Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Catholic
Religious Music & Entertainment
‘Ugly Dolls’: It’s Cute, Harmless.. and Maybe a Bit More

‘Ugly Dolls’: It’s Cute, Harmless.. and Maybe a Bit More

Last updated on: July 2, 2019 at 1:11 pm by Kate O'Hare

‘Ugly Dolls’: It’s Cute, Harmless.. and Maybe a Bit More 2019-07-02T13:11:43-08:00 Kate O'Hare

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

‘UglyDolls’/STX Films

In theaters now, the animated film UglyDolls is cute, charming, funny, tuneful and has heart. In today’s hit-and-miss family-film landscape, that’s something of a minor miracle — and, maybe, there’s a bit more.

Soon to also be a Hulu TV series, UglyDolls is based on a successful line of plush toys launched in 2001. Interestingly, it’s not from a major animation studio like Sony or Warner Bros. or Disney. It’s from STX Films, founded in L.A. in 2014. The film has funding from diverse sources, including the Chinese conglomerate Alibaba, along with tax incentives from Canada.

Essentially, it’s the Island of Misfit Toys from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer crossed with Toy Story, dressed up in Candy Crush colors — not that that’s a bad thing.

What’s UglyDolls About?

In the universe of UglyDolls, toys going through a manufacturing plant have two possible outcomes. If all goes well, the humanoid dolls go to Perfection, a bootcamp of sorts to transform them into their final form and get them ready to withstand the rigors of being loved by a child.

If something goes wrong in the manufacturing process, the dolls are shunted down a pipe that deposits them in UglyVille, a colorful, idyllic. fabric-covered hamlet on the shores of a fabric sea, overseen by the one-eyed (and one X where the other eye should be) Mayor Ox (voice by Blake Shelton).

Living in UglyVille is energetic, optimistic, gap-toothed pink doll Moxy (voice by Kelly Clarkson), who dreams every day of being loved by a child (because, as anyone who’s seen Rudolph knows, no toy is truly happy unless it’s loved by a child).

So, although the party never ends in UglyVille, Moxy recruits her best pals Wage (Wanda Sykes), Lucky Bat (Wang Leehom), Babo (Gabriel Iglesias) and UglyDog (Pitbull) for a mission to find out what’s at the other end of the pipe.

There, they land in Perfection, overseen by a slick, popstar-type doll named Lou (Nick Jonas) and his trio of loyal “mean girl doll” minions. But one of the girl dolls, Mandy (Janelle Monae) isn’t as perfect as she first appears. She becomes pals with the UglyDolls on their quest to endure Perfection’s Gauntlet, the final test before winding up in a child’s arms.

How do you think it ends? Yeah, you don’t even need me to tell you. Along the way, there are lots of catchy tunes, including this one …

https://youtu.be/W1W5OhNI9NI

But, Maybe There’s a Bit More Going On Here …

Here’s the two interesting things about this movie, especially for Christian parents.

First, at the beginning of the movie, UglyVille seems like the greatest place ever. It’s bursting with color and life, everyone seems happy and content with each other, there’s fun and food galore. Why would anyone want to leave?

When Moxy is thrown back there, her dreams temporarily shattered, all the energy goes out of UglyVille overnight. It’s only when Moxy regains her dream of belonging to a child of her own that joy returns.

Whether the filmmakers meant it or not (and likely not), it’s a demonstration that all the comforts of this world are not enough if we aren’t fulfilling our higher purpose, the thing that we were made to do.

Second, what helps Moxy triumph in the end is not her determination to win and overcome, but an overflowing of love and compassion.

On its surface, the movie is about accepting imperfections and celebrating individuality, and that’s a fine message in itself. But underneath, it says that we are made for more, that nothing short of our higher purpose will satisfy, and that love and compassion are the route to achieve that.

Not everyone has the same answer to what that higher purpose is, but we know ours — and we know it’s written onto every human heart.

Image: STX Films

Don’t miss a thing: Subscribe to all that I write at Authory.com/KateOHare.

And, head over to my other home, as Social Media Manager at Family Theater Productions; and check out FTP’s Faith & Family Media Blog, and our YouTube channel.

About Kate O'Hare

Based in Los Angeles, Kate O'Hare is a recovering entertainment journalist, social-media manager for Catholic production company Family Theater Productions and a screenwriter. You can read more about the author here.

Previous Post

May 1, 2019

'Hesburgh': Doc Lionizes Notre Dame President, Globetrotting Father Ted Hesburgh

Next Post

May 8, 2019 HBO's Nuke Drama 'Chernobyl': The High Cost of Denying Reality

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category books breaking news digital media Faith practice food interview jane the virgin media movies music NFL Pope Francis Showbiz 101 social media sports technology television Uncategorized video

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz