Movie review: Inside out (2015) - meet the little voices inside your head

Movie Review: Inside out (2015)
11 year old Riley has a lot going on for her, she is moving to a new town, leaving behind her friends, her sports team, and her school. There are little voices inside of Riley's head- the feelings, the memories, and the core memories.

And "joy" is busy inside her keeping her happy. Of course fear, disgust, sadness, and anger have been keeping "joy" company as Riley has been growing up, but her emotions have been fairly simple to date. That is until "sadness" plays out of turn and both "sadness" and "joy" go missing from her control centre in the brain. The movie takes the audience of adventure between childhood and adolescence, and we finally realise that happiness/joy can't dominate our life, and sadness or even more complex emotions can be quite useful for us.

Sometimes we have to let go of being happy all the time, because other emotions have their place too.

My psychological perspective:

As a therapist, this movie is a fantastic resource. It's a great way to introduce the topic of emotions to children and adolescents, it is also a useful way to begin conversations about cognitive processes.

From an emotional intelligence perspective, the movie brings out the development of different emotional expression. The movie is surprisingly accurate at a gross level. Children do have more simple emotions that are quick to change and predictable. As children bridge the gap to adolescence, there is a hypothesised "storm and norm" period, and this movie was able to capture this adventurous journey to creating a new control centre of the brain.

The movie also captures interesting cognitive processes of short term memory, long term memory and even personality development due to core memories. I thought it was quite clever in it's execution.

Topics to talk to your kids about
Feelings, sadness, joy, fear, growing up

My Christian Perspective:

From my Christian perspective, I think it is also an opportunity to talk about bullying. Sometimes, no most of the time it feels good just to have positive affect. And we do things that provide us with immediate pleasure. However, we are called to set our eyes on longer term things, even if this results in shorter term disappointments. 

My overall rating: 

Superior
This is a fantastic resource or was an extremely great use of time.

This is a great resource for therapists and parents of children and adolescents. I strongly recommend seeing this movie this school holidays and getting a copy when the movie comes out on DVD. I will surely be referring to it in session with my clients. 

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Movie review: Cinderella (2015)

 

Movie Review: Cinderella (2015)

Once you get over the fact Ella's eyebrows don't match her hair colour, you will be mesmerised by the beauty of the movie. It's true to the classic, which in modern times is a brave move by Disney.

Ella stays in the household of her stepmother and two stepsisters. She slowly becomes subject to their bullying and becomes servant-like in the household while upholding her mother's final words- to have courage and be kind. It's these morals which leads her to finding her true love.

My psychological perspective:

Finally, kids get to see the kind of morals I was bought up with. Good outshines evil.

For the first time, I was able to empathise with the step-mother. Is she truly evil? Or has she been psychologically damaged by grief for her first husband, and the lack of love she perceives from her second husband? Cate B does a great job in the subtly in her eyes to show this pain. And slowly, this pain turns into something more bitter and revengeful.

Topics to talk to your kids about
Love, forgiveness, courage, kindness, step-families

My Christian Perspective:

It's hard to have courage and be kind. In spite of suffering, be able to offer kindness. It is certainly easy to be nice to a stranger once off. It's much harder to be kind to someone who doesn't treat you nicely day in and out. There is some lessons that children can learn about kinds from this movie- kindness to animals, strangers and most importantly those who don't treat you well. After all, God asks us to be both courageous and kind in bible. 

My overall rating: 

Good
This resource maybe useful and maybe a decent use of time.

I love a disney family movie. This is one to keep on the dvd shelf, it's one adults will enjoy watching with their kids whilst laughing at the undertones within the film. 

It's now available to buy on DVD and blu-ray on amazon.com and all good retailers. 

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Movie Review: Frozen (2013) by Disney

 

Movie Review: Disney's Frozen (2013)

It's more a Barbie movie than a traditional Disney classic. There are the heroines and some clever little animated animals. I loved the marvels created by ice and the fun songs that kids will love to sing and dance to. I still have "in summer" on a loop. And it's simply beautiful.

The eldest sister has a magical power to freeze things and create icy things. But for fear of hurting others with her powers she is taught to hide them, and be hidden herself. She grows up in isolation, especially from her sister who she had hurt in the past (who now no longer remembers that her sister has magical powers). You can only hide for so long, when her power becomes exposed, she runs into the mountains turning everything along the way into winter. Can the love of a sister or the love of a lover save the world?

My psychological perspective:

I loved the many themes bought out for kids in this movie. Definitely one to have a chat about after the movie.

Topics to talk to your kids about
Guarding our hearts, sibling love, courage, isolation, betrayal, grief, being unique

My Christian Perspective:

Yes. In typical Disney fashion, Love is what can save the day. But this time, there is less emphasis on romantic love than friendship and family love. The bible tells us to guard our heart. And this echoes throughout the movie.

This is an important lesson for all wannabe princesses out there. How can we fall in love with someone if we don't even know them? 

My overall rating: 

Excellent
This is a very useful resource or a decent use of time. 

I love a disney family movie. This is one to keep on the dvd shelf, the kids will love to re-watch this for years. 

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