Last week, I was sent on a press event for the new movie, The Good Dinosaur. We were able to see the movie twice, which I am so grateful for, as I found more and more to love about it. Read on of my review of The Good Dinosaur and the 4 surprising things you will learn from it.
For the first time ever, Disney Pixar released 2 movies in the same year. Inside Out over the summer and The Good Dinosaur at Thanksgiving. Much hype & build up was given to Inside Out, while The Good Dinosaur has quietly taken everyone by surprise. And to tell you the truth, I liked The Good Dinosaur better!
In the works since the original concept came to the table in 2009, this movie was well worth the wait. And as it is a loving story about family & hope, I couldn’t think of a better release date than when we are at our most thankful.
We have all seen the trailer with the question: What if the asteroid that forever changed life on Earth missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct?
The story centers around Arlo, an Apatosaurus, who grows up working the family ranch, trying to overcome his fears with lessons from his hero, his Poppa. In a series of unfortunate events, Arlo finds himself far away from home, and has to overcome some insurmountable odds to find his way back. Along the journey, he meets an unlikely friend, a human he names Spot and together they face Arlo’s fears heads on.
The beauty of the animation is spectacular – I personally think it is one of the most visually stunning movies that Disney Pixar has ever created. Inspired by the Grand Teton National Park and Snake River Valley, the animation is so good, you can’t believe it is not real.
©2015 Disney•Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
The story is beautiful and loving and will most likely bring you to tears. I love when a family movie can be both entertaining enough to make you laugh out loud and heartwarming so you need a tissue. Disney Pixar movies do this so well and The Good Dinosaur is no exception.
As you head into the movie this Thanksgiving weekend with your family, keep in mind these lessons you will be grateful to take home with you.
4 Things You Will Learn from Disney Pixar’s The Good Dinosaur
Facing Your Fears
Arlo is frightened easily, much to everyone’s surprise. But it takes facing those fears for him to realize you can’t live life in the shadows. As Arlo’s Poppa tells him, “Sometimes you gotta get through your fears to see the beauty on the other side.”
On his journey home, Arlo learns that it’s actually ok to have fears, it’s what makes us stronger. He comes across a very wise T-Rex named Butch who tells him:
“If you ain’t scared, you ain’t alive.”
©2015 Disney•Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Family Works Together
Arlo comes from a family who work the land together to survive on their ranch. It’s all he knows. And while on his trek back home, he encounters several unlikely “families”, yet he sees how they beautifully all work together to survive. Director Peter Sohn was inspired by his time working on a ranch in Oregon and seeing how the father and his 5 children all working together so lovingly. It was important to him to show that families work together for survival.
©2015 Disney•Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Unlikely Friendships
Sometimes when you are not looking for a friend, they find you. And it may not be who you expect it to be. I love that The Good Dinosaur slowly builds the friendship between Arlo and Spot. Arlo doesn’t want to have a human boy as a friend, yet he comes to rely on him and their friendship is so touching. It’s a great lesson for children to see, to accept all as friends, no matter how unlikely they might be.
©2015 Disney•Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Beauty of the American West
The creative team of The Good Dinosaur spent a great deal of time in the American West to be inspired for the imagery of the movie. For many of them, it had been the first time they had seen the majesty that makes up this part of our country. I’d hazard a guess that many people seeing The Good Dinosaur have not seen these mountains and valleys in person either.
©2015 Disney•Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
The American West is the most beautiful area of our country. I have been all over the great USA and I am always left speechless at how breathtaking the Rocky Mountains are, how brilliant the red peaks and valleys of Arizona and Utah are, and how alive this area of the country is. The animation in The Good Dinosaur does such a good job of depicting this, that I hope it inspires you to want to visit Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Arizona and more.
The Good Dinosaur opens in theaters on November 25 and it’s the perfect movie to see with the entire family over the Thanksgiving holiday.
The Good Dinosaur
Website: http://movies.disney.com/the-good-dinosaur
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PixarTheGoodDinosaur
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheGoodDinosaur
Instagram: https://instagram.com/TheGoodDinosaur
Check out more of the fun we had on the #GoodDinoEvent press trip:
Making of Disney Junior’s The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar
LIVE Taping of Dancing with the Stars
Creation of The Good Dinosaur with Director Peter Sohn
The Good Dinosaur Red Carpet Movie Premiere
The Good Dinosaur Toys & Disney Infinity 3.0
4 Things You Will Learn from Disney Pixar’s The Good Dinosaur
Disclaimer: Disney sent me to Los Angeles on an all-expenses paid press trip, in exchange for my coverage of the red carpet premiere of The Good Dinosaur. All opinions are my own.
