Toon My Heart

When you think of Disney and Christmas specials, the first one that comes to mind is likely Mickey's Christmas Carol, and for good reason. But five years before that short came out, Disney released another Christmas special called The Small One, directed by none other than Don Bluth, shortly before he left the company to form his own animation studio. Although it seems to have largely been forgotten by Disney, Toon My Heart host Tracy Herold and special guest, artist and animator Monica Theiler both have fond childhood memories of watching this story of a boy seeking a new...

Light of the World is the second animated film released in 2025 about the life of Jesus, so how does this traditionally animated project compare to the 3D-animated The King of Kings that came out earlier in the year? Produced by The Salvation Poem Project and with the talent of former Disney animators and directors and unique storybook-style animation provided by Lighthouse Studios, a joint venture between Cartoon Saloon and Mercury Filmworks, Light of the World tells the gospel story from the point of view of the Apostle John as a young teenager. Find out host Tracy Herold's initial thoughts...

On this episode of Toon My Heart, host Tracy Herold is joined by animator Monica Theiler, founder of Moonglow Animation, to talk about Dreamworks' 2010 animated film How to Train Your Dragon. Based on the book by Cressida Cowell and brought to life by the writing/directing team of Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, who previously collaborated on Disney's Lilo & Stitch, How to Train Your Dragon launched an incredibly long-lived franchise, encompassing sequels, TV shows, comics, an arena show, a theme park, and of course, Dreamworks' first live-action remake. But at its heart is a simple message about overcoming fear...

Disney and Pixar's newest original animated film Elio hasn't had much success in getting audiences into the theater. But does that mean it's not worth watching? Find out why Toon My Heart host Tracy Herold believes this outer space adventure about loneliness, family, and finding a place to belong is worth seeing on the big screen, and how it even reminded her of the Biblical prophet Elijah and his encounter with God in 1 Kings 19. In this episode she also discusses elements of the animated sci-fi film that Christian parents might be concerned about or at least want to know...

It's time for another special "Showtune My Heart" episode, in which "Toon My Heart" host Tracy and a guest discuss a song from an animated film, analyzing it through a Christian lens. Today's guest is writer, editor, and podcaster Faith Moore, host of the "Storytime for Grownups" podcast and author of the book Saving Cinderella: What Feminists Get Wrong About Disney Princesses and How to Set it Right. Faith's song choice is "So This Is Love" from Walt Disney's Cinderella, and she and Tracy discuss how to understand fairy tale symbolism, why princess stories still matter, some interesting parallels...

Why did the highest-grossing film of 2024 strike such a chord with audiences and critics? To mark the end of Mental Health Awareness Month, host Tracy Herold welcomes back special guest Pastor Jay Nepomuceno, founder of a Christian mental health advocacy ministry called The Climb, to talk about Disney Pixar's Inside Out 2. All of our favorite emotions from the first Inside Out-- Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust-- are back, but as Riley enters puberty, they're joined by new emotions-- Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, Ennui, and Nostalgia-- and a struggle for Riley's sense of self ensues. We discuss the fantastic pictures...

Disney's Moana is the "No. 1 movie in streaming history" according to the Wall Street Journal, having been streamed for more than 1 billion hours! But it's also a story about gods, demigods, monsters, and spirits. Is it okay for Christians to watch such a film? Can we maybe even find glimpses of the gospel within it? Grab a boat snack and set sail with Toon My Heart host Tracy Herold and special guest Tim Ingle, creator of the Bearly Biblical cartoon series, as we explore how the story of this unconventional "Disney Princess" echoes the Bible's story of creation, fall...

The first of three Bible-based animated films coming out in 2025 came out just in time for Easter-- but is it any good? Toon My Heart host Tracy Herold and her daughter share their thoughts on The King of Kings, the first full-length feature film from Korean director Seong-ho Jang of Mofac Studios, a creative retelling of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ inspired by Charles Dickens' short book "The Life of Our Lord," featuring an all-star cast, including Kenneth Branagh, Oscar Isaac, Mark Hamill, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, and Uma Thurman. Tracy discusses the history behind the...

Dav Pilkey's Dog Man series of graphic novels have proven extremely popular with children around the world, with more than 60 million copies published in 47 different languages. So it was only a matter of time before someone made a movie out of them. But does it live up to the source material-- and if so, will it prove as popular with parents as it is with their kids? In this Toon My Heart: First Impressions episode, host Tracy and her daughter Darcy-- one of Dog Man's biggest fans-- weigh in with their thoughts on this action-packed, silly, and surprisingly heartwarming...

In this episode, Tracy is taking a look at Disney's 2000 animated short film, "John Henry," about the black folk hero and his famous competition against a steam drill. And she's joined by the Burden brothers, hosts of "A Burden for the Times," a podcast all about clarifying conversations on culture and race. They discuss whether representation matters in media and how it can be done right, the real history behind the legend of John Henry, how this tale of self-sacrifice and leading others to a promised land reminds us of the Gospel, and more. Find out how director Mark...

In each "Showtune My Heart" episode, Toon My Heart host Tracy Herold and a special guest discuss one of their favorite songs from an animated movie from a Biblical perspective. In this episode, our special guest is Donnie Lakes, the host of another Christian podcast called The Ride of Your Life and founder of Ride of Your Life Ministries, which seeks to share the gospel with coaster and theme park enthusiasts. For our conversation, Donnie has chosen the most iconic song from Pixar's groundbreaking first feature-length computer animated film Toy Story: You've Got a Friend in Me, written and...

"Small but mighty" is the theme of the day as Toon My Heart takes a break from feature-length films to examine the Disney short film "The Legend of Johnny Appleseed," part of 1948's Melody Time. Featuring the song "The Lord is Good to Me" sung by Dennis Day (who also narrates and does all of the character voices), and a character who carries a Bible, interacts with his guardian angel, and goes to Heaven, this short is one of the most open and positive portrayals of Christianity you'll find in any Disney film. But that doesn't mean that Christians...

The latest episode of Toon My Heart: First Impressions is a family affair, with not just host Tracy and daughter Darcy weighing in, as usual, but also a very special guest-- their husband and father, respectively, Dave! Listen to find out what all three of us thought of the latest animated film from Dreamworks, The Wild Robot, how we felt about the changes made from the original book by Peter Brown, whether we cried or managed to hold it together, what Bible verses it reminded us of, and why we wholeheartedly recommend this movie not just for kids, but...

Welcome to the first episode of a new ongoing bonus series called "Showtune My Heart," in which Toon My Heart host Tracy Herold and a guest will discuss a song from an animated film from a Christian faith perspective. In this episode, Tracy is joined by Kevin T. Rodriguez, also known as iCritic, to discuss the song "God Help the Outcasts," written by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Stephen Schwartz for Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame. We talk about the story behind the song and how it almost didn't end up in the film, admire the accompanying animation, discover...

Disney Pixar's Inside Out 2 is smashing box office records left and right, but is the sequel worth all the hype and a fitting follow up to the studio's beloved original "emotional rollercoaster" of a movie? Host Tracy and daughter Darcy weigh in with their thoughts (and feelings, of course) about 2024's first $1 billion box office film, and the return of Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust, along with their new friends (or are they enemies?) Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Ennui, in this "First Impressions" episode of Toon My Heart.

Music by REDproductions, sourced from pixabay.com

Pixar is an animation studio known for producing films that tug on the heartstrings, but perhaps its most emotional movie-- quite literally-- is Inside Out. Now, with the release of Inside Out 2 just around the corner, Toon My Heart host Tracy Herold is taking a closer look at the original, and the lessons it has to teach us about emotional and mental health, with the help of special guest Jay Nepomuceno of The Climb ministry. In this episode, we discuss the Christian faith of director Pete Docter and how it impacts his work, the stigma surrounding depression and anxiety...

Landing in theaters late in 2023, and now available on Peacock and other streaming networks, Migration flew under a lot of people's radar. But while the latest animated film from Illumination, the studio behind Despicable Me, Minions, The Secret Life of Pets, Sing, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie didn't soar to the same levels of box-office success as those predecessors, both host Tracy and daughter Darcy (age 8) enjoyed it-- although for very different reasons. Listen to this short episode to find out why this quirky but lovable family of ducks made a good first impression on us.

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Disney's Wish didn't get a very warm welcome from critics or audiences when it came out in theaters last year, but does it have any redeeming qualities that might make it worth seeing now that it's out on streaming and blu-ray? In this bonus "First Impressions" episode, host Tracy and daughter Darcy (age 8) give their initial thoughts on Disney's newest musical fairy tale film and whether it might just be worth watching after all.

Music by REDProductions, sourced from Pixabay.com.

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In this episode of Toon My Heart podcast, host Tracy Herold is talking about Bruno-- and the entire amazing Madrigal family! Disney's Encanto worked its way into the hearts of streaming viewers across the world when it landed on Disney+ on Christmas Eve 2021, with its relatable characters, way too catchy tunes, and unique setting and story. But is there something deeper behind this animated film's popularity? Tracy talks about the Biblical symbolism she sees in the movie, and explores how the theme of grace vs. works plays out as the story of Mirabel and her magical family unfolds.

One is the highest-grossing traditionally animated film of all time. The other is one of Jesus Christ's best known and most beloved parables. In this episode of Toon My Heart podcast, find out what Disney's The Lion King and the Bible's prodigal son parable have in common, and what both stories can teach us about guilt, identity, responsibility, and redemption. Join host Tracy Herold as she dives into the history behind one of Disney's most unexpectedly successful movies, shares what Bible verse always reminds her of Scar, contemplates whether Christians should follow "Hakuna Matata," and examines the journey of...

Is Disney's Tangled just a swash-buckling fairy tale romance movie, or can we look past the surface to find something deeper? Listen in to find out what Disney Animation's first CGI 3D princess, Rapunzel, along with Flynn Rider/Eugene Fitzherbert, a group of dreaming pub thugs, a feisty chameleon, and an intense horse can teach us about our need for community, our innate desire to know and be known, and the challenges we face in connecting with others. Of course, we'll also talk about what the Bible has to say about these topics, and we'll also hear wisdom from...

Welcome to the very first episode of Toon My Heart, in which we'll examine some of your favorite animated films in search of themes relevant to the Christian faith and traces of eternal truth. In this episode: What can Disney's classic animated movie Beauty and the Beast teach us about the perils of pride and the redemptive power of love? We'll talk about what the Bible has to say about both pride and love, and see how these attributes are reflected in the characters of the Beast, Belle, and Gaston.

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