Inside Out, Mini Movie Review

Rating: 3.75

This isn't a kids movie.

Watching this movie is like reading the last Winnie-the-Pooh story: Christopher Robin and Pooh Come to an Enchanted Place, and We Leave Them There.  This last story I would never read to my nieces.  All the other stories I'd read because they're fun and silly.  But the last story is best enjoyed as an adult.  A kid may read it, but they won't understand it.  As an adult it's best to take this last Pooh story and find a corner, maybe under a bed sheet tent with a flashlight, and read it in silence.  There the story's meaning is truly felt.

This is how Inside Out, the latest animation by Pixar and Disney, felt to me, and it's funny that I use the word "felt," because this movie is all about emotions.  More importantly the emotions running trough Riley's mind, a girl who just moved from Minnesota to San Francisco, and all the emotions this move affects.

Each emotion is represented by five different characters: Joy, Anger, Disgust, Fear, and Sadness.

There are elements in the movie kids will enjoy and appreciate, but the themes within the movie are a bit complex.

In the middle of my showing I could hear kids squirming in their seats, some getting a little reckless, one kid singing and speaking at the top of their lungs, completely unaware of the screen.

A lot of praise for this movie is coming from adults who are touched by Inside Outs message.  It's very meaningful if you've struggled with, or are struggling with depression, which this movie delves into.

Will kids enjoy it?  Sure, but like the last Winnie-the-Pooh story, it's best understood by those of us with years of experience and memories.

When does a kid movie stop being a kid movie?  This isn't Finding Nemo or Toy Story.

MPAA: Rated PG for mild thematic elements and some action.