Written by Natalie Budhu

The year is 2008. I’m four years old as I sit on my living room floor. There is a blanket draped across my shoulders and a bowl of popcorn between my sister and me as we watch ‘Cars’ for what must be the one millionth-time. We smile when Lightning McQueen bonds with the residents of Radiator Springs and we cry when Doc Hudson forces McQueen out of the town.

It’s only now, at 20 years old that I realize how influential ‘Cars’ and other animated films have been in my life. I am just discovering how rough the real world is; stress beyond belief with assignments, family drama and losses to grieve. Watching movies that I adored as a child over the years has been one of the ways I currently cope with the hardships of daily life. But I sometimes wonder why. Perhaps I find comfort in them. Maybe they reminded me of simpler times.

Upon deep reflection, I’ve learned that I adore those animated films because of the familiarity and because I’ve learned irreplaceable life lessons from them. For example, ‘Inside Out’ has taught me that it’s okay to feel sadness, and that it’s actually healthy to not be happy all the time. These are lessons I couldn’t comprehend at four years old.

Animated films play a key role in the way I see the world. That’s because of the eye opening moments and the reminders of my younger years. As life gets tougher, many people my age crave the simplicity of life that comes with childhood.

The animation effect

Animation is said to expand imagination and foster a child’s emotional construct. Children exposed to animation tend to be more expressive than those who are not. Animation is beneficial for the brain for a variety of reasons, including; boosts brain growth by three times, aids visual and auditory sense, develops verbal skills, enhances problem solving skills, and advances critical and analytical thinking. (Sharmila, 2014)

This is beneficial from a child development point of view, but also as a tool for parents and counsellors where improving communication for children is the goal.

Animated films like those created by Disney combine family entertainment with life lessons on love, friendship, good verses evil, death, and coping with loss. Talking through these issues brings them to light. These films allow parents and guardians to have meaningful conversations with children.

Animated films are also praised for their ability to inspire. Films like Pixar’s ‘Inside Out’ illustrate compassion, forgiveness, love, bravery and self-sacrifice. Such films have proven to be quite meaningful. They inspire audiences to become more empathetic, to do better and to be better. (Leeuw and Janicke, 2023).

According to Mike Remille, a parent of an eight year old William G Miller student, animated films teach his daughter sportsmanship.

“There’s a reason our kids are so attached to animated films. Yeah they’re fun and visually appealing but they hold so many lessons kids can learn from,” Remille says. “My daughter was playing in her soccer game the other day and just as she was about to score a goal, one of her teammates fell down. My daughter rushed to her aid. She went back for her. Just like how Lightning McQueen went back for The King in the Dinoco 400 race in the Piston Cup season.”

For the love of animation

The top grossing children’s films of all time are animated. (Williams, 2024). Animation brings fictional worlds to life in a fun and immersive way.

Although animated films such as ‘Cars’ and ‘The Lion King’ are targeted to children, people of all ages watch them and feel a similar emotional reaction. This is in part because animated films excel in storytelling, something that live action films sometimes fail at. Animated films take storytelling to a new level (Williams, 2024) simply because of the immersive experience they present to the audience.

Animated films are also loved by psychologists.

“Sometimes, children don’t know how to express how they feel. Animated films help with that. I have this patient who loves ‘Sleeping Beauty’ and often, when she feels happy and at peace, she’ll tell me she feels like Aurora, but when she’s conflicted she’ll tell me she feels like Maleficent. Good and evil. Aurora represents the pleasant emotions whereas Maleficent represents the unpleasant emotions,” said Maria Antoniou, a clinical and counselling psychologist and co- director at The Therapy Centre Psychological Services.

Self expression is one of the gifts animated films provide for audiences. They can instill confidence in children when faced with change. ‘Tangled’ is an animated film most noted for this effect. The film explores the importance of staying true to one’s identity (Williams, 2024) in the face of change.

If Rapunzel never stepped out of her comfort zone, she never would have achieved her dreams. The message is communicated clearly to audiences; if you want something to come true, you have to make it come true.

These are only some of the themes and life lessons that make animated films beloved by people of all ages.

The future of animation

Reviews of the recently released, ‘Transformers One’ have been mixed; and why wouldn’t they be? Hollywood has taken a well known tale among ‘Transformers’ fans and brought it to the big screen for the first time. It’s the origin story (n/a, 2024) of not only the most famous Autobot but also the origin story of the most famous Decepticon.

According to Daryl White, a ‘Transformers’ fan since 1988, animated films are in good hands.

“I’ve been a ‘Transformers’ fan for a very long time. I’ve seen it all but nothing could’ve prepared me for the masterpiece that was ‘Transformers One’. It’s an in depth look at the tale fans have been dying to see on the big screen. What’s not to love? If this is the direction animated films are headed in, I can’t wait to see what comes next,” said White.

Watching or rewatching animated films has been a great way to reconnect with who I once was. They’re a great way of instilling valuable life lessons onto future generations. They’re a great way to inspire. They’re a great way to bond with others.

Life lessons learned from animated films are irreplaceable, their value is unmatched… The future of animation is bright.