Review: Turning Red (2022) Puberty Is An Exciting Time In Life

Puberty is the happiest time in our lives. Starting from being crazy about your favorite music band, having lots of fun friends, to feeling some emotional changes that you have never felt before. The days are full of excitement with new things we want to do. Meilin Lee quotes as follows:

“We all have a wild side. A hidden messy, noisy and weird side. Many of us never let it out.” –Meilin Lee.

But it is different from the case of Mei Lee in the latest Pixar animated film entitled 'Turning Red'. When she just feels a new spirit in going through her puberty, that phase must be broken with a curse, namely every time she feels excessive emotions, Mei turns into a giant red panda!. Telling May's journey through her teenage years and her curse, 'Turning Red' will premiere exclusively on Disney+ Hotsar starting March 11, 2022.

Synopsis

“Turning Red” centers on the story of Meilin Lee (voiced by Rosalie Chiang), who is a typical 13 year old girl. She is confident, has a crush on boys, has a loyal group of friends, and is obsessed with a boy band. But in the middle of puberty, all of Mei Lee's favorite things are opposed by her own mother who is afraid that her child will have free association. Her mother, Ming (Sandra Oh), who is overprotective and eccentric, often makes Mei Lee embarrassed and uncomfortable. Mei Lee always wanted to show her independence and explore her teenage years.

Apart from being torn apart by her duties as a child and her phase of puberty, Mei Lee also faces another strange challenge, namely that whenever she gets excited, she will turn into a giant red panda.

Puberty described as a red panda

Set in the early 2000s, 'Keď sa červenám (2022)' captures the nervousness and awkwardness of a teenage girl going through puberty. This charming and fun story about friendship and kinship opens with the introduction of our main character in a quirky and confident way. Getting himself woken up in the morning as a giant red panda, is very clearly the metaphor director Domee Shi uses to describe puberty.

The period is described as a giant red panda that is wild and unrestrained. Sometimes, puberty can also be said to be a 'curse' or a scary thing if you look at it from the other side, when you start menstruating for example.

In 'Turning Red', Mei finally discovers that she turns into a red panda whenever she experiences strong emotions, it may represent the mood swings during PMS. Ignorance and fear due to the changes in her body that turned into hairy and began to smell also make it easy for us to empathize with Mei's suffering.

Along the way, Mei must learn to accept her new side and control it while dealing with the ups and downs typical of adolescence, as it is all a process of becoming an adult, emotionally as well as physically. Mei's recent confrontation with her mother makes it clear that she is starting to feel comfortable in her new form which gives her pleasure, freedom, the ability to express anger and say "no" to her mother's excessive demands.

Strong Asian cultural stereotypes

Inspired by Domee shi's personal life experiences, Pixar's first solo female director who is of Chinese-Canadian descent is certainly very detailed to incorporate cultural accents into her films.

'Turning Red' is an authentic portrayal of the Canadian Chinese community, with some interesting observations about cultural assimilation, and is rooted in the character's cultural tradition of the Lee family honoring their ancestor with the power of the red panda. The film also explores how family relationships change as children grow up. mature. The harsh and overprotective Ming, to most of us Indonesians, he may seem very realistic.

Also Read: Review V lete ti poviem, ako sa mám (2022) plný film online sk dabing

When it comes to film conflicts, the antagonists are the women in the Mei family, or, more accurately, the stifling cultural traditions and family expectations that women embody.

There are also hints of Chinese family nuances such as the practice of bai san or lighting incense to honor ancestors, orange slices after dinner, even the use of Cantonese. These are all brilliant additions that reinforce aspects of life as a Chinese teenager in Canada.

Eye-catching visuals and animations

'Turning Red' combines a beautiful blend of animation styles, including intricate and detailed visuals with anime-inspired touches that reinforce the roots of Asian films. At first glance, the animation style is similar to the animation 'Stand by Me Doraemon'.

With bright colors and eye-catching animation, the character details in 'Turning Red' are just as fun. The red panda is also described as very adorable with thick fur details and is very amazing. Meilin's group of friends is diverse, not only ethnically, but also in terms of their designs and personalities.

There is Priya, (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) Indian girl who seems expressionless. His short and hyperactive Korean friend, Abby (Hyein Park). And the white girl, Miriam (Ava Morse). Each comes with very different and varied heights and body types. They are also dressed in different and bright colors that make their presence stand out.

Conclusion

Overall, this film may not be Pixar's best film, but 'Turning Red' manages to deliver a realistic depiction of the most awkward moments of puberty, from the shame of developing sexuality, to unexplained anger, to dealing with discomfort. body.

There are no boring moments in this film. Funny flat comedy, messages and cultural elements that are conveyed, all wrapped up in charm and beautiful, expressive and fun visuals enveloped by a touching and entertaining coming-of-age story.