"INSIDE OUT" (2015)

Dir: Pete Docter

This movie really is a Joy!

Rating: PG

Cool Quote: "Crying helps me slow down and obsess over the weight of life's problems."

Recommended? Definitely

If I could use one word to describe PIXAR films, it would be "brilliant." It's amazing how many childhood memories I can connect to their staggering catelogue of masterpieces (I know every line of dialogue of "The Incredibles" and can recite them with completely accurate inflection) and even now, as I make the transition from a child's perspective to an adult's perspective, I am just as enchanted, perhaps to an even greater degree. Unfortunately, lately it feels as if that PIXAR magic has been dulled a bit by unneccesary sequels such as "Cars 2" and "Monsters University" as well as the just-okay "Brave." It seemed as if Disney and Dreamworks were about to take over the animation game that PIXAR had ruled for nearly 20 years. However, PIXAR's latest film, "Inside Out," proves just how BRILLIANT the company can be with one of the best movies that they have ever put out. 

"Inside Out" is a genius little tale that takes place entirely inside the brain of Riley, a fun-loving eleven-year-old girl from Minnesota. Instead of being a boring mass of tissues and synapses, Riley's brain is a colorful world with imaginative (no pun intended) landscapes and functions. It is controlled by five emotions that reside in a control center in the middle of the world: Joy (Amy Pohler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black), Fear (Bill Hader), and Disgust (Mindy Kaling). The casting for these characters is absolutely spot-on, especially Lewis Black's highly entertaining interpretation of Anger. The performances are simply amazing. 

So essentially, these emotions control Riley's actions and feelings, creating new memories associated with whichever emotion was dominant at the time. They are all surprisingly deep characters as they all equally care for Riley's well-being but their personalities and actions are each bound to the emotion they represent, it isn't like one of them is actively trying to screw things up for everyone, they work as a team, much like our own emotions.

Joy is by far the dominant emotion throughout Riley's childhood, creating happy memory after happy memory with the other emotions chiming in here and there when needed. A wrench is thrown into the works, however, when Riley's family has to move to San Fransisco. Sadness, an emotion usually relegated to the background, begins tampering with emotions, turning them from happy to sad, forever. Alarmed at Riley's lack of happiness, Joy tries various methods to maintain her control over Riley and her core memories, memories so important that they form fundamental aspects of Riley's personalities, expressed as various "islands" throughout the brain world. Sadly (so many puns), things escalate from there...and that is all I'm going to say because this movie is one that needs to be experienced!

What I love most about this movie, as well as other fantastic PIXAR movies, is how much detail they go into in order to make their world seem plausible from a fantastical perspective. They have managed to express what makes a peson who they are in such a complete and entertaining way that I am still baffled by how they were able to pull it off. From nightmares to imaginary friends, its all in the movie's world in some form or another! There is some pretty complex and abstract stuff in there too that anyone who has taken at least one psychology course can admire. That's the magic of PIXAR right there. The film is colorful and creative with an emotional and intellectual depth so that pretty much any age can genuinely enjoy and appreciate it.

We all know that PIXAR's animation is always top notch but the design in this movie stands out to me as one of their best. I especially love their use of color to create a mood and even tell us a story. There is an enormous contrast between the world inside Riley's head and the world on the outside. While her brain is bright and colorful, the outside is extremely grounded in reality and shrouded in hues of gray, gray and more gray. Another notable color distinction deals with the emotions themselves as each one is represented by a color. When memories are created, a little orb rolls into the control center, its color depending on whichever emotion influenced the creation of the memory and because we see a huge swath of yellow orbs, we can tell that Joy is used to being in charge.

It is only natural that a movie about emotions will make us feel emotions ourselves. As is usual with PIXAR films, you will probably well up with tears from both laughing and crying. This movie really does get to the core of our emotions, especially for people who are undergoing transitional periods. There are some pretty deep themes running through the movie about emotions and life in general that are made easily digestible in a way that only PIXAR knows how to do.

I cannot recommend this movie enough to ANYBODY. While some may be thrown off by the cartoony looking characters and concept, the film really is one of the most emotionally mature animated movies that I have seen in a long time. PIXAR is back with one of their best yet!