Citation: Shi, D. (2022, March 11). Turning red [Video]. Disney. DisneyPlus. https://www.disneyplus.com/movies/turning-red/4mFPCXJi7N2m
Turning Red follows 13-year-old Mei Lee, a Chinese-Canadian girl living in Toronto in 2002. Mei is a strong-minded, smart, and in love with a famous boy band. Things are really turned upside down for Mei when she discovers that she has inherited the family curse that effects women as they hit puberty, a curse that turns them into a red panda whenever they experience high emotion. Her mother explains that they can perform a ritual during the Red Moon that will banish the red panda to a talisman, however the Red Moon is a month away, and in the meantime, Mei needs to try to limit her high emotions, or she risks not being able to suppress the curse.
This movie was amazing! The Canadian references, the early 2000’s references, and Mei, who is unlike any Disney protagonist I have memory of viewing – I wish I could get my hands on a copy of her fan fiction! She is torn between being an obedient daughter, and living her best, spunky life. Mei’s mother is also so endearing (if not at time overbearing), and I loved watching the relationship between her and her daughter. An excellent coming of age story!