Sure, a film about death and the afterlife can be scary but Selick and Peele show that it can have some heartwarming moments in between the laughs and scares.
Moment Subpages are Spoilers Off. You Have Been Warned.
- The thriving town showing the citizens cheerfully enjoying an autumn like festival, with child Kat happily sitting at Fawzi's truck and snacking on a caramel apple.
- As Kat gets a panic attack at crossing the bridge where her parent's died, Ms. Hunter notices this and stops the car to check on Kat.
- Even though Kat had gotten into a lot of trouble in the past, Ms. Hunter still believes in her and hopes RBC could be the home she needs. Before she goes she even gives Kat her coat to ward off the cold and jokingly says she'd better make this place work because she bet her grandmother's fry bread recipe on her.
- Most of the girls at school seem to admire Kat, with a small group of them even nodding their heads to the music from Kat's boom box when some of the nuns covered their ears.
- Any moment where Raul's trans identity is validated:
- Despite having parted ways as friends, when Siobhan deadnames him by force of habit while snapping at him, she instantly and sincerely apologizes for the mistake.
- When on the phone with her boss, Raul's mom expresses worry about her son. After an inaudible reply, she fiercely says, "No! A son, remember?"
- And, while there's still clearly some institutional issue forcing Raul to still attend a Catholic school for girls, the fact that he's allowed to openly attend as Raul, wearing a schoolboy uniform, and called by his proper name not only by Sister Helley but even by the crooked Father Bests.
- Raul is comfortable enough to show Kat an old photo of himself before transitioning, with Kat's only comment being surprised he was once a "poodle" with Siobhan's group.
- While not the best of introductions, and not listening to Kat's request of not using "Kay-Kay", Siobhan and her group are genuinely kind and inviting to Kat. They try to make her feel at as home as possible and throughout the movie just want to be friends with her.
- Despite Kat being icy towards Raul and saying anyone who gets close to her dies, she still chooses him to come along during her attempted resurrection ceremony as a witness. It was likely because he was the most convenient choice who wouldn't ask too many questions, but it shows Kat slowly growing a soft spot for Raul.
- As the two are punished by writing lines, Raul lightens the mood by drawings caricatures of the two sisters as penguins. This gets a giggle out of Kat.
- Kat buying takeout from Fawzi's falafel truck. They both remember each other from before Kat went away and it's the first time in the movie that Kat seems relaxed; he even throws in a bottle of the hot sauce she likes.
- Although it put him into unknown danger, Raul steals the hair cream and uses it to resurrect Kat's parents for her. When she finally reunites with her parents, they call Raul her friend.
- Raul rocking out to old music with Kat's parents.
- Manberg returning Belzer's children to him, prompting the latter to call him 'Manberg the Merciful'.
- On a related note, Buffalo Belzer having his icy exterior melted by Raul's artwork of a warrior protecting an infant makes him realize that the way he's treated his kids wasn't right and that he genuinely missed them. He even tells Wendell and Wild that he's willing to try out their ideas for the Dream Faire, much to their joy.
- Also, despite being a giant demon, Buffalo Belzer never actually harms any of the living humans. When he grabs Kat, Raul, Wendell, Wild, and Kat's parents, he quickly separates them in his hands and singles out Wendell and Wild to talk to them, and quickly lets them go in exchange for his missing kids. Considering his size, and that he already tortures the Souls Of The Danged gleefully, he could have easily Curb Stomped Kat and her friends.
- As her parents die for a second time, Kat uses her powers to show them a vision of the town's recovery.
- Wendell and Wild promising Kat to get her parents VIP passes to their new Dream Faire.
- Despite the runaround they give her about resurrecting her parents, Wendell and Wild seem to genuinely like Kat. When they meet her for the first time, they're utterly elated and attempt to hug her. By the end of the movie, Kat seems to have developed a fondness for them as well, counting them among her friends.
- Raul's artwork depicts a mother protecting her child from a monster. Considering that Raul's own mother tries to be a leader for the town, uncover a five year old murder to hold the criminal accountable, and has undoubtedly accepted Raul's transition and protected him from transphobia, the mural is a subtle way of Raul showing just how much he appreciates her.
