Turning Red

Starring: Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, and James Hong

Director: Domee Shi

Plot: 9/10

The story told in Turning Red is hilarious, relatable, and tear-jerking. It tells the story of 13-year-old Meilin “Mei” Lee, a pre-pubescent Asian girl growing up in Toronto during the early 2000s. She is affected by the generational trauma from her mother by feeling a deep pressure to succeed in school, orchestra, and every other aspect of her life. The major twist in the plot is that all the women in her family turn into red pandas every time they feel a strong emotion. Mei is faced with the task of controlling her emotions, in order to mask her family’s secret identity, but chooses to exploit her secret to pay for her favorite band’s concert tickets.

Voice Acting: 8/10

Rosalie Chiang is bound to be an overnight star! Her feature film debut is bound to impress the Disney audience. Sandra Oh fit the role of an obsessive mother perfectly and was enough to make me scoff at times. The most distinct voice in the group came from Never Have I Ever star Maitreyi Ramakrishnan. She had amazing comedic timing with her monotone voice. The most distinct voice that I was pleasantly happy to see included was the voice of James Hong! I love to see that he has crossed the bridge from Dreamworks over to Disney.

Animation: 10/10

I mean I can’t possibly have much to say much to Disney’s animation style. They’re literally the blueprint. The colors are vibrant. The clothes of the girls are super cute and I am glad they did not try to make them look overly mature. The red pandas are adorable and they made Toronto look like a fun and bustling city.

Music: 9/10

The ode to ’90s boy bands was a really fun decision. Billie Eilish and Finneas really knew what they were doing despite neither of them growing up during that era. I understand Mei’s love for the band, 4*TOWN.

Characters: 9/10

It’s always refreshing to see a diverse friend group with varying personalities. The friend group in Turning Red is a great influence on young viewers because the group is so accepting and confident! My favorite character dynamic in the movie is the complicated mother-daughter relationship. Two different forms are presented and mirror a Gilmore Girls-type dynamic.

Overall: 9.5/10

I think this movie is an important step in representation by Disney/Pixar! Some argue that this movie will not be relatable/enjoyable to everyone but I disagree. All audiences have and continue to find something to love in Turning Red.

My Absence:

Dear viewers, I apologize for my lack of posts lately due to me having to finish my Junior year strong. We started off so hot and now I’ve left you all cooling for far too long. It really must have been agonizing. You’ll be jumping to know that I will be posting rather regularly from now on and you will have MUCH more content to look forward to! Talk to you all soon.