Inside Out (3D)
Finally! I’ve now seen where all those colourful, weird-looking alien things from those Subway and Sky Broadband adverts came from!
Inside Out is the fifteenth film helmed by Pixar Animation Studios. It follows the story of the five major emotions that make up the headquarters of a child’s brain, the emotions being Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust.
As you can tell from the synopsis, this film plays with some pretty abstract and imaginitive ideas. This film doesn’t ask questions like “What if toys were alive?”, “What if super-heroes lived in our world?”, “What if a rat could cook?” or “What if everyone was a car?” While those ideas can generate interesting conversations (apart from the last one which, if you asked it would make me concerned) they pale in comparison with the question asked in Inside Out. What is going on in your head?
Wow! That’s a question that grown-ups spend their entire lives asking. And this complex question is answered through a beautifully realised world shown to be the mind.
The mind we spend most of the movie in is that of a 12 year old girl called Riley and the emotions I’ve told you about represent her emotions throughout the majority of the movie.
I have just set up the story and have attempted to do so in a calm and methodical manner. This has been very difficult for me, because I keep wanting to insert the word “brilliant” or “brilliantly” at different moments in the sentences. The reason being that this is a brilliant movie.
First of all, the world that Pixar has created to illustrate the workings of the mind is excellent. Everything is explained seamlessly through the narrative which weaves the emotionally complex story of Riley with the physically complex story of this inner world.
Secondly, the emotions are great characters. You’d think that having your main characters literally be embodiments of states of mind would make them the definition of one-dimensional. Yet somehow the writing keeps everyone of them surprisingly intricate while still having them represent their names beautifully.
Speaking of beautiful, I can’t think of anyone more suited to this film than Pixar. The animation style perfectly conveys brightness, darkness, colour and blackness, all of which make an appearance thematically throughout.
I mentioned that the story was emotionally complex. Of course, with its subject, this movie would have to be. This is a tremendously moving picture. I laughed at several moments and, I’m not going to lie, I cried a few times.
And that brings me onto the final great thing that Inside Out gives us, its message. Both Riley and her emotions learn something that I don’t hear very often. It’s OK to be sad sometimes.
Everyone has fallen in love with Pixar’s latest offering and I have too. I honestly think I have a new favourite of theirs.
The one thing nobody seems to be agreeing on is the short that comes on before the film starts. This one is called Lava and since its a short film I won’t tell you anything about what it’s about.
I thought it was good. Nothing great. A nice wee story at the beginning. I know some people don’t like it for its music and writing, but I don’t think it’s much of a sacrifice to watch a five minute short film that isn’t quite as good as others that the company have made before enjoying a masterpiece.
And it is truly a masterpiece. While you can see influences for this film in Osmosis Jones and The Numskulls in Inside Out the way it is delivered with such an emotional punch, makes it a sight to behold.
I thought, while I was watching this movie, that this film really understood me, but it didn’t. It understands all of us.
Recommended Scenario: See it. Everyone should see it.
If what I have written tells you that you would like this film, you can book tickets to see it at your local Cineworld here. 
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