After a depressingly festive experience watching the overt consumerist values and fatphobia in Tim Allen's 'The Santa Clause', I felt inspired to talk about the importance of ethics in kid's films.
I believe it is imperative that we hold a higher moral standard to the kind of films kids are exposed to. More so than any other genre.
Children are so much more impressionable than adults. They're sponges, constantly absorbing information, soaking up messages. They don't have the capacity for critical analysis. They are simply trusting in the environment they are raised in, which includes what they are exposed to.
Whether it's the bizarre feminisation of humanoid volcanoes, the confusing ideas in Madagascar, or the racist, sexist, disablist, fat phobic, toxic masculinity of Free Birds (I'm not exaggerating) kid's films are littered with subtle (or not so subtle) hints, nudging them toward conforming to a set of societal norms, fulfilling cultural expectations and incorporating messages from a systemically problematic environment.
There are some phenomenal examples of Children's movies with beautiful moral messages hidden within engaging and meaningful stories.
Anyway, have a listen if you want to hear me angrily decontextualise some animated turkeys.
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