Inside Out 2
Pixar has high hopes for Inside Out 2, the sequel to one of the stellar animation studio's more popular releases in recent years.
While the likes of Lightyear and Elemental were not disastrous by any stretch of the imagination, they ultimately failed to set the box office alight, something the Pixar and Disney partnership have become well accustomed to ever since their golden age when they churned out hits like Toy Story, A Bug's Life and Finding Nemo year after year.
Despite a change in director, with Kelsey Mann replacing duo Pete Docter and Ronnie Del Carmen, not to mention Bill Hader and Mindy Kaling unable to reprise their roles as characters Fear and Disgust, the diagnosis here is a positive one. Inside Out 2 displays the same fun and frenetic energy as the 2015 original, thanks to a sharp-witted script, a solid, engaging story and the usual visual finesse Pixar is known for.
As we all know, growing up can be a challenging experience, and as Riley Andersen prepares to celebrate her thirteenth birthday, neither she nor her parents have given much thought to what lies ahead with the onset of that dreaded, transformational period known as puberty.
So too are Riley's emotions blissfully unaware of the impending changes ahead, and it's only a few hours after Riley has blown out her birthday candles when, all snug in their beds, emotions Joy, Anger, Fear, Sadness and Disgust are awoken by a piercing 'puberty' alarm on Riley's dashboard.
Then – crash, bang, wallop! – the gang in Riley's head are hastily ushered from their beds by a busy construction crew who are sent in to extend the premises to make room for the arrival of new emotions, namely Anxiety, Envy, Ennui and Embarrassment.
As Joy and the team try their best to accommodate the new arrivals, Riley is preparing to leave home for the summer as she and her two best friends set off for hockey camp.
It's a tumultuous time for Riley as she begins to meet new friends and experience strange and unfamiliar emotions, and the good natured Joy has her work cut out for her as she prepares to navigate Riley through this next transformational period in her life.
Getting the right balance between genuine sentiment and playful, cartoonish comedy can be difficult, but Pixar replicates the same wondrous charm displayed in the first movie as the full gamut of emotions clash with one another and struggle to find their place in Riley's expanding mind.
It's a charming set-up and one that allows Pixar to play around with the state of Riley's emotions – and that of her parents and friends around her.
With slick animation and a genuinely engaging story filled with nuance, heart and soul, Inside Out 2 is a must-see family flick that will delight the Disney/Pixar aficionados out there who fancy some more playfully inventive and entertaining mind games.
