There are many profound lessons to be taught when it comes to movies catered toward children. Films like “Toy Story” take on layered roles, encouraging audiences to internalize a certain lesson at every milestone. For instance, a child might imagine a world where their toys can talk and move. Meanwhile, a college student watches the movie, no longer enamored with the toys they once loved.
Growing up, I had always loved the “Bee Movie.” As a child, I was captivated by the vivid imagery, the bees’ niche jobs and the romance between Barry the bee and human Vanessa Bloome. Now in college, after many, many watches, the most impactful life lesson I learned from this movie was questioning the status quo. Do I have to do what everyone else does? Rewatching movies I enjoyed as a child now offers many takeaways that continue to shape my adulthood and university experiences.
I recently watched the movie “Inside Out 2,” which follows the main character, Riley, and her emotions as she goes through puberty and discovers new challenges like selflessness, friendship and morality. The movie left me in awe and, truthfully, in tears. The characters Anxiety, Embarrassment and Fear reawaken the importance of acknowledging how each emotion plays into one’s fundamental character. Having a sense of self is not just the positive aspects of your character but also the flaws.
“They built Riley’s sense of self, destroyed it, added a new one and ended up just coming to the conclusion that her own sense of self is the one that actually matters,” said Clarissa Sandoval, a sociology and health and society senior. “That was really interesting because in college you are finally able to detach from your familial roles and have the opportunity to discover who you are outside of that. In a way, you’re establishing your own sense of self, and it can be liberating.”
On many occasions, students don’t allow themselves to feel their emotions and are quick to drown them out with hobbies and work. As naive as it may sound, watching childhood movies can take you back to a time of simplicity and raw emotion, allowing you to reflect on the way you handle situations in adulthood. Education junior Paige Clark discussed how the movie “Bridge to Terabithia” helps students learn to deal with earnest emotions like grief.
“Every kid has to go through their first time when they lose someone really important, whether it be a dog or a family friend or family,” Clark said. “(The movie) does show parallels because it teaches what other people are doing … and how they’re handling that situation.”
Childhood movies that take on serious topics like loss, failure and greed explore these subjects in a creative and appealing manner, which allows audiences of any age to resonate with the message.
Take a second to reconnect with your emotions and the lessons taught in some of your favorite childhood movies. I implore you to enjoy classics like “Frozen,” “Up” or “Wall-E” through a college student’s eyes. They may even teach you a lesson.
Shenoy is an economics and English junior from Houston, Texas.
