'Strange World' Disney's 2022 Animated Film

[Californian Elitist]

I just finished the movie. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I went in with very low expectations because I genuinely wasn’t impressed with the trailer and found nothing exciting about it. I thought it was funny and I enjoyed the story and message. The world they created was really neat, colorful, and interesting. I wanted more details about it; that’s one criticism I have.

The gay subplot was harmless, but I already knew that wouldn’t bother me going in. It didn’t seem forced at all. A married couple has a son and he’s gay. Really as simple as that. It didn’t take over the general premise of the plot at all. I’m surprised we didn’t see/hear any whining about the interracial couple agenda.

Is this going down as a classic for me? No. I’d say out of all the environmental Disney films (this one, Moana, and Wall•E), it’s my least favorite. But, that doesn’t mean I didn’t like it. Really, the best thing about the movie is the music. The score is really beautiful, and I could listen to it over and over again. I really loved the hand-drawn artwork in the credits. It looks much better than computer animation and I seriously wish Disney would throw in some hand-drawn/2-D animation in their films again. It’s greatly missed.

 

[LittleBuford]

I’m surprised we didn’t see/hear any whining about the interracial couple agenda.

There have been a few posts here dismissing it as “box checking”.

I seriously wish Disney would throw in some hand-drawn/2-D animation in their films again. It’s greatly missed.

1000%.

 

[Californian Elitist]

There have been a few posts here dismissing it as “box checking”.


1000%.

Looks like I simply missed those posts. I knew my intuition was correct lol.

 

[Figgy1]

I just finished the movie. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I went in with very low expectations because I genuinely wasn’t impressed with the trailer and found nothing exciting about it. I thought it was funny and I enjoyed the story and message. The world they created was really neat, colorful, and interesting. I wanted more details about it; that’s one criticism I have.

The gay subplot was harmless, but I already knew that wouldn’t bother me going in. It didn’t seem forced at all. A married couple has a son and he’s gay. Really as simple as that. It didn’t take over the general premise of the plot at all. I’m surprised we didn’t see/hear any whining about the interracial couple agenda.

Is this going down as a classic for me? No. I’d say out of all the environmental Disney films (this one, Moana, and Wall•E), it’s my least favorite. But, that doesn’t mean I didn’t like it. Really, the best thing about the movie is the music. The score is really beautiful, and I could listen to it over and over again. I really loved the hand-drawn artwork in the credits. It looks much better than computer animation and I seriously wish Disney would throw in some hand-drawn/2-D animation in their films again. It’s greatly missed.

IMHO it didn't even rise to subplot level as you could easily blink and miss it
We're all planning on watching it again and I do hope this movie catches on, on Disney+
You're correct the trailers didn't do it justice and the marketing STUNK
Comparing anything to Wall E is unfair because that was a once in a lifetime film
Again, the marketing stunk because I'd totally buy a plush version of the dog and the little blue creature

 

[Californian Elitist]

IMHO it didn't even rise to subplot level as you could easily blink and miss it
We're all planning on watching it again and I do hope this movie catches on, on Disney+
You're correct the trailers didn't do it justice and the marketing STUNK
Comparing anything to Wall E is unfair because that was a once in a lifetime film
Again, the marketing stunk because I'd totally buy a plush version of the dog and the little blue creature

I loved both Splat and the dog as well.

It’s a shame Disney essentially didn’t market it. I’m not sure if it was because they had no faith in it, but whatever the reason is, it’s sad. I brought up WALL•E and Moana only for the environmental message similarity. They’re all their own unique films.

I would watch Strange World again.

EDIT: I forgot to comment on the homosexuality component. You’re right, it’s not even subplot. There was plenty of straight love and affection in the movie, though. We all know Disney has a heterosexual agenda, though, so that’s no surprise.

 

[LittleBuford]

IMHO it didn't even rise to subplot level as you could easily blink and miss it

I don’t agree. You’d have to really not be concentrating to miss the four or five references to Ethan’s crush on another boy. And that’s a good thing in my opinion!

 

[Californian Elitist]

I don’t agree. You’d have to really not be concentrating to miss the four or five references to Ethan’s crush on another boy. And that’s a good thing in my opinion!

I agree, but it definitely didn’t take over the film. With the way folks were clutching their invisible pearls in this thread, one would have thought that the whole movie was encompassed in homosexuality.

 

[LittleBuford]

I agree, but it definitely didn’t take over the film. With the way folks were clutching their invisible pearls in this thread, one would have thought that the whole movie was encompassed in homosexuality.

Oh, absolutely. But some just have to spin the “Go woke, go broke” narrative for all it’s worth (which isn’t much).

 

[Chi84]

Huge Disney Box Office Flop Is Now Number 1 On Disney+

Strange World could see big success on Disney+.

screenrant.com

 

[Prince-1]

I wonder what other box office flops have generated (currently) 122 pages of comments. Maybe Home on the Range?

 

[Rich T]

Regardless of your opinion on the article's conclusions, these are the types of stories the general public is seeing about Disney.

Combined with the continued erosion of the Disney brand in recent polls, this should be very concerning for Disney executives trying to maintain their position as the trusted mass market family entertainment brand.

https://www.foxnews.com/media/go-woke-go-broke-liberal-movies-books-tv-bombed-2022

Anything I see labeled as Fox News immediately goes in the circular file. The ceramic one with the silver handle.

 

[BuddyThomas]

Regardless of your opinion on the article's conclusions, these are the types of stories the general public is seeing about Disney.

Combined with the continued erosion of the Disney brand in recent polls, this should be very concerning for Disney executives trying to maintain their position as the trusted mass market family entertainment brand.

https://www.foxnews.com/media/go-woke-go-broke-liberal-movies-books-tv-bombed-2022

Spending New Years Day posting stuff from Fox “news” on a Disney fan board? How totally predictable.

 

[TP2000]

I’m surprised we didn’t see/hear any whining about the interracial couple agenda.

Because it is no longer 1963. Nor is it 1983. It's 2023, and that social dynamic is absolutely no longer unique or any big deal.

Who in the United States does not currently have some friends or family who are a mixed couple of some sort?
Americans now live in the present, not the past.

 

[Chi84]

Because it is no longer 1963. Nor is it 1983. It's 2023, and that social dynamic is absolutely no longer unique or any big deal.

Who in the United States does not currently have some friends or family who are a mixed couple of some sort?
Americans now live in the present, not the past.

Hmm, I wonder how that social dynamic came to be no longer unique or any big deal.

Some Americans live in the past.

 

[TP2000]

Hmm, I wonder how that social dynamic came to be no longer unique or any big deal.

The Vietnam war really began it, as white and black servicemen were dating Asian women and many of them married Asian women after their service. It was a bit shocking at first, but became normalized by the latter years of that war in the early 1970's.

That coincided with the Civil Rights movement, but it was Vietnam that I think really started the ball rolling.

Some Americans live in the past.

A few do. Of all races and creeds, really. But the vast majority do not. It's 2023. Who the heck does not know a mixed race couple now?

 

[Chi84]

The Vietnam war really began it, as white and black servicemen were dating Asian women and many of them married Asian women after their service. It was a bit shocking at first, but became normalized by the latter years of that war in the early 1970's.

That coincided with the Civil Rights movement, but it was Vietnam that I think really started the ball rolling.



A few do. Of all races and creeds, really. But the vast majority do not. It's 2023. Who the heck does not know a mixed race couple now?

The point is that behaviors that are shocking become normalized when people come to understand them as common and non-threatening.

Social progress is driven in many ways. Perhaps we can achieve it this time without a civil rights movement.

 

[TP2000]

That’s not totally fair: Puss in Boots is a sequel starring an established character with a built-in fan base (I was actually surprised it didn’t open bigger). Strange World was (is) a tough sell, even if it had been a great film instead simply a decent one.

And yet, with the exception of Pixar franchises and now Frozen, what Disney animated tentpole film has ever had an established franchise to launch from? Moana, Encanto, Inside Out, Raya, Mulan, Soul, Luca, etc., etc., They're all new, unique storylines with new, unique characters the audience has never seen or met before. Strange World was just the next one in the lineup. Followed by Elemental, and then Wish.

What's undeniable is that non-Disney studios are able to produce family animation for a smaller production budget, and then have those family films perform wildly better than Burbank's recent attempts at that same demographic and audience.

I want to make the record clear I do NOT agree with TP2000's uninformed claims that Strange World existed only to check boxes. His weird obsession with cheering on Strange World's downfall is baffling.

Trust me, my posting factual data here has done absolutely nothing to dissuade people from seeing Strange World. If anything, this wild and wacky thread has convinced even more people to see it than if this thread never existed. I helped sell tickets to Strange World!

Yet the facts still remain, regardless of anything any of us here say or do. Strange World flopped during the same holiday season that Puss In Boots did quite well. Especially in foreign markets, where Strange World flopped even harder than the USA. Why is that?

Puss In Boots hasn't even opened yet in several huge foreign markets. Puss In Boots doesn't open for several more weeks in the United Kingdom, South Korea, Japan, etc. but it's overseas totals are still quite large compared to Strange World.

Box Office Stats Domestic & Global for Sunday, January 1st, 2023

But I do agree that from an artistic standpoint, Puss in Boots is the better movie.

Apparently, you aren't the only one to think that. Global audiences also agree. Which should make Burbank rethink their current strategy.

 

[BuddyThomas]

Because it is no longer 1963. Nor is it 1983. It's 2023, and that social dynamic is absolutely no longer unique or any big deal.

Who in the United States does not currently have some friends or family who are a mixed couple of some sort?
Americans now live in the present, not the past.

After all the posts you have put on here about how the gay content is inappropriate, you seriously just posted the above?

 

[TP2000]

After all the posts you have put on here about how the gay content is inappropriate, you seriously just posted the above?

I do feel gay content is inappropriate for children's movies aimed at those aged under about 11 or 12. Certainly movies aimed at 8 year olds or younger. I have absolutely no problem with tasteful gay content in PG-13 mainstream movies aimed at teenagers or older.

But that has nothing to do with the demographic reality of the USA in 2023. Who doesn't know a mixed couple of some sort today?

 

[BuddyThomas]

I do feel gay content is inappropriate for children's movies aimed at those aged under about 11 or 12. Certainly movies aimed at 8 year olds or younger. I have absolutely no problem with tasteful gay content in mainstream movies aimed at teenagers or older.

But that has nothing to do with the demographic reality of the USA in 2023. Who doesn't know a mixed couple of some sort today?

Ladies and gentlemen, a gay man just posted the above. Let that sink in.