Verdict: One of the most original ideas from Pixar, “Inside Out” is one of the great films of the summer and worthy of being close to Wall-E, Up and Toy Story in any DVD collection.
Pixar holds an enormous advantage over other studios. While most filmmakers must stay within certain boundaries of reality, Pixar is free to go wherever their minds want to. In “Inside Out”, they did that again, but this time the studio went exactly there: into the mind.
“Inside Out,” tells the story of Riley and five characters inside her head – Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust. They form a team that keeps Riley developing and living normally. Everything goes amiss, however when Riley moves from the Midwest to San Francisco, a city without her friends and her beloved hockey team. To worsen the situation, Joy and Sadness become lost in Riley’s mind, unable to help her during this transition.
The main idea itself is one of the most creative Pixar had in recent years. It is a relief to see the studio break away from spinoffs (Monsters University) and sequels.
The weakest part of the film is Riley’s story – moving to a strange place – as Pixar already explored the concept in more than a few films such as Toy Story and Cars. However, the new and surprising angle is interesting. While Pixar relied on a bit of cliché for Riley’s character, this is far from affecting the film and its main concept.
Exploring the brain with Joy and Sadness is a fascinating trip. With them, we take a tour through places such as the gigantic libraries of memories, the infinite possibilities of imagination land, as well as the factory of dreams – a mini copy of Hollywood. Every stop along the way is worthwhile as the construction of these environments is creative and beautiful.
“Inside Out” goes into the terrain Pixar knows best: imagination without the limits of reality, whether it means toys going into adventures or cars acting as humans. Gone are the monsters and superheroes, common to other films, and back comes the imagination to not only animate objects, but also to create a world in a completely different place such as the human brain. Directors Pete Docter and Ronaldo del Carmen led the screenwriting team with mastery, and the result is an entertaining film for all ages.
Funny and irreverent, filled with creative sceneries and colorful characters, “Inside Out” may be one of the best and most original films this summer.
