#lessons from kids movies

[bigbeansinthecistern]

Where have all the stampedes gone. Kids' movies used to be full of 'em. Now? Nothing. How are the people gonna learn what to do in stampedes anymore

[ironinkpen]

I just have a lot of Big Feelings about the fact that Leo and Raph, on their first Real Serious Missions as Leaders (the movie and Bug Busters, respectively), both mess up in almost identical ways

They both ignore their brother’s advice to be more cautious (Raph ignores Leo’s warnings about Big Mama, Leo ignores Raph’s warnings to take things more seriously), have to then be bailed out by said brother (Leo saves the team from being thrown into the Battle Nexus, Raph saves Leo from getting impaled), get Donnie and Mikey captured/almost killed (trapped in the Battle Nexus, crushed in the Turtle Tank), lose an important item to villains (the oozequitos and the key) that releases monsters into the world (the mutants and the Kraang), and nearly get their brother killed (Leo gets thrown off a skyscraper, Raph gets taken over by the Kraang).

But then they both own up to their mistakes, unlock their powers, and save each other. Raph throws himself off that roof right after Leo without even thinking of his own life, and Leo throws down his weapons knowing Kraang!Raph might kill him. Because they love each other, are willing to die for each other, and now get what it means to be responsible for the team’s lives after seeing just how easily they can lose each other.

Rise said “the only way to truly understand leadership is to almost kill the one guy who’s looking out for you” and it hits me hard every time

[francy-sketches]

I'm gonna have to work on my final project non stop for like a month straight bc I procrastinated on it too much fuck my stupid baka life

[eosofspades]

next gen (2018) is the best movie ever for a lot of reasons but the biggest, most integral one that i've never seen anybody actually address before, is that it is fundamentally a story about being a very young child who is suffering so much emotional pain and the experience of that pain not being taken seriously by anyone around you. mai's anger issues and crushing loneliness are absolutely integral to any reading of the story's themes, and not only is her pain a driving force, but it is validated by the narrative. the story doesn't mock her for having "daddy issues," she's not just a whiny or dramatic little girl; she is ABSOLUTELY justified in feeling lonely and hopelessly angry, and the movie goes out of its way to show you things from HER perspective. and at the end, the "lesson" she had to learn wasn't that she was WRONG about how she viewed her mother and her situation - in fact, her MOM is the one who has to learn that she was mistreating her daughter and hurting her.

the movie also takes so much care to honestly and realistically show how that loneliness can manifest in the most destructive of ways - mai is ALLOWED to be angry, she is allowed to be rude and abrasive and destructive, and while it is portrayed as a problem and something that needs to be addressed, the narrative never BLAMES her for it - because she is a child reacting in a real, emotional, raw, human way to her trauma and pain.

what i'm trying to say is i have never seen a film before that takes a child's feelings of misery as something so valid. the narrative NEVER condescends to her character, it never comes across as patronizing. and the movie isn't about having to forgive the people who hurt you, but instead it's about the importance of not letting that pain stop you from making NEW memories and better relationships. it's so real and RAW and full of love and ultimately, it is about how even one person looking at you and saying "i see your pain, and i'm not going anywhere" and meaning it can be enough to save you.

[poorlittlevampire]

i do think disney movies have gone down in quality (for many reasons) but i also think. perhaps. some of us are expecting way too much out of movies meant for. children

[timeisacephalopod]

I watched this two hour long vid on cannibalism in media and I gotta say it was so refreshing to watch 2 hours of content that at no point whines about """"problematic"""" aspects of media like anyone watches CANNIBALISM on screen and decides to EAT PEOPLE about it and then got treated to a bunch of OTHER taboo subjects being brought up in a thoughtful, media analysis way that was interesting and beautifully written and delivered. They've got some stuff on Lolita that I think would be worth the watch because I won't get a 2 hour lecture on how fucking 12 year olds is bad as if the writer of the novel didn't know that and wrote that guy as a fucked up nasty on purpose and it's not the books fault creeps decided it was a romance because they've got piss poor reading comprehension, or movie comprehension, or idea comprehension depending on what Lolita media they got into or even just heard about.

I gotta say after years of "if you READ INCEST you want to FUCK YOUR SISTER" on Tumblr it was a delight for the creator to skip that bullshit and get into what incest in media REPRESENTS. Also no accusations of "glorifying" anything when the definition of that for those that use that term is "depicts X Bad Thing in Any Way I Don't Like (which is EVERY way)." Finally some good fucking media analysis that doesn't try and hand me a lecture about how Murder Is Bad as if people kill people because they watched it on TV one time and it totally altered their entire morality system because that's how these types think "problematic" shit in media works because they're sad little babies who need moral lessons spelled out for them like media for 6 years olds since adults obviously can't be trusted to think Bad Things in media ARE in fact not good.

[just-rogi]

If I, a full time city of Boston employee, with a 4 year degree, in a 10,000+ person union can’t afford to rent IN BOSTON w/ out a roommate… something is fucking wrong. You literally NEED me?? Im an essential city of Boston EMPLOYEE??? Either pay me more or start killing landlords.

[brgrchld]

thinking about how louise projected herself onto a spider that one time

[sybilhallward]

just remembered that tonight my mind decided to teach me a valuable lesson about people having the potential to be massive assholes no matter their political orientation... by making me spend hours getting into arguments with Bernadette Banner??

[always-a-slut-4-ghouls]

I just remembered this one time I had a teacher get mad at me because when she asked me what gender came to mind first when she said trucker (she was trying to prove how sexism gets ingrained into us from society) I didn’t actually have a gender come to mind. Just a list of everyone I remember meeting who had that career. My uncle did come to mind first on the list but that was because he was my fucking un cle. This kept happening for any job I knew people who had. If I didn’t know anyone the results may or may not have been whatever she wanted, but she was very mad that if I knew anyone (often multiple people) with that job they would all bombard me at once in rapid succession the moment someone asks me to picture someone with that career

[blondiexbiites]

...

[fruitsofhell]

I am literally such a proponent of just blocking or ignoring people and moving on with your life on the internet, even over the pettiest things because there’s no point in letting a bunch of random stings litter your dash throughout the day. Like I’ve blocked people for making mildly mean jokes about my favorite characters, I’m so serious.

But also sometimes you see someone so grossly misinterpret something that Really Isn’t That Deep, and... and I HAVE TO GO DIE IN INTERNET WAR FOR MY FAVORITE BABY MOVIE!!!

[rebelspykatie]

Steve’s never had anyone show any genuine interest in the things he likes. Robin rolls her eyes when he brings up sports or silly movies that don’t have a bigger plot or character work. Even though she played soccer, she doesn’t care about it in the same way that Steve cares about basketball or football. 

The kids make fun of everything from his taste in music to his choice in snacks for movie nights. Mike calls him a little housewife for baking one time and he never shows up with cookies again. They’re never intentionally mean spirited, or at least he doesn’t think so. He knows he can give as good as he gets when it comes to catty, sarcastic comments, but he tries to steer clear of personal attacks on someone’s identity these days. He learned that lesson with Jonathan. 

But even before the party came along, it was like that. His parents never stuck around long enough to find out what he was up to, never attending a game or meet, and certainly in the dark about what he might be up to outside of school. Tommy only ever cared about himself and Carol, only following Steve around for clout, popularity by association. If he asked him right now, he’d bet a lot of money that Tommy doesn’t even remember his favorite food or the movie he used to watch when he was sick. There was a point where he thought he could share things with him. Until he realized mid ramble about sports cars that Tommy wasn’t even listening to him. He was staring at Carol and nodding along with a vacant expression. 

So he stopped sharing. Stopped caring if people knew anything about him because they never asked. People always made assumptions about him anyway. The girls he slept with only wanted one thing. The kids were happy to let him chauffeur them around with no questions asked. Robin was the only one he let in, the only one that cared about digging deeper. But, and she never said in so many words, he could tell that she thought his interests were mundane, and clearly not something that sparked any enthusiasm from her. She couldn’t even keep up with the girls he slept with, giving him the same bored stare as Tommy. 

Even now, after a few years, Steve’s reminded that they never would have become friends if not for trauma and the secret inner workings of the Russian’s within Hawkins. He’s lucky to have her, but he doesn’t think she ever would’ve chosen this, chosen him. And that’s fine. He’s used to not being chosen. His parents didn’t choose him when they started leaving him alone at age 12. Tommy and Carol chose each other and the reign of a new king when Steve fell from his throne. Nancy chose Jonathan. 

He doesn’t think he has a lot to offer. 

Well, at least until Eddie comes along. He’s taken by surprise when Eddie asks after the song that’s playing in his car. He’d assumed Eddie only liked metal music, and yeah he pokes fun at the genre of music Steve seems to stick to, begging him to give metal a shot, but he doesn’t say a word about how lame it is. When they’re having a movie night, Eddie notices that Steve gravitates towards coke and brings him one without Steve asking.

After Eddie sees his bedroom, Steve gets a pack of hot wheels for Christmas. Eddie jokes that he should give one to each of the kids as their new ride, since they seem to be ungrateful little twerps. Steve places them right under his posters on his dresser and Eddie grins at them every time he comes over. They lay in bed and pretend to drive them on the ceiling like they’re kids again. It shakes something loose in Steve’s chest. 

Eddie hates sports, but he invites Steve over on Mondays, when Wayne is perched in his chair for football. He quietly works on his campaigns while Steve and Wayne watch the games. Eddie somehow worms his way into Steve’s heart, digging deeper and deeper with each new thing, like he wants to know more. Steve’s history is a minefield, but Eddie expertly navigates through it, leaving who they were behind, building something new together. Steve’s already halfway in love with him before he even realizes that Eddie is something that he likes. 

He expects to freak out a bit more, but who is going to stop him? Who is going to care if he wants to be with this boy? He’s spent so long ignoring parts of himself for others that he wants to cherish this fragile thing, to cradle it in his hands, make sure no one can ruin it for him. When he kisses Eddie, it feels like coming home, like he’s finally found that place he’s been searching for his whole life. It’s a kind of devotion that Steve’s not used to, born of love and not obsession or jealousy or anger. 

He’s not sure he deserves it, but he’ll do everything in his power to keep it.

[bogleech]

I can't count how much media, from adult to little kid's media, has had some scene where someone plans to drop a weapon in a populated area, potentially killing civilians because they think that's worth killing the Bad Guy, and the entire world agrees that in this narrative that character has become as evil or more evil than whatever they thought they were fighting. That choice is presented as a horrifying thing absolutely everywhere, except when it finally happens in real life and is going to kill real people, and suddenly half the world wants to argue that no, that's exactly what Heroes do apparently.

The most recent movie I saw with this exact moment in it was Nimona but when I was a little dumb baby I was learning this lesson from even the fucking Ghostbusters and Ninja Turtles. When we were little spongy minded infants we could comprehend that it was objectively something only a cruel and terrible person ever even considers. And guess what???? The real life adult world actually isn't more complicated. Not at all. This isn't something you find out is more nuanced as you get older. There's nothing to debate about. There's no "well, actually" to be stated. Someone who kills bystanders is exactly as one-dimensionally evil to the fucking core as a cartoon bad guy, and any good person should want to do absolutely anything in their power to stop them at any and all cost.

[augustinewrites]

“i’ve got the ice cream!” gojo announces as he steps into the apartment.

despite the urgency conveyed over his call with you, not a soul appears to greet him like the hero that he is. instead, he’s greeted by the perked ears and alert looks of four shikigami wolves lounging under the sun rays stretched across the kitchen floor.

he carefully steps over them to grab four spoons. “where are your summoners?”

your dogs tilt their heads, pretending not to understand him. megumi’s puppies don’t even bother with pretending, turning around and setting their fluffy bottoms down with a huff.

“useless animals,” he scoffs, venturing into the apartment to look for everyone. 

he eventually finds the three of you in the bedroom, you and tsumiki cuddling in bed watching some chick-flick while megumi reads in the armchair. 

“finally,” you grin when you see him, pausing the film to take the bag and spoons from his hands. “thank you.”

“what’s going on here?” he asks as you distribute ice cream pints and spoons. 

“tsumiki didn’t say “i love you” back to her boyfriend,” megumi quips, his sister throwing a pillow and a glare in his direction. 

gojo looks at you, brows furrowed, but you only send him a pleading look.

“well,” he starts, sitting on the edge of the bed. “love is a big emotion, kid. it can take a long time to develop, or sometimes you just know like that,” he says, snapping his fingers. 

“how long did it take you two to say it?” 

this time when he looks at you, you look away. you hate how much he loves this story. 

he can’t help the giddy feeling fluttering in his chest. 

“you tell her,” you mutter.

“why? you were the one who said it first. it also led to our first kiss remember?”

“and as i recall, you didn’t say you loved me back right away.” 

ah, you never fail to remind him. 

“i didn’t get the chance. you just started kissing me and tearing my clothes off. then you immediately dragged me into bed and had your way with me,” he recalls, sighing dreamily as megumi covers his ears.

“i did not kiss you first,” you argue, like you always do. “i don’t kiss on first dates!”

“you did that night.”

“no, i said that i loved you, and then you kissed me.” 

he looks at you for a moment. really looks at you. he supposes that first kiss had been over nearly ten years ago, he couldn’t really fault you for forgetting. he didn’t even remember what he’d had for breakfast this morning. 

“alright, you win,” he relents, shuffling up the bed to sit against the headboard, pulling you into his chest and kissing your temple. 

_____

his first date with you ends up being five years after he meets you. 

by then, he’d already known he loved you. hell, some deep, subconscious part of him had known since he was seventeen years old.

so, two years after he’d made a deal with your father, he asked you on a date. 

the date goes well. a nice dinner at a nice restaurant in roppongi, followed by a movie in the apartment you’d eventually move into. he’d successfully put his arm around you and leaned in to tell jokes that’d made you laugh.  

being with you has always been easy, even back then. there’s no awkwardness on your first date, just the blossoming feeling of something exciting and new growing between you.

(because you were in love with him too.)

“i should head home,” you sigh around 11pm, moving to lift your head from where it’s been laying against his shoulder. “i have lesson plans to prep for next week.”

“don’t go,” he’s quick to insist. “stay. i have two spare rooms. i already have one set up for you.”

you look at him for a moment, like you’re seeing him for the first time. “you do?”

“i wasn’t going to make you go home by yourself in the middle of the night,” he shrugs, averting his gaze and feeling shy all of a sudden. 

“i don’t have any clothes—”

“just wear something of mine.”

that was mistake number one, because when you’d come out of the bathroom wearing one of his shirts, he’s still pretty sure he’d blacked out for a second.

mistake number two was staying up late, chatting. this wasn’t uncommon for the two of you, but for some reason that night had felt…intimate. you’d had your legs in his lap, illuminated by the faint glow of the television as you chatted. 

mistake number three was helping you walk to the spare room, an arm looped around your sleepy figure as you leaned into him.

he still remembers the way his heart had been thumping loudly in his chest as you gazed up at him, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “goodnight,” you murmured. “i love you.”

he’d stood there, blinking uselessly as he watched realization pass over your face. “satoru…”

he says your name back, suddenly terrified. he remembers how the fear seized his heart, because all at once, you’d become someone he could lose. he has a history of people leaving. whether it was by choice or not, it always hurt. he wants you so badly, but he also knows that losing you would break him. 

it must be written all over his face, these unsaid fears and hesitations that were plaguing his mind. that was when you’d stepped forward and gently cupped the sides of his face, pulling him in for a kiss. 

______

“sometimes you just know when you love someone,” you tell tsumiki, brushing some stray hairs from her face. “i don’t really know how to explain it.”

“it’s just a feeling,” gojo agrees, still looking at you. “a pretty great one, that leads to even greater things of you give it a chance.”

[tiredlylaughing]

what i really loved about atsv is the way miles' relationship with his parents and their issues isn't blamed on him

when they yelled at him during the party, it wasn't just an embarrassing moment for miles, it was embarrassing for rio and jeff too

jeff doesn't immediately go after The Spot along with spiderman, he runs down the stairs in a direct parallel to what miles does in the first movie, before being able to jump off the building. he hasn't gone through the growth miles has already been building on for so long

we get a heart to heart between spiderman and jeff and, while it's very awkward and stilted, it's a very revealing moment for both characters and miles is the one leading it. he's the one to give the advice that jeff needed and, even if extremely biased, he said the right thing. we see jeff accept this lesson later on and even quote it to rio

there's a scene where rio and jeff admit they need to mature to raise miles god damnit

plus all the moments i missed or can't remember after my first watch

in their eyes miles is still irresponsible, reckless, and naive. this is all true, and they are moments when he needs his parents' guidance as a teenager. but he also far surpasses them when it comes to selflessness, perseverance and general growth. it perfectly balances his relationship with his parents with the inherent responsibility it takes to be spiderman.

i feel like most movies/shows would just blame the difficulty of the relationship on the kid, because oh well they're a teenager, they're lashing out and being jerks to their parents look at these assholes. but this one goes Hey actually, i don't think it'd be easy to be a good son and a superhero at the same time, just a thought. and yet they also say that there is a way, because no matter how hard, miles and his parents are trying and they need to learn from each other to get there