Review: Inside Out (2015) · 6:49pm Oct 28th, 2015
Guess who got emotionally wrecked by an animated movie about talking emotions?
This guy.
Simply put, Inside Out stands as a marvelous return to form for Pixar after a period of indecision and uncertainty. Going right back to the emotional themes such as family and storytelling devices that are brilliantly original, Inside Out shows exactly why Pixar Animation Studios is the absolute master of the modern day all ages animated film.
Pete Doctor's and Ronnie del Carmen's sensitive and intuitive screenplay perfectly balances smart and fun comedy with realistic drama, all while maintaining an enchanting aura of fantasy and whimsy that infectious. It never feels stilted or artificial, instead speaking to audience members of all ages in a straightforward, yet mature way that doesn't alienate or condescend. On top of that, the design of the world of the mind is stunningly beautiful and inventive, with beautifully rendered vistas that perfectly compliment the character designs and overall visual aura of the film.
The voice acting is stellar across the board, with the duo of Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation) who plays Joy and Phyllis Smith (The Office) who plays Sadness, both giving incredible performances. Supporting them is a bevy of great voices, from Bill Hader (SNL) as Fear, Louis Black as Anger and Mindy Kaling (The Mind Project) as Disgust. Rounding it out is Richard Kind as the lovable imaginary friend Bing Bong, Kaitlyn Dias as Riley, the girl to whom these emotions call home, and Diane Lane and Kyle MacLachlan as Riley parents. Everybody is absolutely on point, and perfectly embodies the characters they're playing.
The animation itself is nothing short of beautiful, with Pixar doing what it does best in creating absolutely ravishingly beautiful worlds of the mind, and animation that renders the emotions to their fullest. Coupled with Michael Giacchino's beautiful score, and the film strikes an emotional chord in the way that only a Pixar film can, which made me actively cry with how emotional it all was.
Suffice to say that Inside Out blows the competition out of the water, and puts Pixar firmly back at the absolute peak of American Animation. With real emotions and a story that speaks to us all, it's the best Pixar film since Toy Story 3, and quite simply one of their best, period. I place it right up there with the likes of Up, WALL-E and Monsters Inc.
Well done, Pixar, well done.
5 out of 5 stars.
You put it much better than I ever could. I loved this movie (it's currently tied with Jurassic World for my favorite movies this year), and I really feel like Pixar's back on their game after a few misfires.
Here's hoping The Good Dinosaur continues the trend
3503430 For me, the films of 2015 are ranked so far as:
1. Inside Out
2. Mad Max: Fury Road
3. Kung Fury
4. Cinderella
5. Ex Machina
6. Ant-Man