Movies -- A Recap -- Part XL -- Kids Movies (or are they?)

Is it the case that movies for kids are just better than movies for adults, or is my chosen selection of kids movies better, and there are some really bad ones out there that I'm just not seeing.  Open to your thoughts.

My recent viewing of E.T. was a little extra (ha)!  It was one of the SLSO play-along shows, where the score of the movie is played live by the symphony while the movie runs on the projection screen.  I forgot what a sweet and simple movie this is, and it was wonderful to see it again.  I learned a few fun facts about the score from the materials in the program, including that John Williams was having a really hard time conducting the orchestra so that the music in the finale would match the action in the film.  Steven Spielberg, understanding the importance of the music, turned off the film and allowed Williams to conduct the orchestra according to the needs of the music, then re-cut the conclusion of the film to fit the music.  Their understanding and appreciation of the other led to a lifelong partnership of film- and music-making.)

Inside Out is fantastic, and also a total tearjerker.  The main character is a little girl whose family moves, but the perspectives in the film come from her five main emotions: Joy (voiced by Amy Poehler), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling), and Sadness (Phyllis Smith).  As Riley navigates her new home and school, her emotions do battle in her head over how to best manage the changes in her life.  And, even as adults, who can't relate to that experience?

The new Barbie really isn't a movie for kiddos, but since it's based on a toy, I'm including it here.  It stars Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken. This movie is loaded with subjects for analysis, and frankly requires a re-watch.  There is commentary about feminism, gender roles, patriarchy (and matriarchy, though with somewhat less criticism), capitalism, self-discovery, and more.  I'm not sure if I liked it, because I'm not sure what I think of it yet.  More consideration required. 

Y'all remember Labyrinth, right?  Well, I can confidently say that it is at least as weird as you remember it being, if not weirder.  As a kid I remember thinking that the music was the strange part of the whole experience; as an adult, it felt very much the other way around.  (Fun fact:it was directed by Jim Henson.  Yes, that Jim Henson.)

I watched The Secret Lives of Pets 2 on a plane.  As with many sequels, I did not enjoy it as much as the original, but it was still sufficiently entertaining to accomplish the goal of passing the time.  Even if I had viewed it elsewhere, I expect I would have found it amusing. (Aside: Pop Culture Happy Hour, my favorite pop culture podcast, did an episode about the best movies to watch on an airplane.  One of the panelists recommended kids' movies, which is a recommendation I can get behind: bright colors which show up well on that tiny screen, the plot is easy to understand despite distractions and stuff going on around you, and there will be no embarrassing sex scenes.)

Next up: Inside Out 2.