Turning Red : A Pixar's coming of age is almost bad

I've been annoyed lately by Disney and Pixar's decisions. They are so crazy for incorporating LGBT elements into their films. Crazy, right? Imagine your children being fed things like that from a young age, of course it is very dangerous for them. I love Pixar, but I'm also disappointed in them. Then I was in the mood to watch a Pixar movie, thinking about how much I love them. Turning Red was the first film that came to mind, and was arguably the last normal Pixar film they made.

Meilin "Mei" Lee (Rosalie Chiang), a 13-year-old girl, feels that she is about to become a woman. She is free to do whatever she wants. As a contemporary teenager, she really likes the boyband called 4Town. 4Town will be holding a concert in Toronto. May is very excited. But, one day, Mei turned into a red panda when she was too excited and she was panicked because the concert was coming soon. Gradually, Mei has an argument with her mother (Sandra Oh). With her friends; Miriam (Ava Morse), Priya (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), and Abby (Hyein Park), they all struggle to get to the concert along with Mei's problem.

First, I'm so sorry, guys. I have to say this. Turning Red is the dumbest Pixar film I've ever seen compared to the 18 other Pixar films I've watched (yet haven't watched the rest). But, let me talk about the good first. I love the food animation. I'm so hungry after watching this. The red panda design is also very cute. Pixar doesn't disappoint at all in technical animation. This film is bold enough to take the theme of puberty and maturity. There are lots of metaphors about what happens during puberty which are very easy for children to digest when watching them. I am really proud that Pixar is able to make stories that many people say are taboo but very important to know. Kudos to Domee Shi.

This film really relates to the situation of teenagers in the world today. They are obsessed with boybands, they are busy with what they like regardless of what their family advises them. Sometimes they argue with their parents just for what they like without hearing their parents' advice first. Aren't teenagers these days like that?

Next, let me talk about why I called this as “dumbest Pixar movie”. I don't like why this film decided to add an element of magic. Even though at the beginning of the film, this film went very well, and everyone can relate to it. Mei likes boys, Mei's mom is worried thinking that her daughter is having her first menstruation, and young girls' conversations about what they like. However, the addition of conflict in the form of Mei turning into a red panda is an inappropriate decision. I think because this goes against the coming of age theme. Not to mention the ending of the film which shows the boyband can participate in the ritual. I'm going crazy because of this. The ritual scene doesn't feel magical and really chaotic. I hate it.

Pixar lost its spark. The dumbest Pixar movie I've ever seen even I enjoyed it. Still an interesting film, it's just that as a release from Pixar, of course, this is one of the weakest in my opinion because I expected more. Even so, the kids will still love it.

“I’m sorry I’m not perfect, sorry I’m not good enough, and sorry I’ll never be like you.”

Maniac : A unique slasher with killer's POV

Who isn't skeptical when they hear the word 'remake'? Of course the first thing that immediately comes to mind is not original. Some remakes are sometimes able to appear on par, even better. But it still can't be denied that there are so many failed remakes that aren't even worth watching. And do you still remember the horror remake trend that streamed cinemas in the 2000s? Obviously, as a result of this trend, many horror film fans were very bored watching horror films even in the early 2010s. Maniac, a remake of the 1980 slasher, follows this trend. However, did the other remake's mistakes undermine Maniac?

In the middle of the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles at night, a man named Frank (Elijah Wood) is still on the loose. Not to go party or go home, but his destination was unexpectedly terrifying. He would stalk pretty girls with beautiful hair. Not infrequently he could even follow the girls to where they live and kill them there to have their hair pulled and put on a mannequin. When a girl named Anna (Nora Arnezeder) is very interested in the mannequins he makes, that's where we will be shown the complexity of Frank's soul even deeper.

Unfortunately, despite partnering with the famous Elijah Wood in the Lord of The Rings trilogy, this magnificent remake is still "under the radar". This film is so good. This has a unique storytelling style. We are invited to witness all the nightmares of every girl not from their point of view, but from the killer's. The joint script from Gregory Levasseur and Alexandre Aja, who are already experts in the field of horror, brings this remake to a better level. I like the depth of Frank's character which is very good. Frank's childhood flashbacks are not disturb me, in fact it's a very good addition to give me more sympathy for Frank even though he is a killer. Anna's characterization is also good. Gradually, we also care more about Anna which makes us even more worried seeing how close she is to Frank. Speaking of characterization, this cannot be separated from Elijah Wood's performance as the 'Maniac'. He explores all emotions, his voice sounds creepy, and how he describes his childhood trauma is commendable. Meanwhile, Nora Arnezeder is a perfect support for the supporting section.

The tense moments in every stalking scene I think are good. Plus the music directed by Rob and the unique POV taking by Maxime Alexandre also make this film look stunning. It's just that I think taking POV in every Frank's movement is too long. Sometimes it's like watching a dizzying found footage film. But this doesn't mean that the film ends badly, in fact, in some parts it becomes much better if we see what Frank saw firsthand.

I've never seen the original film. So I can't compare them. What is clear is this is a successful remake for me. Scary, suspenseful and unique. In the midst of the horror remake trend at that time, it was clear that this film was one of the best.

"Please don't scream. You're beautiful."