We Agreeish: Turning Red

2022, Domee Shi (Bao) -- Disney+

This movie will always be remembered for the pulled review from CinemaBlend wherein the managing editor (white, male, adult) professes he cannot connect with a movie about an Asian adolescent girl. At first, I assumed this was some middling website courting woke/cancel culture controversy for clicks, but then I read the review. Nope, just a dumbass white male adult. Luckily, I avoided the pile-on from the conservative crowd who complained more about the "period metaphor". The thing is that the "period metaphor" is a not a metaphor, its used very directly, but its a fakeout for what the movie is really about - lycanthropy.

*snicker*

Meilin (Rosalie Chiang, Clique Wars) is an adolescent Asian girl in Toronto, oh not the Toronto I live in, but one with a MUCH more vibrant Chinatown and much more colour everywhere. Just as she's discovering boys and boy bands, she gets her (shudder) "visit from Aunt Rose". Her mother assumes its "that time" when in fact, it's THAT TIME, time for the emerging of her family ... curse? More like characteristic, for while it might be a major inconvenience, it was created by an ancient family member who really needed it at the time.

And yeah, she turns into a Giant Red Panda.

Mei's Mom (Sandra Oh, Hard Candy) wants Mei to suppress her impulses, and impulse to turn into the creature, until she can reach the ritual time to suppress it forever. Buuuuuut, Mei really wants to go see her fav boy band, but will need to raise the funds to sneak out of the house to see them. Thus she starts selling time with the Panda. In a weird world where everyone not only accepts her lycanthropy, but is willing to pay good multi-coloured Canadian cash to spend time with it, Mei and friends are raking in the bills. Until Mom finds out.

Confrontation! Betrayal! Realization! More red pandas! Destruction of the SkyDome!

I am fond of this movie, but I didn't love it. I guess being a white male adult, I just cannot (/s). I just found it full of great moments, but wasn't finding myself all pulled together by the telling of the story. But in retrospect, the moments were more than enough, especially the kaiju ending. I do know very well, I will enjoy it more and more with subsequent watchings. 

Kent is much more enthusiastic, but he may relate more as he has his own lycanthrope daughter.