Wish (Walt Disney Animation - November 2023)

[Consumer]

This is the part I can’t stand and why I don’t enjoy my time here nearly as much as before. Just willful ignorance. No dialogue or conversation. We backed up our opinion with examples but just called names in response.

Yep. We're not complaining about Disney producing non-European movies, we're complaining about their erasing of European culture in European stories. I would have just as much of a problem if Disney made a movie about an African princess and made her white. I love cultures, from Scandinavia to South America to Arabia to Japan, there's beauty all around the world and that beauty should be celebrated, not muddied with identity politics.

 

[Ghost93]

Movies with predominantly White People = bad. Especially when it’s a movie celebrating the 100th anniversary.

Asha had white friends, and her grandfather was white. The Queen, who defied her husband to help our heroes, was also white. The idea that Wish is an anti-white film is absurd just because the villain happens to be white.

As a white person myself, I struggle to see what the issue is. Race had nothing to do with the motivations of ANY of the characters. You are looking for reasons to be offended when there are none.

 

[Figment1984]

Almost like movies have been infused with political and social agendas that contribute to their poor critical and box office receptions. To not acknowledge these attributes would be willful ignorance.

I mean, Barbie is certainly a movie that had a not-so-subtle political and social message and went on to receive critical acclaim and is currently sitting at #1 in the box office this year with over a billion dollars, so certainly your reasoning isn’t very foolproof. If you want to consider that movie “for adults” then Spiderverse which is rated PG also had some subtle and not-so-subtle messages as well which didn’t seem to affect the films success.

Now if one disagrees it must be because they are passively racist.

I mean, you’re defending a guy who has a rendition of Hitler’s white supremacist 1488 quote as his signature, which strangely enough, @wdwmagic has no problem with. Edgy 4chan memes aside, it’s pretty obvious what his deal is and what he’s pushing.

 

[TsWade2]

I have seen you air grievances of your emotions in a few threads on here. It is always a panic of doom for the company or calling critics of movies jerks etc...
Then you return to apologize and say it is just that you get so worked up.

Please, take a breathe and think before posting. Private message if you must and I could share some tips on emotional help resoruces or seek them. No judgment. Person to person. Nothing here should have you posting like this or name-calling

I guess I don’t know what came over me. I’m might start planning to see my therapist sometime next month if it makes you and me feel better.

 

[mickEblu]

Asha had white friends, and her grandfather was white. The Queen, who defied her husband to help our heroes, was also white. The idea that Wish is an anti-white film is absurd just because the villain happens to be white.

As a white person myself, I struggle to see what the issue is. Race had nothing to do with the motivations of ANY of the characters. You are looking for reasons to be offended when there are none.

Who said Wish was an anti White film? I said there is very specific reason they choose to include characters of mixed races when the setting is clearly European. They just weren’t going to do a movie with a predominantly White cast for the 100th. Not happening. Probably why the chose a fictional city. This has been going on for a few years now though. Only the European inspired stories or settings have mixed races but I already pointed that out.

 

[celluloid]

I guess I don’t know what came over me. I’m might start planning to see my therapist sometime next month if it makes you and me feel better.

Focus on you. You should probably leave the threads for a month and see what happens when you return. I have done this before.

 

[Consumer]

I mean, Barbie is certainly a movie that had a not-so-subtle political and social message and went on to receive critical acclaim and is currently sitting at #1 in the box office this year with over a billion dollars, so certainly your reasoning isn’t very foolproof. If you want to consider that movie “for adults” then Spiderverse which is rated PG also had some subtle and not-so-subtle messages as well which didn’t seem to affect the films success.

I never said all movies with political messaging failed, I said we should acknowledge when it contributes to a movie's failures.

Asha had white friends, and her grandfather was white. The Queen, who defied her husband to help our heroes, was also white. The idea that Wish is an anti-white film is absurd just because the villain happens to be white.

As a white person myself, I struggle to see what the issue is. Race had nothing to do with the motivations of ANY of the characters. You are looking for reasons to be offended when there are none.

The movie is set in medieval Europe, therefore every character should have been white. Just like how every character in Mulan in Chinese, every character in Moana is Polynesian, and every character in Coco is Mexican. The only people who object to this are those who hate white people.

 

[celluloid]

I mean, you’re defending a guy who has a rendition of Hitler’s white supremacist 1488 quote as his signature, which strangely enough, @wdwmagic has no problem with. Edgy 4chan memes aside, it’s pretty obvious what his deal is and what he’s pushing.

Not who I quoted.

And even with the poster you mistakenly said I did. Maybe it is a dark satrical joke? Coincidence of wording where you are reading to see a connection and accusation? I don't know. I did not ask nor read it. Maybe ask instead of attack what the meanining is?

 

[Ghost93]

Who said Wish was an anti White film? I said there is very specific reason they choose to include characters of mixed races when the setting is clearly European. They just weren’t going to do a movie with a predominantly White cast for the 100th. Not happening. Probably why the chose a fictional city. This has been going on for a few years now though. Only the European inspired stories or settings have mixed races but I already pointed that out.

It's a fictional city; they can do what they want with it. The truth is the vast majority of Disney animated films still feature predominantly white casts.

That being said, I do think Disney's attempts to bring diversity tend work better when they focus on a particular group/culture than when Disney tries to cram every race into a single movie. People felt seen by the representation featured in Moana, Coco, Encanto and Turning Red. On the flip side, I think the diversity in Strange World felt like box-checking. It didn't detract from the storytelling, but I don't think it moved or inspired that many people either.

 

[celluloid]

On the flip side, I think the diversity in Strange World felt like box-checking. It didn't detract from the storytelling, but I don't think it moved or inspired that many people either.

Boy is that true. And creatively, creators can do what they want, but the box checking thing is very apparent.
The boy was a homosexual with a mixed race set of parents and a three-legged dog.

Its great to have real to life but all of that was unpacked in the first ten min of the movie. One can be ok with it but still feel it is done as checkboxes.

 

[TP2000]

Don’t worry, we’ll be updating this thread market by market.

We’ll have the first round of detailed results on Tuesday for the major markets of UK and Mexico.

Keep your optimism for a few more days before reality sets in.

I just put a sticky note on my fridge that says "Thursday 11/30 - Check box office results from Tunisia!"

.

 

[DKampy]

Well it looks like I have all the proof I needed that there are people here with an agenda

 

[celluloid]

Well it looks like I have all the proof I needed that there are people here with an agenda

What agenda is that?

 

[mickEblu]

It's a fictional city; they can do what they want with it. The truth is the vast majority of Disney animated films still feature predominantly white casts.

That being said, I do think Disney's attempts to bring diversity tend work better when they focus on a particular group/culture than when Disney tries to cram every race into a single movie. People felt seen by the representation featured in Moana, Coco, Encanto and Turning Red. On the flip side, I think the diversity in Strange World felt like box-checking. It didn't detract from the storytelling, but I don't think it moved or inspired that many people either.

Of course they can do what they want with it. That’s why the chose it.


I think Wish felt a little like Focus Group box checking particularly when it comes to her group of friends as they had no depth whatsoever. Didn’t feel that way as much with Asha or her family even though I can see how other people could. That’s the problem. A lot of people feel this way even if it’s just more felt on a subconscious level. But the biggest issue is that it speaks to where their priorities seem to lie. In the wrong places.

 

[Consumer]

It's a fictional city; they can do what they want with it. The truth is the vast majority of Disney animated films still feature predominantly white casts.

That being said, I do think Disney's attempts to bring diversity tend work better when they focus on a particular group/culture than when Disney tries to cram every race into a single movie. People felt seen by the representation featured in Moana, Coco, Encanto and Turning Red. On the flip side, I think the diversity in Strange World felt like box-checking. It didn't detract from the storytelling, but I don't think it moved or inspired that many people either.

Movies like Moana and Coco are great because they have genuine respect for the cultures they depict. All I want is for European stories to be given the same respect. Why is my heritage less important?

 

[TP2000]

Something needs to change.

Disney having some box office success for a change would be a good place to start, don't you think?

 

[mickEblu]

Movies like Moana and Coco are great because they have genuine respect for the cultures they depict. All I want is for European stories to be given the same respect. Why is my heritage less important?

Because your heritage was over represented before you were born and now you have to pay the price.

 

[Ghost93]

Movies like Moana and Coco are great because they have genuine respect for the cultures they depict. All I want is for European stories to be given the same respect. Why is my heritage less important?

Wish features a made-up kingdom and a made-up culture. The Kingdom of Rosas is supposed to be an island where immigrants travel from all over the world.

Every other Disney animated film set in Europe featured an almost entirely white cast. Look at Tangled, Frozen or — more recently — Luca as examples.

 

[Chi84]

Would you be ok with casting a white woman as a live action Moana? If not, why not

The Little Mermaid was set in the Caribbean which made Halle Bailey’s casting perfect. And yet people objected.

I would leave it up to Disney to decide who to cast in Moana. Generally, in this country white people have never had a problem being cast in movie roles, even when portraying non-white characters. It’s not until the tables were turned that it’s become a problem.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I find it a little amusing that it’s with the European material or settings where they feel the need to include characters of all races. When the movies were set in Mexico (Coco), Columbia (Encanto) or Southeast Asia (Raya) they didn’t do that.

I completely agree. The erasing of European culture and identity is some of the most offensive work Disney has done, and unfortunately it's not just Disney but a problem throughout society right now. Everyone would be up in arms if Disney were to treat non-white cultures the way they treat European heritage, but because Europeans are white Disney gets a pass to mistreat their culture. It's revolting and rooted in anti-white racism.

Who said Wish was an anti White film? I said there is very specific reason they choose to include characters of mixed races when the setting is clearly European. They just weren’t going to do a movie with a predominantly White cast for the 100th. Not happening. Probably why the chose a fictional city. This has been going on for a few years now though. Only the European inspired stories or settings have mixed races but I already pointed that out.

I never said all movies with political messaging failed, I said we should acknowledge when it contributes to a movie's failures.

My signature has nothing to do with Hitler. That's an insane accusation.

The movie is set in medieval Europe, therefore every character should have been white. Just like how every character in Mulan in Chinese, every character in Moana is Polynesian, and every character in Coco is Mexican. The only people who object to this are those who hate white people.

So... you're all going to equate "European" with "White," eh? And then argue "European culture" is being cancelled.

Wow.

Even though Disney recently made Frozen. About a very White European culture.

You're all sad. And ignorant of history and culture. Take a Western Civ course.

Wish is set south of the Iberian peninsula (that's Spain and Portugal). The Mediterranean basin is a melting pot of various cultures with varying skin colors. There were Moors in Spain and Italy. The Southern tribes of Europe clearly had people who were brown in hue... Italians, Greeks, Spaniard, etc... Thanks to the Hellenistic and Roman Empires, it was truly a melting pot of people with varying skin colors.

And are we really discussing the color of people's skins? Because that's how you're defining 'race'... which actually doesn't exist genetically. "Race" was made up to justify slavery.

Anyway, Wish begins by narrating how Rosas includes people from all lands. It's not Northern Europe.