Flow

DIRECTOR GINTS ZILBALODIS & CO-SCREENWRITER MATISS KAZA HAVE SUCCEEDED IN USING ANIMATION TO WARN PEOPLE OF THE DANGERS OF CLIMATE CHANGE (WHICH IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT SINCE A CLIMATE DENIER WAS JUST REELECTED PRESIDENT) & ALSO SHOW HOW PEOPLE (OR, IN THIS CASE, ANIMALS) CAN FORM BONDS DURING TIMES OF CRISIS. I REALIZE THAT ANIMATION HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN USED FOR POSITIVE PURPOSES. I REMEMBER HOW THOSE OLD "POPEYE" & "BUGS BUNNY" CARTOONS ALWAYS SEEMED TO BE ENCOURAGING BULLYING, & HOW THE MORE RECENT "SOUTH PARK" CARTOON ALWAYS ENDED ITS EPISODES BY "JOKING" ABOUT ONE OF THE CHILDREN GETTING KILLED. AND, ALTHOUGH I USUALLY LIKED THE "PEANUTS" SPECIALS, I WAS TROUBLED BY THE THANKSGIVING EPISODE BECAUSE IT SHOWED THE ONE AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHILD (FRANKLIN) BEING LEFT TO SIT ALONE AT A SMALL TABLE WHILE THE WHITE CHILDREN ALL GOT TO SIT TOGETHER AT THE LARGE TABLE. BUT, WITH "FLOW," THE EXACT OPPOSITE HAPPENS. WHEN THE LEADER OF A PACK OF BIRDS GETS BEATEN BY A YOUNGER BIRD, THE OTHER BIRDS FLY AFTER THE NEW LEADER, & ABANDON THE OLDER LEADER. AT THAT MOMENT, THE CAT IN THE FILM WALKS UP BESIDE THE OLDER BIRD IN A SHOW OF SOLIDARITY & FRIENDSHIP, & THE OTHER ANIMALS FOLLOW SUIT. I DON'T KNOW IF J.D. VANCE WOULD APPRECIATE THIS FILM. BUT THOSE OF US WHO ARE "CHILDLESS CAT PEOPLE" DEFINITELY APPRECIATE IT!