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Original poster

Bao- short film before Incredibles 2 😬

67 replies

Mandiew2 · 02/08/2018 22:58

Today I went to see Incredibles 2 with my 5 year old and we were both really disturbed by the short film Bao beforehand. The story is about a woman who makes a Dumping that turns into a baby dumpling with a face. She nurtured and raises the dumping as her child until he is about to leave home and then she suddenly kills him by eating him! My son was horrified!!! Tonight he has had knightmares about it. Has anyone else seen it and have had a little one upset? I felt it was very inappropriate for a film which will be viewed by very young children who won’t understand the symbolism of the story only the betrayal of the mother to kill her child without warning! Interested to hear others experience and to prepare others who may be taking young kids x

OP posts:
OnNaturesCourse · 02/08/2018 23:01

It really baffled me. I think it washed over a lot of kids but I could see why your child would be upset. Did you explain / talk about it?

TheConstantMoaner · 02/08/2018 23:04

The oddest thing I’ve ever watched. Wasn’t sure why they decided to put it on before a children’s film Confused. I took my 3 year old dd. She obviously didn’t get it. But everyone in the theatre let out a gasp when she ate the son/ dumpling.
Just odd.

SuburbanRhonda · 02/08/2018 23:06

DS (19!) loved it and found it very moving.

So maybe it’s not really aimed at younger children.

Joinourclub · 02/08/2018 23:06

I definitely thought it was odd! My 5 year old was baffled.

BretonStripe · 02/08/2018 23:06

Thanks for the heads up OP. Was going to take my sensitive 4yo but may be not...

Lokisglowstickofdestiny · 02/08/2018 23:06

Was surprised that they showed it given the content and the age range of audience, but personally enjoyed it.

Gerling · 02/08/2018 23:08

It's a film made by a Chinese American and it resonates deeply with people who share that cultural background. Read up on it and explain it to your kid. Movies aren't literal and can be made for cultures other than the dominant one.

Muddlewitch · 02/08/2018 23:08

It was very very strange, we were all completely baffled by it and I can totally see it would be upsetting for younger children.

MayLeaveADentInYourSofa · 02/08/2018 23:08

It was very odd. I went with my teen kids and we all interpreted it differently.

MrsChollySawcutt · 02/08/2018 23:09

It was very weird and unsettling. im baffles as to why it was deemed an acceptable choice to put on before Incredibles 2?

Clairetree1 · 02/08/2018 23:10

Just explain o him it represents mums who love their children so much they don't always accept that they become grown ups

Zhx3 · 02/08/2018 23:10

I'm Chinese, which I think helped!

I think that the bao (Chinese for bun) is a metaphor for the son, who grew up, ignored his mum then fell out and left home with his fiancee. In the end he returns to her and they make up by sharing a meal - all very Chinese.

I enjoyed it, maybe because the cultural context made sense to me. Most of the other people in the cinema were a bit wtf though.

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Mandiew2 · 02/08/2018 23:12

I tried to explain that it was a dream as I felt the actual symbolism/meaning behind it was too complex for him to understand. But it didn’t take away the shock of it. He’s said 3 times ‘I never want to see that again mummy’ including just before bed but still had a knightmare about it 🙁

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noenergy · 02/08/2018 23:14

I found it very strange and quite unsettling. I wasn't sure if it was just shown in the cinema we went to but now I know.

But my DD has asked me about quite a few times since we seen it on Sunday.

PuntCuffin · 02/08/2018 23:15

That was how I saw it Zhx3 I found it very moving.

Think it passed my kids by completely.

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Mandiew2 · 02/08/2018 23:15

It’s interesting her hear everyone’s views- my main issue with it is that it should be shown in a trailer for a film for older children who can understand better

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rainbowlou · 02/08/2018 23:17

Oh we were so late we turned up within the last 30 seconds of this film..I want to see it now x

TheConstantMoaner · 02/08/2018 23:17

I enjoyed it too and In this could have been something right out from my culture too. The odd part was why Pixar thought this was a good choice of movie to show very young children.

Lacypants · 02/08/2018 23:17

Tbh it just made me really hungry for bao. There's an amazing little street food place in the market near our cinema that literally just does steamed dumplings and buns. Mmmmmmmmm.... Bao....

FourAlarmFire · 02/08/2018 23:18

I LOVED it (more than The Incredibles!). It made me cry at the end, I think the fact that I was watching it with my son made it all the more poignant. But totally get how a small child might not get that bit! It all works out in the end though.

AgathaRaisonDetra · 02/08/2018 23:19

I told my son that if he ever brings home a girl that I disapprove of I will kill him thereby setting himself up for a lifetime of therapy.

raisedbyguineapigs · 02/08/2018 23:21

My kids didn't understand the symbolism of it. I just told them she dreamt her son was the dumpling because her actual son had left home, so she wanted to keep the dumpling child with her forever. They didn't think much more about it. They younger one found bits of The Incredibles boring too though, so maybe the film itself is targeted at slightly older children. Its a PG, not a U which surprised me.

mollymawk · 02/08/2018 23:22

I loved it and it made me cry. I couldn’t quite articulate what I thought it signified though. I have no Chinese background. I will go and look it up now.

mollymawk · 02/08/2018 23:31

Also, I think it’s very appropriate to go with Incredibles 2 because both are about aspects of motherhood.

Zhx3 · 02/08/2018 23:51

I should add that whenever I go to Chinatown, the dc always hassle me to go to the bakery as they also have a deep love of bao Grin so although they are young, the context wasn't completely lost on them!

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