By Arshia Mahajan (25S06R)
Remember Inside Out, the movie that answered the question “What if our emotions had thoughts and feelings?” Believe it or not, it’s been nine years since the loss of our favourite imaginary friend Bing Bong, and its sequel, in true Pixar style, is full of laughs and perhaps a few tears too.
Walking into the theatre, my friend and I are the only 17 year olds in a hall full of little kids not older than ten – another reminder that we, like Riley, are growing older and are perhaps no longer Disney’s target audience. But, as we’ll soon see in the movie, growing up is just a part of life and change is inevitable, whether we like it or not.
As the familiar Disney opening starts, one cannot help but sigh in nostalgia – which happens to be one of the new emotions we are introduced to in this film.
Premise: 4/5
The movie picks up right where we left off, with Riley playing ice hockey, and Joy still being a little bit bossy up in headquarters. Everything seems to be going right for Riley; she’s getting good grades, her parents are proud of her, and she’s just been invited to hockey camp along with her two best friends.
Yet, as we all know, puberty is a switch that gets flicked overnight and messes everything up, and that’s exactly what happens to Riley — literally. The five existing emotions wake up in the middle of the night before camp to find headquarters in a mess and the arrival of a few new emotions: Anxiety, Embarrassment, Envy, and my personal favourite, Ennui – a combination of boredom and tiredness (lovingly dubbed Weewee by Joy).
In the midst of struggling with all these new changes, Riley has to attend camp and choose between her old friends (who are going to different high schools) and the cool, older girls. Sure, it’s a little bit cliche, but when has that ever stopped a Disney and Pixar movie from being a masterpiece?
Humour: 5/5
Inside Out 2 wouldn’t be quite the same without its literal and visual puns every other scene. I looked forward to every time ‘Weewee’ appeared on screen, as her dry French manner of speaking was truly a brilliant stroke that brought the entire movie together.
Even when certain jokes were dragged out or repeated slightly more than was necessary, it clearly resonated with the audience, if the constant laughter I was hearing throughout the one and a half hours was any indication.
Development: 3/5
Credit where credit is due – I could definitely appreciate the parallels drawn between Riley’s attempts to balance her new friends with her old ones and the conflict between the emotions up at headquarters, which I thought was nicely done.
However, we have already seen the different emotions struggle for dominance in the first movie, and we have already understood the lesson – all emotions are important, even the sometimes unpleasant ones. While it may not have been exactly the same story in Inside Out 2, it did feel slightly repetitive.
To be fair, much of the charm of the Inside Out franchise comes from the personification of Riley’s emotions and exploring the different parts of her mind. From that perspective, this movie does a more than decent job of world-building and animating the many details that go on in our heads.
Relatability: 5/5
While Riley made some questionable choices at times, I found her to be extremely relatable. From still secretly enjoying her childhood shows to overthinking every little embarrassing interaction, it was as if I was watching some parts of my own life on screen.
And I might be a little biased, but I have never felt as seen in a fictional character as I did in Ennui. I, too, am addicted to my phone yet perpetually bored at the same time.
What struck me the most was how Riley dealt with her friends going to a different school than her. It got me thinking about how we might end up in a similar boat to Riley when we graduate, with everyone going their separate ways. However, if there is one thing I can learn from Riley in this movie, it is to keep in touch and reach out to the people who are most important to me.
Overall Rating: 4.25/5
I have a soft spot for Pixar movies in general, with their tendency to be lighthearted and still strike our hearts with an important message at the end. Inside Out 2 is no different. All our experiences make up who we are as a person – even the embarrassing ones. More importantly, we cannot tie our self-worth to other people and lose our own sense of self along the way.
This film is a beautiful story about growing up and navigating all of life’s challenges. After learning the importance of not suppressing emotions, Riley has now grown up, and Inside Out 2 is all about dealing with the inner turmoil that comes with change as well as the many pressures of being a teenager.
Truth be told, I was not expecting much from this movie when I walked into the theatre. After all, I may have loved the first movie when it came out, but I was also eight. However, the silly humour, the cinematic animation, and, of course, ‘Weewee’, made the nine year wait well worth it.
If you can’t tell by now, I absolutely loved this movie. Don’t take my word for it, though – if you haven’t already, go make a core memory and catch the movie at your nearest theatre; I guarantee it will trigger the Joy living up there.
