So, the wife and I watched Turning Red the Friday it was released on Disney Plus. We thought it was a heartwarming and fun movie from Pixar and thought that most other people would think the same. While there are many who love this movie, there is a weird vocal minority speaking out against the “metaphors” and how it is not appropriate for children!
How to Stream or Download Turning Red
You can stream and watch Turning Red on Disney+. Click on the Where to Watch & Stream button below to access the platform. If you like Pixar films, check out also their previous releases – Luca (2021), Soul (2020), Onward (2020), and Toy Story 4 (2019).
Turning Red – the Review
Meet 13-Year-Old Mei and Her Family Curse
That to me is crazy, this is another classic from Pixar and I have never for one second got any vibes like that from it. There is no “controversy” with this movie if you ask me, it is just a fun Disney/Pixar movie that is very clever and has a great deal of heart. If you just plain do not like the movie, fair enough. However, if you have an issue or problem with the story, characters or message, that is on you.
The story of Turning Red is about 13-year-old Mei who is a super adorable kid who tries her best to be the best daughter to make her parents proud. She gets great grades, works hard, is nice, kind, and even works in her family’s temple. While you get that her mom wants the best for her, she does come off super hard on her too.
Mei’s family has a bit of a secret in that they have inherited a power, but they call it a curse from their ancestor. This “curse” causes them to turn into a red panda when their emotions are rampant. Mei is good at controlling her emotions thanks to her three best friends. Mei and the friendship she has with her three besties is a real feel-good aspect of this movie.
4-Town Tickets, Panda Hustle, and Ritual Chaos
Mei and her friends are huge fans of this boy band called 4-Town and they are coming to play a show in Toronto, but the tickets are 200 bucks! Mei decides to embrace her red panda and her and her friends start offering photos, selling merch, and so on to make money. The thing is, the more Mei, embraces the red panda, the harder it is to stay in control.
Mei’s mom, her grandmother, and other relatives tell her that there is a family ritual they can do which will remove the curse. Of course, things go wrong and Mei then has to decide if she is going to keep being the daughter her mother wants or if she will just try and live her own life.
Honest Mother-Daughter Healing and Pixar Magic
The way that Turning Red handles the mother/daughter dynamic is done fantastically well here. I will admit that at first, I did not like Mei’s mother, but you do actually start to sympathize with her and by the end of the movie as things come full circle, it gives you a real warm and fuzzy feeling inside.
I thought that Turning Red was a fantastic movie, Disney has been nailing it lately, Soul, Luca, Encanto, and now Turning Red are all fantastic stories, but I think this one may be my favorite. Ignore the people complaining online and just enjoy this movie for what it is and you will have a real feel-good feeling once the credits start to roll.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where can you stream Pixar’s Turning Red (2022) in 4K?
As of November 2026, director Domee Shi’s Oscar-nominated Pixar coming-of-age comedy Turning Red (2022) featuring the voices of Rosalie Chiang and Sandra Oh streams in 4K Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos on Disney+ and is available digitally on Prime Video and Apple TV.
Why is Turning Red set in 2002 Toronto and why does Mei transform?
Drawing on Domee Shi’s own upbringing, dutiful thirteen-year-old Meilin Lee inherits an ancestral blessing from Sun Yee that poofs her into a giant red panda whenever intense feelings spike, clashing with perfectionist mother Ming (Sandra Oh) while hustling merch for 4*Town concert tickets.
Who wrote the 4*Town boy-band songs in Turning Red?
Grammy-winning siblings Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell wrote and voiced vocals on three infectious early-2000s pop anthems – “Nobody Like U”, “1 True Love”, and “U Know What’s Up” – complementing Ludwig Goransson’s score and Pixar’s “chunky cute” anime-inspired visual style.
Which newer Pixar original adventure blends quirky humor with family heart?
Families who adored Mei’s colorful self-discovery will also love Pixar’s cosmic misfit tale Elio.
