Inside Out 2

Let me start off by congratulating Pixar on yet another exhilarating achievement. Many people are wondering why they are having this kind of astronomical success at the box office. Simply put, millions of people out there were able to form a deep bond with the first film throughout the nine years following its 2015 release. Myself included, as the whole reason I created my imdb account that same year, was to drop a rate of 10/10 without ever even trying to justify it. Beautifully done worldbuilding by the legendary Pete Docter. Such a sophisticated film that will be talked about and praised through countless generations.

Having said all that, let's discuss the possible reasons Inside Out 2 might not have stuck its landing the way a lot of fans of the original may have wanted to. Let's just be upfront about it: the rhythm and pacing this time around are not very good. To elaborate on that, the sequencing of events seemed to have been oversimplified to fit into the 90 minute runtime the Pixar team aimed for. Moreover, the overall product feels rushed, without giving the audience enough time to develop feelings and emotional bonds towards what is happening as the scenes unpack in real time. To describe it in the way I came out of the movie theater like: "Man, is it over already?" The movie doesn't take its time to make us care for what the Emotions or Riley are going through. Without getting into spoilers, I feel like the movie fails to convey the complex emotions the movie is based around, and after having watched the trailers, one can already picture the type of climax and the way the film expects us to get attached to the characters at the end. But don't get it wrong, this film still manages to evoke certain emotions (although not as strong as the ones evoked in the first movie), which is a Pixar guarantee at this point. But still, despite all of its efforts to connect with the audience, I felt a little detached when the credits started rolling.

All in all, this really feels like a watered down version of what Pixar probably had in mind and due to the actors strikes and all those issues outside of their control, could have played a role in propelling this seemingly rushed product. Not trying to justify the movie's shortcomings, but you have to be fair when criticizing.

Let's not fool ourselves, there are some brilliant elements that I feel like they barely scratched the surface on and I'm hoping to see them properly developed one day.

It pains me, as I've always considered Inside Out (2015) my absolute favorite animated movie, and I know, you should never seek for perfection specially when it comes to sequels, but it still left me somewhat disappointed that it didn't receive the same level of care that the first one did.

Overall 7/10 Good but not especial.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but this is one of the best Pixar movies to date. I did not expect to like this movie very much. Disney and Pixar have been vastly disappointing and even controversial recently, but Inside Out 2 rivals Pixar's best movies like Up, Monsters inc., Ratatouille, The Incredibles and Toy Story in quality.

I found the story very moving. The best animated movies ever made appeal not just to children, but resonate with the more mature audience as well. And that's what this movie does.

The theme was very poignant. I loved the introduction of the new characters and especially how they incorporated anxiety into the transformation of puberty. Anxiety is not fun, but many people struggle with it.

The ending was great too. I love that they didn't wrap it up in a cliche way.

Great job Disney and Pixar!

I have disliked a number of Pixar movies, for being idealess and soulless. It truely felt like Pixar had lost all of their magic. But Inside Out 2 is a welcome movie among recent disappointments. Not at all perfect but still good! The story of Riley's transition into her teenage years, and finding a way to handle all of her new emotions, especially anxiety, appeal not just to children, but resonate with the more mature audience as well. The theme can be a little complex for younger audience. However the writers mange to keep it simple, funny and emotional. All the classic signs of a truly good Pixar movie. I loved the introduction of the new characters, and found them all to be likable in there on way. You could understand the motivation of each character, and none of them were over the top and outstayed their welcome "Except nostalgia" :-) The ending was great too. I love that they didn't wrap it up in a cliche way. Over all Good! Therefore i give it 8 starts. Great job Disney and Pixar!

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All in all, while "Inside Out 2" has a good concept and loveable characters, it is not perfect. Promoted as an entertaining event that lasts one and a half hours, it has a problem with a story. It introduces Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear again who travel through teenage Riley's mind, but it is not as profound as the first movie. While pacing appears to be slow with large chunks where not much story occurs and the audience is not able to form a bond with the character. Although the first film was emotional and deeply meaningful, "Inside Out 2" lacks a single, overarching message compared to its predecessor. The humor and warmth are insufficient to make up for the shoddy plot, even though some of the animation and voice acting are excellent. Younger audiences will find it entertaining, but it falls short of the first film's potential, which will disappoint some viewers who were hoping for yet another heartwarming tale.

Inside Out 2 talks about "growing up" in an emotional way and depicts how growing up is challenging inside our thoughts. The film introduces the emotions we had from the previous movie: Joy, Anger, Sadness, Fear and Disgust. We are also introduced to new emotions: embarrassment, Ennui (boredom), Envy and Anxiety.

Riley is about to go to high school but the story focuses on her preparation to officially join the FogHorn Hockey team. As the story progresses, Riley finds herself challenged with her hopes to join the team. Her friendship was wounded, her emotions went all over the place and the pressure got into her head. But eventually, everything goes into their proper places.

This sequel film may be animated and made for kids but as an adult, it just hits differently. I can say that this film was partially made for adults and for anyone who is in a bad mental situation. It reminds its viewers how growing older can be tough, how overthinking affects everything else, how decisions that are made today may affect what's next. But it is also a strong reminder that problems, fear, worries and anxieties will come. They are all inevitable but everything will pass. Take a deep breath, stay calm and do not overstress everything. Having a calm mind also affects the way we think. We may feel pressure at any given time but we have to sit back and relax.

Do not overstress things at the present. Live at the moment. The future is there but we live at the present, right here, right now. Enjoy life. Remember that you are not alone on whatever you are facing. Keep your friends and family close. And finally, God is always with us.

Inside Out 2 is a great film. Every audience will have a different way of enjoying this but just remember, you are who you are. Embrace yourself.

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