Liked Inside Out 2? Here are 5 more children’s movies with deep messages
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Casper Libero chapter.
Animated movies follow us throughout our lives, don’t they? And they can end up conveying messages that prompt us to reflect on many things. So, considering the recent success of Inside Out 2, which addresses themes such as anxiety attacks, growth, repression of emotions, and self-awareness, here are a list of children’s movies with deep messages.
1. Lilo & Stitch
“Ohana means family, and family means never abandoning or forgetting.” I think just by hearing this phrase, you already know that this classic film needs no introduction, right? But for those who are not familiar, the film is set in Hawaii and tells the story of Experiment 626, or Stitch, and his escape to Earth. To hide from those who are pursuing him, he disguises himself as a dog and is adopted by a lonely little girl named Lilo.
The main messages that the film brings are: resilience, care, sisterhood (seen notably between Lilo and Nani), adoption, adaptation, and notions of family, addressing the fact that it can also be a choice, as seen with the inclusion of Jumba, Pleakley, and Stitch himself into the Pelekai family.
2. Turning Red
Moving on to a more recent film, from the neighboring studio Pixar, the recent movie Turning Red depicts the growth of Mei Lee, a typical teenager who tries to appear perfect in the eyes of her strict and overprotective mother. Upon entering puberty, she discovers that she transforms into a giant red panda whenever she becomes emotionally agitated.
Through this, she learns to embrace her emotions and to truly know herself, emphasizing the importance of accepting and understanding feelings in a healthy way. But this film doesn’t just bring an important lesson for younger audiences; it does so for adults as well! It teaches them that during growth, one must go through certain situations to mature, along with changes in tastes and attitudes.
3. The tale of the princess Kaguya
Studio Ghibli is another specialist in bringing animations with profound teachings in its stories! One proof of this is the work The Tale of Princess Kaguya, which tells the story of a peasant girl who, upon discovering she is a princess, starts being treated with luxury and privileges. However, she refuses to submit to the oppressive expectations surrounding her.
The film criticizes the role of women in Japanese society and the silencing of women, addressing themes such as class struggle, female independence, reinforced by the actions of the protagonist, and the desire for freedom that many women have over their lives and destinies, not just in their country. It also highlights the weight that certain traditions can carry.
4. The Boy and the Heron
The Boy and the Heron, whose Japanese title is the same as Genzaburo Yoshino’s book, How Do You Live?, tells the story of Mahito, who, after losing his mother in the Tokyo bombing, moves to the countryside with his father and new wife. When his aunt disappears, Mahito is led by a heron to a fantastical world, where he encounters figures that reflect Miyazaki’s memories and contemplations about his past, war, and artistic creation.
The film is one of the greatest hits of Studio Ghibli, and an Oscar winner, filled with references to previous works, but with a larger purpose: to question and reinterpret these images. Mahito and his great-uncle symbolize different phases of Miyazaki’s life. The great-uncle represents a legacy the filmmaker wishes to leave behind. And Mahito, when he refuses succession and returns to the real world, represents that true living isn’t about mimicking the past, but about creating something new and witnessing the beauty of the real world.
It is a film that conveys a poetic and introspective response to its predecessor, transitioning from an appeal to life to a reflection on how to live.
5. The boy and the world
Describing this as a “children’s film” could be questioned due to the complex themes addressed by director Alê Abreu. When abandoned by his father, the boy in the title decides to search for him in the big city, where he becomes lost among cars, factories, slums, military tanks, and other structures of urban life.
The story seeks to convey a bit of affection in an individualistic society that is marked by profound inequalities. Cuca’s search for his father represents our need for fulfillment in life, a yearning that often leads to the degradation of natural resources and the mutilation of the soul.
During his journey, Cuca encounters characters that represent different aspects of his personality and society, such as an elderly man rejected for being old and sick, and an exploited worker in a factory. The animation criticizes labor exploitation and the relentless pursuit of profit, depicting alienation and mechanical repetition that plague modern life.
Furthermore, there is a reflection on Brazilian festivity, which can serve both as a way to reclaim lost values and as an escape from reality. In the final confrontation between musicians and urban conglomerates, the animation raises the question of how to use crisis to find a balance between rationality and emotions, and between who we are and what we produce.
What do you think of this selection? Would you marathon these titles? If so, prepare the popcorn and soda, maybe a box of tissues, and turn on the TV! You won’t regret it!
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The article above was edited by Brisa Kunichiro.
Liked this type of content? Check out Her Campus Cásper Líbero for more!
<p>The post Liked Inside Out 2? Here are 5 more children’s movies with deep messages first appeared on Her Campus.</p>
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