Inside Out 2

N.B: This Review is Spoiler-Free

"Inside Out" which I watched before attending the sequel's premiere became one of my favorite animated films. It felt mature, funny, and quite emotional. It dealt with a lot of thematics that I found important in a creative and interesting way. Naturally, I was eager to see what the sequel would deliver. Well, was it worth the hype and wait? "Inside Out 2" follows Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust who have been running a successful operation by all accounts. However, when Anxiety shows up, they aren't sure how to feel.

What made the first film so good was how it tackled all those human emotions creatively. Thankfully, the sequel doubles down on that and presents us with new emotions that were a welcome addition. What I liked this time around was how it dealt with Riley's character. That was the first film's weakness in my opinion and thankfully they did a much better job in the sequel! It made the film feel much more mature and much more serious. Furthermore, I liked how it dealt with puberty and adulthood. One quote from the film that I'm sure I won't ever forget is "Perhaps as we grow older, we experience less joy". I think this is all something we can relate to and the film's ultimate message hit me.  It beautifully sums up the film in one way but in another, it shows how maturely and greatly it dealt with those 2 themes. Now's the time to address the elephant in the room which is Anxiety! This character has to be the most stress-inducing character I've seen on screen. The last 10 minutes in particular chaotically sump up the character! Praise should go towards Maya Hawke here for beautifully bringing the character to life. She was the standout here and stole the show every time she was on screen! 

On that thought, I have to praise the cast's performance here. Amy Poehler and Phyllis Smith, our "comedic" duo, stole the show with their performance! Lewis Black has to be my favorite character, and to no one's surprise, he's still the funniest character in the film! Ayo Edebiri was great as Envy but expected a bit more from her. No film is perfect and "Inside Out 2" does have one problem which is an overstimulation of emotions. Clocking at 96 minutes the film is packed to the brim with storylines and new emotions which made me feel overwhelmed by it. I would have wished that the film had left room for the story to breathe. A slightly longer runtime would have been beneficial since the film moves at a swift pace. On the bright side of things, I have to praise Pixar for the animation here. Over the years, Pixar always found new and innovative ways to blow our minds with their new technologies and I am happy to report that "Inside Out 2" is the most gorgeously animated Pixar film ever! Everything from Riley's realistic model to the intricate actions of every emotion made for a visually pleasing film! It's rare nowadays to find a sequel that's as good if not better than its predecessor and "Inside Out 2" definitely falls in this category. "Inside Out 2" is not only one of the best-animated films of all time but also one of the best films of 2024! Check it out at your local theater on June 14th!