Since Disney’s acquisition of Pixar in 2006, the studio has
seen a noticeable decline in the quality of its output, the most impactful
inarguably being the deplorable Cars 2 (2011),
a throwaway, pointless and shameless attempt to enhance merchandising. Although
subsequent efforts haven’t been quite so poor, they have, by Pixar’s standards
at least, been painfully average. Not even the luscious settings and imagery
throughout Brave (2012) were able to
provide much buoyance to a contrastingly bland, predictable and frankly
forgettable plot, while Monsters
University (2013), though a surprising improvement on the aforementioned
feature in terms of originality, paled miserably in comparison to the 2001
blockbuster it succeeded. Hardly a monster of a movie. Now, however, Pixar’s latest effort Inside Out, due for release later this
year, sees the studio emerge from the cesspit of ‘sequelitis’, and with any
luck, the mire of mediocrity in which it has recently become firmly sunk. The
trailers, as of yet, are indeed indicative of something brand new and wholly original
– something we haven’t seen from Pixar since Up, way back in 2009. That said, though undoubtedly an original
concept, it nonetheless appears a little overly ambitious.
Directed by Pete Docter, the man behind the monsters, Inside Out concerns 11-year-old Riley,
and the emotions that dictate her every move – Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger and
Disgust. It is, as the title explicitly implies, a story told from the inside
out, from deep within Riley’s emotional psyche. Indeed, as with all Pixar’s
efforts pre-2010s, it sounds as though it’ll have the potential to be, if you’ll
pardon the pun, mind-blowing. But, what with Pixar having since disregarded
their policy on wholly original concepts with their every release, it does at
least make me question whether they are in fact trying a little too hard to
return to form.
Unlike some of the current views circulating prior to this
film’s release, however, I have no doubts that it will prove popular with
audiences. While it might be argued that the themes present in the film are a
little profound and complex for what is indisputably conveyed to be a ‘family
movie’, Pixar’s appeal is wide-reaching, encompassing billions around the
world, young and old alike. Look at Up,
for example. What makes that film succeed is the raw emotion that ultimately
drives the narrative. It’s an adult movie, littered with adult personalities,
donning the mask of colourful children’s and/or family entertainment. Likewise,
Inside Out appears to derive much
from this paradox, presenting colourful characters and spots of light comedy to
enable the mitigation of what one can assume is going to be a powerful,
emotional cinematic experience. And I therefore have no problem with that.
My issue (or rather, apprehension) instead lies with the
notion that the majority of the film – at least its ‘inside’ aspect – takes place
in a universe all of its own, occupied not by actual physical beings, but by
allegorical states of consciousness. Sure, the film looks good, but summarise
it like that and it sounds like an animated commercial for psychotherapy. Originality
is a tremendous quality, but one that can prove a little jarring if pushed to
extremes. Furthermore, emotional journeys are best conveyed through the
simplest characters and concepts – something this movie appears to avoid. Of
course, these are mere concerns in anticipation of the movie’s release. As of
yet, it’s far too early to judge whether or not this idea will stand the studio
in good stead or just perpetuate their streak of mediocrity. In any case, it’s
refreshing to hear of a project from Pixar that harkens back to the good old
days of original storytelling. Make the most of it, guys. With Finding Dory, Toy Story 4 and The
Incredibles 2 in the pipeline, it might be the last we experience for a
while.
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