Pixar’s emotional return
If there is one thing that the creators at Pixar know, it is how to tug on the ole heartstrings. Although the company was built upon the kind of technological advancement that is often seen as cold or unfeeling, from day one, Pixar has thrived on the mantra “Story is King”. This is the mentality that has helped to create the original concepts behind many beloved classics such as Toy Story, Monsters Inc., and Finding Nemo. In recent years, however, we have seen a slew of sequels and prequels coming out of Pixar headquarters. With the release of Toy Story 3 came Cars 2, and Monsters University, leaving movie fans wondering if that primary spark of originality had been lost to the world of franchising and money-making. All of this has changed with Pixar’s latest, Inside Out.
Conceptually, Inside Out is nothing short of a thematic masterpiece, digging deep inside the makeup of the human brain and touching on everything from the loss of imagination to the conception of abstract thought. Though this may not sound like a film aimed at children, it is very much a film for anyone who either is a child or who as been a child at some point in their life.
The story focuses on Riley, an 11-year-old girl dealing with the struggles of growing up while her family is rerouted from their home in Minnesota to San Francisco. During this transition, Riley’s emotions run wild, leaving her confused and detached. Each emotion is personified as a colourful character who inhabits Riley’s brain. Her primary emotional makeup is comprised of Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Disgust (Mindy Kaling), Fear (Bill Hader), and Anger (Lewis Black). From the moment Riley was born, Joy has been the driving force behind Riley’s personality, which is portrayed in the film as a series of islands and life events meticulously archived in a library of memories. When her world is flipped upside down, her emotions are thrown into a whirlwind of trouble.
At the end of the day, Inside Out is a movie about emotions, and it sure did make me emotional. It is a gorgeously animated, brilliantly scored film that allows the viewer to become self-reflective and remember exactly what it feels like to grow up. It reminds us that, as we get older, sometimes feelings change, sometimes memories are forgotten, and sometimes you can’t have Joy without Sadness.