Do It With Soul
By: Ryan Hall
Tags: Movie Review, Music, Pixar, Soul, Soul Searching

After the final credits of Soul finished, and after I picked my jaw off the bed, I looked over at my dog Pete and I said to him “this is what I’ve been missing. All year, this is what my soul has been missing.”

What do Pete and one of the deepest films I’ve ever seen have to do with each other? Read on.

First, for the movie review portion of our program…

Soul is the latest master class in storytelling from Pixar. The story is about a guy named Joe. Joe is a middle school band teacher. And his band…how can I say this without being insensitive…they aren’t good. Except for this one trombone player who really has potential, the rest…yeah, the less said the better.

While Joe teaches band, his passion is dropping Herbie Hancock bombs from the piano. Jazz is what sets his soul on fire.

Joe gets a phone call from a former student of his whose career has blossomed. He’s playing drums for a big-time sax player at the “Half Note.” She needs a piano player.

Joe rushes to the Half Note and crushes the audition.

“Dress in a sharp suit and be here by six for soundcheck.”

Side note, the Half Note looks exactly like the Village Vanguard in NYC.

Over the moon, Joe is skipping down the street in the East Village and steps in a manhole. While he’s in, let’s say “limbo,” he gets to mentor a soul in training named 22. She’s been there for a while, as most of the souls are in the billions who are getting sent out.

And this is where it gets deep.

It involves Tina Fey, Jamie Foxx, and a cat. And it’s one of the deepest films I have ever had the privilege to watch. And I got to watch it in my room!

With my love of music, and my love of soul (I mean, soul IS one of my essence words after all) I cannot recommend this film enough. If you have Disney+, this is a must-watch!

And none of that Mulan surcharge nonsense either.

Aside from the movie itself, here’s why I’m so jazzed right now.

For the last two years, money has been so tight that I’ve chosen to forego things that I see as luxuries. Things like Netflix…

A few weeks ago, I sprung for Netflix again. And I’m damn glad I did. I did it as a reward for Soul-R Powered (Ironically enough) hitting 1,000 downloads.

I watched Trial of the Chicago 7 a couple of weeks ago. The film was written and directed by my greatest literary hero Aaron Sorkin. It’s about the trial of the men who were accused of starting the riots surrounding the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

I used to be a movie junkie. Every Sunday night — EVERY Sunday night — I was at the theater. But over the last few years, I’ve fallen out of love with it.

Rather, circumstances have not allowed me to keep pursuing my passions with movies.

After watching Soul tonight, it’s been a long time since my OWN soul felt this alive! It’s been a long time since I’ve been this connected with my own inner child and my passion.

I will absolutely be keeping Netflix moving forward. And Disney+ too but since I pay for it with my Verizon bill…

Instead of feeling sorry for myself for spending Christmas alone, I watched A New Hope as well as a truly fascinating documentary about the Apollo moon flights. Both on Disney+.

Here’s why I led with the story of what I said to Pete.

I’ve been sitting on an idea for a children’s book, of which Pete is the main inspiration. It’s been something I’ve been sitting on ever since I got Pete.

And as I look at Pete, I can’t help but think “This book idea would make a killer adaptation into a Pixar film. Pete, you’re gonna be a Pixar star.”

The theme of my 2020 was Phoenix Rising.

My declared theme of 2021 is…Soul Rising.

Not THAT kind Soul Rising, mind you. It’s time to let my soul flow.

This entire year has been about my getting reconnected with my soul. From getting let go from the advertising agency to getting kicked out of my home, to living in a hotel, to getting back into therapy, to everything in between. 2020 has been about helping me to fall back in love with my soul.

Find that spark…and watch Soul. It deeply changed my life.