When it comes to the subgenre known as “children’s cinema,” there is a wide variety of tones and messages that can be detected in any corner. Just take a look at 2024’s videos aimed at a younger audience, as there are titles like Inside Out 2 and Netflix’s Orion and the Dark that still turn out to be pretty far when it comes to a younger audience.
So it seemed fair to ask actors Jacob Tremblay and Paul Walter Hauser, who play Orion and Dark, respectively, what was the first time a children’s movie did just that. I was also able to ask director Sean Charmatz and producer Peter McCown this question. given that we were all there to celebrate the recent addition of Orion and the Dark to what could be considered one of Netflix’s most productive videos.
For the record, Hauser and Tremblay’s answers were hysterical; not because they were particularly offbeat, but rather because they both had the same answers in mind. This only came after Paul prefaced his answer with the fact that he thought they never would have picked the same movies.
Sure enough, CinemaBlend is there to practice this beautiful piece of symmetry that you can witness in the video above. Toy Story and The Lion King are the films in which Paul Walter Hauser and Jacob Tremblay joined in this interview experience, which makes even more sense when contemplating it. the movie they recently starred in.
As far as how Toy Story kicked things off, Paul Walter Hauser shared some deep questions it made him ask about life with CinemaBlend. In asking those questions, Jacob Tremblay added some insightful feedback of his own:
Paul Walter Hauser: “Are my toys sensitive? Is there such a thing? Do they have feelings?Shouldn’t I throw them across the room thinking?”
Jacob Tremblay: That just made playing with toys so much better, I think. Just thinking that they could be real.”
Dreamworks Animation and going outdoors, the usual framework of animated storytelling is as natural a choice as Jacob Tremblay and Paul Walter Hauser. In Orion and the Dark, the deficient Orion (Tremblay) is afraid of everything, which leaves him with a lack. of friends. But Dark (Hauser) needs to replace that by helping our young hero deal with his fears of the dark and many other dangers in life.
Seriously, this kid is afraid of everything from killer clowns and mosquitoes to death itself. Some shared nighttime adventures begin to take place, as the head of this Netflix mission uncovers the secret world of the night. Which, naturally, sounds like the facets ocultas. de life of Toy Story that pair well with this new animated film.
Plus, when you’re talking about one of the most productive Pixar videos ever made, that cross-generational appeal makes sense. That same kind of power applies to the second film that Paul Walter Hauser and Jacob Tremblay shared in this regard.
Considered one of the most productive Disney films in the company’s 100-year history, 1994’s The Lion King turned out to be the other name Paul tossed for Jacob to preemptively pick up. As far as this story is concerned, Richard Jewell’s actor had a connection to the movie we were talking about at the time:
Yes, fathers and sons, the concept of taking your rightful place in the world and entering into your destiny. These are big topics. And I think this movie, Dreamworks, tells stories ranging from Shrek to How to Train Your Dragon. With this one, I feel like we’re immersing ourselves in heavy things that will affect both adults and children.
Without going into too much detail, Orion and the Dark plays with its own circle of life. Only, instead of birth and death being present, the exercise of storytelling is what is passed on as an inheritance. Which is totally fitting since this clever children’s book movie was adapted from Emma Yarlett’s book by none other than Charlie Kaufman.
Nothing says “a deep children’s movie” like a movie written through the kind that gave us Eternal Sunshine from a Memoryless Mind. This has only opened the door to more mind-boggling “deep” children’s cinematic experiments, because at this point, it’s time to take a look at maker Peter McCown’s and director Sean Chamraz’s answers to that very question.
Not to be outdone, Orion and the Dark’s team of makers and administrators had their own children’s film touchstones that generated some spikes of excitement. And as any kid of the ’80s and ’90s will tell you, the filmmakers of those films are masters in the art of creating such formative films.
Starting with Peter McCown, here are the deep kid’s movies that inspired both he and Sean Charmatz; and how they still affect them to this day:
To me, it’s probably the secret of the NIMH, it’s the one I researched as a kid. It scared me. I don’t know if I can say “bejesus,” but I do. It was given a little more depth, it was a layer or two deeper. That and The Fox and the Hound, for me, explored the characters, their friendship and bonding. And it ripped the center away from me when I was a kid. So, maybe those two are the ones that stuck with me at first.
You can definitely see the DNA of both former Disney animator Don Bluth and Steven Spielberg in Orion and the Dark. As both of those creative titans ruled the roost of more mature kid’s movies with an iron fist in the ‘80s and ‘90s, their influences are still felt to this day.
However, while director Sean Charmatz would dismiss the Bluth/Spielberg joint venture An American Tail as an influential children’s film, a proper Stephen King adaptation is also included. Here’s what Charmatz had to say:
For me, I think there are two that come to mind. First of all, Stand By Me is one of them. I know it’s a “children’s movie,” but when I was a kid it was a very impactful and memorable movie for me. But An American Tail, lively, is one that appealed to me. I think it’s that feeling of being abandoned. Behind, lost, abandoned, separated from your family. I think it was applicable and touching for me as a kid. It seems that the character is essentially lost.
To be honest, I’ve always thought that Stand By Me is one of those children’s videos that was never overtly designed for children, but is perfectly interpreted for the appropriate age audience. Rob Reiner’s adaptation of “The Body” has become ingrained in the pop culture consciousness as such, as the film is considered one of the most productive of the 1980s.
However, to sum it all up with one arc, a Steven Spielberg movie that Peter McCown and Sean Charmatz considered to be one of their favorites. If you’ve ever seen Orion and the darkness, you’ve probably already guessed this one. But just in case, here’s the common thread those men shared in our interview room:
Peter McCown: Oh, another one is E. T. No it’s something else than in this story, because Elliot is very smart, very sensible for his age. And at first he’s afraid of this alien, for apparent reasons. But then, over the course of this film, she gets to know him. And then, the fact that you can love something that you were so deeply terrified of before, it was special.
Sean Charmatz: E.T. was a big one for me as well. … I cried at the John Williams [concert]. John Williams played E.T. and Indiana Jones, and when they played the music for E.T. I was crying.”
Thinking about the deep children’s movie stories I pulled from the cast and creatives of Orion and the Dark, the care and intensity shown through this new Dreamworks film is even less surprising. After seeing the photo myself, I’m looking forward to combining it with at least a handful of the titles discussed above and experiencing a kind of movie marathon about the “inner child. “
Orion and the Dark, which teaches life lessons on how to overcome worries and protect yourself and others, is everything Netflix subscription holders are looking for. You’ll be able to do just that, as DreamWorks Animation’s newest release is streaming lately for anyone looking for it, whether you’re watching your videos with the lights on or off.
Mike Reyes is CinemaBlend’s main film contributor, though this name is more of a guide. Passionate about entertainment since elementary school, cinema has held a special place in his life, which explains his current occupation. Mike graduated from Drew University with a bachelor’s degree. He has a degree in political science, but long ago promised not to run for public office. Mike’s experience ranges from James Bond to all things Alita, making for a brilliantly eclectic resume. Fight for the user.
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