Movie Review: Inside Out 2

With Net Flix and Prime Video doling out pelethora of a mixed vriety of movies I normally avoid the multiplexes, unless the Titanic or its genre are screened in them. My aversion to animation movies is a sore issue with my grandchildren Eshan and Ayaan; in various debates I have been a victim of their displeasure, especially for not accompanying them to watch it in a theatre.

However, today Ayaan had me cornered right and proper. I was mislead by him to watch ‘Inside Out 2’ in the Christiana Mall multtiplex theatre! I learnt about it only after noticing the poster placed adjcent to the cinema hall door; it was an animated movie. I told Ayaan that I would take my afternoon nap in the hall!

Munching Lay’s potato chips I lay on the comfortable reclining chair to relax. Soon the action on the screen excited me. The visual effects, fast paced movements, creative visionary eye pleasing objects, exciting actions, humerous dialogues et all caught my attention and I watched the entire movie.

However, a major drawback was that my comprehension of its story remained fractured. This movie is a sequel to the previous movie, Inside Out, which I had not watched! While riding back to our residence I took my Beti Pooja’s assistance, who explained the story in her inimitable style. Eshan chipped in whenever he felt he could fill in details of greater interest. Cobwebs removed, I was impressed with the, message that the makers of the movie have conveyed to their audience especially those of the impressionable age.

We all have feelings and emotions of different varieties stored inside us and these trigger our actions outside in our daiy lives. The effect of our emotions on our lives and that on the others has been conveyed in the movie with a focus on the vulnerable teenagers. Let me share an abridged version of the story line with you. Rest you may watch on the screen.

Riley is a very active girl who is loved by her parents and friends. She is a great ice hockey player with a very positive frame of mind with a very positive approach outside. Indide her, Joy is the predominant emotion as anger, sadness, fear and disgust are set aside, put in a ball and sent to the garbage dump. However, these emotions remain attached with a chord to the core of her mind. On account of her outstanding display during the match, she and her two friends are invited by a leading coach to join his Summer Camp for further coaching and training. Feeling exhilirated and delighted with joy she joins the camp with her friends the next day. There she and her friends meet players whom they have admired and are their fans.

Riley is now 13 years old and puberty catches up with her. Her life under goes a major change as inside her, anxiety, envy, embarrasment, envy and boredom become part of her emotions. Negative thoughts overtake her and these are reflected in her actions outside. She doubts herself, remains touchy and irritant and loses her cool with her friends. She faces very difficult and challenging moments in the camp. Inside her, anxiety, though well meaning, over powers her other positive emotions and banishes Joy from her thoughts. She is left with envy, embarrasment and boredom to live her life from the outside.

For me to proceed further would be inapproprate as I would not like to reveal the ending of the movie, especially to those who may consider watching it.

As Pooja has correctly pointed out that the story pertaining to our various emotions which live inside us and have direct bearing on our actions outside can only be narrated using artificial objects in the form of humans, animals and birds through animation. No live human performance can create the intricate and the valuable message that the movie has conveyed.

I agree, however I reserve my choice. Maybe in future if I get saturated and fed up with the live action, suspense, horror, and real life movies, I may watch only dramas in animation.

I strongly recommend the movie, especially for my grandchildren and their parents as well.

Thank you Ayan for the movie. I owe you. Thank you Pooja for making me wiser!

Ayaan and self