Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2010 8:40 pm
As a parent, the saddest Disney moment was Aloha 'Oe.
When I took my young daughter to see the movie in theaters, at the time, I was going through a custody case. My ex did everything he could to discredit me as a good mother to get full custody of her. Mainly how he hurt me was bringing up the fact I have battled eating disorders since I was a teen. Even at 31, I still get the urges and sometimes go back into that dark place for a few days before I snap myself out of it. It was all he had against me, but it was enough to rip my heart out and put the fear in me, I could lose custody. So during all of this, Lilo and Stitch came out. Even now thinking of when I first saw that scene, I tear up. I tear up because, Nani was me. Chris Sanders nailed it. Whatever life experiences he's had, he knows what its like and he wrote it in so eloquently. So true to life, my life. And every other good parent's life out there who struggles to keep their head above water as DCF breathes down their neck. DCF never offered to get me help either. They just wanted to question and accuse and assume. No programs or counseling. Nani didn't get that either, it was "Get a job AND take care of the kid or you lose her." Sadly that is what single parents face all the time. They have to work to feed their kids, but that doesn't mean they can afford a babysitter and they lose time with their children. Damned if you do and damned if you don't. They of course saturated Nani's struggle with humor, but when the chips were done and it was their last night together, you knew then, just how hard she had worked to be two people at once.
Can animation be emotion? You are damn straight it can be.
When I took my young daughter to see the movie in theaters, at the time, I was going through a custody case. My ex did everything he could to discredit me as a good mother to get full custody of her. Mainly how he hurt me was bringing up the fact I have battled eating disorders since I was a teen. Even at 31, I still get the urges and sometimes go back into that dark place for a few days before I snap myself out of it. It was all he had against me, but it was enough to rip my heart out and put the fear in me, I could lose custody. So during all of this, Lilo and Stitch came out. Even now thinking of when I first saw that scene, I tear up. I tear up because, Nani was me. Chris Sanders nailed it. Whatever life experiences he's had, he knows what its like and he wrote it in so eloquently. So true to life, my life. And every other good parent's life out there who struggles to keep their head above water as DCF breathes down their neck. DCF never offered to get me help either. They just wanted to question and accuse and assume. No programs or counseling. Nani didn't get that either, it was "Get a job AND take care of the kid or you lose her." Sadly that is what single parents face all the time. They have to work to feed their kids, but that doesn't mean they can afford a babysitter and they lose time with their children. Damned if you do and damned if you don't. They of course saturated Nani's struggle with humor, but when the chips were done and it was their last night together, you knew then, just how hard she had worked to be two people at once.
Can animation be emotion? You are damn straight it can be.
