Inside Out – Movie Review

Recently, Joe and Jude went to an advanced screening of Disney Pixar’s new film, Inside Out.

Joe’s Review
Inside Out could quite possibly be the best movie that Pixar has ever done. it’s funny and sad and heartwarming, and it doesn’t speak down to the children in the audience. It is the most high-concept film that Pixar has done to date, but it contains just enough exposition to explain the concepts without getting bogged down or feeling forced.

The constructs of the story, personified emotions, help children understand how to deal with emotions and deal with change in the larger context of growing up, which also serves to remind parents that children are growing up and don’t yet have a handle on how to best handle their emotions.

Among the things I liked best about Inside Out are Lewis Black’s portrayal of Anger, and Bing Bong, who has his own theme song and is one of the most unique characters I’ve seen anywhere.

About Inside Out
Based in Headquarters, the control center inside 11-year-old Riley’s mind, five Emotions are hard at work, led by lighthearted optimist Joy (voice of Amy Poehler), whose mission is to make sure Riley stays happy. Fear (voice of Bill Hader) heads up safety, Anger (voice of Lewis Black) ensures all is fair and Disgust (voice of Mindy Kaling) prevents Riley from getting poisoned—both physically and socially. Sadness (voice of Phyllis Smith) isn’t exactly sure what her role is, and frankly, neither is anyone else.

When Riley’s family relocates to a scary new city, the Emotions are on the job, eager to help guide her through the difficult transition. But when Joy and Sadness are inadvertently swept into the far reaches of Riley’s mind—taking some of her core memories with them—Fear, Anger and Disgust are left reluctantly in charge. Joy and Sadness must venture through unfamiliar places—Long Term Memory, Imagination Land, Abstract Thought and Dream Productions—in a desperate effort to get back to Headquarters, and Riley.