Rise of the Guardians: Magic In The Mundane

[@HotDogTimeMachine385]

Pitch Black's backstory is so tragic. He was a hero of light who fought against evil and after they won he volunteered to keep the nightmares at bay, but they tormented him from behind their jail and drove him mad even going so far as to mimic his suffering daughter. In a moment of weakness he opened the prison and all the nightmares escaped directly through him turning him evil. One hell of a backstory.

[@Kagomai15]

The tragedy of Pitch was so perfectly aimed at teen me I was so hooked

[@NishithThakkar]

It has an interesting parallel to the arc of Xu Wenwu in Shang Chi. Minus the initial hero path.

[@ChimeraLotietheBunny]

yes

[@timefliesaway999]

It also bugs me that he’s the villain in the movie. Dreams need to be nightmares sometimes, life is all about balance anyway. There’s no happiness without without sadness.

[@nevaehsangel9620]

😭😭💔

[@Michael_Raymond]

Pitch will always be the gold standard of "villains with a point" for me, just for the scene where Jack turns him down. You can see that he honestly wants to coexist with the world, not destroy it, and that he only scares children because he is the embodiment of children's fear. He makes his offer to Jack with zero ill intent and it hurts and frustrates him that he keeps getting blamed for being the way he was created. I think there was room in the finale for a resolution where Pitch gets what he wants, by way of the children learning to cope with and confront fear, rather than the standard "don't be afraid of anything ever" messaging the film goes with. Acknowledging fear as a real thing and being able to cope with that is part of having a healthy psyche and if Pitch and the Guardians were less focussed on destroying the other, I believe a better outcome (and ending) could have been reached.

[@anamariaramirez9341]

👍

[@Arianovan]

I agree, Fear is a thing that is part of our psyche for a reason! I blame the Man in the Moon for allowing people like Jack and Pitch to be so alone and without purpose for literal Centuries. If you think about it its kind of cruel and unusual, a balance is healthier- Yes Dangerous things exist! Yes you should absolutely learn when to face your fear and when running away is the RIGHT thing to do. I love this movie but it missed an opportunity by "killing" pitch, not that its intentions aren't admirable.

[@anamariaramirez9341]

@@Arianovan Seconded. 👍

[@serianangel2667]

That's where I thought the movie was going when I watched it. I was fully expecting Jack to be like "I'll never be like you, I'm going to make you be like ME" and then take Pitch Black on a magic snowflake ride. Or like you said, have Jack stand up and show how fear can be a good thing. And then the nightmares become sparkly somehow and Pitch uses them to remind people to be cautious and make them face their problems.

[@anamariaramirez9341]

@@serianangel2667 That'd be perfect. Then everyone can get what they want and the Guardians could prevent future disasters by accepting Pitch for who he is and what he brings to the table (with safety being his center). Better to learn to accept fear for what it is and learn good ways to deal with it than get rid of fear entirely (that's how people get hurt). Also, Pitch and Jack had a moment at the end where they could've connected to each other more. Maybe Jack could've shown Pitch more empathy, after all he knows what it's like to be alone. To not be believed in. It'd be neat to ex[and on that more.

[@kmaldo16]

Pitch never found his center. He is what could have happened to Jack. Fun could have easily become chaos. Pitch Black center, my theory, is Safety. All of children folklore has an element of fear so that way they could be aware and stay safe. He never found it. The other guardians ignored him. Never tried to help him. My theory anyway. Edit: I'd like thank everyone for over 3k likes and add to this theory a bit more. Pitch's center being caution and safety AND that he could be reason behind goosebumps and gut feelings of dread right before a catastrophe.

[@Ladyknightthebrave]

Oh I love that!

[@dance_ofThaDEAD]

Safety as his center is a good theory, i mean the only reason why Pitch is the villain is because the MIM said he was. If the guardians had decided to coincide with Picth instead of pushing him away they may of never had to worry about him. He does have a need to be appreciated after all.

[@emeraldviqueen]

I love that. It makes so much sense. Rational fear makes us cautious and keeps us from danger. Villainizing fear is like valorizing extreme pain tolerance. Pain is protective, a warning, it tells you something is wrong, that you need to take care of yourself and avoid something harmful. Fear and pain arent wholly negative things, theyre things that help us survive.

[@dusathemaid]

@@emeraldviqueen Kinda the same deal with happiness and sadness. One isn't whole without the other.

[@aliciacordero8399]

Honestly I think that's why it had to be Jack to defeat him. Jack's been there, he stands on the same precipice that Pitch stood at so many years ago. The other guardians see pitch as this powerful force that they haven't ever been able to defeat, but Jack _gets_ him. He fundamentally understands Pitch in a way that the other guardians can't, because he battles the same insecurities and worries within himself. The difference is Jack believes he can overcome it and pull himself out of that dark place. So of course Pitch, who's become the embodiment of those fears, can't truly defeat Jack. It goes back to that same idea of belief making things actually possible.

[@dwindlebunny]

Random trivia: Easter Bunny being Australian is kinda controversial in Australia, because rabbits are extremely invasive. When I was a kid there was basically an Easter re-brand to encourage people to celebrate the Easter Bilby (a very cute and endangered marsupial that fills a similar ecological niche to rabbits). Look them up, they're cute and weird. Like... miniature aardvarks.

[@RenAsterion]

There's kind of a joke there, honestly. Bunny is an honest to gods alien. He came to Earth a very, VERY long time ago. So yes, he lives in Australia (or rather, under it, in his warren) and has adopted the accent, but considering he's not even from Earth in the first place... Well, there's the joke.

[@ribottostudio]

@@RenAsterion Is that canon or fanon that Bunny is an alien? I've heard of that too lol

[@sevenlexar]

@@ribottostudio Pretty sure it's canon. The movie never talks about it, but the books probably do. His race is called the 'Pooka', and he's the last one. Supposedly.

[@echo8395]

i looked up what a bilby was.... AND I WANT AN EASTER BILBY INSTEAD OF AN EASTER BUNNY! THEY ARE SO CUTE

[@skarpetky4649]

@@sevenlexar That’s strange, Pooka is the name of an irish myth of shapeshifters. Wonder if there’s any connection there

[@HelloFutureMe]

This film holds such a special place in my heart. I wish it was given a sequel.

[@fOk0dAzZ]

Omg, hi there!

[@katherinealvarez9216]

Yeah. Or a series. DreamWorks has all it's movies a series (now on Netflix). Why not this one?

[@jdellabeat6245]

This movie holds a special place.

[@sarahsims6164]

@@katherinealvarez9216 my thoughts exactly. They keep bringing back almost all their franchises with sequels (both movies and TV shows). If any of them deserve it, it's this one.

[@katherinealvarez9216]

@@sarahsims6164 listening to the DVD commentary, this was such a labor love and a passion project for the crew. I wish they can get another shot.

[@daisydodger]

a teeny tiny detail i will *never* get over is how jack's appearance changes in his flashback sequence; you can see his hair turn white, his veins turning blue, then when he opens his EYES????? amazing what a masterpiece of animation

[@iam878]

wdym detail it was up, front and center lmao 😭

[@ruby-gv4mq]

yes im late to this, but honestly after rewatching it and looking hard enough, jack's skin is almost transluscent after he dies. in good lighting you can see most of his veins, even sometimes you can see traces of it on his face. it's not a big thing, but i like how it gives him that ghostly otherwordly vibe

[@billieflaming7626]

Something that I love about Jack Frost in this movie is that he’s got a center of fun when he’s a winter spirit. When the world is cold and the sun is distant, he brings joy and the excitement of snow days. Maybe it’s obvious, but I love how much wonder he can inspire with cold. Definitely a childlike wonder sort of attitude instead of the “ugh I’ve got to shovel all this” perspective of a adult.

[@Bubbly_Dragon]

Definitely the opposite of what's usually associated with the cold (i.e. loneliness, sadness, and death), and I thought that was great

[@bethanydavis9023]

Also makes the contrast qnd treatment of pitch a bit unusual when he could've been expanded on more than being the big bad. The winter is seen as bitter,cold, and cruel. Harsh qnd unforgiving and death easily hanging close by, while the fun is escaping its grasp and both knowing qnd being able to leave it whenever, being safe despite the danger.

[@dusathemaid]

I think that's also part of the point as well. Like, it doesn't matter how bleak or cold things look, one can still find a way to have a good time or to be happy.

[@cecillewolters1995]

He is the guy helping people survive through war, making the coldest and most dark places fun and wonderous.

[@mikkosaarinen3225]

Jacks center was so well set up too. Like the first time we see him in the modern day interacting with kids they have a hellova time 😁 The kind of fun you have as s child where you're not concerned about the consequences and exist purely in the moment.

[@koernerkomedy]

I remember being 20 years old and watching this movie in theaters with my little sister of about 6 or 7 while my other little sisters and their friends watched Breaking Dawn Part 2. While I don't remember much of the film, I do distinctly remember, as a human adult male, breaking down sobbing at Jack's backstory and Jamie being able to see him. What an amazing underrated gem.

[@LittleHobbit13]

Also leading up to that moment when Jamie finally sees Jack, when all the lights on the globe are going out until just the one remains and Jack just knows with absolutely certainty that it's Jamie's light. Gets me every time.

[@nocturnalcove9736]

You got the better deal in which film you were seeing!

[@kaiyam1]

I'm not sure if it's just me, but that lake (and therefore Jamie's town) being the same place Jack lived always made me feel like Jamie was his actual family. If you compare Jamie to Jack's sister they look pretty similar, and it's an idea that just stuck with me.

[@imaginefun13]

Iirc there was a theory that Jack's sister was reborn as Baby Tooth because they both have a birthmark under their eye

[@jehaney]

I've always had the same theory/headcanon

[@ness4life]

Jacks sister and Jamie both have the same tooth missing to really hammer it home

[@eleonoralorenzet6715]

This has always been my theory

[@alexbailey5211]

That's been my head canon for a long time also

[@isaw9969]

46:38 the fact that Bunny genuinely wanted to punch Jack and holds himself back in the last second. I saw someone once online say that the reason Bunny held back, was because in Jack's eyes he saw a child in that moment. A scared child, one of the many he had failed that day

[@kassassin_brahgawk]

What a beautiful skill to have, to realize the child in the person next to you. The humanity in them, and relenting because of the deep truths between you. ❤ I love this movie so much

[@manillargo]

interested and fearful to see where the body horror comes in within a rise of the guardians video essay

[@Ladyknightthebrave]

Mostly some concepts from the books, that I think are kind of horrifying personally

[@kelleygirl1976]

TeEtH!!! *shudders*

[@nemonomen3340]

@@Ladyknightthebrave Some of the designs are definitely a bit eerie. But compared to most body horror, this is vanilla pudding.

[@foxpatternedferret476]

@@nemonomen3340 As someone who regularly jumps in the pool of Weirdcore and horror movies with a lot of gore, the body horror here is tame. Still like it though!

[@tomburke9624]

The Caterpillar in Alice isn't an orientalist character per se: he was likely based on one of the author's fellow Oxford professors. Hookah smoking was not uncommon among Englishmen in the nineteenth century. That said, many depictions of the caterpillar in subsequent illustrated editions do lean into Orientalism. But it's important not to confuse this with the author's original depiction of the character.

[@EverythingFan02]

Thank you for respectful correction and education.

[@micanikko]

Imma comment to help boost this up!

[@porcupinesoda]

How do you think they got the hookah lmao

[@micanikko]

@@porcupinesoda yeah but i think OP was just pointing out that the caterpillar itself wasn't "oriental" and the author wasnt tryna exotify em. Just based it off of an oxford prof.

[@tomburke9624]

@@porcupinesoda International trade? How did they get chocolate and coffee and tea and sugar? Yes empire was a big part of it, but the forces of empire and trade, while interlaced, can be teased out from one another. Hookah smoking was not a product of orientalism per se, but of cross-cultural pollination. The hookah became a feature and an instrument of orientalism, but that doesn't mean hookah smoking in Victorian England was necessarily orientalist.

[@trashraccoon2635]

the parts where the guardians went and collected tooth and hide eggs really cracked me up. i live in SE Asia and we do NOT put teeth under pillows. egg hunts are scarce and only done by christians/catholics usually. i was raised catholic and i participated in exactly two egg hunts, and that's because those are the only times my church even bothered with it. other times they just chuck plastic eggs to kids and tell them to decorate it however they want. gift giving isn't really a thing either as the majority don't celebrate christmas beyond having christmas tree and songs in malls in december and january (and attending church if you're christian). and the first time i even heard of the sandman was from the sandman song, which i never listened to until i really got into the car door hook hand parody. i mistook jack frost as the snowman at first, too. i think i ended up having more fun learning about the folklore than the books the movie's based on, lol.

[@TheNumnutRandomness]

Now I'm cackling at the thought of a small corner of the world is going, "MAGIC IS DYING AND DARKNESS WILL WIN, BECAUSE NO ONE BELIEVES IN THE TOOTH FAIRY" while whole swathes of Guardians from other countries are like, "Did you hear something?"

[@hannahg5407]

From NZ I absolutely did egg hunts but they were chocolate eggs so I was so confused why people were painting actual eggs

[@veyarain82]

@@TheNumnutRandomness Dear lord, that is /hilarious/ xD

[@ethanlee8307]

Lmao me living in a high rise in SEA: Santa? Chimney? SNOW???? GIRL WHERE.

[@absolutelyrandom4978]

I also live in SE Asia and we celebrate Christmas through gift giving (we’re told that Santa gets in through the window) and also put teeth under pillows. The sandman is also occasionally mentioned. Might be because of my country’s history.

[@platinum_noelle]

One thing I found really helped with my adoration of this movie, was Jack's relatability. Even after 300yrs, he was a teenager boy trying to find his way and purpose in the world. He made mistakes and had to learn to reorganize priorities, just like a lot of us at the time of release. His primary issue was finding out who he was, especially regarding why he was revived by MiM and chosen as a guardian. Nobody explained anything to him. He also had just as much reason to join Pitch as he did to oppose him, and he chose "good" over "easy", something a lot of kids and teens struggle with (and ik the fandom has made quite a few awesome pieces of art and literature about various "what-if" scenarios regarding this choice).

[@cecillewolters1995]

Choosing good over easy... Thank you for learning me that sentence. It perfectly described my mental health issues, with easy things often the result. I will try and choose the good from now on in a more clear way. Honestly, thank you

[@katmhcharis1236]

So maybe it’s just me and my weird hot take but as a history and folklore nerd on top of coming from Catholic background, I absolutely adore that Rise of the Guardians doesn’t bring in the main man JC himself, bc the crazy thing is all of the iconography we associate with Christmas and Easter aren’t actually rooted in Christian traditions but pre-Christian European traditions that got co-opted by Catholicism as a kind of middle ground. So much of what we associate with both holidays are actually remnants of pagan winter and spring festivals celebrating life and fertility. Christmas wasn’t even originally in December, but it eventually got moved around to Dec 25 because that was around the festival for the Winter Solstice, something that was important to many different European converts. I don’t know if it was originally intentional or not, considering the author doesn’t seem to be a historian, but props to the creative team on the film for that!

[@greg_mca]

I think this also plays in to why Christmas as a holiday persists in places where religious observance is declining; it's baked into cultural traditions to the point that it can become secular. People from these cultures can celebrate their traditions and folklore on their own without needing to tie it into a religion they don't believe in. At this point many people in my country and several neighbours would probably class Christmas as a cultural festival rather than a religious one, and when I travel around the religious aspects of Christmas seem to be harder to find than the cultural aspects, the gifts, family gathering, etc. Maybe it's just because I'm not religious and so don't go looking for it

[@isabeauh-s3100]

In northern europe what's now considered christmas was originally a celebration of the darkest day of the year just like midsommar is a celebration of the braightest day of the year. It was also celebrated on the 22'nd or 24/25'th if i remember correctly

[@Lynch2507]

i agree, but also, big JC being in this would REALLY add to the Kingdom Hearts comparison. Just like "everyone you least expect is here! Cloud, Micky Mouse, Elsa Frozen", but instead its the Boogeyman, the tooth fairy and He Who Got Nailed

[@Salsmachev]

Regarding Christmas, that's really only half the picture. For one thing, Santa Claus comes directly from the historical St. Nicholas (given that St. Nicholas famously punched the bishop Arius at the Council of Nicea, I'm a little disappointed that they didn't lean into the history here). Even the gift giving tradition is in reference to a story where St. Nicholas sneakily put gold into the house of some young women so that they would have dowries. The date of Christmas was also not actually an attempt to coöpt Sol Invictus or Saturnalia. It was derived based on a couple of basic assumptions about the life of Jesus. In antiquity, it was commonly believed that holy figures lead "perfect" lives, which began and ended on the same calendar day. Thus it was assumed that the crucifixion and the annunciation both happened on the same day. The date of the crucifixion can be approximated, because the Last Supper was the meal to break the Passover fast. Then, assuming that Mary was pregnant with Jesus for exactly 9 months, the date of Jesus' birth could be approximated. Depending on a few of the details, there are a few answers you can arrive at, and not all Christian traditions celebrate Christmas on 25th December. The powerful symbolism of the solstice almost certainly played a role in narrowing down which exact date Christmas would be, but you can see that the process had virtually nothing to do with Pagan holidays (in fact, no prominent Roman holiday really fits the bill for the coöptation narrative. Saturnalia didn't overlap with Christmas, and Sol Invictus was a very minor holiday) Even the Christmas tree, which has some obvious Pagan predecessors, is a distinctly Christian tradition. The modern Christmas tree developed after centuries of Christian dominance in Europe, and it references the promise of the tree of life in Eden, abandoned with the fall of Adam and Eve, and its fulfilment in the coming of Jesus. There's this weird cultural thing that seems to have emerged as a response to the "war on Christmas" nonsense where Christian holidays have to be portrayed as performative, abusive, etc. as a "gotcha" to score points against the "war on Christmas" people. When you actually look into it and understand the histories of these holidays, you find that they were developed through thoroughly Christian processes. In the end you have to walk back from "Christmas is basically an appropriated Roman solstice holiday" to "The Christian process of developing Christmas traditions happened in a cultural context".

[@katmhcharis1236]

@@Salsmachev You make excellent points, but I would argue that Christmas and Easter aren’t solely Christian or pagan, but rather synthesize the two together where major events from the Christian calendar like the birth and death of Christ and Christian virtues and theology were celebrated, but they used the iconography from the holidays of pre-Christian Europeans because those stories and traditions of celebrating spring as a season of rebirth and winter with festivals celebrating light in darkness are things that not only could be tied in to Christ, but also would be cultural traditions that people would value and have fondness for because these were huge community celebrations, which is something you can see in different Catholic communities like in Ireland or Scandinavia where folklore and religion converged without negating the other. I think the film does this well because while they don’t directly mention the religious aspects of Easter or Christmas, they keep the iconography and core ideas of each holiday (rebirth, hope, joy) consistent, and even draw on some of the more historical aspects of the holidays. Santa Clause especially plays into this bc St. Nicholas is also significant in Eastern Orthodox Christianity, with his design referencing Russia and Eastern Orthodox culture, tying back to the original saint and his historical depictions. Bunnymund is a lot looser, but they still tie him back to the inherent concept of rabbits, spring, fertility and rebirth, a popular European concept.

[@ribottostudio]

I think the reason why Jack struck such a chord in so many preteens, is god how many kids feel like they're alone, that they're unheard, that they're just SCREAMING to be seen and when they are seen they just don't know what to do or say? Not to mention, there's a TON of fanfic that dives into Jack's mental state of being isolated for LITERALLY THREE CENTURIES. I also think they did a great job balancing the villain and hero aspect. Pitch had a point to make, and he made it well. I normally HATE the misunderstanding leads to moping and doping trope, BUT THEY DO IT SO WELL here that I just feel bad for Jack. The fact that Bunny was about to hit a child was kinda glossed over but given the circumstances understandable. I kinda wish they'd do a tv series or at least something. But that's why we have FAN CONTENT.

[@wchambers11]

When was Bunny about to hit a child? I think you mistook him for Sandman.

[@reddfrwsita]

@@wchambers11 / I think they meant that scene where he goes to Jack and tells him "we should've never trusted you" and kinda raises his fist in a way that looks like he's gonna punch Jack (who's technically still a child somehow?) and he even flinches away

[@wchambers11]

@@reddfrwsita oh ok.

[@ribottostudio]

@@reddfrwsita Welllllllllll he IS 317, but stuck at 17 physically, so, since 18 is the age you're a LEGAL adult, he's still technically a kid. A teen yes, but has a child's mentality. And let's be real he's the total baby of the group in age anyways lol

[@StoryMing]

Easter Bunny was never going to hit a child. He was going to fight *_Jack_* (a 300-year-old teenager)-- not _Jamie._ And plus he was a cute little ball of fluff at the time, not his badass warrior self, so who could take it that seriously? Or did you mean Sandy, forgetting to use his dream sand?

[@haski002]

A small detail about his movie that I always loved is that before it breaks, Jack, the guardians & Pitch all seem to assume his powers come from his staff. And yes, while the staff is connected to him and helps him channel his powers & allows him to float on the wind it's very clear the powers themselves come from Jack, and the way they actually bothered to visualize that when Jack is holding it vs when Pitch is holding it is something I always loved.

[@swanpride]

A popular fandom theory is that since the power of the Guardians comes from believe and Jack himself is still a child, he basically powers himself - which is also why Pitch needs to destroy his believe in himself and why the other Guardians recover so fast towards the end. Because Jack starts to believe in them.

[@LukaWukaWatcher]

I have seen this headcanon that is basically, Pitch exists for a reason and could/should be a Guardian. People are afraid of the dark for a reason. (He mentions in the movie how the Dark Age was when he was strongest and it makes sense, because then people had more to be fearful of.) Fear can inspire courage, which is shown by Jamie and co. in the movie. It also causes self-preservation and alertness. If you're walking home in the dark, you pay way more attention to your surroundings than you might during the day. Pitch could give kids all of these things: self-preservation, alertness to danger, and also the courage to go into the unknown despite it. Knowledge that the Boogeyman/bad things and people exist in the world is a big part of growing up and is so so important for kids to learn. Unlike what @Kim M said, I would argue that Pitch is Fear, the opposite of Safety. He shows kids the bad things and how they react will affect them for the rest of their lives. Just like believing in Wonder, Dreams, and all the rest changes you as a person, Fear and how you deal with it is a part of who you are. TLDR; Pitch exists for the exact reason that is shown in the movie; for kids to overcome Fear and for that reason could be a Guardian

[@mariacargille1396]

Yessss. I love this headcanon so much :}

[@kassassin_brahgawk]

I implore you, if you haven't already, to read Terry Pratchett. His Boogeyman becomes the tooth fairy. Because as the Boogeyman laid in wait to scare the children, it witnessed the actual horrors those small innocent people endure. It then swore to protect the children and their beliefs, and their own special magics.

[@leadingblind1629]

I find it interesting how extremely few people mention (not necessarily pick up on, just mention) how Jamie and his little sister are most likely descendants of Jack's sister. It's pretty obvious that Jack has been keeping an eye on Jamie in particular, and he was probably subconsciously following his family for his entire existence as Jack frost. The little sisters, I believe, use the exact same character model.

[@mirukelibiri4507]

So he's sorta like their family 'guardian', isn't he? You know, if Jamie's family is really descendents of Jack's sister.

[@tahutoa]

Cool

[@itsjustme6334]

Guillermo knew what the world needed, he saw the trends on Tumblr, and he fought the good fight. He delivered the dreamiest and snarkiest of Jack Frosts. The edit was an autocorrect mishap, the world isn't ready for "Jack Fronts" ❌

[@Henlak-]

This is one of the most underrated kids movies out there No one I talk to seems to look back on this movie with any regard but I remember as a banger

[@shinybearevidra]

I watched it so many times that my parents for some time hated it.

[@ruzdaniellegarcia4774]

Hoo boy ROTG is popular on tumblr because fanfiction and fanarts have it team up with tangled, brave and how to train your dragon

[@MeonLights]

I love this movie and even though I got the books afterwards and loved the art, the movie truly does it for me. (Fun story. When we were in the cinema watching it and the beginning played with Jack drifting in the water, a little kid asked loudly: Was he a fish before??? And I will never forget that. Always makes me laugh. And also lessens the pain of the drowning flashback.)

[@XiELEd4377]

Okay but was Jack a fish before?

[@Hickory958]

@@XiELEd4377 Yes. An Angler fish

[@perezo27]

*"He goes to the town of Santoff Claussen, where he meets father Time, who is a wizard from Atlantis."* That's it everyone, that's a wrap, I am dead. EDIT: Oh god, it got so much better

[@Arianovan]

YOU LIVED! Gods this video was a wild ride lol

[@X-SPONGED]

38:41 Sandy being an Absolute Chaotic Force of Good within The Guardians is one of the highlights of this movie and I love him dearly for it.

[@boowind4432]

I did think it was kind of a strange choice to make Bunny Australian considering pooka’s are part of Celtic mythology (and are much more horrifying looking than the character in the movie or the book)

[@friend_trilobot]

I agree! Celtic would have been better, and i really like the stuffy intellectual vibe of bunny in the book...though I never found the description of puca in folklore particularly scary, at least not in terms of appearance - they usually just appear as an animal or a human with animal features unless im mistaken, though they're as scary as any pre-Victorian fairy in terms of their behavior, specifically their unpredictability/unknowability combined with their tremendous power

[@a_d7366]

I actually kinda wish they went all in on the aussie thing though, in some parts of aus instead of the easter bunny we have easter bilbys, a marsupial similar to a bandicoot, and in terms of the 'tribal patterns' incorporated into bunnys design they could have instead gone for pictographs of indeginous australian myths (like the rainbow snake) in way similar to Maui's design form Moana!

[@jamesc9292]

Given they're also an introduced species in Australia that are largely viewed as a pest I agree that the bunny was weird.

[@satinsleeves]

Yes he could have been Scottish and it could have been amazing.

[@briannawhite9307]

I think him being Australian is just the fact that Australians hate rabbits because they're an invasive species that are endangering native species

[@katszulga1888]

All of the fantasy elements in your description of the books, including Toothiana, strike me as being very Russian/Slavic fairy story inspired. I would have loved more research exploring that aspect. Slavic fairy tales are very weird, both super recognizable to a Western audience while simultaneously exotic and unnerving to a Western audience.

[@tatianamelendez490]

I remember seeing this at the cinema. My family surprised me once we were about to buy tickets because they were gonna drag me to see the latest Twilight movie (which I did NOT want to see). When I protested, they gave me the choice between Twilight or this movie. I'm SO glad I chose the right movie, I loved it!

[@shinybearevidra]

The last time I went to the movies with my whole family was because our aunt invited us and it was for miss Peregrine's peculiar children, without the adults knowing what it was and thinking it was kind of like Harry Potter.

[@GreySeashell-j3m]

@@shinybearevidra bruh

[@shinybearevidra]

@@GreySeashell-j3m I agree, especially because it was rated as a fantasy "for everyone". There were little kids in the cinema, I saw parents covering eyes and ears of the younger ones.

[@SorasShadow1]

As a former Rise of the Brave Tangled Dragons teen on tumblr, this video hits a very specific spot in my heart and I'm so glad to see it.

[@Cheskaz]

1:00:30 I'm reminded of the Richard Feynman quote “The science knowledge only adds to the excitement, the mystery and the awe of a flower.”

[@nisargaramesh3010]

that story about the audience clapping to save tinker ell really had me tearing up, it’s so true everyone does want to believe in magic

[@rochellerodriguez6431]

The original author's art style reminds me of Remedios Varo's paintings. She was a surrealist painter in the early 19th century and her work has that mystical alchemical quality that is so beautiful. I highly recommend checking out her work!

[@squattycoati931]

Love this movie. It's so upsetting it didn't get more attention when it came out. It deserves so much more. For what it's worth, I was at DreamWorks as an intern when it came out and the talk around DreamWorks was that the marketing got fucked up because they were in the middle of switching companies for marketing (probably shouldn't say names here) and the company they were switching FROM was basically like "fuck you" and did a shitty job on purpose cause it was their last film to market before DreamWorks moved on. Don't know the veracity of that, but that was what was talked about at DreamWorks among people who worked there at the time.

[@diddles3383]

Aw darn, that's really fucking tragic :(

[@LittleHobbit13]

That's interesting to hear. I also always felt it was just a mis-timed released. A lot of the marketing made it seem like a Christmas-focused movie only to find out it happens at Easter, which I think threw people at the time. And likewise, Croods came out around the Easter timeframe despite dealing with "the end of the world" which we were all talking about for Dec 2012 (when RotG released). It just always seemed mis-timed to me. Croods should have gone first in Dec 2012 and RotG should have gone at Easter 2013.

[@redrubyrose618]

Honestly, I watched it in theaters bc I was actually interested and I loved it so much

[@lilmissbacon]

That actually makes a lot of sense because the problem with this film's non-success wasn't that it had bad reviews or anything. I've taken the time to look at reviews new and old and almost all of them are positive. The problem is that almost nobody knew this movie existed. The only ones who did were internet film critics who kept up with every single movie coming out and a few outliers. Most stories I hear about people who saw it in theaters either saw it by accident or their theater had nothing else playing. Almost nobody went to see rotg voluntarily and there are still so many people who *still* don't know it exists today. Not only was the marketing clearly the problem in trailers and such but in bad merch as well. You know how they open off with selling certain merch stuff before the movie comes out and once it's out/gaining popularity, they sell other stuff? I've seen pictures of what this "other stuff" was going to be before the movie flopped and it was so much better than what they started with and is now all we got. They decided to start with almost non-existence and the most prevalent were McDonald's toys and ugly plushies. Meanwhile that had plans for some really cool Jack hoodies, Tooth shirts for little girls and Easter & Christmas stuff that's Bunny & North themed respectively. You can tell even from an outsiders perspective that they were actively trying to flop this movie.

[@TheGirlWhoExists]

Ah RotG, my dear and beloved. 2012 was a really important year for me and this movie was one of the big parts of it. Was I in the Tumblr fandom and the spin-off fandoms too? 1000%. So lovely to see a video on it from you literally on the exact day it popped back into my head :D

[@imaginefun13]

Pretty sure I still have RotBTD videos on a playlist somewhere here. Those examples showed are exactly what I used to love back in the day 😂

[@shinybearevidra]

I remember reading a fanfiction in which Jack went on Pitch's side and they won over the guardians, with the kids growing up and trying to stop the two. I can't remember its title, though.

[@OffbeatWorlds]

I love this movie so much. I'm really surprised you didn't focus at all on Jack's expression after Jamie hugs him at the end, cuz I tell you what, that moment makes me cry every time. That hug means *SO* much to him. It's the first physical contact he's had in 300 years and he's so shocked by it at first. I just love it.

[@TripitakaBrrr]

I believe that if there was a show or a second movie Pitch could've been redeemed, and I believe this because of his dream near the end. Butterflies. Butterflies flying around his head, butterflies mean rebirth, transformation, change, hope and life.

[@StoryMing]

I always assumed they were moths......

[@TripitakaBrrr]

@@StoryMing butterflies and moths look rather different; months bodies are usually bigger, and are fluffy They also fly slightly diffrently, moths wings flap faster, so you can't really see their wings, while with butterflies you can see their wings, his dream flew like butterflies ^^

[@dinosaysrawr]

I've always felt that Pitch's visual design definitely could've been much more interesting, but you actually sold me on him being an effective villain otherwise! I reckon this is due for a rewatch.

[@js66613]

Same, at least the robe could have been a little more... something.

[@redrubyrose618]

He actually looked more menacing in the books, and the art of him in the books was cool but tbh i didn't like his hair in the books lmaoo

[@disneyjunkie19]

I have deeply loved Rise of the Guardians since it released in 2012, so I love seeing it get some affectionate critique, marveling, and attention.

[@wintergray1221]

Dear God, is this movie that old?! Time really does move faster the older you get.

[@diddles3383]

'affectionate critique' is such a wonderful phrase, I'll be using it from now on

[@BaznadTypo]

The saddest thought I had watching this is if Fun and Fear ever teamed up, theyd just make Halloween. My favorite holiday.

[@evan_sunprince]

I'm having a hard mental day, and this video was needed. It hit a nugget of nostalgia I'd forgotten. I was nine when ROTG came out. And I loved it. I'm turning 19 in August, and I want to be an author. This video reminded my why I prefer to write fantasy. And because. Magic and wondrous. And a well crafted story can be painful, and childlike at once. It made me think of how, I have an easier time believing ancient Greek gods exist, than I can a Christian God. Magic makes more sense than sci-fi. To me. Magic makes more sense. Community makes sense. Thank you for this video. At a time where drive is low. I found a reminder of why I am who I am.

[@amaris5141]

hope you feel better soon :) I’ve always adored fantasy movies because they serve as an excellent way of escapism

[@Cantrona]

This movie was honestly amazing and I'm glad they didn't bog it down by turning it into a franchise. Letting us fans have a play with it in fandom with fanart and all that is way better in my opinion, and more in line with us believing in Jack and the gang, even if we can't see them.

[@firey171]

Okay so I definitely saw that short pan over books by Tamora Pierce ... and I do not currently feel guilty for rereading the Lioness Quartet for the 100th time. I love all her books, I just can't help it.

[@toadettexmushina9998]

I don't *need* to read Protector of the Small for the 57th time. Is that going to stop me? Probably not.

[@WriterOfMany]

I LOVE Tamora Pierce ❤️ I just gave the Lioness Quartet to my 8 yr old cousin. I hope she loves it!!

[@georgecooper9766]

I absolutely loved those books. Just seeing the name of this channel reminded me of them

[@deanscordilis7280]

I’m still haunted by the imagery from Magic Steps’ take on dark magic as a consumptive force

[@Honeylvr]

I'm right there with ya! I'm probably going to be picking up Trickster's Choice/Queen for like the 40th time very soon. Tamora's books just hold a very special place in my heart!

[@jaewok5G]

ignoring everything else, I can say that this hour long 'book report' is an amazingly creative and engaging production. since I know nothing else about what you've done, I can only say that you're a terrific storyteller. also, it bugged me that jack's feet seem so big, like he's a hobbit.

[@rizahawkeyepierce1380]

Her other videos are also great! All high-effort, high-research content.

[@StoryMing]

Jack is far too tall to be a hobbit.

[@KAI_MAISTER]

The part about the stage play of Peter Pan and the audience clapping genuinely made me cry god damn

[@kt3255]

As a person who loves Christmas, I still agree with those that feel stores start shoving Christmas at us obnoxiously early. Because they do.

[@Aranock]

Loved watching this with you last night; that poetic section at the end was really nice after a rough week. I think its important to remind ourselves of the magic that surrounds us. Also fun fact; candy does actually taste better when you are a kid; as we grow older our taste buds change; knowing that doesnt remove the magic imo. Great work as always. That being said fuck you for cursing me to say boogeyman silly(the boooOOoogeyman) and knowing about the being really into eggs thing XD

[@cottonclouds]

i watched this movie when i was 9 and it was both terrifying and magical. now, as an almost adult, i'm incredibly nostalgic for it and glad it exists in the way it does

[@goose.3085]

I love Rise of the Guardians; I have strong memories of watching it every Christmas. So excited to hear your thoughts on it!

[@BeatlesCirca1963]

56:36 The way that Jack moves back and lifts his arms, waiting for Jamie to go through him, and the look on his face when he hugs him instead is one of my small favorite details in the movie.

[@Stargazer_Ley]

I enjoyed learning about this movie that I really love. I saw it when it came out and thought it was amazing (I was a younger adult at the time. I'll be 29 next month). I never really thought about Sandy "getting better" until now. Whether intentionally or not it sends the message that fear can't truely kill a dream. If you can overcome your fear then your dreams can thrive. I also loved the idea that the Guardians needed the kids as much as the kids needed them and while Pitch took darkness into fear the dark can be a wonderful thing. North and Tooth work at night. MiM is only really visible at night but Pitch decided that fear was the only good that could come from the dark. Where he could have taught courage he instead brought fear. It would be interesting to see a Guardian who used darkness in a good way instead of a harmful one.

[@MohamedRamadan-qi4hl]

Fear is good for a person. Without fear we all (especially children) would have died due to stupidity

[@felixmoh8367]

I believe it's for a reason that the memories are stored in the teeth (in the movie). I'm well aware that it's not the case, but we don't know where memory is actually stored. There are people who lose half of their brain and don't lose any memories. The only real correlation (not causality) we have between memories and other body parts is that we lose our baby teeth around the same time we lose the memories of early childhood. Steve Wozniac from Apple talked about that in an interview with Steve-O of all people.

[@nataleynakata3687]

I didn’t pay this film much heed aside from watching a few scenes, but I always found Jack’s flashback to be genuinely tense, and I heard snippets about him when exploring the Rise of the Brave Tangled Dragons fandom.

[@mistercleff8819]

Rise of the what what what fandom?!

[@halwaffles]

@@mistercleff8819 it’s a crossover between Rise of the Guardians, Brave, Tangled, and How to Train Your Dragon. There’s an alternative one called Rise of the Brave Tangled Frozen Dragons (i don’t remember where Frozen places in the name exactly), that includes the film frozen in the crossover.

[@bellatrn9125]

@@mistercleff8819 Some people also call them "the big four"

[@justhavingalook7857]

I watched this movie when I was around 12-13 and always thought Pitch's lines were the coolest thing. I think this may have been the first movie where I actually paid attention when the villain was on-screen 😅

[@TheTayloredMason]

Alrighty, so I'm 1:04 into this video, and I'm already hit in the feels. The footage you included of walking down the wooded path looks almost identical to where I grew up, and this is the view that I used to see, during all of my happysadexcitingnew formative years. Already I'm in this up to my nostalgia.

[@loki1456]

I am chronically ill and don't get a lot of joy in my life. When I saw the trailer for this movie, I cried because something about it moved me. When I saw the actual film, it not only jumped from being my favorite children's movie, to being my third favorite movie of all time. I actually wrote a letter to DreamWorks gushing about the film and they sent me a package with all sorts of goodies that still mean the world to me. I also own a Bunnymund plush and he goes with me every time I go to the hospital.

[@Ladyknightthebrave]

That is incredible and very sweet

[@loki1456]

Omg, I never thought you would reply to my comment. Thank you so much for replying to my comment! You are one of my favorite creators and it means so much that you commented on my comment!

[@zoeleeangelis]

A Lady Knight The Brave essay at this time of the day? AND about Rise of the Guardians? What have we done to deserve one more masterpiece? God, I love you too much, Ms Brave ❤️ Edit: Jesus, Lady, I cried like a baby

[@CortexNewsService]

I had almost exactly the same response. "Well, I know what I'm doing for the next hour. "

[@chloefrancisco8920]

i've consistently loved this movie since i was tiny, and it still evokes the exact same reactions now. i watch it whenever i need to feel like a kid again.

[@dragondraems42]

Having been introduced to the book Lore purely from fanfiction, that section is hysterical. Of course Sandy's name is Sanderson Mansnoozie, why wouldn't it be? Also those seem like the sort of book I would have adored as a 6 yr old.

[@storytellerforever4631]

I'm a teenager and I am at that point in life were the world stops being seen through that magical lens that we have and it's something I have tried to come to grips with. The wild fantasy and crazy adventures were my life and they just slowly started to disappear. It's hard to try to finger out where you can find magic and what to believe in, but this video helped so much in those questions. That even though we understand the world in reason and logic that there is still room for magic that it's still there in the things that were mundane, that magic is still their even after you grow up and it's not, you're either the kid full of wonder or the non-believing parent. The outro on this really struck a chord with me and brought so much happiness to my day on this fact and I want to thank you for making this video and making that point because there are people like me who need to hear it and now, I can be reminded that message every time I watch Rise of the Guardians as well. So, thank you

[@Sofia-ge6wm]

Ladyknight doing a video on one of my favorites movies of all time??? HELL FUCKING YEAH!!! This movies means the world to me and it's actually the first "The Art Of" book I EVER bought I now own 9 of those books including that one!☺️

[@tripplel8495]

52:06 I love the call back to the beginning of the movie with Jamie's mom saying "don't want Jack Frost nipping at your nose" and the snowflake falling onto his nose. Ugggg I love this movie :,D

[@yamiishot]

You made me almost cry with everything from the clap your hands if you believe moment onwards. I guess sometimes you just need to be told that there's some kinda magic in you when you're having a rough time. Dang.

[@amandamcwatt3540]

The part at the end about how Magic is Mundae made me tear up. That was so beautifully said :)

[@sopranophantomista]

You're so good at making me tear up. Your passion is so tangible in your essays. Thank you.

[@axelsmith4722]

Oh boy takes me back years but I remember writing a few chapters about Pitch and the place fear could hold in a child's life. How it could help in its development, how it could either break or mold them into someone stronger and more resilient. My belief is most parents think children shouldn't feel fear, whether it being through a movie, a story, an outdoors experience etc... but fear is what keeps us from doing stupid things. Fear of dying keeps people from jumping off bridges fcs. That and there's no courage without fear, only foolish ignorance. And removing fear, while it comes from a place of care and love... it can have devastating consequences long term. Honestly, I think this movie, out of all those who have emerged from the trend of 'there's no villain just people who are misguided' would have had the best opportunity to really land that message of forgiveness.

[@saragustavsson3387]

So, I screamed when the Tamara pierce books showed up when you mentioned kids literature you have enjoyed. Those books are such comfort reading for me

[@ViridianForests]

This was a very fun watch, you had me _rolling_ at the story book descriptions. Rise of the Guardians holds a special place in my heart because its the movie that made me realize I could go work in animation as an actual job! That was when all I wanted to do was draw and things have changed a lot since (I learned animation, then wanted to make environment art, then switched to 3D in environment art before switching to video game vfx 2D/3D) but I really have this movie to thank for where my life went!

[@martufrate]

Hi!! As many have mention, this movie holds a special place in my heart. Just like your videos: your smooth and relaxing voice, the editing, the music, everything. It helps me with my anxiety. I have listen to “Remembering with a twist” countless times and no matter when or where, the “ remember to dance” part always makes me emotional. So does “what is your center” now. For I’ve always love the moon and the blue sky and I’ve never been able to describe the feeling I got whenever I admire them…but I do now: it’s magic. So I wanted to thank you for helping me keep the magic in my life 💙

[@maxducks2001]

The fact that we still haven’t gotten a sequel to this masterpiece after over a decade is just criminal.

[@rosieisla8286]

First of all - brilliant video essay! Rise of the Guardians has been my favourite film ever since I saw it about 7 years ago, and I appreciate all the research you did - there were a few times where I went "ah, it sucks that she'll probably not know about this thing" only for you to bring it up! (I even spotted Vanish in there!) I really enjoyed your analysis of Toothiana's history and your recap of the books in general. They truly are bananas and I shed a few tears laughing at the way you summed them up. (Thank you for reminding me of Jack's weird daggers-that-are-made-from-tears in the fifth book - he has a whole cabinet of them in a tree somewhere, if I recall correctly?) I'd like to add onto your video and mention that your title works on another level: Burgess is a very realistic town. The key scenes are set on a random shopping street and next to a petrol station and at a school bus depot and in a back alley next to a DUMPSTER. The buildings aren't stylised to fit with a certain theme either, nor are they polished or nicely coloured - Burgess is full of rust and dirt. Obviously there's some stylisation (realism is still a style, and there are details like the beautiful multicoloured lighting in the street before the Pitch-Sandy fight) but overall the characters aren't as cartoony in design or movement as you'd expect from, say, a modern Disney film. (Not that I dislike cartoony design, but it doesn't feel as real.) Even their more fantastical settings feel tangible, especially North's workshop with all its clutter and irregularity (despite the amazing shape language - everything there is squares), which really helps to ground the film in reality. When I first watched it (aged 14), that was part of the appeal - it felt like the characters existed in MY world, not some fantasy environment. I remember parts of the fanbase even making theories on the guardians actually being real (with people mentioning funny snow-related anecdotes and discussing whether that was a genuine jack frost sighting or not). It was so easy to imagine these things actually happening - I have no idea how they managed to make a film like that, especially given 2012's animation technology (I'm not sure which software they were using, but my money would have been on Emo, which was basically a glorified spreadsheet) but it made magic feel very real to younger me. Thank you so much for this essay - it was a lovely way to spend an hour. :)

[@NoirRaven]

The way you reframe the mundane and explainable as still being magical was a wake up call I've been needing for years. Thank you for that.

[@mikey_m114]

OHOHOHO THIS IS GONNA BE A GOOD ONE (just like literally every other video on this channel but _still_ )

[@ThatWitchMorri-V]

I loved what I saw someone else say about Sandy coming back. "A nightmare you're not afraid of is just a dream." Makes sense that the guardian of dreams is reborn the way he is.

[@BadBoysLover]

This movie is absolute perfection. I love what they did with RotG and, although it might look like a movie for kids, it feels as a movie for adults. It makes me not want to read the books, if I'm honest. I'm a writer, and I think part of our job is to create magic. For us, as well as the readers, characters are alive _because_ we believe in them. Somehow, writers are also kids inside, and I think this movie touches that fiber in me and how I feel about my characters and my own writing. This video was amazing and insightful so thank you for making it! P.S.: Forever #TeamJelsa 😍

[@davidisaac9408]

Most of your essays bring tears to my eyes at the end. Thank you for making me feel a little more alive after each one. You're amazing at what you do.

[@tessy4018]

Why am I crying at the kid seeing Jack Frost for the first time? I haven’t even watched this movie.? I’m all seriousness the last section was wonderful. Currently doing an exam for a Masters on a topic I used to feel so much wonder about - neuroscience - but with all the stress of life and exams I forgot about it. Thank you for fuelling my passion again.

[@TootyFruityNinja]

That outro speech totally won me as a subscriber. Great job.

[@alanm7838]

After a long struggle with suicidality and depression, I found my solace in finding my "center," finding a tether that I could say was the fundamental thing that made me... me. It became this philosophy that people were fundamentally beautiful and magical simply because of how we could create our purpose and meaning and decide who we were and make people laugh and be happy and do the same ourselves, and how that made us so much more special than a universe that was so much bigger than us. And this video, in a special kind of way, put into words a philosophy that has saved my life. And I cried at the end because now I know that someone else struggling with the same thing I did will now have this video, will have something that can so succinctly, so eloquently, make us believe in the magic and beauty of our universe no matter our beliefs. It fills me with joy to know that I'm not the only one who believes in magic.

[@innerpotato504]

The fact that you almost directly quoted Terry Prattchett "It's still magic, even if you know how it's done"

[@satyasyasatyasya5746]

I have been in a lot of pain for a while now, and I've done some things I shouldn't have for which I'll always be ashamed. But the "what can you offer the world?" really spoke to me. Not in a capitalist way, but in a very human way. I've always had stories inside me, and I've struggled to be the friend I ought to be, but I can offer those two thing, if nothing else. Stories from within and friendhship; perhaps I might heal if I just make life a little better for others, rather than spinning alone in the emptiness I've sought to fill. Thankyou for your videos. I've cried at a few of them and I always learn something. Not anything I didn't already know, but always something I needed to hear.

[@alicez2383]

This video was so interesting and fun to watch (loved the part where you talked about the books, it really kept the chaotic spirit of the novels)! In my opinion this is one of the most gorgeous cg animated movies, the textures and lightning are amazing. And thank you for including my fanart! (I'm sboochi btw)

[@thealrightoddity]

this movie came out when i was twelve and i remember begging my mom to go take me to see it (she wasn't against it, she just worked a lot and we didn't have the time) and i'm so glad we did. it's one of those films that stands out from the opening credits and even though it has santa claus & the easter bunny, it was so refreshing to get a movie that didn't revolve around the inherit christianity that we associate those films with. it's one of those dreamworks classics that i think about a lot because i remember loving the story so much as a child (by the time the rise of the tangled dragons came out i was just beginning my activity on tumblr but i was more preoccupied with reading YA then looking at amazing edits of different animated characters together). i didn't know so much about the books or the production but next time i inevitably put the dvd in to a TV or my PC i will definitely look into the BTS stuff they have. also the last bit about the magic in the mundane made me cry a bit, ngl

[@lunasroom_101]

IM SO GLAD U DID A VID ON THIISSS!! AHH! :D i love the fact that jacks dreaminess was intentional- we artists are one in the same sometimes lol. im especially happy to hear about the sand animation! i like how you talked about christmas and easter too , i always loved how it was removed from religion cause when it came out i was leaving behind religion in the way i knew it , i dunno it just felt nice. ALSO ALSO i love how you organize ur videos i know others have done it but your consistant color palette is really nice. sorry this comment is so long ok bye im gonna continue watching and wat the grilled cheese i made have a good day!

[@darrenalmgren634]

I only recently watched this movie and fell in love with the folklore and idea. The ending with the nightmares taking Pitch reminded me of We’re Back’s ending with Prof. Screweye getting overtaken by the ravens that are coded as nightmare manifestations. Also, the American Gods excerpt was spoken by Sam Blackcrow, not Shadow, but it’s in the same conversation where Shadow does talk about his beliefs. So I get the mix up. Love the video, hope the job is going well

[@MatthewOfDunedin]

Thanks for confirming it was Sam Blackcrow - I briefly thought I was misremembering

[@ruffboiALT]

The story about the first performance of Peter Pan always gets me. IDK why, something about still finding the magic in something as small as wanting to believe in a little flash of light on a stage is just... really something.

[@posthocergopropterhoc9202]

This movie is literally my childhood -- I remember seeing it in the theater when it came out and being in awe of it. I had no idea you were making this video, so when it popped into my feed I actually was smiling so much. Thanks for another great video; literally everything you make is a banger!

[@blondetapperware8289]

I was 12 when this came out and was *obsessed* over this film. I thought it was so well made. I would listen to the soundtrack (which is gorgeous) and watch it so many times. I collected the McDonald's toys, read the books it was based on, and even had a jack frost plush. And it was the first movie I had ever bought an "Art of" book for (which is to this day still the best one I own. Literally the art is lovely). I was surprised why not as many people saw it the same way I did then. It's been years now since I've seen it, but it still marks a point in my childhood that is now hard to believe was a whole decade ago.

[@madafanz]

you’re literally one of my fave KZbinrs + ONE OF MY FAVE MOVIES ??? made my day thank you :D

[@bewilderbeastie8899]

I need to rewatch this. This movie was a huge part of my life from roughly the age of 21 to 23. It got me through some very difficult times, and the fandom was truly extraordinary, I loved being in it. Looking back some of what I did was cringe (and yet I still refuse to orphan my Jack/Bunny fics on Ao3) but I still hold a deep fondness for it. This movie is lovely and I'm still heartbroken over the fact it was paid dirt by the studio. (Side note: one of my favourite parts of the fandom was seeing how people incorporated the batshit stuff from the books into the movie world setting, and also how so much of it was pure angst fuel. Although we didn't know Jack and Nightlight were the same person at that point.)

[@katherinealvarez9216]

This was such sweet little movie. 4:10 I'm being reminded of how Eugene from Tangled was designed. 13:42 so the film crew had a lot to work with in order make the movie...sane. 26:14 I remember this! In the film commentary, they called the "little jerks." 28:11 I understand. I also don't celebrate Christmas, and I get extremely annoyed with everything about it. But I love North because he is just this bombastic man full of life. And he has swords. So cool. 33:47 This is why I will never trust anyone who says CGI is inferior to 2D animation and that cgi animators are not artists. Also, I like this headcanon that Jaime and his family are descendants of Jack’s sister.

[@keizen7324]

Your writing is so poetic and beautiful, thank you for sharing!

[@crowlowin4330]

I think you should know you're my favorite video essayist and I rewatch your videos frequently because they make me happy. Not related to the video at all except that when I saw this was uploaded I was very happy and knew I would be staying up longer than I planned. I love Rise of the Guardians, can't wait to see your take on it

[@bronzewool]

It is pleasantly surprising to see the wikia articles I made/edited and all the concept art I uploaded back in 2013 are still being seen. That was a punch to the nostalgia but I'm glad it proved useful to your research at least xD. Thank you for bringing attention to Dreamworks forgotten child. To this day RoTG is my favourite film of theirs and it was a shame it never got to be the next big trilogy like Shrek, HTTYD and KFP. It at least deserved a cheap season one tv series. The books were weird and the fandom discourse surround Mother Nature in particular (and her NAME of all things) was really jarring.

[@robotbirb7321]

THANK YOU. I'm so glad other people remember this movie. It's flawed (the pacing is... not good) and I was maybe a touch too old for it, but I love it. It's so gorgeous to watch and I think all the sad and scary and dark moments give it a complexity a lot of movies can lack. Having such sorrow makes the joy that much more beautiful in comparison. (The touch that he's not sad over his death, just so happy to have had a sister who he saved gets me every single time. As an older sibling, Ihave emotions about that.) This is such a great analysis, I really love your work. And, if you'll excuse me, I have a movie to rewatch.

[@honeyandclay]

This is officially my favorite video essay of all time. You’re voice is perfect for commentary and the format is so well put together. I cried towards towards the end. Bravo!

[@hailieb5742]

When I tell you that you somehow always manage to pinpoint my EXACT interests and then tackle them with ease and tender consideration I mean it. It's so special to always feel so deeply understood by your videos :)

[@penelopesmith2825]

As someone who was in the 7-12 demographic when the movie came out (I was 9) I can honestly tell you that I absolutely loved it. I actually gave my parents the silent treatment when they took my brothers to see it without me when I was over at a friends house and when I was watching it for the first time, my little brother (age 7) was already on his third viewing.

[@OmnistonedObi]

This film is one of my personal favourites, it brings a smile to my face every-time I think of it, and you reviewing it is making my days

[@elenadirectorofmiiss7942]

Speaking on Jack’s and Pitch’s motivations, this is what happens when you get Guillermo Del Toro making a children’s movie, incredible motivations for both the heroes and the antagonists.

[@boowind4432]

11:55 love the manic grin as you slapped the egg shaped earth sticky note onto the wall

[@xochiltaviles4539]

North’s line on “I feel it….. in my belly” is forever quoted by me, and people rarely (basically never) get it. Also this movie always has the power to make me cry, and this video has done the same😂😭😂