I felt like something about this was familiar. And then I realized it pretty much followed the formula of every police procedural/conspiracy-related thriller/"Law & Order" episode I'd ever seen.
Because really, storytelling at its most basic level is the same despite the age of the intended audience. "The Lion King" is "Hamlet," "Finding Nemo" is a father-son saga, and "Cinderella" is just another rags-to-riches story a la "The Social Network."
4. You'll become a better person.
Children's movies are infamous for laying on the moral lessons a little thick, preaching to their young audience about how to be good citizens and human beings. However, when animated films hit the right note with their thematic message, they really get it right. Anyone who says they didn't learn a little something about acceptance and the power of family from watching "Lilo & Stitch" is either lying or has just never seen the movie.
"Zootopia" is the perfect example of this. It spans such topics as racial profiling, police brutality, sensationalism in the media, and political corruption...in a kid's movie, for Pete's sake.
5. You'll be in a good mood for the rest of the week.
This one's just because the importance of daily cuteness for emotional well-being cannot be overstated.
