Regina Falange

I've never written a review like this before but I just couldn't help myself this time. I was reading some of the reviews people left that only gave the movie one or two stars and I got so mad because clearly they fell asleep or something while watching. The main concern I saw was that it was scary for kids or "hard for children to understand" and that is just so ridiculous I wanted to cry. I watched this movie with my five year old niece and eight year old nephew. Neither of them was remotely scared when the main character died because his death was not portrayed as scary. He simply fell and landed on a bridge that was slowly and calmly leading him toward a light. His entire death was shown to be peaceful and all the other souls either saw their deaths as a happy or bittersweet moment. None of them were scared, and the only reason Joe was so against going into the light was because he had finally gotten a music gig. He wanted to leave because he didn't think he was ready to die, not because he was afraid to. It was also very easy to understand. The main theme, that the meaning of life is to live, was stated outright, and even if a child doesn't understand that, they don't have to! So what if your kid can't write an essay on the main idea of this movie. It was made to be enjoyed, not dissected, and a kid can still love this movie and laugh at the funny parts without totally understanding the more deeper meaning. I also read that it was "too theological" which I also disagree with. The movie absolutely does not force any beliefs onto anyone. There is no mention of heaven or hell at all or any other specific religions, and if you're really worried about your child getting the wrong ideas about what happens after you die, don't be. Children may be young but most of them still understand the difference between movies and real life, and if for some reason they don't, just explain it to them. The last complaint I heard was that it was yet another movie claiming to be POC-friendly, that just made the only POC character into some kind of animal or blob for the entire movie. This one is a valid worry and a serious issue, but once you watch the movie it clearly is not like that at all because: 1) Joe was only a blob for a short time, and though his soul does go into a cat, his actual body is still shown, just with someone else's soul in it. 2) A large part of the movie celebrates and follows black culture (and I noticed there were very few white people in the background) 3) Joe interacts with many other POC characters who have different interests and jobs and all of them are very well rounded. 4) Yes, Joe was a blob for a part of the movie, and yes, animated movies do have a habit of turning POC characters into creatures or blobs, but when Joe becomes a soul and walks around with the other souls, all emphasis is placed on character, and it is absolutely not an attempt to bury his skin color.