Hana: Yuki and Ame are both starting to choose
their own paths in life. But now that they're spreading their wings,
I just... It's tough, you know? Jono: A mother growing to embrace
whatever her children have inside them to be. Hana: I want you to have that choice. Jono: The hardships aren't lifted. But there's something powerful and beautiful
about recognizing - life's tough, then you die. Alan: Find the joy in every moment. Yuki: [howls] Ame: [howls] Hana: [screams] [laugh] Alan: Hello and wel
come to Cinema Therapy. I am Alan Seawright,
professional filmmaker who needs therapy. Jono: I am Jonathan Decker.
Licensed therapist. You caught me off guard. I was licking my lips because I had
popcorn dust on them and you just started, so... It's good. We'll start this way.
Let's run with it. Alan: This is how we're doing it. Jono: I'm licking my chops. Alan: We're professionals. Jono: I'm licking my chops, which... Alan: It's on brand.
Jono: Yeah. Alan: Because we're talking about Wolf Kidz.
With a Z. Jono: No, it is Wolf Children. Wolf Kidz with a Z is like a terrible
late 90s, early 2000 Disney Channel thing. Hey, what's up? It's Zendaya from [Wolf Kidz]. And you're watching Disney Channel. Alan: I'm going to have you react to this. Jono: Wasn't this recommended to us by our fans? Alan: This was recommended by our fans. Thank you, fans, for teaching us
the ways of the anime. Jono: Well, the fact is, neither of us
are going to sniff out good anime on our own. Alan: Oh boy. Boooooo
o! Jono: So go ahead and mark your territory
in the comments below and let us know. Sorry. Let's just keep going. Let's just... Alan: No. We're gonna keep all of this. Enough with the stupid puns already. Jono: This was a cool movie. Alan: I'm really glad that our fans
and our patrons recommended this to us. I really especially want to get
your reactions to... What does this movie get right
about single parenting? Jono: Yeah. Alan: And just raising kids in general. And I just. I really want you
to just sink your teeth into this. And really... Jono: We got wolf puns for days. Now it's over. Hana: The day I was born, my dad noticed
a cosmos flower blooming in the backyard. Nobody had planted it. It just popped up. Hana: That's why he named...
Alan: This is not about kids, but... I just wanted to get your reaction
to sort of this life philosophy. Hana: That way, whenever things were tough,
I could give life my best smile and get through it. Crazy as it may sound,
it always seemed to work.
Jono: So that type of positivity of...
Hana: When my dad died, I smiled
from ear to ear all through his funeral. Jono: So this is... She's fallen in love
with a man who is also a werewolf. And Wolf Children does something... It takes the werewolf genre and makes it...
It's sentimental instead of scary. Alan: I mean, the first, I don't know,
20 minutes of this movie is basically Werewolf Twilight,
if Twilight didn't suck. Wolfy: I'm not... Good. Jono: But this mentality... So she's talking about
smiling through hardship
and smiling at her father's funeral. I think it's a double edged sword. I think you could fall
into the trap of toxic positivity, like we talk about in our Inside Out episode,
of having to pretend like everything's okay. Jono: Keeping a stiff upper lip
and not showing that you're hurting.
Alan: Right. Jono: That would be unhealthy. But there's something powerful and beautiful
about recognizing... Life's tough, then you die, right? Alan: Yeah. Find the joy in every momen
t. Jono: I think you have to be careful.
It's good to smile. It's good to say,
I'm going to make it through this. Jono: It's good to say, even if this is hard,
I'm going to grow from this.
Alan: Sure. Jono: And I'm going to find the joy,
no matter what. As long as you're giving grief it's due. Alan: Right. Jono: As long as you're not,
like, pushing it aside. Alan: It's also okay to cry from joy
when other people are smiling and happy. Jono: Yeah. Alan: That is what I tell myself every day. Yeah.
Ōkami Otoko:
I've never told anyone about this. I was scared. I still am, because it's you. Alan: I just wanted to get your reaction to his...
You know, being open. Ōkami Otoko: No. Alan: And I want to talk about
the best werewolf transformation since American Werewolf in London. Jono: Hot dog fingers!
Alan: ...his heart out. Alan: Hot dog fingers. Jono: They make him the sexiest werewolf,
Like, his hair is, like, blowing in the wind, and... He's all hot and emo. Oh, he's so hot and so miserabl
e. Alan: And now... You're a furry. Jono: I just want to, like, go,
listen to All-American Rejects with him, and... Jono: Just...
Alan: He looks like such a good boy.
I want to give him scritches. Ōkami Otoko:
Hana. Tell me what you see. Alan: A hot, sexy werewolf man. Jono: Looking at werewolf tropes, though,
in almost every werewolf, or person-turns-to-wolf story, they go rabid and wild,
and they're not themselves. Alan: Well, the whole werewolf trope is like... Men are these irrepressible mon
sters at night. That's where the whole mythology comes from. Anton: What are we? Werewolves, not Swearwolves. - No.
- Listen to Anton.
- ...very offensive word. Alan: And this completely flips it on his head, and he turns into a wolf,
and he's just this gentle, kind... He's just fuzzier now. Jono: Yeah, he's still him. He's still safe.
He's still respectful. He's still... When I was watching this,
I'm like, Oh, here he goes. And I'm expecting her to run off,
but she's not even scared. Like, I do
n't know how they do things in Japan,
but apparently werewolves aren't scary over there, which is good for them. Alan: It's sure great. Jono: It's wonderful that he realizes, Okay... I've got this side of me
that other people don't see, and that he's choosing to show it to her Jono: because he wants to have
a relationship of trust with her.
Alan: Yeah. Jono: Right? Because this story could also be told
where he tries to hide it from her.
Alan: Right. Jono: And... and then she discovers it,
and t
hen they have... And in American movie,
that's probably what would have happened. Alan: Because you go for the drama,
and there's easy drama there.
Jono: Yeah. Alan: And this is just like easy drama? Pfffff! We're going to go for single parent drama. Jono: Yeah. Alan: And it's like, no, here's a good source
for relationship drama. You're a wolf. Jono: Well, and to your point of, like, the assumption is that
healthy relationships are boring. A lot of times, at least the anime
we've been getting s
ays, Nah. Alan: No, healthy relationships are awesome
because sometimes healthy relationships have comets. Jono: So she's had little babies with him. Alan: And he brought some groceries back
and then disappeared. And I just wanted to talk about
the sound design in this sequence, because she discovers... [pattering of rain] Alan: And we hide it. Hide it. Hide it. [abrupt silence] Hana: [gasps] Yuki: It was him. Alan: As soon as she figures out what's going on,
everything else goes away. Yuki: May
be he was heeding the call of the wild. Instinct driving him out into the rain
to hunt down fresh meat
for his newborn and his mate. Alan: And then it all comes back in... Jono: And brutal. Jono: They just unceremoniously
lift him and bag him.
Alan: Yeah. Jono: Because to them,
he's just a drowned dog. Alan: Well, and these characters
are faceless, right?
They're literally just blank heads. Jono: Why is that, do you think? What's... Alan: To show her internal state of, like...
She's not even pro
cessing. The only thing she's processing
is what's happening to... Wolf Man. Which, by the way, he never gets a name. He's credited in the credits as Wolf Man. Jono: Really?
Alan: Yeah. Jono: Wow. Alan: Because the story's not about him. Alan: It's about Hana.
Jono: Yeah. Alan: And her kids.
That's awesome. I just love that. Jono: So here's what I love
about fantasy storytelling. If you do it right, the circumstances
can be completely out of this world, not based in any sort of reality. But the
emotional reality
rings true to the human experience. Alan: And in a lot of ways, you can wring
more emotional reality out of it. But if you're living in a world
where a man is a wolf, Well, I guess... [murmurs]. Throw all that out. Let's just focus on the emotional core
of what's happening. Jono: Yeah, that's true. You've got this really heavy hitting moment
which registers emotionally of... Jono: What if you came across your beloved
and they're just gone?
Alan: Yeah. Jono: It's harsh and it's
awful. Jono: And this is the reality
for single parents everywhere.
Alan: Sure. Jono: Is there some sort of loss. Like, if they were partnered up,
is the loss due to break up or divorce? Is the loss due to death? And if they weren't partnered up... There's this loss of,
Okay, I'm doing this alone. Alan: Yeah. And for most people, there's an expectation of,
I'm not going to be doing it alone. Jono: Right? Some people choose to say,
like, I'm just going to do in vitro, and, like, I want to have a
kid.
And that's, you know, that's a different thing. But the trials of single parenthood
are still there. Alan: The exact same. But it's compounded for her by grief. Yuki: Dad had left us the little money. But it wasn't much
in the grand scheme of things. Yuki: [screams] This is why you always
wall anchor your furniture. Jono: Yes. Yuki: Wolves are people. We didn't know how to be either yet. Jono: My kids love this too.
They thought they were so into it. Alan: Yeah. [munch, munch] [chomp, chomp
] Alan: Okay. As both a parent and a dog owner...
Hana: ...kidding me! Alan: That's just so relatable. [baby cries] Yuki: Some nights Ame would just cry and cry. All Mom could do was rub his back
until he tired himself out. Even if it took all night. Jono: And there's this thing like,
there's this parent power. Where you can fall asleep almost immediately,
and you can also wake up almost immediately. Alan: Yeah, I hear this from,
like, combat vets. Right? Jono: Yeah. Alan: Like you get to the po
int where
you've been in the trenches so long or whatever, and you can just, like... [snores]. And then, like, the second you hear orders,
it's like, Huh? Yep. Here we go. And it's like, not that being a parent
is like being in combat. But it is. Jono: What I like about this is
they're not little terrors as much as. Alan: They're just exploring and... Jono: They're just... Alan: Just being kids. Jono: Yeah. Alan: So they move out into the boonies,
and she has to... Jono: 'Cause they'll be discov
ered in the city. Alan: Yeah. Alan: So I just wanted to talk about... Adventurous kid versus scared kid. Alan: Do you have one of each?
Jono: Uh huh. Alan: I thought you did. Jono: She is trying to create a safe,
peaceful life for her children. Alan: Yes. Jono: And she goes out to the farm,
into the country. To have no community
is the purpose she goes out there, because she is anticipating rejection. Alan: And she's worried that...
Jono: Persecution. Alan: Yeah, people are going to think
her ki
ds are monsters because...
Jono: Yeah. Alan: You know, they're monsters. How dare you? Alan: It's just they're real cute and fuzzy. Jono: And this film is really about
the travails of being a parent
and how much you give. And it's such a beautiful love story
between mother and children. Like, it really, really is very touching. But she goes on to find community,
even though she's not looking for it, and realizes how much she needs it. Yuki: Look what I found, Mommy! It started honking at me and
I grabbed it. Alan: "Started honking at me and I grabbed it..."! This girl gets it. Geese suck. [Beep] you, geese. Jono: Oh, my gosh. Why? Why with the f-bombs in the family movies? Why is this the thing now? How did this happen? Alan: No, this girl watched The Notebook.
She knows. How many [beeping] geese?! Kill all geese. This is a nightmare! Ame: How come the wolf
always has to be the bad guy? Huh? Hana: You mean like in the picture books? Ame: Everybody's mean to them
and they always get kil
led at the end. Because of that... I don't want to be a wolf. Hana: You're right. But, you know,
Mommy thinks wolves are pretty nice people. Even if everybody else is mean to them, I'm going to stick up for the wolves
through thick and thin, no matter what. Jono: Oh, that's good parenting. I guess my question is for you, like,
metaphorically, what is this scene saying
about the real world? Alan: I think everyone has felt
like the outcast at some point. In some way, you've felt like,
I'm differen
t and people aren't going to accept me. And most of the time we feel that
pretty strongly as kids for something. Jono: Yeah. Alan: This kid looks at storybooks, and instead of reading the little
morality play or whatever, he's like, Why do they all hate the wolves? Obviously he is a wolf,
so he's thinking about himself, but he's also seeing
a completely different side of the story. It really resonates with me
because of my own son, who does the same thing. But it's also just...
I think there's s
omething universal in that. His response is, I don't want to be a wolf. Jono: Yeah. Alan: Like, I don't want to be what I am,
because people won't like it. Jono: We fear difference and we form communities
based on similarities, right? And so we're similar,
so we should be together. Jono: But then, automatically,
those who are dissimilar are outside.
Alan: Right. Jono: And we fear the other, you know,
instead of embracing or learning from the other. And it's a hard thing,
because when you're an o
utcast, you think the problem is you
instead of embracing that,
No, this is everybody else. Alan: Right. Like you were saying,
it's just beautiful, amazing parenting. So... And there's a lot
going on here in the animation. There's, like, a lot of multi-plane
with all of these trees going past. It feels really realistic. But the score by Masakatsu Takagi is, Just distilled joy, like... I don't know how else to describe this. Jono: Yeah. Well, and she has...
She has... So cool. She has... She's su
ch a model parent,
because her kids are wolves. She's not running through the forest
the same way they are. She's not experiencing things
the way they are. But she's... Experiencing their joy by proxy. Alan: Right. Jono: You know? That instead of,
her kids are going to turn out like her. Alan: She's seeing the ways they can be different
and how it's great for them. Alan: So...
Jono: So many parents
want to relive their glory days by, You do what I did when I was young.
Right? Instead of... What
were you going to say? Oh. Alan: I can't even talk, I'm like... Laughter through tears. Yuki: [howls] Ame: [howls] Hana: [shouts] Jono: She joins in with them. Jono: Why is... Alan: Damn you, Pixar. But it's not Pixar. Jono: Why is that getting you?
Because it's not sad. Alan: I don't know. This is one of my... This is my damage. I don't understand it. Like, this happens to me constantly. I watch something and it's so joyful and fun... ...and just great, that this is my response. Jono: Yeah. It'
s... It's truly beautiful.
It's just a celebration of wholesome love. Alan: Yeah. Jono: They're in the middle of nowhere.
Their house has been flooding with the rain. They've been struggling to grow crops.
Their dad is dead. Her husband's dead. Alan: It's been really rough. Jono: It's been really rough.
And they're finding joy with each other. Just in running through
the snowy forest, you know. And therapeutically, we often look
for big solutions to big problems, and sometimes big problems
are g
oing to last a long time, and they're meant to be endured,
and we grow through them. There is no bringing your husband back.
There is no quick fix for the crops or the house. But in her case,
like, the hardships aren't lifted. But that doesn't mean she's gonna
not find the joy in the midst of them. And what I tell people
when they're struggling with depression or very difficult circumstances is,
don't wait for this to lift, to live. And to do the things that you enjoy doing, and to do the things
that bring you
fulfillment and satisfaction. You have to... That's the only way
you find the strength to soldier through, is to have these types of moments. Alan: Yeah, I love this movie. A man: We also get injured birds
and raccoon dogs. As soon as they've healed up,
we release them back into their natural habitat. Alan: So they go to a... Jono: Wildlife preserve. Alan: Wildlife preserve. Hana: ...place a lot from now on.
You'll be okay with coming with me. Alan: She gets a job there. Hana: I'
m going to learn
all the things about nature that I can, and then we'll go home,
and I'll teach it all to you. Ame: I've never seen one before. Hana: What, a wolf? Ame: So, did Daddy act like that one? Hana: Not at all. Ame: Good. I'm glad. Hana: Why is that? Ame: The one we saw today...
His eyes were kind of sad. I wanted to meet a wolf like Daddy. Hana: Your Daddy was special.
He was truly one of a kind. Jono: Yeah, that reminds me of
conversations I have with my kids
about their grandma who
they never knew. I think it's beautiful that she is a parent,
is, Okay, my kid is leaning more wolf than child. And if it matters to them, it matters to me. Alan: Yeah. Jono: See, this movie keeps making you cry. And normally when we watch movies,
I understand why you're crying. Today... Alan: I don't know that I've ever felt
as strongly... Just the... The emptiness of a kid wanting to know
what his dad is like. Then that scene. Jono: I'm always sad
when kids have to grow up fast. You know, and
these kids absolutely do. They experience loss and grief from birth. Alan: Yeah. Jono: My mom used to say,
If it's important to you, it's important to me. Which is why in high school, my mother,
who was a middle aged white American woman, raised on the Brady Bunch,
took an interest in Jackie Chan movies. I was not expecting that. Jono: But she knew that if we watched
Jackie Chan together, I would talk with her for forever. Alan: Sure. Jono: You know, he's wanting
to know more about the wolf side
because she's been trying so long
to raise them to be people. Alan: Yeah. Jono: And when she sees
that he's leaning towards Wolf, instead of trying to stop that, she's like, Okay. Alan: She goes and gets a job
at the nature reserve. Yeah.
Jono: Yeah. Hana: Ame! You had me worried sick, you know that? You're soaking wet.
Hold on, I'll draw you a hot bath. Ame: It's Sensei.
He can't move because he hurt his leg. Alan: So, Sensei... Ame: ...he's going to die. He's a fox that lives up on the mounta
in
and has been teaching him the ways of the animals. Ame: ...of the mountain and everything on it.
Someone's got to take his place. Hana: No way. I don't want you going up there, I mean it. You're barely ten years old, Ame.
You're just a kid. A ten year old wolf is an adult,
but that's different. You're not a... [gasps] [gentle pattering of rain rushes in] Alan: Sound design. This is a good movie. Hana: Please... Don't go onto the mountain again.
Please, Ame. For me. Alan: All right. Talk to me
about... What she was about to say,
and how she caught herself. Jono: I mean, I think most...
A lot of times we're like, I'm going to honor the journey
and see who they choose to be and everything, but we all have...
a life that we want for our kids. Alan: And in her case, I mean,
she's literally never thought... ever, they'd be anything but a human,
because I'm probably going to have human children. Jono: She mated with a Wolf Man. And so... But the wolf-ness was,
like, something to manage ear
ly on, Jono: instead of the core of who they are,
Alan: Right. Jono: Which in the case of her son,
it is the core of who he is. She knows that he's a wolf,
but she hasn't let herself accept it. And she's begging him. "For me". And where she's going to get is "That's selfish". Alan: And there is absolutely brilliant,
brilliant filmmaking in that scene. She almost says "You're not a wolf",
catches herself. And then we bring up the sound of the rain. And it is... this is subtext.
It's not in the te
xt because no one ever says it. But the subtext there is
she's remembering. "Oh..." You are a wolf just like your dad.
I lost him because of his wolf-ness. I'm not willing to lose you
because of your wolf-ness. Such good filmmaking. That's what I'm talking about! Ōkami Otoko:
He's an adult. He knows himself. Hana: An adult? Ōkami Otoko:
Ame knows where he's supposed to be. Alan: He's ten. So she has gone to the forest to find Ame, because he went off
to be king of the mountain, basically.
Jono:
A wolf. Alan: And she passes out,
and has a vision or a hallucination, something. But she sees Wolf Man. Jono: She goes to King's Cross
and sees Dumbledore. Alan: Correct. Alan: And then he brings her back. Jono: Her son does. Yeah.
Alan: Yeah. Alan: To the nature reserve. Jono: Well that our kids grow up faster
than we're ready for. Alan: Absolutely. Jono: And they're going to make choices
that aren't the choices we would make for them. But we honor them. And in his case... And this is the thin
g about... life, is you have your family
and then you grow up and you move on. Hana: Ame! This is what you want. Aren't I...? Aren't I supposed to have taught you
something important at life...? Alan: She's... You know, kind of naturally
seeing this as a personal attack. You've chosen the wolf side of yourself,
not the human side. Hana: And now... Hana: Wait! AME! AME! Alan: This is like... Hana: Don't go! Alan: Big, big melodrama. Alan: And it totally works.
Jono: Yeah. Alan: So good. Hana: Ame
... Ame... Ame: [howls] Alan: Gorgeous shot and great music. [howling continues] Jono: And it seems cold. Hana: You're where you belong! Jono: It seems cold when he runs off
instead of consoling her. Alan: Yes. Jono: But he's showing her. Alan: Right. Jono: You taught me everything I need. Alan: Yeah. Jono: I'm ready. You did a good job.
It's time to let me go. I love that he knows exactly who he is. And the thing about being a parent is
it's hard to embrace that someone younger than you, with l
ess life experience than you,
knows more about who they want to be than you do, and who they're supposed to be, than you are. Or, than you do.
And you have to trust them. And it's this wonderful moment for her
of trusting him. This is not only what he wants,
but it's where he's happy. Alan: Yeah. And that is she's saying "Stay",
she's holding him back from that and she doesn't want that. And she's alone in that house,
which would normally be, like, super sad. My husband's dead.
My son's a wolf i
n the mountains. Alan: My daughter is off at like, is she at college
or like, late high school or something? Jono: And you would think that she's...
She's unhappy and miserable and alone because that's kind of,
like, the Western way of thinking. And she's perfectly content. Alan: She's like, I did it. Jono: Yeah. Nailed it. Jono: I raised my kids, I taught them, and they're going on to be successful
doing what they want to do with their lives. And... Alan: And I've got my potato farm. Jono: And
there's the whole second episode
we could do about finding community. Alan: For sure. Jono: You know, like there's
a secondary strong theme in this. Alan: The grumpy old guy who forces her
into the community without telling her, is one of my favorite characters of all time. Jono: Who helps her because he cares,
but he's a real jerk about it. Alan: He's such a jerk the whole time. Jerk Man: Give it a rest. Hana: Huh? Jerk Man: Walking around
with that smile on your face. Jono: Beautiful film, bea
utiful lessons. Incredible look at
what healthy parenting looks like. This is a love letter to single parents
who fight that good fight
and sacrifice of themselves. And it's beautiful. I loved it. Alan: So, until next time... Internet Dadz: Awooo! And... Watch movies. Alan: We also want to thank our patrons
who help support our show, and bring it to you. Jono: [chokes] "To you, Jonathan". Simone Cooper, Tabitha Hammer-Esser, Meilin, Lauren Wagstaff, and Katie Garrison. Thank you for supporting u
s on our Patreon. Alan: Thank you for being Wolf Children. Jono: Wolf Kidz. Alan: Wolf Kidz with a Z.
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