A lot of the classics seem either scary or violent. And why does the mom always die?
Anyway, he watches Pooh type movies and Mickey movies. Nemo I think is scary in the beginning and also when the shark is going after them.
Kristine
Most Disney stories were taken from fairy tales. All Disney stories, that I can think of, have a lesson to be learned. In order to have this lesson, the character must have a journey. The journey is usually a physical journey, but also a mental and emotional journey.
Having a parent die, while unpleasant and difficult (especially if you have had a parent die yourself, as I have), is a MAJOR way for characters to have growth and learn. And in fact in real life, a parent dying is a massively huge step to growth, even though it's rotten.
When my mom first died I couldn't have thought about watching a Disney movie. DS didn't exist at that point, so it wasn't an issue. Over the years, however, I have grown to realize what a growth-stimulator it is, and there's the fairy tale connection, and I can handle it now.
Nemo's mom-death is HORRIBLE. And when you think about all the eggs, it makes me want to just sob. But it doesn't bother my son as much as it bothers me...
Lion King's father death is rotten, too. But the story wouldn't have happened with out it, just like in Nemo. If Coral were still around in Nemo, Marlin wouldn't have been so skittish about letting Nemo go out, and there would be no story. etc etc etc.
I know it was a light question, but I've done DEEP thinking on this, and now after 7 years post-mom-loss, I'm cool with it, and understand why they do it over and over and over and over.
As for the shark, it's scary, but the sharks in the beginning are just being misunderstood, and later it's b/c Bruce's instincts are triggered, and the other sharks do try to stop him. Everyone is happy in the end, lessons are learned, etc.
Toy Story...my guy loves it. He did manage to learn the 'shut up' etc language from it, but I bet he would have heard that at some point. For anyone weirded out by "intoxication", there's a scene where Sid's sister is having a tea party, and Buzz has a "drunk" voice from "sipping Darjeeling".
The mutilated toys show, just like with Bruce the shark, appearances don't mean anything, these toys (and Bruce) are nice (or trying to be nice, LOL) even though they look scary. Morals everywhere...
Toy Story 2...it actually bothers me more, b/c the Al character steals something, and it also shows the mom in less than stellar light (I could see DS starting to be suspicious in the future, if a toy breaks and I say I'll have it fixed).
Cars...I think that Cars especially tries to keep parents amused by putting in little wink-winks that kids won't get. There's a scene where we see that Sally-the-Porsche has "pinstriping" under her spoiler. A kid isn't going to "get" it, that it's a take-off of the wildly popular lower-back tattoo, and all the stereotypes that go along with a woman who has a tattoo there, they just see pinstriping (b/c that's how it's described), so as long as WE keep our mouths shut in front of the kids, they will just enjoy it as they enjoy it.
Even with Cars, there's a loss of friends...when he gets separated from Mack (could be seen as a parent figure) he goes on a journey of discovery and self-discovery, and becomes a "person" that he NEVER would have become if he didn't get lost (didn't lose his Mack).
OK I'm thinking about these things WAY too much. But it's what helped me get over my "issues" with Disney kids' movies.
Still not gonna rent or buy Bambi any time soon!!!!!
Nothing wrong with Toy Story!
"Pudgebob, Mommy!") and - yes, really - doesn't watch any other Disney movie. Most of the classics have parts that are too scary in my opinion, for him, in parts that are harder to skip - witches falling off cliffs at the end, etc. There's probably some "safe" Pooh movies and such, but I don't own them so they don't live in my DVD player like the Pixar ones.
It is just that there are some Disney movies and I don't feel are OK for a 3 year old to watch. JMO. Since I have never seen TS, I have no idea what it is about.
