Movies / Series For My Inner Child

[anonymous]

Hi all,

I feel a bit embarrassed. Anyway, I want to help my inner child feel safe and have found that one of the things that help is watching movies or series that ease her emotional pain.

Here is what my inner child likes. Do you know any others that are somewhat similar in their messages?


Movies:

• The Rescuers is a 1977 American animated film. It is about the Rescue Aid Society, an international mouse organization headquartered in New York and shadowing the United Nations, dedicated to helping abduction victims around the world at large. Two of these mice, jittery janitor Bernard and his co-agent, the elegant Miss Bianca, set out to rescue Penny, an orphan girl being held prisoner in the Devil's Bayou by treasure huntress Madame Medusa.

My inner child loves this movie because she can identify very much with Penny and has always hoped to be rescued and then adopted by loving parents.

• Pete's Dragon is a 1977 live-action/animated musical film. It is a live-action film but its title character, a dragon named Elliott, is animated. The story is about a young orphan named Pete who enters the town of Passamaquoddy, a small fishing community in Northeastern Maine. His only friend is a dragon named Elliott, who also acts as his protector and can make himself invisible and is generally visible only to Pete, which occasionally lands Pete in trouble with the locals.

My inner child loves this because she always longed for a friend like Elliott who would help her through until she didn't need him anymore. My inner child held this story dear and sometimes she took Elliott with her in her mind when things got really rough. When I was an adult, I let him go. I realized at some point that there are other children out there who would need him.

• The Brothers Lionheart is a children's fantasy novel written by Astrid Lindgren. Many of its themes are unusually dark and heavy for the children's book genre. Disease, death, tyranny, betrayal and rebellion are some of the dark themes that permeate the story. The lighter themes of the book involve platonic love, loyalty, hope, courage and pacifism. The two main characters are two brothers; the older Jonatan and the younger Karl. The two brothers' surname was originally Lion, but they are generally known as Lionheart. Karl is very sick and it is clear that he will die soon. But then there is a huge fire and Jonatan saves his brother Karl. Jonatan dies. He tells his little brother that there is a country he will go to, everyone will go to, when they die, Nangijala. When Karl dies, he finds his brother in a little house in Nangijala and they experience many adventures.

My inner child has always loved this movie (and book) because she wanted to be dead all along. 'Dead' to her meant 'at peace and happy'. Nangijala gave her hope. Such a beautiful country! Despite the brothers having to deal with a lot of dark and heavy things, innocence and good always reveal.

• Ronia the Robber's Daughter is a children's fantasy book by Astrid Lindgren, first published in 1981, and also a movie. Set in the Middle Ages. Ronia is born among a clan of robbers, and grows up surrounded by love. But as she grows up she discovers that her small world is threatened from the outside. We are taken into a tale of strong friendship and love, a world where you are strong only because people who love you have made you a strong person. It is a story every child and adult can learn important things about life from. About forgiveness, about fright and most of all about love.

My inner child has loved this book and movie ever since she was about 8. Actually, she and I owe Ronia a lot. Ronia taught my inner child and me what exposure therapy is and how it's done. She copied Ronia already as a child and faced her fears proactively by putting herself out there. But she has loved it for Ronia's strength and willingness to stand up for her own beliefs and right.


Series:

• The Muppet Show (just adorable and furry friends)

• Inspector Gadget (he was witty)

• Wallace and Gromit (so funny)

• Shaun the Sheep (also funny)

• Captain Future (my inner child always dreamt of being picked up again from people from outer space)

• Signor Rossi (so cute)

• The Pink Panther (cartoon; witty)

• Tom and Jerry (the music made me giggle)

I just realised that I owe these movies and series. I learned a lot from them when I was surrounded by the madness in my life. My inner child still appreciates and enjoys watching these once in a while.

 

[safenow]

Garfield Online [DLMURL]http://www.garfield.com/comics/todayscomic.html[/DLMURL] Go to the comics section
My little ten year old just loves this one.

The Cat in the Hat series on PBS is also good for my little three year old.

I remember a movie about children who entered a different land by going into the wardrobe, but I can't remember the name of it. I think it was something like, The Lion and the Wardrobe. Sorry. If I can find it, I'll post it for you. Anyway, my little just loved it. There are a series of three movies about their adventures. My seven year old little says she feels safe in that show. The lion was a wonderful protector of those children just like her animals protected her.

Thank you for sharing those movies. I'll try to find them for us. My little never had anything to protect them, so my dear friend suggested I find things for them. He and another friend suggested PBS and when we had a television the little had it on all morning. LOL. Sesame Street was a favorite. Wiggle wiggle.

 

[xlivingdeadgirl]

I really enjoy watching movies from my childhood. Watching them with my son is even better! Most of the classic disney movies, rockadoodle, ect. I can't really think of any others. But no need to feel embarrassed!

 

[anonymous]

Thanks safenow for sharing!

a movie about children who entered a different land by going into the wardrobe

This is 'The Chronicles of Narnia'. It is beautiful!

 

[anonymous]

Maybe I should add that my inner child is me. It is not separate from me.

I love how you take care of your little ones, safenow! Have a pyjama party and watch all the movies that are good for them! Have some popcorn, too! I'm sure they'd have a ball!

 

[anonymous]

Thanks xlivingdeadgirl! You, too, enjoy watching movies with your son! I don't do it very often anymore, I think my inner child doesn't need it as much anymore. Sooner or later though I'd like to have a little pyjama party with her/me myself.

Thanks for your kind words.

 

[Red Feather]

I remember loving the Rescuers as a kid and there was a song about Puff the magic dragon. Thanks for your explaining how your inner child feels about the films. It makes a lot of sense for me. :hug:

 

[anonymous]

Sesame Street! So funny, just watched a video on youtube:

Sesame Street: Share It Maybe
Cookie Monster spoofs Carly Rae Jepsen's song "Call Me Maybe."

So funny!

 

[saffy]

I still like to watch old Disney movies like the aristocats and bambi.

Watching tom and jerry and top cat reminds me of when I was young and would often loose myself in cartoons. So it was a happy time.

I get really emotional if I watch films where love and protection for a child in them and cry at the endings sometimes for myself but mostly because the life and ending is happy and I try to imaging myself having those feelings. it is the realization that I do not get those feelings that makes me cry. I should allow myself to feel them but cannot, that makes me sad.

I like to watch the film Oliver because he is rescued, Wuthering Heights because of the deep emotions and Dances with Wolves because of the non judgement and acceptance of others in the face of such discrimination. Black beauty is also a favorite of mine.

For me is all a reflection of how and what I am feeling and thinking deep down inside maybe? but being able to cry also shows me that I am human and that my wall can be broken down. Although I would never cry if someone else was in the room with me.

I suppose they are a release.

Good thread
Best wishes
Saffy :)

 

[anonymous]

Thanks for your kind words, Nadia. :)

 

[anonymous]

aristocats and bambi

Odd, I never liked these movies, or others that were 'too good'. I can't remember much now but I can remember that Aristocats was a lot of fun and I couldn't feel it, couldn't relate to it. It was incredibly boring. Just like Cap and Capper. Or 101 Dalmatians. I watched them, but didn't like them. In 101 Dalmatians what I remember is the dogs being annoying (too noisy and too fun) and the 'witch' being scary. Odd.

They are a release for my inner child. I think watching those movies was a way to cope and move on, survive. Today, when I watch any of them, it's reconnecting with my inner child and letting go of a lot of grief of not having had those adoptive parents Penny found, Elliott not coming back...

No matter what they are for each of us, if they are good for us, why not use that.

Thanks, Saffy.

 

[Britt.f7]

At first I couldn't think of any that I still am willing to watch or read. I pretty much read or watch something once and I am done with it. My sister is the movie buff.

However, reading all of these posts made me realize that it wasn't entirely true. There are a few I still like to watch:

Drummer Boy and old Christmas animated movies.

Rikki Tikki Tavi

The original "Parent Trap"

I like seeing Trixie Belden books, but I doubt I would read them anymore. Well maybe, just for old time's sake. I liked her better then Nancy Drew.

There is also one movie, in my older years, that I have no problem seeing again and again and that is Erin Brokovich. I think my teenage self would have loved that movie too. It involves a woman who is a fighter despite what life hands her. I love seeing that one over and over.

Thank you for opening this thread.