Bluray Brings Generations Together in TURNING RED

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray and DVD from director Domee Shi, Pixar Animated Studios and Walt Disney Home Entertainment comes the story of growing up with tradition in TURNING RED.

Meilin (Rosalie Chiang) is a thirteen-year-old girl living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with father Jin Lee (Orion Lee) and Mother Ming Lee (Sandra Oh). She excels at school, is a bit bossy but loved by her friends Miriam (Ava Morse), Abby (Hyein Park) and Priya (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan). She has two worries in life, pleasing a very overprotective mother and Tyler (Tristan Chen), the school pain in the behind!

What she is not prepared for is to add to those worries but some things just come when they are ready. After a powerful storm in the night, Mei wakes us and looking in the mirror staring back at her is a big red panda. Freaking out, her mother immediately goes into panic mode as well believing her little girl has started having a period. Learning that it is her panic that keeps her covered in fur, Mei calms down and returns to normal.

In class, she sees mom out the window and it sends her back into red panda mode. Trying to get away as fast as she can there is no escaping Mom. Once home, Meilin learns that generations ago, a woman named Sun Yee could transform into a red panda to fight battles and since then every woman in the family could do it as well.

The only way to stop it is a ritual that sends the red panda spirit back on the night of the Red Moon. The problem is that is also the same night that Meilin and her friends are supposed to see their favorite band 4* Town in concert and, the girls have all been raising money to pay for the concert tickets. Meilin even uses her red panda persona to make the final bit of money they need.

Agreeing to appear at Tyler’s birthday, everything goes horribly wrong when Mom shows up and learns that Meilin has been doing things she cannot believe! Now, Grandma (Wai Ching Ho) and the Aunts have shown up to help put the red panda back in the box as it were. There is only one place Meilin wants to be and that is with her gal-gang at the SkyDome to see 4* Town.

What happens next is a red panda revolution between Mom, Meilin and all the women in the family who know what needs to be done – and they better do it quickly!

Chiang as Meilin offers up her vocals giving us a thirteen-year-old girl who wants to just be as wild (as wild as a thirteen-year-old can be) and enjoy friends and life. There is a delightfulness that she brings to a character going through so many changes. Oh as mom Ming is a bit scary with her overprotective and a bit overbearing ways. She pushes her daughter into a corner and a red panda emerges to push back wanting to change their future together.

Ramakrishnan, Morse and Park are as energetic as Meilin’s friends as Mei herself. Even when their friend turns her back on them when they need her the most, forgiveness and friendship always win out.

Chen as Tyler is a young man who, believe it or not, is trying to find a way to have friends. It is his approach to it that needs some help. He is going through his own growing up issues and, like Meilin, has no one to reach out to about it.

Other cast includes Lori Chinn as Auntie Chen, Mia Tagano as Lily, Sherry Cola as Helen, Lillian Lim as Auntie Ping, Jordan Fisher as Robaire and Finneas O’Connell as Jesse and Topher Ngo as Aaron T and Grayson Villanueva as Tae Young and Josh Levi as Aaron Z of 4* Town,  and James Hong as Mr. Gao.

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment continues to bring quality programming to kids and kids at heart. Home of the most beloved animated features including SNOW WHITE, PINOCCHIO and SLEEPING BEAUTY to name a few is what keeps families coming back for more. To see what is currently available to add to your own family library please visit. www.movies.disney.com for their At Home titles!

The Bonus Features include Audio Commentary, Featurettes with Life of a Shot, Build Your Own Boy Band, Ani-Mei-Tion, Deleted Scenes with Intro Meilin, Taming the Panda, The Debate, Fei and Christina Hang, 4*Town Dilemma, Roping in Leo and Easter Egg Robutton Deleted Scenes.

TURNING RED has so many different issues that are wonderfully wrapped in a red panda. First, this is a generational film in that history repeats itself from mother to daughter but, Meilin is about to make some serious changes. As each confrontation with Mom happens, the young girl has to find it within herself to be herself.

The film also addresses the expectations for Meilin but she lives a double life. Once away from Mom, she has friends, interests and is getting to that age where boy watching is a friend gathering sport. I have to admit, watching her with the gal-gang reminded me so much of how it was, and my granddaughter wanted to know if its going to be that fun when she gets that age (talk to me again in seven years!).

There is also the traditional story of a woman warrior that is reminiscent of the film MULAN. Another young lady who lives with the struggle of wanting to be what her parents see as a daughter yet wants to break away. The film also carries the same wonderful stories of ancestors and their importance to the Asian culture.

TURNING RED is just delightful, funny, charming and chocked full of life lessons and the importance of knowing a family past yet embracing the potential of the future.

In the end – growing up is a beast!

 

A Time of Change Brought the Biggest BURDEN

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres from writer/director Andrew Heckler's debut and 101 Studios comes the story of courage, change and belief when under a BURDEN.

Mike Burden (Garrett Hedlund) is a young man who came to be raised by Klu Klux Klan leader Tom Griffin (Tom Wilkinson). In the small South Carolina town it puts a divide between the white and African American community with Reverend Kennedy (Forest Whitaker) keeping the peace.

Mike works repossessing electronics from people who are behind in their payments along with friend Clint (Austin Hebert). That is how he meets Judy (Andrea Riseborough) and after hearing her young son will be devastated not to see the Nascar races on the television, Mike makes arrangements for them to keep it. Yet, when seeing classmate Clarence (Usher Raymond), he has no problem taking his television.

Tom decides to open up a museum celebrating the history of the KKK in an historic movie theatre which sends the Reverend and most of the town into shock. Mike tries not to bring to much attention to his involvement because he truly begins to care for Judy and wants to have a life with her. Tom notices and isn't beyond making his own mark with Judy's son.

As the Reverend and townspeople protest the museum, Tom makes a request of Mike that forces him to make a decision. Turning away from the KKK, the Reverend decides that it is time to replace hate with love and offers to help Mike both physically and emotionally.

But it isn't going to be easy to step away from the only life he's known and there are those who are going to make sure Mike suffers every step.

Hedlund as Mike is a man who has consistently stood by the leaders, he feels gave him a family. There is a part of him that remembers friendship with Clarence and is torn between the heart that knows what is right and turning away from a 'family'. Hedlund is shy when it comes to his feelings and frightening when his rage kicks in. There are scenes of brilliance where he is in pain to speak and the final scene where his face says it all.

Whitaker as Reverend Kennedy is a man who tries to keep the peace in town even if there are small battles in his own home. Once he sees the museum, there is no question that he must do whatever it takes to keep it from becoming a permanent part of their town. Whitaker is strong in this role and the scenes with Hedlund are powerful and healing for both characters.

Riseborough as Judy is a woman who doesn't take any nonsense from Mike or from KKK leader Tom. She doesn't believe as Mike does yet there is something about him that she sees a chance for his life to change. Raymond as Clarence remembers a friendship with Mike and believes that there is something more for him on the other side of the KKK tracks. He believes that given a chance, Mike can be saved from those who want to destroy him.

Other cast include Crystal Fox as Janice Kennedy, Anna Colwell as Molly, Jason Davis as Jameson, Dexter Darden as Kelvin Kennedy, Charles Green as Horace King, Joshua Burge as Ronny, Jeff Pope as Cooper and Jessejames Locorriere as Dale and Tess Harper as Hazel.

BURDEN is a story written by director Andrew Heckler after meeting the real Reverend Kennedy. Heckler read about the museum in an article and decided to pen the story from Kennedy's account. The script was written in 1998 but has taken Heckler twenty years to make the film and this is his directorial debut.

This is a story of reality, redemption and the belief that the heart can let go of wrong and embrace positive changes. The film also deals with the twisted beliefs of a group of towns people who believe so much that they are right that hurting those who get in their way is of no consequence or guilt.

The cast brings out the story that shows the Reverends side of fight and all the frustrations that come with it. They are angry and afraid but not so much that they would allow what is happening at the museum to continue without a fight. Having lived in a small southern town, I can tell you that the believability of this story is 100%.

This may be 2020 but that doesn't mean the belief that the character of Mike was raised with is gone because it isn’t, and it isn't only found in small southern towns. What BURDEN does bring into focus the ability to talk about these issues openly and make us all aware that 20 years ago a group of people tried to open a museum that horrified a community.

I see BURDEN as a teachable film that has the greatest potential to reach more than just a theatre audience. It is so powerful and far reaching that it is clear why the film received a standing ovation when it was shown at the Sundance Film Festival.

In the end - only love can drive out hate!