Inside Out

Let me cut to the chase and just post my first initial reactions to Disney Pixar's new film Inside Out: Man tears flowed out of me while I reminisced on childhood days. Inside Out is the best film I have seen so far this year, and it is possibly one of the best animated features I have seen in a while. It finds the long lost spirit and heart of Pixar.

As a studio, Pixar is known for making films with heavy emotional investments; not only for the characters on-screen, but also for the audience members watching the film, either for the first time or on repeated viewings. If you have no clue what I am talking about when I mention Pixar's emotional investment, it is best to watch the first few minutes to Up before continuing with this review.

And as a side-note: before heading to the theatre with younger audience members, note that the film might resonate with or confuse kids due to the fact that it deals with the topic of emotions in an sophisticated (Freudian analogies abound), but fun way. 

The story’s premise is a simple one. We see several emotions that live in Riley's head. There is Joy (voiced by Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Fear (Bill Hader), Disgust (Mindy Kaling), and Anger (Lewis Black). Riley has just turned 11 and is moving to San Francisco. Joy tries her best to keep everyone up-beat as they navigate a new house and things like organic pizza. As Anger puts it, in one of the best lines in the film, "Congratulations San Francisco: you've ruined pizza. First the Hawaiians, and now you."  

The one emotion that seems like a loose cannon, at first, is Sadness. This is due to the fact that she tampers with the core memories that Joy has created. An accident caused by Sadness, tampering with the core memories, leads her and Joy to end up outside of Riley's head, leaving only Fear, Disgust and Anger. Riley shuts down without Joy or Sadness in her life, as the other emotions realize they cannot be Joy or Sadness. This is best exemplified during the dinner table scene.

Meanwhile Joy and Sadness navigate the exterior of Riley's head, which can be vast, endless, and entertaining in equal measure. Riley's imaginary friend Bing Bong, the new fictional Canadian boyfriend, Princess Unicorn, and the birthday clown are just some of the delightful and fun characters you will meet along the journey.

As for the heart-warming message that both the audience and Joy figure out at the same time? I do not want to spoil this highly pivotal, emotional moment. All I will say is: bring some tissues. 

The voice acting is so well-cast; you could say it is type-casted. I have included some of the best of reasons with YouTube clips following this review. This film is for all ages, and for the adult that says “I don't think I want to see a kid’s film,” I say to you: find it in you to see the layers of complexity that the Pixar team has developed to explain emotions. This is a top notch animation work that truly exemplifies the ability of Pixar to understand the emotions that live in our heads. 

5/5 

Joy voiced by Amy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5sgX9gH8hc

Sadness Voiced by Phyllis Smith https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ILunvlm1YU

Fear Voiced by Bill Hader https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDtHJYa6xu4

Disgust (With Vanity) voiced by Mindy Kaling https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRjenLqGqm0

Anger Voiced  Lewis Black: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bzO2NcylwI