Therapist Reacts to LUCA 

"Luca" was such a delightful movie. I especially adored how they subverted the "Liar Revealed" trope. Rather than Giulia being angry at Luca and Alberto for lying to her about their identities, she's concerned about their safety amidst the merfolk hating townspeople, which is really refreshing.

What I love about the two older women when they reveal their fish forms, is that the other human women immediately tear up the wanted poster for sea monsters. They know these women by their personalities, who they have chosen to be, the content of the their character. They believe instantly that they must be wrong about their taught fear and bias through true friendships/relationships.

I noticed that when Giulia’s dad was about to say who Alberto and Luca were near the end of the movie, Luca looks up with determination, but Alberto looks nervous, not the same way he looked at the crowd. Throughout the movie we see that Alberto spends time with the dad and I think that look is as if he’s scared that the dad isn’t going to accept him and that he may lose the one person he saw as a father figure.

“Staying means nothing unless you’re free to leave” Now that is the quote of this year! That gave me chillllls

Luca: "Silencio Bruno!" Encanto: "We dont talk about Bruno! " Me: Poor Bruno

The nice thing is that the seamonster can be a metaphor for anything you want. Be it gay, trans, minorities, Neuro-divergent or really anything. It can speak to so many people

Alberto is honestly the most “real” character Pixar has ever made imo. Although the movie in general is probably the most realistic and relatable movie. I love how down to earth it was and the focus on friendship while subtly teaching other things and breaking tropes. The dad being born with 1 arm instead of losing it to a monster, Giulia’s parents being divorced but still has a good family balance, the abandonment issues, and of course the acceptance of differences. Not just the sea monsters but also Giulia’s family was different Pixar’s best movie by far imo and I’ll be rewatching it so many times

The old ladies 'coming out' after seeing the acceptance of the younger generation is just so parallel to our world and I love it so much ❤️❤️❤️

I appreciate Alan referring to his kids as weird alien monsters because on my 6th birthday (a few weeks after starting kindergarten) I sat my parents down and informed them I was an alien.

"When we love people, we love them more than our own wants. Alberto doesn't love Luca. He's attached to Luca. Later he loves him because he wants whatever makes Luca happy and that's what assure Luca keep coming back." Oh man. That one was a slap in my face. I've been doing some relationships all wrong. Thanks for that.

I loved that they didn't have a tragic backstory for how Massimo lost his arm, it's just the way he was born. And in the follow up short, "Ciao Alberto", he officially adopts Alberto!

When Luca and Julia are sharing a common interest, and go "Sorry, was that too much?"... This is how I was taught to act, to mask my autistic traits. Hyperfixations bring me so much joy, and when everyone seemed bored or told me to be quiet, I learned to hide. To shut up. It caused a depression, making me lose all interests. Finding even ONE person who you can be yourself around unapologetically is an amazing feat. I hope to find them one day.

Watching this I realized the different reactions each of the children had to Massimo when he realized who the boys were. Giulia was apologetic, Luca seems resolved in himself, and Alberto seems afraid of losing his new father figure. A cool choice to show how they've grown.

Hi!! I don't work at Pixar but I used to work at DreamWorks and I'd LOVE to share any insights about the industry that I can :) HUGE fan of the show; found you guys back around the Inside Out episode. I'm an animator and I love every time Alan calls attention to animation-focused techniques! The multi-leg technique is called smears and dupes :D I did a tutorial for it on my channel awhile back, and if you want to see it pushed to the max: The Mitchells vs the Machines is a great recent film that I think you'll both LOVE.

I am an Italian, LGBT, gender non-conforming person. I'm 35 now and this movie did make me cry when I watched it on my own. I then showed it to my parents and managed to have a bit of a conversation with them about diversity which led to slightly more understanding for them of something that they had never really known before I came out to them. I fucking love this movie.

When Massimo drops his harpoon and raises Alberto's hand, it's doubly symbolic - he's revoking his violence against sea monsters, but also claiming Alberto as his son. Ciao Alberto (the short) really digs into the father-son bond, and the difficulty in transitioning to trust after Alberto's abandonment.

A cool detail which I found in this movie is that not everyone accepts that Luca, Alberto and Gulia won, you can see some people even walking away pissed off because of it

One detail that I love is that, Luca is the winner here while Alberto is only here to deliver umbrella, yet Massimo grabbed Alberto’s hand into the air, he cares for them both but obviously sees Alberto as his son.

My brother brought up an interesting point about the scenes where Alberto’s jealous about Luca wanting to go to school. He said that even though Alberto’s handling things poorly and his issue there is mostly rooted in jealousy, he does actually have a point. Luca can’t just go to school with the current state of their world, and with how few allies they have, it would be dangerous. Alberto reminds Luca of who he really is and says “you can’t change who you are, and getting too involved in a world that hates you is dangerous.” The toxic thing is that he’s saying that more with the intention of redirecting Luca’s path solely back to himself, but there are still nuggets of truth in the messages he conveys. “What are you going to do when they see your fish face?” Is a valid concern. “I bet your school wouldn’t even *accept* sea monsters,” is probably true at that point in time. Even coming out to Giulia in that moment showcased how even someone they trusted wouldn’t accept them, so the world is against them. They’d be pioneering a way for their species, and that comes with a lot of risks, which Ercole embodies. But overall, Alberto’s messages about being a sea monster act as a reminder that Luca can blend in for now, but he can’t hide forever. Helping him may not be Alberto’s intention in those moments, but it really is in Luca’s best interest that he doesn’t ignore a crucial part of himself, so he can live authentically and be truly happy.

I’m italian and I’m so proud of Luca and what message it sends. When the two old fish face ladies show themselves for what they are I like to think that the old human ladies that tear up the wanted poster are their friends. So it means that Luca and Alberto started the “reveal-ution”, old fish face ladies got inspired AND old human ladies were supportive. It’s a chain reaction, a virtuous cycle of acceptance of oneself and others. I would also like to thank Jonathan for saying casual stuff like “I tried a bite of that and it gave me a panic attack.” I bursted out laughing, even though I have an anxiety disorder with panic attacks. What he does, admitting that he has some mental health challenges and joking about it, is as powerful to me as Luca and Alberto’s gesture. Thank you internet dads, today I feel less of a fish face myself thanks to you.

I love Alberto's emotional maturation by the end of the film. Giving up his dream to let Luca fulfill his, moving on from his jealousy and insecurity, realizing that Massimo can provide some of what he needs. I am a sobbing mess as he runs with the train joyfully cheering his friend on! And I think that many of us can relate to having a friendship where one friend is moving on to bigger and better things (and sometimes there is even the added difficulty of that being possible because of their privilege or the luck of being born to a stable and loving family), and the friend being left behind either being genuinely happy for or devastatingly jealous of that person. It can be a make or break moment for friendships.

I also loved how there was no tragic backstory for Massimo's missing arm. He was just born that way. End of story.

"Staying means nothing unless you are free to leave" i came here prepared to be called out for my trash, to be hit with a brick by what you have to say, to cry and yet nothing could have prepared me for that line. i absolutely love what you do and thank you from the bottom of my heart. you guys are helping me see things i cant or refuse to see about myself and those around me. again, thank you

My favorite Massimo moment is when Luca and Guilia tell him that “but I don’t think he wants to be found right now” and Massimo goes, “maybe not, but just in case” Just soo good

I hope we get Encanto next, cause there's a crap ton these two can delve into from Mirabel feeling her need to prove herself to her family to Luisa's fear of failure, Isabela's fear of perfection, and Abuela's insane expectations.

Please cover Encanto soon! The generational trauma and how it gets healed is a beautiful story I think you guys will love analyzing!

You missed a good opportunity to show the clip of Luca’s grandma say an amazing line, “Some people, they’ll never accept him, but some will and he seems to know how to find the good ones”

I have to say, I think you guys missed one of the most profound and insightful and affirming moments of this whole movie. Luca's parents and grandma are talking and his mom is afraid that some people may never accept him. And then his grandma says, "Some people, they'll never accept him...but some will, and he seems to know how to find the good ones." This quote is so powerful to me because I've never heard any kind of "stranger in a strange land" trope framed that way. And as someone neurodivergent who's had a lifetime of feeling like the alien/outsider/underdog, it was a game changer to hear that kind of encouragement. It also confirms to me that Giulia is definitely neurodivergent, and that's why she doesn't really relate to kids her age until Luca, because he is as well. And in my experience, ND kids always tend to find each other because we understand each other, and it's such a beautiful thing. IMO there was definitely a missed opportunity to talk about Luca as good ADHD representation and the signs/traits that Giulia and Luca present. But it was still nice as always.

Request for you guys to cover Encanto soon, it's similar to Coco in that it covers healing from generational trauma Edit: Finished watching the video. I love your guys' work and this video was no different. The reverse gate-keeping was very interesting to hear about and this video came at the perfect time for me when I wanted a distraction. Thanks for all you do!

The silencio Bruno thing reminds me of the time when my friend asked me “Why you so scared all the time?” I said “Oh I have a Tobi.” He asked “what’s a Tobi?” I said “It’s like Bruno from Luca.” And this dude just deadpan stares at me and goes “SILENCIO TOBI!” at the top of his lungs in class

A few notes on my favorite parts of this movie: When "Silencio Bruno" was used in regards to telling yourself negative things about yourself in your head. To hating yourself. That was where I broke down while watching the movie, and I never recovered and still feel like crying whenever they say that line. Secondly is the relationship between Massimo and Alberto. Massimo truly seems to view Alberto as a son as time goes on. Alberto is still so afraid of being rejected, and you can see that in his face when Massimo finds out who he is. But the relationship is so strong and builds so organically. Massimo going to search for him even after being told that Alberto doesn't want to be found was a strong moment. I'm just so glad that they have eachother as a father son relationship by the end of the movie.

Two fish friends" could have also been about "Finding Nemo." Maybe you should also take a look at the relationship between Marlin and Dory as they search for Nemo. Thanks for doing Luca. Loved it.

Talking about hiding who you are, man. I remember in college dyeing my hair brown and then seeing it in the mirror and realizing how disappointing it was to no longer stand out in a crowd as a ginger. Feeling accepted and celebrated is something everyone should have. Thankfully I’ve had a lot of people since then tell me they wish they could have my hair color and loved the fact that I have red hair and freckles.

For the "multiple legs" old school style animation (or pseudo-smear, as I call it in my head) it was one of their animators who is super skilled, breaking apart the model and adding another behind. And it looked so amazing that the higher-ups were like "hey, do we need to copyright this? Is this a new engine?" But no, it was just one of their animators being a wizard

I see a lot of people recomending Encanto, and I'm on board with it. It's a very good example of generational trauma, but I think it'd be great to explore the concept of "identified patients" (aka the scapegoats of a dysfunctional family).

In the whole movie, one of the parts where I legit started trembling was when Luca's family threatens to send him away to his uncle. As a gay teen, yeah conversion therapy is banned, but sending me to even more conservative places, conservative schools can't be prohibited, right? And I live with the fear of, if my parents find this out, they will send me to my native town to "get these western ideas out of my head"

I hope you guys do Lilo and Stitch soon. This movie turns 20 this year. It’s a great story that covers how people are treated after a loss, sibling relationships, older sibling having to parent her younger sister, outcasts, found families…

The last scene where Alberto sells their vespa and arranges for Luca to go to school really shows how far he has come as a character and even though he might not fully understand the necessity of school he gives all he has so that his friend can go which would also mean that he will be without his friend for the better part of a year.

I love this movie so much but nobody talks about how REALISTICALLY ITALIAN all the characters behave, move, gesture, act, communicate with one another, etc etc It feels so different and refreshing from all the samey Pixar characters from various movies, who seem to be copy&paste personalities of each other. The characters here are so genuine in their Italianness, it's honestly very refreshing! Excellent work!

A scene from pretty early on I wanna bring up is the scene when Luca's mother decides to send him to the deep waters for a few seasons to dissuade him from going to the surface. It's interesting to see that Luca's mother is attempting to keep her child close to her to protect him, but she goes about it in a way that makes him take the first chance to leave. The movie very much portrays this as a bad thing (I'm LGBTA+ so it reads to me as conversion therapy) but she's not a bad person for making that choice, she's just an overprotective parent who needs to learn her child will be okay. Luca's mother is shown as both a caring parent and a flawed person, which is really nice to see.

I was so happy that Alberto said “Silenzio Bruno!” Because I’ve been calling the negative voice in my head “Carolyn” for ages and it’s nice to know someone else is our there also saying “Shut up, Carolyn” or at least something similar.

“We get jealous and territorial when we put all our eggs in one basket”. WOW thanks for saying that. You guys really are my therapy!

“Staying means nothing unless you’re free to leave” I’ve never thought about that, and I really really like it.

For me, I saw the relationship between Luca and Alberto and it reminded me of my friendship with my ex-friend. She would get me out of my comfort-zone, invite me to do other stuff, but then she would push me too far and I wasn't as firm in setting my boundaries, or I was and she would get mad at me. I am not physically strong or secure so a lot of stuff was really scary for me to do. We had a lot of fights and in the end I decided to cut ties with her. I'm very happy for both Luca and Alberto that they learned to grow and have a healthy friendship and sad because in the end it took too much from me to try to repair my own.

As an Italian, this whole movie made me deeply emotional. The references, classic songs we love, their expressions (the eye roll after the first bite of good pasta, the little oof Luca does when talking about getting in trouble etc), little mannerisms and so many shows of deep love shown in subtle ways. Such a wonderful film ❤️

“Silenzio Bruno!” Me: “We don’t talk about Bruno-no-no-no-no-no.”

I remember seeing an interview with Ian McKellen where he talked about coming out, and how almost every family member said something along the lines of "I'm fine with this, but [person] might react badly..." Similarly, Giulia's response to discovering Luca is understanding, but she's immediately afraid for him because of what her father might think. I know that the fishface allegory works for multiple axis of differences, but it rings so perfectly true to the queer experience it's hard not to read it as that.

I like the LGBTQ angle on this film, mostly because going in thinking this was an adaptation of The Little Mermaid. Hans Christian Andersen wrote the fairy tale as a love letter to another man to express his unrequited love for him. And the little mermaid's endeavors reflect the struggles of being gay during a time when it was considered sinful and socially unacceptable.

cant wait to get my heart broken whenever yall do encanto that movie hit me in the FEELS

Alberto reminds me of my best friend who I met in high school. I was one of the "good kids" always afraid of getting in trouble, very reserved, and a little afraid to try new things. He was and still is a mass of chaotic energy and enthusiasm, and he really helped me come out of my shell and explored a lot of new things with me. I'm a more confident and open person today because of his "bad" influence.

I'm trans and grew up in a small town. My family said they accepted me but failed to ever actually support me. I've recently moved into a big city that seems much more diverse and accepting but I'm still terrified to be myself due to stigma I faced back home. But I have a few friends and a wonderful partner and I'm really trying to advocate for myself this time.

I'm scared of when you guys get to Encanto because I've never cried so much in a movie and I know I will be devastated when you guys unpack all the family/generational trauma in there. Sometimes I watch a movie and I don't cry in it, but then I come here and your analysis is so lovely and moving that I'm moved to tears (and then I rewatch the movies with a different view - either regarding the psychological aspects or the cinematographic ones - and it feels like a whole new experience). Thank you for making watching movies even more rewarding than it already is.

"Staying means nothing unless you're free to leave". I'll remember that. What a beautifull line.

I am queer and autistic and this movie hit so hard. There is the not very subtle allegory for queerness but Giulia and Luca seems to have ADHD and/or be autistic. And their representation is so well made and their relationship so genuine and loving it's really comforting.

You need to, need to do Encanto. You’ve focused on generational trauma with Coco. But Encanto is a whole other take on it and family relations.

I would be absolutely ecstatic if you did a video on "Encanto". It deals with generational trauma and how it affects the people living today. As a Latina with a family that dealt with something similar like that, I would really love to hear your thoughts about it!

Wow, an actual Christian instead of a person who goes to church and judges the people they were instructed to love. A+

This movie has quickly become a comfort movie for me, it's just so adorable and so well made. Every time I watch the end, seeing Luca hang off the side of the train enjoying the rain as it pans to the sky, my heart swells with the music and I get chills everytime

"silencio bruno" sounds really like a CBT technique for dealing with anxiety or depression

I remember I felt pressure due to gatekeeping culture. In high school, I talked a lot about how I thought girls were pretty so people kept calling me gay. So I started thinking I was bi, but then there was that pressure of "oh you're not gay enough. You don't know the struggles a gay person goes through. You've never been oppressed." This all led me down a rabbit hole and learning more and immersing myself more into the LGBT+ world because I wanted to understand and really feel like I was who I thought I was or at least who people made me think I was. I then ended up becoming a person that didn't feel right to me and kept doing and saying things just to get people to accept me. Turns out I wasn't into girls after all. I'm straight and that's fine too. I also did notice lots and lots of reverse gatekeeping with the friends I used to have. They all hated straight people and tried to get us as disconnected from them as possible, which made me detach from the person I actually am. Sometimes I think that if I ever reached out to them to say I'm straight, they'll say "thank goodness you ghosted us", but that just means they were just not the right friends for me and I'm a lot better off being on my own and slowly finding the right people to surround myself with. I wouldn't mind having friends from that community again, as long as I am not placed in a gatekeeping position and as long as we can respect each other's beliefs.

The story of Luca resonated to me as a very real thing that happened/happens to many people within the lgbt+ community. Doesn’t mean necessarily the characters are part of that community. It just resembles it to me, heavily. When everyone calls them monsters and says they are disgusted, and then the grandma’s message at the end, it just seems obvious to me. I love this movie. It can be interpreted in so many different ways for so many people who have gone through something.

When I was younger I was made to feel ashamed of my love for Disney, Toys and other related things because "those are for kids". I have stopped that 100% because I am proud of who I am and what I offer. My love for all of those things and more has made me a fun-loving person and I encourage others to do the same.

Luca hit different for me because the way the people and Hercule reacted to Luca and Alberto, calling them Monsters, is exactly the way my mother reacted to me coming out. So watching all these different people standing up for these two and supporting them felt really good

I've been told this is a fun movie. When I first saw the ads for it, I found the art style very refreshing. Side note: Really hope you guys can check out Encanto soon. When I went to go see it with my sister, 10 minutes in we were both thinking, "Can't wait to see Cinema Therapy react to this one!"

"I think in every community I’ve ever been (in), the other is vilified and someone to be afraid of. If we share who we are just to share who we are, not with an agenda to convert anyone to our way of thinking, not with an agenda to change anybody else, but just to share who we are, we’re all healthier for it and we are not living in fear. There is joy and growth on the other side of fear and insecurity, and that’s when we should say 'Silenzio Bruno!' and just plow ahead." -Jonathan Decker, Licensed Therapist What you said at the beginning of this video is so beautiful. I had tears in my eyes. I have typed this up, put a picture of Jonathan and Alan with their logo and the movie poster, printed it out, and put it in my classroom. The kids have only noticed the poster and haven't read the quote. That's okay 😊👍

I'm bisexual, and I've definitely heard a lot of things about how bisexual people aren't "gay enough" or how we should "choose." And for a while, I believed that I had to choose. The first time I came out, I told my mom I was a lesbian--even though the first label I really identified with was bisexual--because I believed I had to choose. But after over two years and becoming friends with some wonderful bisexual people, I was able to come to terms with and love my bisexuality.

Being my 2 year olds favourite movie, I've seen Luca a gazillion times now. Everytime I think I'm going to be able to watch it without crying at the end he comes out with a wee "Ciao Luca" and I'm gone! Cutest thing ever!

I recommend rise of the Guardians because it covers isolation as well as trust issues, fear, a touch of family, self discovery. I also love this film personally because I love Jack Frost and the way he expresses his emotions in different scenarios and the fact that they differ depending on who hes around

You guys should definitely talk about turning red, I feel like it's a gold mine for interesting topics and such

With Spider-Man out in theaters, would you be interested in making an episode on the loss all 3 Peter Parkers have had to go through along with the responsibility they have to shoulder.

I really related to the reverse gatekeeping thing you mentioned, since I’m Christian and I’m not straight I’ve experienced that repeatedly through my life-people telling me I’m not a real Christian or LGBT people telling me I’m not gay enough. It’s an odd place to be when you feel like you don’t belong in either community you’re supposed to be a part of, and it leaves you searching for a better community with people who don’t try to control who you are. Luca is definitely one of my favorite movies, not just because of how tranquil and happy it was at points, but because it showed a lot of little moments that anyone who felt like they didn’t fit in could relate to or catch on to.

This is a response to the prompt at the end of the video: I am from Utah, like you guys, and I’ve also been raised as a Christian. I am also asexual, a cisgender woman (aka, a girl who was born with girl parts and is okay with being a girl), and am somewhere on the aromantic spectrum, though I do generally want to eventually pursue a romantic relationship with a boy who’s willing to respect my boundaries. I enjoy learning about LGBTQ+ topics, but unfortunately, because of my Christian upbringing and how most of my family is strongly of faith, I don’t feel like I can openly express that part of me. I worry that if I were to come out to my parents as ace, they’d be concerned that I’m straying too far from the path they want me to take. That because I have chosen to take upon myself a label in a similar manner to most LGBTQ+ people, that I must not be truly faithful to the principles I was taught to believe in since childhood. The extra ironic thing is that while they may not know what asexuality is, they have noted my asexual qualities in wanting to take my time with finding a relationship and having no interest in sex, and they accept me for me in that sense… I should probably cut this off before I start rambling about my anxieties. TLDR, I just worry that my current values will clash with my childhood values in a way that will make my parents disappointed in me.

Thank you so much for covering this movie. As a queer person, I really identified with this movie. The accompanying short film "Caio, Alberto" makes me cry every time.

I wish you talked more about how Massimo is such a great father. My favorite moment is when he went to look for Alberto.

As someone on the asexual spectrum, a lot in the LGBT+ community would tell me that I don’t belong with them, especially since I am married to a man. But I also feel romantic love for women, so yes I am LGBT+, and just because I don't want to have sex doesn't mean that I don't belong in the community. Luca was a movie I avoided a long time because the internet made me believe it was just a coming out metaphor and I am skeptical when people call a piece of children's media that, but it was so genuine and sincere that I ended up loving it. Thank you, Alan and Johnathan, for always being affirming and accepting. 💜 This is why I always come back to Cinema Therapy and why I recommend the channel so often to struggling friends and coworkers, you truly make a difference for this 30 year old biro ace woman.

The queer metaphor of this movie stunned me the first time I saw it. It may not have been the intent (though the director has said he is happy that lgbt+ people view it as such) I’m a 30 year old bisexual, and I can’t explain how much the movie means to me. It reminded me so deeply about a summer I shared, years ago, with the first girl I ever fell in love with. Brought back those amazing memories and for that, I’ll always treasure it.

As a Gay man, this movie reminded me so much of my childhood Specially all the bullying

Pixar has mastered the art of digital onion cutting. I end up tearing up every single time I watch a Pixar flick.

I love Luca so much, its got good jokes, a cool art style, and character personalities that alot of people can relate to

The isolation and estrangement in your "reverse" gatekeeping (which I'd argue is still simply gatekeeping) is one of the common characteristics of a cult when applied to a group. It serves to isolate the victim from any possible support groups outside of the victimizer(s), creating a self-reinforcing feedback loop where the victim increasingly must rely on the in-group membership. While the dynamic in a social group is different, I think the same basic principle still applies here in a 1:1 relationship. Thankfully both characters managed to avoid going down that path before it became toxic and soured things irreparably.

I love when you guys take a look at animated movies. It's really refreshing to see people not just write off animation as "oh it's just for kids." I suggest looking into the Steven Universe Movie, I feel like you guys would absolutely love it!

This has gotten to the point where these videos are wayyyyy too short. I'm devastated when it ends. Need. More. Now. Anyway thanks so much for doing these because (obviously) I can't get enough!

My wife and I watched this, kind of a lark, after finishing "Encanto" (which was brilliant). We had no expectations going in, hadn't heard much about it, weren't expecting much. We were both just absolutely enchanted with the movie. It's just so freakin' wholesome. I spent some time growing up in Key West too, so the seaside vibe, and building the Vespa for a taste of freedom really took me back. I distinctly remember trying (and failing) to build a raft to ride down a small river them emptied into a fairly large pond that was fenced off from my backyard.

28:09 "I think we do a great disservice when we hide parts of who we are, to fit in." I'm autistic and I didn't discover it until the summer after I graduated high school. But I always felt like I was different. It was hard for me to fit in since I was different than the other kids. Once I became a teenager, I became good at hiding the weird things about me that I didn't want to share and continued that for a long time. Once I figured out there was a reason for my odd behaviors and traits, I became more confident with myself and opened up more. It's been very freeing for the past few years, feeling like I can be myself.

Y'all are gonna need a series on Encanto like you did with Frozen. There is so much to unpack and I think it owes a lot to Luca

The most difficult part of myself to share is the story of my attempted suicide and calling myself a survivor. I’m proud of who I’ve become not just in spite of that but as a result of allowing myself to take the plunge into asking for help and creating reform to be better. Nobody of worth will doubt that I’m in the right place now, but it’s still easy to see the pity that people carry for me. It’s true that I’ll never have a return to “normal”, but where I was before was nowhere near normal, and my strength of mind, body, and will give me so much more confidence and self-appreciation than any sort of reaction that I might get to my story.

I've seen a lot of people say this already, but I would love to see you guys reacting to "Encanto" it's a really great movie that I've become obsessed with. And thank you for doing this channel because it can open my eyes to new things or give me an understanding of something I've dealt a lot with at times. Plus you always bring a smile to my face at some point in your videos, so thank you.

The comments are just “Great video”, ~personal stories~, and “PLEASE do Encanto”. Also, the stuff Johnathan asked for: I’m a white Canadian teen girl. I go to a Catholic school, but my highly analytical mind has made it so that I struggle to just believe. I do believe in spirituality, but am unsure of specifics. I don’t feel ready for specific sexuality labels (because of my age and inexperience), but I have fallen extremely hard for a girl I know, so I know I’m not straight. I tend to struggle in social situations and this channel has helped me understand what I should do in some of those situations to actually have successful friendships. Edit: thank you to everyone who shared their stories and came to make me feel good. Just a little clarification: my family isn’t actually catholic, I just go to a catholic school. My family is Christian, but they are respectful of my worldview and scepticism (at least in that regard).

I still remember seeing this film for the first time last year on Father's day. Strange as it may sound, but I'm an atheist who was visiting a friend's Church for one of her Eastern Orthodox holidays (Pentecost), and the entire time I kept my non belief to myself out of fear of generating an adverse reaction should the topic ever come up. This film was a powerful message whether it be viewing it through an LGBTQ+ lens or a religious lens as well since "the other" is intensely frowned upon in some religious circles as well. Thank you Cinema Therapy for showcasing this film. ☦⚛

You should react to Disney's most recent animated movie "encanto"! It's literally all about generational trauma and family, i think it's the perfect movie to analyse and get some psychological insight from it. By the way, i love your videos and i love your channel for the amazing work you do to educate us through cinematography on psychology. Another great reaction, keep it up!

Favorite quotes so far: “I had a bite of that and it gave me a panic attack.” “I’ve been told for various reasons that I am not a Christian, and I’m like, you know, whatever… I’m down with Jesus”

I just noticed, the "Where do boats come from", is a huge "Where do babies come from" joke, with embarrassed adults freaking out and telling him to stop asking, and the weird aunt giving a direct answer, which makes them even more freaked out.

The part of me that I tend to hide is my asexuality. I’ve spent so long being metaphorically shoved around by both the queer and straight communities that I just don’t bother now. It angers me (in a way) that the same people who were pushing me out of the LGBT+ community are the same ones now saying I’m welcome and denying their previous stance. It’s affected me that much and yet they see nothing and say nothing. I’ve mostly made my peace with it though!

Thank you so much for acknowledging the queer allegory of it all. Even if it wasn't entirely intentional, the amount of us that have seen ourselves represented by the message cannot be ignored. Queer people make up a huge portion of devoted fans of the movie because of it. It's really nice to see others who are not LGBT+ themselves acknowledge how present it is.

movies that encourage us to be who we are and not judge or hate others are so uplifting, i'm aromantic asexual and not really open about it, i don't really mind not talking about it, but i'm still nervous about letting my family know, since i don't know how they would react and they're not knowledgable about this stuff. maybe one day i'll be able to! but for now i'm trying to work on expressing myself more (with fashion or decorating my living spaces) and not worrying about how people will judge me for the things i like.

28:14 I am a 22 year old who grew up in a fundamentalist religious background, and have since reclaimed my faith as my own after my time at a fundamentalist university. I'm one of the most socially anxious people that I know (if you can actually know yourself in that sense), but I think God gave me an override button on that to help educate people who I used to be like. I have a lot of privilege growing up white middle-class, and I'm still learning how to use that privilege in a way that helps others while not putting myself in the spotlight. I'm always happy to talk with anyone about societal issues/failings, even if I'm the one that's learning in that moment. P.S. Thank you for continuing to use movies and shows to educate us on how to grow into better people, for ourselves and for the people around us!

I have nothing to say except this is one of the best RU-vid channels out there. You guys are killing it.

I've experienced reverse gatekeeping incredibly often. I'm a Christian, my husband is atheist. A vast majority of my friends are of the LGBTQ+ community, and I myself am demisexual. The amount of times I've been told that I'm not a true Christian because of this is way too much, and it's sad. I'm so glad y'all spoke up about this. It means a lot.

I appreciate that all (child) characters have similar eyes, instead of the huge, eyelashed eyes on the girls! Works beautifully!