2 Apr 2015
By Mayim Bialik on April 2, 2015 at 11:15 AM ET
As we all know, I hated the movie “Frozen” and I feel no shame about it. I hated the way the females were portrayed, I disliked the vagueness of her “powers,” and I felt it was ultimately misogynistic which is not the same as empowering women. Hated it.
I took my boys to see the Jim Parsons/Rihanna animated film, “Home” this weekend. I am sure you’re not surprised that we loved it, and not just because we were texting the star of it from the theater minutes before it started.
1. A truly strong female lead.
This “Tip” character is resourceful. She is playful. She is brave. She is honest. She has complicated and conflicting emotions, and she learns from her mistakes. She is loving and she is loveable. She doesn’t need to declare how “rough and tumble” she is or disparage boys or men; she just IS the embodiment of a strong and confident and “normal” girl.
2. Morals up the wazoo.
Don’t judge people until you know them. It’s okay to come from a single parent home and to have an imperfect life. Don’t run from new things because they are new; take on troubles head on and find ways to solve problems. Don’t judge a book (villain) by its cover (i.e. villain-y appearance and scare tactics; inside, this villain is a big sweetie!). Find the humor in difficult situations. Never give up. These are the things I teach my kids. And they were in this movie! Hallelujah.
3. Funny but not gross or “dumbed down.”
This was a well-written smart movie. The references were often for a savvy audience member but kids didn’t feel left out of a joke. There were a few scatological jokes, but no farting or burping–which isn’t really my thing in movies. Nothing gross, no eyeballs falling out of heads, no violence; just smart writing and well placed physical comedy.