Animation Source Forums

After a recent conversation on the shoutbox, I decided to go ahead with this idea: name a movie or show, preferably from your childhood, that had an impact on your course in life, and explain how it did so.

My own case, as many may know already, would be The Land Before Time, and the impact it had on me was teaching me that movies could be about more than just entertainment; that they could and should be used to impart meaningful values and ideas. Not only can I still remember how it happened, but I'm pretty sure I could show where to within a ten-foot radius. I was arguing with my older brother about whether or not The Land Before Time was a good movie, and the description on the back of the box listing character qualities presented in the movie gave me exactly the case I needed. I pointed to it and said, "Look, they took things every kid should know about and packaged them with something kids like: dinosaurs." (My actual wording was probably not that good, but that was the gist of it). He still lacks a good rebuttal.

Since that time, especially while researching it for The Land Before Time Source, my admiration for this film, the characters, and their qualities (and in some cases lack thereof) has only grown still more.

So, what movies have inspired you, and how?

For me it was Avatar: The Last Airbender

Besides growing up with it, this TV show provided strong female characters that could kick just as much butt as the boys, which was rare back in the 2000s (although not as rare as say, the 1980s or 90s xD) but it was unique in western animation. It really opened my eyes up that girls didn't have to be damsels in distress or emotional baggage, and it wasn't a tv show was centered around girl-power. (It used to be that the only tv shows that had strong girls was aimed at little girls and not a general audience.) Avatar also had very strong morals that were taught well throughout the entire series, character growth and development that allows the audience to grow with the characters and invest their emotions into the cast, and fantastic pacing from great writers.

This series is a one of a kind, and when it was given a sequel, Avatar: The Legend of Korra, it was able to continue some of my favorite elements from the original series. It's become something rather special to me in that it was different from Disney Princesses or the Powerpuff Girls. It brought something else to the table when it came to female roles in western animation, and to me that's just golden.

I guess all of that is also why I'm building Avatar Source.

Hm. I'm not a fan of shows that are centered on "girl power" like Powerpuff Girls either.

Methinks you'd enjoy the Redwall books - and maybe the cartoons too. Not as much as the books, but they were kind of good that way too.

Balto: I felt that the fact of the main character being unfairly despised for being different and learning how to come over it taught me to do the same

Coraline: I have learned to face your problems even if you are very affraid and scared of them with this film.