Two movies off the beaten path about family and, obliquely, Thanksgiving.
Bolt (2008; Disney+)
A dog with superpowers (John Travolta) is separated from the girl he protects (Miley Cyrus) and begins to discover it was all a TV show—or was it? This underrated animated Disney movie is one of a kind. There are no romantic relationships; few characters have names; and if there is a villain, this is secondary to who the characters are becoming together. It makes subtle commentary on television entertainment, pet adoption, and the beauty of the natural world. Lassie Come Home meets Don Quijote. We find that love sets us free and brings us down to earth at the same time.
This is a “Thanksgiving movie” for me because I first saw it in the theater (in 3-D!) on Black Friday, 2008.
For sensitive viewers: brief rude humor and a moment when we almost hear a bad word.
A Child Is Waiting (1963; Amazon Prime Video)
Miss Hansen (Judy Garland) comes to teach music in a boarding school for developmentally challenged children but clashes with the head psychologist’s (Burt Lancaster) “tough love” approach. This movie is not for the faint of heart—but it has a lot of heart. It dives into the everyday of living with and alongside neurodiversity. It combines the gritty black-and-white angst of a 1960s problem play with glimpses of the hope and heart that spring from consistent love. Excellent acting, moving writing, strong cinematography, and a dignified, nuanced, constructive portrayal of persons with disabilities.
For sensitive viewers: brief mild language and intense subject matter. Full details here.
One final note about Bolt…
I am writing a book called New Eyes, featuring my observations from several popular films. One chapter is about Bolt. I will be showing how the story reconceives heroism as relational and ecological, along with all the other things that make the movie great! I can’t wait to share it with you, but I’ve still got to hone this chapter (and all the others), get a press to publish it, wait a year… As Rhino impatiently yells, “Let it begin!”