UP-ROAR.

I watched the latest Disney Pixar animated film Up this evening and I am going to begin by saying I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and thought it was absolutely beautifully animated, humorous, and touching.


My one problem was with the character, Russell - an 8-year-old "wilderness explorer" that ends up following the main character, Mr. Fredrickson, on his journey to Paradise Falls in South America. The character was annoying in both his behavior and demeanor. But beyond simply actions, the part that I was probably most distressed about was the fact that the character was ASIAN. Were there any other Asian-Americans out there who were totally offended by this character or am I just being crazy and over-analyzing this situation???

Let me tell you. Being an Asian-American child is no easy task. We have had a bad enough rap as it is, and I don't need a Disney movie portraying me or any other Asian-American child as some nerdy, socially-inept loser with no street skills and the owner of a GPS device. The fact that Russell had earned all of these "wilderness" badges (if you have not seen the movie - think Boy Scouts) and yet had never actually camped OUTDOORS is a low blow to the fact that many people consider Asian-Americans to only be book-smart and to only be handy with a graphing calculator. I might not be an Asian-American activist, but I have definitely been a victim of stereotypes and have suffered as a result. To the point where I had to pretend to not know the answer in class, to the point where I had to purposely answer incorrectly on exams, to the point where I had to pretend to ask questions and display incomprehension because I did not want to be under the umbrella stereotype that all Asians are complete nerds. It made me want to refuse education. And it certainly has affected my adult life and my overall awareness. But as I grow older, I have come to realize that there is nothing wrong with being a nerd. I was hoping that by today, the severity of these stereotypes would have dwindled and at least been partially eradicated so that Asian-Americans can be as freely genius or stupid as they want. Asian-Americans should not be judged by I.Q. levels. But unfortunately, I think this film was a step in the wrong direction.

And the bad parenting??? Asian father not being supportive of Wilderness Troupe and not showing up to graduation??? Maybe this is actually just hitting a bit close to home. But the realities of having first generation Asian-American parents are enough to deal with internally and really do not have to be addressed and faintly mocked in a Disney animated feature. Furthermore, the stereotype of Asian-American parents only wanting their children to sit at home to study is yet another myth that needs to be busted. While my parents DID place an emphasis on education, they were also very insistent in my participation in sports, music, and the arts.

I'm not saying that you didn't find me laughing my head off in the theater. But this issue was a constant underlying bother during the entire film. Would this film have been the same if the character of Russell was played by a Caucasian, Native American, Hispanic, or African American boy????? I'm curious to hear your opinion.