Inside Out-2015

Inside Out-2015

Director-Pete Docter

Starring-Amy Poehler, Diane Lane

Scott’s Review #272

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Reviewed September 8, 2015

Grade: B+

Frequently, when I view a modern animated feature, (and by modern, I mean 1990 and beyond), I am either bored or left with a “meh” feeling- or both. It seems the trend is “let’s create a manufactured film that will appeal to five year old’s who will drag their parents to it”.

It is almost as if mediocrity is accepted in the animated film, but Inside Out challenges this trend with a thoughtful, interesting slab of story.

With this latest Pixar offering, we find a refreshing, intelligent film that makes the viewer think, in addition to containing a genuine cute factor, with lots of colors and interesting animation interspersed throughout.

Our story finds eleven-year-old Riley Anderson, and her five different personalities, working within her brain in unison. The emotions are five distinct little people representing (and named) Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Fear, and Anger. They overlap, conflict, and humorously strive to take control of Riley’s mind and thought processes.

Joy is central, and the happiest of emotions. They all live in Riley’s conscious mind, named Headquarters.

One day, Riley and her family pack up and move from Minnesota to the unknown and overwhelming city of San Francisco to capitalize on a job opportunity offered to Riley’s father.

The city is bustling and the family is thrown for a loop. Riley in particular has a difficult time adjusting to this vastly different world and finds herself friendless and acting out of character. Sadness accidentally begins touching other emotions within Riley’s mind, which sets off a plethora of strange emotions causing her to behave strangely and become irritable.

Joy and Sadness struggle to return to Headquarters and fix the issues.

Inside Out is a complex animated film and will certainly go way above the heads of many youngsters who will undoubtedly see it. I find this rather refreshing.

It is a coming-of-age tale for adults and mature kids that challenges its audience rather than spitting out a retread or formulaic family story that we have seen countless times over.

Riley and her parents are arguably supporting players in the story, taking a back seat to the small, interesting creatures in Riley’s mind. In a way, her mind is a carnival of riches and cool characters emerge. I smiled as more characters were introduced. Riley’s imaginary friend from years ago, named Bing Bong, was pulled to the forefront of her emotions, as he was sadly was forgotten in her mind.

Who cannot relate to this? A childhood ritual of creating a friend.

I adored the trip through Riley’s mind and marveled at the revelation of the inner workings of her mind- with creative colors and bright interesting lights.

What a super-cool adventure for a young film lover to experience! Inside Out is quite sophisticated.

The main concern is the level of patience that this film requires. It is not a force-fed story, but rather encourages one to experience and feel.

Touching scenes do prevail, but the message I receive from Inside Out is an important one- a multitude of emotions in every human being is normal and the way the film shows them overlap and work together is ingenious- nobody is one emotion all the time- nor should they be as the movie promotes successfully.

Human beings are meant to feel.

The film also contains humor. I had to laugh out loud when one character sees a button labeled “puberty” and assumes it is nothing of importance. This inside joke is also alluded to after the film- a sequel perhaps? Given that Riley is only eleven years old, puberty will be the natural progression and an enormous one at that.

Inside Out challenges the norm in animated films and entices audiences to think. It feels genuine, which is impressive in itself. It is sentimental without feeling contrived or corny.

The film succeeds on many levels.

Oscar Nominations: Best Original Screenplay, Best Animated Feature Film (won)

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