INSIDE OUT 2

US, 2024, 96 minutes, Colour.

Voices of: Amy Pohler, Maya Hawke, Kensington Tallman, Liza Lapirar, Tony Hale, Lewis Black, Phyllis Smith, Ayo Edebiri, Lillimar, Grace Lu, Sumayyah Nuriddin-Green, Adele Exarchopoulos, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan,  Paul Walter Hauser, June Squibb, Frank Oz, John Hertzenberg, Flea.

Directed by Kelsey Mann.

So, this is what puberty is like!

In 2015, Pixar studios won the Oscar for best animation film, Inside Out. It was very very popular, children enjoying it, parents given food for thought. The basic idea was quite creative, imagining the different feelings inside an 11-year-old girl, Riley, who had to move to San Francisco because of her father’s new job. And how to manage these feelings? The answer is in personifying them, engaging cartoon characters up there on the screen, working in the control studio which stood for Riley’s inner life. And, a very entertaining range of voices.

It has taken eight years and more for the sequel. And most audiences have found it well worth the wait.

But, how to replicate the ingenuity in the screenplay, and to engage the audience – and broaden it? The answer is that it is Riley is now 13, has reached the stage of puberty. And, of course, there are quite a number of new feelings.

Audiences will remember the leadership of Joy (again Amy Poehler), counterbalanced by Anger, reactions by Disgust, and, lurking there, Fear. And the very attractive emotion eliciting quite some pathos which sometimes takes over, Sadness. Joy is in control in the control room, and the emotions enjoy themselves in Riley’s reactions, devoted to her parents, good student, kindly in helping others in embarrassing moments, and, an interesting choice of sport for the film, talented in ice hockey. The feelings are able to relegate bad memories to a storeroom – where a huge character, called Dark Secrets, lurks. And, in the present, an old lady emotion, Nostalgia, keeps appearing but is told to go back and wait for 10 more years!

Everything is going smoothly and then the new brigade of emotions arrives, wanting to take over, different emotions for a 13-year-old and her changes in life. They are led by Anxiety, intervening all the time, various scenarios for Riley’s future, and mixing her up with instant changes of moods, answering her parents back, extremes of happiness, invited to a hockey camp by a top coach, learning that her two friends will be going to a different school, becoming very erratic in walking out on them, foot in mouth with the new friends often – not easy being a young teenager.

Along with Anxiety feelings of Ennui (Boredom personified, long-haired, languid, French accent), and, rather green, Envy. There is also the very large Embarrassment who blushes and hides as Reilly so frequently become self-conscious.

Mom and Dad are puzzled. The veteran feelings are also puzzled and decide to go on a rescue mission, rebelling against Anxiety’s takeover.

The Inside Out films show Pixar studios (remembering Toy Story) at their best, vivid, full of colour, the feelings in all shapes and sizes, and a great variety of voices – with going back to look at the voice cast to appreciate this.

As, with the previous film, there is a lot for parents to think about, to appreciate a lot of the emotional turmoil, erratic changes, moods, they might then remember from their own teenage years and understand their children better. And, there is a great deal to think about for the teenage audience who might find this wonderful personification of feelings holding up a mirror, delightful and humorous, to their own mood swings.

Looking forward to Inside Out 3, and how many more moods there will be in later adolescence!

1. Popularity and awards for Inside Out? The appeal to younger audiences, parent audiences, understanding of emotions via cartoon characters and personifications?
2. Memories of the first film, welcoming of the second film? Riley moving from 11 to 13, puberty?
3. The style of the animation, colourful, vibrant, motions, the settings, the mind control in the Sense of Self? The range of characters, colours? Shapes and sizes? Movements? Riley’s world, the realistic world, at home, at school, playing hockey? The musical score? The skills of the voice cast?
4. The premise of the headquarters for mind and emotions control, Sense of Self? Look and sound and personalities of Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, Disgust? Their interactions? Each of the contributions, the vitality of Joy, the reserve of Sadness, the outbursts of Anger, the hiding of Fear, the reactions of Disgust?
5. Riley, the audience knowing her in the past, liking her, turning 13, relationship with her parents, their concern and love, her playing hockey, her helping Bree with the spilt coins, Grace helping, the bonding? The sharing, playing together?
6. Everything going smoothly and control, Riley and her emotions, removal of past memories, said memories? The arrival of the new emotions? Their look and sound? The shape and colour and voice of Anxiety? The green of envy? The languid look and French accent of Ennui, boredom? And the huge shape and behaviour of Embarrassment?
7. The effect of Anxiety taking over, the plan, relegating the Sense of Self? The continued moments of embarrassment? Ennui intervening only when necessary?
8. Riley, skill at hockey, the coach, the invitation to the summer camp, hopes, the three friends, the news that the other two were going to different school? Anxiety and the others taking over, the erratic and mixed emotions, her reaction to her parents? The behaviour at the camp, the mistake and everybody being penalised, embarrassment? Her admiring Val, the other team members, playing up to them, the discussions about popular groups and her being embarrassed? The temptation to give up her friends? The confusion?
9. Behind-the-scenes, the old emotions and their strategy, going back, the old memories, the Dark Secret, Sadness and her getting the commission to investigate? Riding on the Stream of Consciousness, the different vehicles, broccoli…?
10. Anxiety, looking at the results of Riley’s confusion? The move to coordinate, to work together? The humour of the old lady of Nostalgia appearing and being told to go back and reappear 10 years later?
11. Riley, the end of the camp, with her parents, with Val and the others, reunited with her friends?
12. All the emotions content, Riley moving from childhood into adolescence? The finale at a looking at her phone, the selection of the team, her smile?