Walt Disney Animation Studios gave long-time Mouse House fans a treat during the holiday season of 2022 with the theatrical debut of the animated adventure Strange World. The movie took audiences through a rather unique realm where colors, sounds, and creatures blended together to create a majestic existence for friends and family to experience together.
While the movie is certainly about a strange world, it also centers around many important emotional storylines, including a journey to self-discovery, following your heart, realizing the importance of family, and recognizing the impact we leave on the world around us. Following the story of the Clade family, viewers immediately understand that the dynamic between the Clades isn’t perfect. We also learn that it’s not just the current generation that struggles with understanding one another.
As we see father and son attempt to bond despite differences between them, we also find out that the very place they call home is as unsettled as they are, and Searcher and Ethan Clade go about trying to discover a solution in very different ways, but circumstances soon place them on a path that requires their partnership and understanding in order to save what they love most. Avalonia, the place the Clade family calls home, relies on Pando — but something soon happens to the plant, and their seemingly unlimited power source has a fast-approaching end date.
The mission for the Clade family is simple: discover the breaking point for Pando and get things back in working order so their lives can remain stable. While stability is something we all hope to have, something is missing where deeper storylines interconnect, and audiences realize as the Clades discover more about Pando and what it’s doing to their home that there’s a mirrored storyline happening within the family.
Ethan is Searcher’s son, and despite their best efforts, there’s a source draining their connection, and it doesn’t help that Ethan feels like he can’t be confident within himself and still fit in, especially as he navigates his crush on a boy. Many relatable situations occur in Strange World, and the film is a beautiful watch for friend groups and families.
In the months since its theatrical debut, Strange World has become available on a streaming platform, so where can you find the film, and why have you been hearing it talked about more within the last couple of days? Sit back and relax, and grab your dogs and blankets, because, as usual, we’ve got you covered.
When can fans start to stream Strange World on Disney Plus?
After its theatrical run, fans didn’t have to wait long to see Strange World, as Disney kept the holiday spirit going and gifted fans with a short release window from the big screen to your silver screens. You can watch Strange World on Disney Plus now. Available since Dec. 23, 2022, Strange World made up for some of its lackluster box-office reception with high praises once fans were able to stream it at home.
Some reviews call the movie “lost,” while others say they were captivated by the film, and no matter what side of the equation you’re on, one thing is clear — there are many lessons and reminders for children and adults alike who sit down to watch Strange World. We’re reminded that who we are matters, that how we treat people is what makes us, and that the way we interact with our surroundings affects the world in ways we can’t comprehend, and it directly impacts ourselves and our own future, too.
So, if you’ve yet to be captivated by the story, don’t forget to pull up Disney Plus one night this week and sit with its story for a while.
What is the recent surge in conversation surrounding Strange World?
There’s always been a dose of backlash associated with Strange World, but a quick Google search will bring you stories of a teacher in Florida who is being investigated due to showing the film in her classroom. You read that right: Jenna Barbee shared a video on TikTok speaking more about her recent experience after allowing her students to watch Strange World in class after standardized testing.
Initially, you might wonder if it had something to do with the film’s rating — PG, but Barbee made sure to note that she had permission from families to share movies with that rating with her classroom.
“Our students had standardized testing all morning. Thought it would be a great time to give them a brain break by showing a movie that related to what we were learning about in school…I chose this movie because it relates to our curriculum.”
Barbee also shared that she showed the specific film in her classroom because it related to the content they were learning in class involving ecosystems and how humans and animals impact and are impacted by them in addition to chasing your dreams and believing in yourself, which were part of social and emotional learning lessons in the state of Florida.
After a student from the 5th grade at Barbee’s school and a child to a school board member told their parents what movie they’d seen at school, Barbee was immediately told she needed to explain herself for the decision to show Strange World to the children. She reiterates that she didn’t show the film because of the character’s sexuality; in fact, the whole crush and storyline receive “less than two minutes” of air-time, as Barbee shares.
Barbee’s school district sent a message, which read — in part — as follows:
“Yesterday, the Disney movie Strange World was shown in your child’s classroom. While not the main plot of the movie, parts of the story involves a male character having and expressing feelings for another male character. In the future, this movie will not be shown. The school administration and the district’s Professional Standards Dept. is currently reviewing the matter to see if further corrective action is required.”
Barbee notes that the film was shown in her classroom for several reasons, the ones we shared above, and because she wanted to treat her hardworking class to a surprise during a week when the focus is heavily on testing, scores, and behavior. She shares that the students didn’t “bat an eye” at Ethan’s sexuality, nor did they make a big deal out of it until the school board did. Barbee also says that while some members of the school board feel that the character’s sexuality was a turning point for what’s appropriate for students, what they’re experiencing now is leaving a lasting impact on their education.
“Their teacher showed a movie to help them connect to our curriculum and learn some valuable life lessons. But the minor representations that have nothing to do with the movie are such a big deal that, now, admin is in their room, pulling their teacher out, calling the students one by one down to the office to interrogate them in the middle of my lessons.”
The school board Barbee works for has yet to comment to any publications that have reached out, but Barbee’s video highlights that there’s an active and ongoing investigation taking place right now.