INSIDE OUT
ROG'S VIEWPOINT
(4
CAMS)
RATED PG
When her father's new job causes the family to be uprooted from their
hometown in Minnesota to San Francisco, young Riley (the voice of
Kaitlyn Dias) has mixed emotions. Inside the control room of her brain
are Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black),
Disgust (Mindy Kaling) and Fear (Bill Hader). They must work together to
help Riley get through this traumatic life-changing event. But when Joy
and Sadness get separated from the other emotions, memories are in
danger of being lost. They must find their way back to the control room
to save the day. "Inside Out" is an inventive and enjoyable animated
adventure. This little gem puts Pixar back in the driver's seat of
delivering creative family entertainment. Co-directors/writers Pete
Docter and Ronaldo Del Carmen deserve credit for putting the studio back
on track with this highly original concept. They get plenty of help from
the talented voice cast. Besides those listed above are Diane Lane and
Kyle MacLachlan, who provide the voices of Riley's parents. But the most
memorable voice belongs to Richard Kind, who breathes life into the
young girl's imaginary friend Bing Bong - a creature helping Joy and
Sadness on their journey. This character is part elephant, part cat and
pink cotton candy. While most of this film takes place inside Riley's
head, there are several hilarious brief glimpses inside the minds of
other characters - some take place over the closing credits. A note of
caution: the 3D version falls flat. The movie is deep enough in 2D. An
added treat is the delightful animated short that precedes the main
feature. "Lava" tells the story of a lonely volcano looking for love.
It's a Hawaiian-flavored musical that enhances this cinematic family
excursion. Hard to get out of your head, "Inside Out" is a joyful
experience for young and old alike.
The Nov. 3, 2015 "Inside Out" Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD release is simply stunning for both the eyes and ears. This is one of the best movies of the year and deserves repeat viewings. But there's added pleasure in the wealth of extras included. Among the bonus features are the theatrical animated short "Lava" and an entertaining new cartoon short called "Riley's First Date?". There are also several background featurettes to explore. The many elements in the filmmaking process are spotlighted in "Story of the Story", "Mixed Emotions", "Mapping the Mind", "Paths to Pixar: The Women of Inside Out", "Our Dads, the Filmmakers" and pieces on film editing and sound. This is a definite collectible that's perfection from the inside out.