Facing Your Fears to See Beauty on Other Side : Disney•Pixar The Good Dinosaur
Have you overcame fears in your life to achieve success or fully discover everything that you are capable of? For me, I had to overcome the fear of simply talking to people in order to get where I am in the blogosphere. We all have “something.” For Arlo in Disney•Pixar’s “The Good Dinosaur,” a series of events force him to face his fears in order to truly find himself.
The Good Dinosaur
The research Disney•Pixar puts into their films always blows my mind — and is so very apparent on the big screen. From the moment The Good Dinosaur begins, you will completely forget that you are watching an animated film. The 3D clouds, realistic water scenes, and use of USGS data to drop the dinosaurs into real environments completely pulls you into the action. The graphics and animation in the film are absolutely amazing. The landscape looks incredibly realistic and you cannot help but be drawn into the imagery.
But the movie is so much more than the images on the screen. Arlo (Raymond Ochoa) is a sweet-natured Apatosaurus simply trying to be a good son and helper to his parents. Working on the family farm has its challenges, but Arlo is determined to earn his mark on the family silo. His wise Poppa (Jeffrey Wright) gives him instruction and inspiration through his own wisdom by telling Arlo to “earn your mark for something bigger than yourself.” No one, not even Poppa, realizes how much it will take for Arlo to earn his mark.
Young Arlo soon finds himself catapulted on a journey into a land he knows nothing about. His greatest fears are now in the forefront and he has no choice but to face them if he wants to find his way back home. Along the way, he meets an unlikely human friend, Spot (Jack Bright), travels with him on his journey. Inevitably, they learn what they are both capable of overcoming — together. In fact, Arlo discovers that the words of wisdom from his Poppa once again hold true:
Through an unlikely friendship, unimaginable trials and remarkable triumphs, Arlo and Spot come to recognize the truth buried inside themselves. Another powerful quote, this time from Bruno (Sam Elliot) the T-Rex, when he tells Arlo that, “You can’t beat fear, but you can get through it and find out what you’re made of.” This is exactly what Arlo does. He finds out exactly who he is and what he is capable of. In the end, he realizes that just as his Poppa foretold, “You are me… and more.”
Avoiding any spoilers as much as I can, be prepared with tissues! Even Executive Producer John Lasseter has said, “‘The Good Dinosaur’ is one of the most emotional movies we’ve ever made. It’s really funny and clever, and as the story unfolds, this deep emotion emerges.” Get ready to take the journey today as the movie comes to theaters everywhere.