The melancholy and joy in life

Rating: 9/10 (22 June 2015)

One thing which fascinates me with the general Pixar output is the streak of melancholy in so many of their films: Woody and Buzz's awareness of the ephemeral nature of life, Mr. Incredible's mid-life crisis, Wall-E's post-apocalyptic world, and the loneliness of Carl Frederickson quickly spring to mind. Inside Out (2015) continues this tradition with its examination of the inherent melancholy in life.
The commercials and trailers show off the bright colors and sparkling comedy, but there is so much more beneath the candy colored surface. This is a story about the pain and alienation that comes with growing up. In a society where we want to push past unpleasant aspects of life without reflecting, where we want to rush as fast as possible, this film gives us an important lesson: sadness is necessary, grief is essential, and whenever we confront pain in our lives, we must not try to brave the path by ourselves. It's extraordinary and moving, proof that Pixar is back on track giving us modern classics and not tripe.