Inside Out 2

I have always and forever will be a Disney kid; from watching all the Pixar and Disney films, TV shows, and live actions to now, it will always have a special place in my heart. Some of the most unique and heartwarming stories come from the world of Disney, and Inside Out might just be the most inventive and unique film that they ever released. Inside Out 2 just certified that for all those questioning.

When I was 11, Inside Out came out and became the absolute phenomenon that it is today. At the time, I really enjoyed it like everyone else and thought the concept was genius; however, I didn’t connect to it as much as I did to other Pixar films (e.g., Finding Nemo). I understood the film, and yes, I felt the sadness, but it always seemed like there was an aspect that was missing for me.

Now I’m 19 (ew, 9 years later), and Disney decides to hand to me what I believe to be precisely what my brain looks like. A therapy session with Little J if you wish to call it that. Inside Out 2 connected with me on deeper levels like no other Disney film has done before, and it shows how in touch the writers are with the audience they are trying to capture. We are the young children who watched their films years ago for the animation, adventures, and colours that have now returned to truly understand and be given the full extent of the world they began when we were young. They picked the perfect time to return to this idea.

They deal with the topic of anxiety in a way that is nothing other than beautiful and careful; however, they never fear to show how truly tiring, lonely, and destructive it can be to your life. The all-too-tight grip it can hold on your mind and body as you conjure life. I really respect that, though this concept could be tricky for younger watchers to comprehend, how important this conversation is for adults to maybe begin discussions with and how it can also be a warm hug for those like me who, not long after watching the first film have had this orange character running around.

However, what means the most to me about this film is how they don’t make her the villain. I was sobbing, thinking about how this character is just trying to protect them and, most importantly, that they don’t discard her in the end. They learn to regulate her with the other emotions in her head, and she never truly leaves.

I can’t explain how much inventiveness is in this film and the absolute geniuses that are behind the ideas of this film. I would die to be in the creative lab as they come up with these ideas that are so simplistically revolutionary and build this world bigger and bigger. Like the sarcasm and the brainstorm, P-LEASE how bloody creative. Don’t get me started on the little details like the video game character trying to get through the door; I was laughing so hard.

Overall, Disney Pixar has given us a gem with this one, and yes, the numbers and stats are showing this, but I think we will only realize in a few years how important this film will be to our culture. How many young children will be able to have conversations with their parents about their emotions and the number of conversations this film will bring.

I know that my younger siblings won’t completely understand this film right now, but that’s the beauty of these films and what Pixar does so well (like with Toy Story)—they are now always there for you, to watch and rewatch at different times in your life, and every generation will be able to experience the realisation as you grow up.
That is the beauty of this film. It’s timeless

What did you think of Inside Out 2? Who’s your favourite character?