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Poster Description: “Make room for
new emotions” is the tagline at the top of the poster. (Right) Embarrassment
holds his large, pink face in his hands, his bulbous nose poking out. Anxiety
has her hands in her large mouth, looking frazzled. Ennui curves around the
corner of the image, staring at her phone. Envy looks on in awe with enormous
eyes; Joy is squashed between cowering Fear and irked Disgust. Sadness is
crying in the corner; Anger bares his teeth. |
It’s not every day I watch a film and demand a sequel immediately; I experienced this back in 2015. Inside Out was the epitome of what Pixar does best: asking, “What if?” In this case, “What if emotions…had emotions?” Yes, it still sounds ridiculous, but the writers gave us a moving and intelligent answer that the whole family could enjoy.
The sequel continues exploring the question, with young Riley (Kensington Tallman – what an incredible name) starting puberty. Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger, Disgust, and Fear must make room for new emotions that will change Riley’s life forever.
Ever since 2022’s Turning Red, I’ve noticed a shift in the zeitgeist; the experience of young girls in all its messiness is getting much-needed attention. Like Turning Red, Inside Out 2 keeps it fun and friendly; the designs of the new characters – Anxiety (played brilliantly by Maya Hawke, Stranger Things), Envy, Embarrassment, Envy and, my personal favourite, Ennui – are striking and easy to differentiate. Ennui (voiced by Adèle Exarchopoulos) is a dark mauve seemingly made of melted rubber by the way she lolls about. In contrast, Embarrassment almost permanently hides his face in his hoodie.
Furthermore, I wish Inside Out 2 existed when I was a teenager. The Pixar team spoke with psychiatrists, parents, and young women to ensure the film was as realistic an experience as possible – and it is painfully so in places. Riley navigates new situations and makes new friends, often at the expense of old ones. It’s funny, surprising, and essential viewing. We have a pseudo-villain whose character arc brought me to near tears more than once on behalf of my younger self. To her and those young teenage girls out there: you will be okay; you are not alone.
There is a reason Inside Out 2 is currently
the highest-grossing animated film of all time. It’s smart, funny, and has
important messages. Go and watch it now.
My Rating: 5 STARS OUT OF 5
My Sources:
Inside Out 2 poster – http://www.impawards.com/2024/inside_out_two_ver2.html
When was Turning Red released? - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8097030/
What research did Pixar do for Inside Out 2? -https://time.com/6987825/inside-out-2-neuroscience/
Is Inside Out 2 the highest-grossing
animated film of all time? - https://www.forbes.com/sites/timlammers/2024/10/11/inside-out-2-ends-its-theatrical-run-how-much-did-it-make/
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