Siskel & Ebert: Two thumbs WAY up!
Grade: A+
Former ISU rating: 6/6

SERIOUSLY, IT IS NOT BECAUSE I HAVE MY MAIN SONA ALFRED RED PANDA THAT IT GOT THESE RATINGS-IT WAS THAT SENSATIONAL.

I would love to say that Disney/Pixar have forever gotten my heart. It would be a blessing that with my master's in business accounting, I would LOVE to work for either Disney or even in my own backyard, Pixar. Even if it were that I was not in the FF'dom, I loved every second of the movie-I never had any down time in the movie, and I was almost laughing my butt off from 12 minutes in the movie to nearly the end. When it comes to having to see what puberty does to the body, there's lots of things happening, of course. Clearly, the fact is that girls mature earlier than boys, but for Mei Lin, it does not come at a better time to know oneself. It is clear that when one does get into the teen years, there will be times when one would like to be more grown-up and independent, and to also be adventurous. Of course, there are perks and tribulations to the teen years-an individual will have to accept what they cannot change, and also if there is a thing that does not go right, there can be ways to put that to your advantage. Here in this movie, as the theme here is "Growing Up is a Beast.", as a warm-blooded animal that is on the land is considered beast as it is nearly defined as a flightless mammal that does not have an egg surrounding it (monotremes-eg., platypus, echidna) and is connected to mom in the womb via a placenta until birth. In here, Mei Lin is ALWAYS ONE! (Humans are therians too! )

As she would then be a spirit animal for real here, it is clear that in such Oriental culture, children are expected to do well for their parents in school and be the utmost in class. It is stereotypical, but really, to include such a culture while having to deal with what would be an alter ego while at the same time enter puberty would whack the mind SOOOO much! The good thing here is to accept what you are and to eventually take it as it is to adapt to both the changes. Of course, the movie is an extreme case of trying to go through life and blending in with culture and not be deviant; well, for both Mei Lin's mom (Her name is Ming.) and her being in somewhat in a generational culture clash, it is what every child and parent will have to deal with while the child grows up, as yes, the blessing of becoming Alurius fulgens back then was good when technology was simple- now it today's world, as Ming says, "It's an inconvenience"- more like "curse!"

As there was the time when Mei Lin has to rid her firefox self at the full moon while she will have to attend a concert, it was that she did learn to accept herself the way she is, but can she control herself? Of course, there can never be a time when friends and family are needed, and for one to have a good life, both relations should be able to accept such decisions and see the good reasons why that individual chose to do it that way. Unlike that distasteful loveable purple dinosaur in American public television that existed in the 90's to the late 2000's, this movie does show that there is unconditional love in friends and family, but eventually, there will have to have love with conditions and one will have to gain such trust to get that love-something that Mei Lin will have to learn at some point. YES, to stay with trust, as puberty does make children more rebellious, it's no surprise that they will disobey their elders by at least lie to them to get what they want. This movie sets a great example on how that is, and they have to come to terms on how to be good in family and set an example to eventually become parents if they choose. For Mei Lin, let's see if she will do so for her eventual motherhood if she chooses!

Now, how is it that she will be a mother? Oy, there are things in this movie that do not make this a "G" rated movie at all-those times are gone by the wayside! (But Oh! Thank heaven, I did hear that "PAW Patrol: The Movie" IS rated "G". There is a chance that "G"-rated movies can still be made.) When I streamed the movie, very often, I would stop to cachinnate!! There have been some lightly sexual things in this movie, especially when Ming prominently brings pads to school and Mei Lin "gyrates" in front of her mom sultry-ly! And really, you will have to take a good look at this screenshot I found on Twitter- the user timed it well- but do look before it, there is some reference to the Bambi character Thumper!: https://twitter.com/TheWulfer/statu.....64473622441990 I CAN'T STOP LAUGHING AT THIS!!! (REALLY, I don't recall any RL red panda this way!!) Also, if you were to reference the movie to others, I would say that it would be like Disney's own "Brother Bear" mixed in with another Pixar movie, "Inside Out." One would believe too that the Chinese do have an innate ability to have some senses of humor, too, well, as Mei Lin does have her inner animal unleashed, she would do that, especially utilize her cuteness for the greater good! Do look on in the movie, there are more surprises to see, and Mei Lin could still have a chance to get rid of her catbear self (I won't spoil...)

To an FF'dom perspective, definitely, this is a Macro/Micro movie and it will propagate on that theme even more when you keep watching! Truly for whoever has a red panda sona (AHEM, ME.... ) they would see this as a blessing as it is EXTREMELY RARE to see one as the main animal used in the movies excluding Master Shifu in the "Kung Fu Panda" franchise. They are all cute and docile, in both captivity and in the wild, but they can have their aggression at some times-they do fight within their family or with others-(like in the movie!), and in the wild, rarely, they can like meat-so they can be predators; at one point, Mei Lin CAN show her predatory instincts as a real wah in the wild at some point in the movie-LOOK OUT!

It was a good change of scenery as most of Pixar's movies were in the USA, more often in San Francisco (Their HQ is in the small city called Emeryville-a suburb that is off the Bay Bridge.), but Toronto was a great setting as it is the most cosmopolitan city in Canada. Now to also bring symbolism to red, as Canada's flag is primarily red and white, do note what Jin (Mei's father) says about luck... (Is it why Canada is a good place for the family and the country in RL?) Yes, there is the SkyDome-it is real, but now it's called Rogers Centre (There is in the credits that they use the place under licence despite that the name has changed now-there are legal purposes in using the name.) But do look carefully, there is subtle reference to the baseball team that plays there! ( https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/ ) I know that the movie is perfect to my eyes as a real Toronto landmark was used here, but I was also expecting something to happen to the nearby CN Tower! Oh well, nothing happened to it, but it was still entertaining nonetheless. To return to Jin, stay tuned to after the credits-there is something going on to him!

Really, I agree with Rotten Tomatoes being certified fresh (95%: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/turning_red ), but only 70% like the movie?! For certain, the furry world would love it, but that is disgraceful that the "common audience" would put it that low. Forsooth, the other 30%-some who would still watch to the end-would not know what they're missing still, or they just don't have an inner child, or appallingly, they just don't like red pandas. O_o For those that like, I won't be surprised that they will see this movie again. I know so! Since Zootopia, Disney has done really well in entertaining everyone. I congratulate it and Pixar for a job that is expected to exceed their expectations-TO MAYBE GODLIKE PROPORTIONS! I should give them a LONG applause for this-truly, "Turning Red" is a MASTERPIECE. If there is a sequel to this, LET ME HAVE THE TICKETS!

I would like to have a special callout to one fur that reFURRED me to this movie months before this was released, and if I did not hear about it from him, I would not have enjoyed it, EVER.  LouieFox, like the movie in which we should value friendship, I thank you for showing the trailer and talking to me about the movie-it was worthwhile, and I value you as a great friend to me no matter what age difference we have. I owe you one!