TURNING RED

A new Pixar film is always something to look forward to, the animation studio delivering pretty much major hit after hit since Toy Story nearly thirty years ago now. They're a studio that have always looked to develop the quality of their animation all while telling stories that resonate powerfully with their audiences, Turning Red being the latest from Pixar to take pride in delivering an emotionally driven story that might just be one of their most important films to date. 

Mei Lee (Rosalie Chiang) is a confident, dorky 13-year-old torn between staying her mother's dutiful daughter and the chaos of adolescence. Her protective, if not slightly overbearing mother, Ming (Sandra Oh), is never far from her daughter - an unfortunate reality for the teenager. And as if changes to her interests, relationships and body weren't enough, whenever she gets too excited, she transforms into a giant red panda.

Domee Shi, who has worked behind the scenes on many Pixar projects before going on to direct the short Bao, marks her feature directorial debut with an assured coming-of-age film the likes of which have never been seen. Along with co-writer, Julia Cho, Shi taps into the human emotions in such a vibrant and unique manner, Mei Lee's frustrating journey of self-discovery full of laughter, tears and plenty of anxiety caused by parents becoming such an important project for Pixar in the process. 

They are so good at making films that relate to humanity through characters that range from toys to fish yet it just seems to hit a lot harder when the characters are human themselves. The struggles that Mei Lee faces as her body starts to change will strike a poignant chord with young woman around the world but it isn't a move from Pixar that makes Turning Red a film that no one else can relate to; friendship, family and finding your true identity key themes that will resonate with just about anyone on this planet, ensuring this becomes another Pixar film with universal appeal.

The film may not deliver the most striking animation that can be found in Pixar's back catalogue however, the colours and clever editing throughout make it such a feast for the eyes as Mei Lee either tries to keep the red panda at bay or succumbs to its presence, leading to all sorts of antics. There's a real playful nature to the film, clever little jokes and character traits scattered throughout, as well as true emotional beats that we're so used to seeing in Pixar films these days, Ludwig Göransson's score drifting between both so wonderfully.

The vocal performances are great in Turning Red too, Rosalie Chang bringing a real energy to Mei Lee as she tries to hide her new alter-ego from both friends and family. You can really sense the nervousness and anxiety within her character all thanks to Chang's performance. Sandra Oh has a blast playing the stern mother looking to steer Mei Lee down a successful path in life, the intimate interactions between mother and daughter key to the film's central narrative.

Turning Red is another film from Pixar, following Soul and Luca that would have sure been a huge hit around the world if released in cinemas and not going straight to Disney+. Don't let this release tactic put you off watching either because I honestly believe this film deserves to be mentioned amongst some of the Pixar greats.

Verdict: ★★★★½