Surprisingly Dark Scenes From 22 Beloved Disney And Pixar Films

Disney and Pixar animated movies form a significant part of our childhood. They have been a staple of culture ever since the first princess film was released.

Once they began collaborating with Pixar, they were able to tackle and create more diverse films. Additionally, they are centering some of their films on POC characters rooted in their authentic cultures.

They took this a step further by creating movies that address more difficult topics. They are producing films that teach kids about real-life events in an age-appropriate manner.

Disney discussed environmental conservation in "WALL-E" and "Moana"; they explored the healthy expression of feelings when the Pixar film "Inside Out" was released; and recently, they examined Colombian family dynamics in "Encanto." Talking to children about serious topics is not always easy, but movies like these show us ways to make them easier to explain.

It is unavoidable, however, that we will encounter serious scenes when watching films like these. We may not notice immediately, but there are relatively dark moments in these Disney/Pixar movies.

Don't worry; they're not graphic enough to traumatize children, but they will definitely warrant a double-take from discerning adults. Films like these remind us to screen the movies first before watching them with our kids, so we can prepare ourselves for their questions.

So, which Disney/Pixar films contain relatively dark moments we may have missed the first time? Take a look at the list below to find out!

1. Soul (2020): Joe and 22 became lost souls, thinking they would never find their purpose, only to realize that the 'spark' they were looking for was their willingness to live.

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2. Ratatouille (2007): Remy's dad took him to a poison shop to show him what happens to rats that get too comfortable around humans.

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3. Cars 2 (2011): They showed a scene where a good car was being tortured by bad cars. The last we see of the car is him bursting into flames.

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4. Big Hero 6 (2014): Hiro's brother, Tadashi, was a casualty of the tragic explosion at his university, and Hiro watched helplessly as the fire grew larger and ultimately caused his brother's death.

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5. Monsters, Inc. (2001): Sulley's reaction when he thought Boo was crushed in the trash compactor.

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6. Finding Nemo (2003): Marlin lost all hope of ever finding Nemo, so he left Dory behind, which led to her confusion and breakdown.

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7. The Incredibles (2004): Syndrome's death was... brutal; he was sucked into a jet engine.

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8. Coco (2017): Ernesto stole Hector's songs and murdered him.

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9. A Bug's Life (1998): The colony almost witnessed Flick's death when Hopper nearly crushed Flick's head.

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10. Coco (2017): Ernesto was trapped for all eternity beneath the bell.

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11. The Incredibles (2004): Helen thought Mr. Incredible was cheating on her and said, "I love you," before he went away again.

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12. Monsters, Inc. (2001): When Boo was almost used as the guinea pig for the scream extractor (see: torture machine) to generate electricity.

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13. Toy Story (1995): How terrifying were the mismatched toys Sid experimented on?

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14. Finding Nemo (2003): In the beginning of the film, Marlin's entire family was essentially annihilated.

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15. Toy Story 3 (2010): The horrifying moment when the toys were almost burned to death.

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16. Float (Pixar short film/2019): Alex was floating, and his dad yelled at him to be normal. Alex floated to the ground and cried.

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17. Inside Out (2015): They showed Riley, an 11-year-old girl, dealing with depression.

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18. Ratatouille (2007): Remy was almost shot when an old lady tried to kill him and his entire family.

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19. Up (2009): Ellie and Carl were expecting their first child and were happily painting the nursery. Unfortunately, Ellie miscarried.

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20. Toy Story 4 (2019): Forky referred to himself as trash throughout the movie and repeatedly tried to dispose of himself by jumping into the bin.

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21. Inside Out (2015): Bing Bong, Riley's childhood toy, slowly disappeared as he was forgotten little by little.

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22. In the intro of every Pixar film, Luxo Jr., the lamp, repeatedly jumps on the "I" until it is crushed into oblivion.

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Disney/Pixar movies are no longer just about damsels in distress needing rescue from a white Prince Charming. They have evolved and are trying to provide a platform for more realistic discussions.

These films may be made with children in mind, but we adults are also learning from them. Just watch out for the darker sequences they sneak into some of these movies so you can prepare for the inevitable questions from your kids.