I haven’t been a fan of Pixar for a while. Part of that’s inevitably because I’ve just grown out of the age range they’re aiming at, but it’s also because of a lack of originality. There’s been too much reliance on nostalgia with sequels like The Incredibles 2 and Finding Dory, and the studio doesn’t even seem invested in its own worth when it decides to plonk entries like Luca straight onto Disney+ before letting them bask in the big screen sun. The fact that the company recently dropped 175 of its employees in the biggest remodel in Pixar history isn’t a great sign either.
Inside Out was definitely one of the last Pixar films which I watched and genuinely enjoyed. There was a novel concept, engaging characters and a strong emotional core. Can the same be said of the sequel? Largely, yeah. We lose the sense of novelty since we’re already aware of how things work; anthropomorphised emotions are at the helm of people’s minds, controlling their reactions and trying to steer them in the appropriate direction. But the basic idea’s still decent. Riley’s reached adolescence, so it’s time for some new emotions to take centre stage. Enter colourful characters like Anxiety, Embarrassment and Ennui, plus some high-quality voice acting to boot. As Riley’s experience at hockey camp becomes increasingly stressful, the old and new emotions start to come into conflict.
The animators have left plenty of room for creative existential scenarios. When I think of the stream of consciousness, I mostly get minor flashbacks to reading the chunky tome of zero full stops that is James Joyce’s Ulysses, but the creators go slightly more low brow here, with a literal stream filled with the individual’s actual thoughts. Broccoli is definitely my family vegetable (if family vegetables were a thing, which they’re not; basically we used to have broccoli with most meals in the evening), but riding one in my subconscious might be intriguing. I know that’s not what’s going on here, but…anyway. The additions of sarcasm and brainstorm are also a lot of fun too. You’ll understand when you see ‘em, anyway.
The emotional crescendo hits hard and leads to a satisfying ending. Less satisfying when you consider that Pixar seem to be banking on sequels more these days (Pixar director Pete Doctor recently discussed a not-so-wise move towards sequels and relatability rather than originality in future efforts). I guess there’s some potential there? You could explore post-teen Riley in the cost-of-living crisis (I know Inside Out and Pixar are American, but, uh, roll with it), midlife crisis Riley, maybe elderly old people’s home Riley. But yeah, holding onto the thin hope that Pixar stop milking this particular cash cow, Inside Out 2 was a pretty joyful time.