10 children's movies with rumored political agendas

Published: Monday, March 10 2014 11:09 p.m. MDT





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Glendale, AZ

Personally, I thought that The Lego Movie was excruciatingly hilarious. It poked fun at itself and the Lego culture. It had a funny plot. It had a hilarious sound track. ("Everything Is Awesome") Sorry, I was way too busy laughing to catch any alleged political message. The bad guy looked like Mitt Romney? Saying that is almost as hilarious as the movie itself. Hmn, Romney's face is so generic that it resembles a Lego face? Now THAT's funny!


You are seriously quoting a Stephen Colbert rant?

American Fork, UT

regarding #4. of course climate change predates man. we have ice core data that goes back 400,000 years, and the variability of the ice layers correspond to the co2 levels also revealed in the ancient ice. What we are seeing now is an unprecedented level of carbon dioxide and corresponding warming that can be absolutely identified in the carbon molecules as burnt fossil fuels. be afraid, information and truth is everywhere.

Ed Firmage, Jr.
Salt Lake City, UT

To today's conservatives, everything is a threat, and rumors count as facts. What a pitiful existence.

St Louis, MO

I thought "The Lorax" was a little too on-the-nose, but most of these are nothing but the same "underdog vs overdog" stories Hollywood has been giving us since the first projector was plugged in. As for the little guy resisting Big Business, "Modern Times," anyone? Charlie Chaplin? Man = evil, nature = good . . anyone seen Bambi? None of these themes are new. If watching Bambi as a kid influenced you to become a godless, America-hating liberal, I would love to hear your story.

Honestly, if you're wired to see everything through the prism of whatever political ideology dominates your cerebellum, there's not much anyone can say to change your mind. Those of us not on the fringes of sanity will continue to roll our collective eyes every time somone like Glenn Beck pops off about an innocuous children's movie being socialist/communist propaganda.

Salt Lake City, UT

Hearing John Lassater denounce "big oil" is hilarious. He obviously doesn't mind burning gallons of fuel on his houseboat every summer down at Lake Powell. We've anchored next to him twice and the dude burns as much fuel as any human being on the Lake.

Hey It's Me
Salt Lake City, UT

When I go to the movies I don't look to read between the lines. I don't think my 4 year old granddaughter gets the hidden message in these movies either. Are the same people looking for hidden messages in Disney Movies also looking for hidden messages in the violence/sex ridden R - rated movies? There is some deep subliminal messaging going on there also. Just enjoy the movie you pick to see for your enjoyment and nothing more.

American Fork, UT

The lego film was designed to sell as many legos as possible, how is that anti-business? More proof that you will see whatever you are looking for if you look hard enough.

If conservatives really think that Obama and the giant liberal media machine are controlling everything we see and hear than maybe they should stop complaining and start making some media of their own that people actually want to watch. Take some personal responsibility you know.

Danish American
Payson, UT

@Ed Firmage: Since you are so big on facts can you please explain to me how oil & gas are not renewable energy sources? When did the earth stop producing them? Can you at least name the year?

Dave D
Spring Creek, NV

Citing Stephen Colbert to make your case for a film's "propaganda for the environmental movement" shows just how absent-minded this list is. You'll note most of the controversy stems from Fox News talking points. Colbert offers brilliant satire on conservative talking points, and this bit was no exception. Even when these films do present these messages, why the controversy? Isn't dependency on an energy source that dirties air, water, and other natural resources bad? Aren't we as humans causing reckless environmental degradation by making poorly-informed decisions every day? There are human behaviors that deserve critiquing. I want my children to get those messages so they can improve upon the way we currently do things.

Orem, UT

OK, I am on board with Happy Feet and Cars 2 since the filmmakers said so. And I can see the message in the Ice Age movies and even Wall-E, but the rest? Nah! Especially the Lego Movie! If ever capitalism helped to drive a movie this is it! And it was incredibly AWESOME! And "The Incredibles"??? Oh brother! (Major eye roll!) And if a person can't look past the aspect of an environmental message in something like Wall-E and just enjoy a darn good movie, then there is something wrong with them.

I can find a message (overt and covert) in ANY movie produced--because 90% are produced by people with a different political leaning than I have! Some of the messages will be real and some will just be made up in my head. Is "Monuments Men" a political message movie that states only liberals care about art just because George Clooney and his croanies made the movie? I don't think so.

Don't read too much into this folks. You will just worry yourself into having an ulcer if you do. Go and enjoy the movies.

Danish American
Payson, UT

@Dave D: What about the NASA scientists who just wrote Obama to say there is no evidence that humans have any effect on the climate?

Cottonwood Heights, UT

Probably true in most cases, definitely true in some cases. But just because someone is trying to convince you about something does not mean that you will be persuaded. Life would be boring if we didn't exchange ideas with each other. Art is the lens through which you see the world.

In any case conservatives have the truth and so they will ultimately carry the day.

Dave D
Spring Creek, NV

Danish American,

Not sure who these 49 NASA scientists are, or what their specialties are, but according to The U.S. National Academy of Sciences and The Royal Society report that just came out, the evidence is stronger now than ever.

Salt Lake City, Utah

Compared with what's going on in Washington I think I can handle these cartoons . . .

Salt Lake City, UT

If Conservatives have such a problem with Hollywood and their hidden messages, they're certainly free to put their money where their mouth is and go out make their own movies that push their agendas.

Layton, UT

Happy Feet is insufferably bad. It's not hinted at, it's overtly political. And not just in its portrayal of the bad environmental warming polluting humans... Easily the most contrived mess as a result and not worth anyone's time.

The rest of them I disagree with...

The only one you could argue is The Lorax, which is based on the book by Dr. Seuss... which had essentially the same message. But if you consider the time in which the Lorax was written, that was a form of environmentalism that even the most staunch republicans are in favor of...

Salt Lake City, UT

Isn't interesting how most of these movies are Pixar or similar style.

The only one of these I saw was the Incredibles; it was an average & unimaginative knock off of the Fantastic Four.

re: Ed Firmage, Jr.

Alot of Today's conservatives remind me of the Villagers in M. Night Shyamalan'a 'The Village'

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