Finally got around to seeing this. I wasn’t too enthusiastic about rushing to the theater during the release. The concept was just too complex to grasp in the trailer. However, Pixar never disappoints. Inside Out is a coming of age story about a little girl named Riley. The film follows her from birth to age eleven. In addition to our main character, we are introduced to her emotions. They are Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear. These emotions are personified characters who help define Riley’s character. It’s actually pretty entertaining. There’s humorous dialogue and events everyone can relate to.
As an animator I really appreciated the set designs. Every building and object represented a memory or significant event in Riley’s life. It made me reflect on how adults lose childhood memories. As well as the impact it has on our development as human beings. There are times when the film aesthetic changes, which is pretty cool. Team work is a very consistent theme throughout the film. I would have liked to see more scenes than action sequences. I say this because things got so dark for Riley.
It was as if I was watching the documentary of an emo kid. The color scheme even changed to match the mood. This took me out the film a little bit, which caused me to lose interest for a while. For a minute, I actually thought all hope was lost. Through clever writing, my hopes were restored in a believable way. Inside Out is a layered narrative that the whole family can enjoy. It tackles issues that both children and adults deal with. It’s worth a watch. It’ll give you that warm fuzzy feeling if you’re not depressed before it reaches the climax.