It was hard to avoid all the hype this got, but luckily, the latest offering from Pixar didn’t disappoint. Inside Out is a colorful, fun movie thanks to the inventive, brightly colored little people who control the thoughts of 11-year-old Riley (Kaitlyn Dias). There really can be little voices inside your head! It’s such a fresh concept for a kids’ movie, straying from the typical story lines based on animals, princesses or superheros. The movie follows Riley when she and her parents move to San Francisco, sharing what goes on in her head via ‘emotional voices.’ These are Joy (Amy Poehler) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith), who live at headquarters with Anger, Fear and Disgust. They control what Riley feels and how she acts with the push of a button. When Joy and Sadness accidentally get swept away to the memory bank, they must work together to find their way back to the control center. There were quite a few laugh-out-loud moments (especially during the ending credits), and it even got my 6-year-old talking about emotions. Truly an ingenious view on the way people think!
Should You See It? Yes! —K.M.
Viewed at Wehrenberg Des Peres 14 Cine