Why It’s Perfectly Okay to Still Watch Children’s Movies

#NeverTooOld

Ever watched a children’s movie just because you could? Or, maybe nostalgia kicked in and you succumbed to the beckoning of that childhood favourite?

I often find myself reverting to old habits and pulling out my special edition Beauty and the Beast. There is no reason this should feel like a truth best ignored. Celebrate your inner childishness! Through an admiration for the simple and fantastic, young adults can once again be in contact with the sheer happiness of living.

Here are the reasons you should never be ashamed to watch a children’s movie:

Happy endings are for everyone.

Watching seemingly unrealistic happy endings can help you cope with the stress of reality. In their simplest form, children’s movies can help kids and adults alike escape the ups and downs of everyday life with the promotion of a happy ending.

As a teen, one is constantly struggling with societal and academic stress; your reputation, your grades, your future. Children’s movies can provide escapism while also dealing with some of society's issues.

An article published by Wayne State University Press pointed out that Disney’s 1933 short film Three Little Pigs “struck an emotional chord” with the American population during the Great Depression. Through this representation-infused escapism, Walt Disney Studios could “tap into the spirit of the times and reconnect with the idealism of the American Dream of success and prosperity,” while also providing its viewers with a way to distract themselves from the horrors of present day life.

In light of this, children’s movies always have themes that ring true for the people of the time. Take Zootopia for example; in a time where our society is possessed by the fear of terrorism, this movie teaches viewers that people are not all that they have been stereotyped to be.

Themes for days.

Children’s movies can delivery important messages to audience members of every age. Disney movies, particularly Disney ‘Princess’ movies, often receive criticism from parents and critics. They believe the heroines of these movies give girls unrealistic expectations for both their own bodies and their future spouse. However, when further explored, the themes within these movies often teach the opposite.

Beauty and the Beast is a perfect example of a Disney film with a meaningful theme. It teaches that true beauty is within; a lesson that still rings true for today’s society. As a twenty-first century civilisation, we are constantly in contact with various forms of media, both visual and audible, that provide unrealistic representations on how we should dress or act.

Mulan teaches us to be courageous. Dumbo teaches us that what makes you different makes you special. Tangled teaches us to step outside of your comfort zone to truly experience life. These are all themes that people of all ages can identify with.

They're not just for kids, anyway!

Disney movies were never meant for just children. Walt Disney himself said that “I do not make films primarily for children… I make them for the child in all of us, whether we be six or sixty.”

Whether it is a break from reality you are seeking or an eye-opening theme, look no further than your favourite children’s movie.

I don’t know about you, but I’m going to the new Beauty and the Beast premiere in March.

Sure, I’ll be a teenager sitting in a cinema full of children, but where’s the fun in having it any other way?

Georgia Clements is one of Student Edge’s student contributors. See more student contributions here.

Photo: Disney