Animation has come a long way since Steamboat Willie and Sleeping Beauty. The intense detail and precision that goes into the animated films these days brings it close to lifelike, sometimes closer. Of course we will always have the style of the two-dimensional animation, like Princess and the Frog pioneering the era of animation. There is nostalgia and beauty behind this art, just like there is beauty behind the 3D style of animation.
The top producers of animated movies (not talking about anime, strictly American animation) is DreamWorks and Disney (the power D’s). Now DreamWorks is strong. They have amazing sequels and their art is beautiful. Think of How to Train Your Dragon. Stunning work, great little spin off show that actually shows the transition between the first and second movie. By far, Toothless and Hiccup have stolen my heart.
Disney, the second big producer, is very close. The classical Disney princess movies and the more recent movies aiming to embrace different cultures are catchy and great. Now you might be tired of Frozen, but having classics like these helps small children learn about different cultures, like Scandinavia and how can we overlook the 2017 Coco. Learning about Mexican heritage in such a manner where all ages can enjoy a heartfelt movie and learn some interesting facts about a culture. There are small tidbits hidden in the movies, and if you are watching them on repeat with a small child, you might be able to catch some (like the Old Norse that’s spoken in Frozen or the detailed descriptions of Day of the Dead in Coco).
Animators, embracing the classical 2D style or opting for the 3D technique, have been stealing our hearts movie by movie. As a child, I had always been shunning off the feelings that I would get from these beautiful movies, focusing on the artwork so I would not be tempted to feel. It was not until a couple summers ago I was watching Lilo and Stitch. I felt my nose itch and the dreaded tears came. Luckily, I was home alone and the “weak” girl tears couldn’t be seen. I tucked away that movie, sensing that it was dangerous to be crying over the close friendship and the story of a family trying to stay together.
From that point, I kept the viewing of Disney movies to the privacy of my home, refusing to allow others see me cry over sensitive topics.
In 2017, I was watching Boss Baby, a movie that most of my peers have deemed for small children only (regardless of the adult jokes like how “the people of Long Island do not know how to make an ice tea”). As I watched Tim try to save his parents and come to realize that he wants the Boss Baby as his real brother, the tears came once again. I sniveled through the end of the movie baffled at myself. This was a movie made for children, as my peers would say. This was not something like Up, where the adult hardships could move someone to tears (with the soundtrack as well), this was a feel good movie. Was there something wrong with me, to be crying over these types of movies?
Coco, a beautiful movie, came out in 2017. As I was off in school, I did not have much time or money to head to the theaters. It was not until the middle of March that my brother rented it off of Amazon Prime and we sat down and watch it. I am not going to say what caused the tearworks this time, but they came. It was near the end (that’s where the most movies get you). I sat, watching the movie with a grin on my face, biting back the salt in my eyes.
It was here that I realized that these beautiful movies, intended audience for children or adults, had power. Actual power to move someone emotionally. Animators and storytellers have been able to show the basics of human connection, friends and family, along with the harder life difficulties, tradition and death. It is not weakness to shed a tear over the beautiful scenery or the heartfelt connection. It is strength to accept that you can be touched and moved by something as simple as a Disney or Dreamworks movie. It’s not something to fear or hide over, but it is something that can be embraced.
(NOTE: Disney purchased pixar in 2006)
