The early reactions to Pixar's latest movie Turning Red have lots of good things to say about the coming-of-age story. Set to arrive on Disney+ in early March, Turning Red focuses on 13-year-old Canadian-American Mei Lee (voiced by Rosalie Chiang), who is eager to reach the next stage of her life. However, on the brink of what she feels will be her best year yet, Mei makes a shocking discovery about her ancestors: Due to their magical connection with red pandas, Mei now turns into one such panda whenever she experiences strong emotions. Turning Red also features the vocal talents of Sandra Oh, Ava Morse, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Hyein Park, Orion Lee, and Wai Ching Ho.
Turning Red comes from Domee Shi, the director of beloved short film Bao who now makes her feature directorial debut with this new movie. Though it was once scheduled for a theatrical run, Turning Red became the latest Pixar movie after Luca and Soul to be sent to Disney+ when concerns over the omicron variant led to widespread caution in Hollywood. Turning Red will be available to stream for free starting on March 11; there's been some debate over whether this is fair to Pixar.
Aside from the conversation surrounding its release, there's been a lot of positive buzz surrounding Turning Red, and based on the early online reactions, that hasn't been misplaced. The movie has been screened for some critics, and many have taken to social media to share their thoughts. It so far sounds like Pixar has another hit on its hands - and one that probably deserved to be seen on the big screen. Scroll on to see some reactions.
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Based on these reactions, Turning Red could be a strong contender for the best animated movie of 2022. Chiang and Oh, as Mei's mother Ming, have both received praise for their vocal performances, and Shi has been singled out as a filmmaker to watch. Shi has a history of working on Pixar projects as a story artist and in other creative roles, and it sounds like that past work has helped her come into her own for Turning Red.
Pixar has often produced high-quality films, and Turning Red so far sounds like a worthy newcomer to the studio's stable. Considering how positive these reactions are, it is hard not to be disappointed that this movie won't get a traditional theatrical run. The Disney+ release can perhaps allow those who aren't willing to go to a theater to see Turning Red earlier than normal, but it would've been nice to see this heartfelt and relatable tale up on the big screen. Nevertheless, Mei and her unique panda problem are coming to win over audiences, and they'll soon decide if these early reactions hit the mark.
Source: Various (see above)
