Yup, we were a bit behind on seeing Inside Out. It released just before we headed to Europe and we waited until we were visiting Disneyland to see it at the Downtown Disney AMC. As expected, it was 100% worth the wait.
One quick comment before I plunge into my review; It's been years since I've been to a movie at the Downtown Disney AMC and it was a letdown. The theatre is nice and the annual pass holder discount is nice, but there was a large number of people sneaking into our theatre. I know movies are expensive, but sneaking into movies goes totally against my morals.
First, expensive or not, theaters are a business and if you can't respect their policies, don't go. Two, movies are intended to be viewed in their entirety and it's disrespectful to come in during the middle. Third, the one that pissed me off, is it's totally disrespectful to the people who paid to see the movie. If you're going to sneak in, be quiet and take the first seat on the side. Don't let me notice you. It's rude. Extra rude goes to the couple that came in with a crying baby in a large stroller. Babies in movie theaters is another issue...but sneaking in with a crying baby and taking your time finding a seat in the middle, really? We had no less than six different groups of people sneak in during our screening. I can't remember going to a movie where it was this bad.
PLOT - Inside Out introduces us to the emotions that live inside of a preteen named Riley. When Riley is uprooted from her happy life in Minnesota, due to her father's job transfer, the emotions (Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust and Fear) must work overtime to adapt to her new situation. Disaster strikes when the emotions lose control of their central command station, damaging Riley's memories. Opposite emotions, Joy and Sadness must work together to fix the situation before Riley suffers permanent damage.
LIKE - Do I have a new favorite Pixar movie? Just maybe. Inside Out is funny and endlessly clever, but more than that, it's an important film. Emotions are a difficult thing to discuss and I think that this film could be a good starting point to open up the discussion. Riley feels like she has to put on a happy face for her parents, who are also struggling with the move. Joy struggles when Riley feels any other emotion and must come to terms with it being okay to let Riley feel other things, like sadness and anger. Her parents also come to this conclusion. It's okay to have a range of emotions, it's normal. It's healthy to express those emotions and share what you are feeling with your family.
I loved Bing Bong, Riley's forgotten imaginary friend; part elephant, part dolphin, part cat and part cotton candy! It was sad and affecting to have Bing Bong, once key part of Riley's life, become a faded memory.
The funniest moment in the film is during the end credits. Make sure to stay in your seat to see the emotions that live inside of our pets!
DISLIKE - Not one single thing to dislike.
RECOMMEND - YES, YES, YES!!!
BONUS - Also included, is the latest Pixar short, Lava. As if to prime us for Inside Out, Lava manages to pack in a lot of emotion into seven minutes. Told through song, Lava is the story of a lonely volcano, who is seeking love as he disappears under the ocean. If you want a song stuck in your head forever, go see Lava. Dan picked the song as a ring-tone on his phone and I keep hearing, "Lava was just so, so sad". It clearly made an impression. Lava was depressing, catchy and it made me want to book us on the next flight to Hawaii. The bags are packed, let's go!