Inside Out

Pixar apparently hasn't made a good film in years. I say "apparently" because I liked Brave and didn't hate the other two. But it was enough of a slump to get Pixar shuffling. They tried to get The Good Dinosaur out last summer but let it sit out till this Thanksgiving. This means that Inside Out is their newest film.

And it is good.

Riley Andersen and her parents move from Minnesota to San Francisco. Meanwhile, Riley's personifications of Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust and Anger live inside her head. In their Headquarters, the emotions guide Riley's actions and help her make new memories. And those memories are stored away at the end of the day.

Joy tries to suppress Sadness for Riley and her parents' sake. But it goes awry when both Joy and Sadness are sucked out of Headquarters. They find themselves in the back of Riley's mind, while the other emotions find themselves in control. Joy and Sadness have to get back to HQ before the others cause something drastic.

The personified emotions are the stars of the show. They seem like one-note characters, but they have depth. That's especially so with Joy, who finds herself breaking under-pressure. Sadness's monotony is amusing and sad at the appropriate times. The other emotions are still likable even as they lead Riley to depression. Bing-Bong, a character who joins Joy and Sadness on their journey, is just as relevant. Kids will love their antics while adults will be invested in their development.

Director/co-writer Pete Docter (Up) and his writers created a memorable story. The deadlines Joy, Sadness and Bing-Bong face keep the story moving quick. The gags they encounter are delightful. The resolution of it all won't leave anyone stone-faced. It will stick around in your mind for quite a while.

Inside Out is a perfect psychic metaphor for, among other things, the dangers of suppressing emotions. Whether you see it in 3D or Flatscreen, you'll get the same memorable experience. It's an experience which starts with the musical short Lava, about singing volcanoes. Its end credits give a peak into the minds of other characters.