Soul

Pixar has a new film. That’s got to be the only thing to attract audiences. For others, the fact that “Soul,” released tonight on Disney+, is Pixar’s first animated film with a black lead is a huge factor especially in 2020. “Soul” has the style, rhythm and overall perfection Pixar style to result in another great movie for the studio.

Joe, voiced by Jamie Foxx, is a part-time middle school music teacher who hasn’t let go of his dream of becoming part of a jazz ensemble. However, when he gets his big break of performing with saxophonist Dorothea, voiced by Angela Bassett, is on the edge of being accomplished, Joe falls in a life-threatening situation that cost him his life.

When he’s on a hospital bed, his soul travels to the beyond where souls get their personalities implanted under the leadership of summary characters that are all named Jerry, voiced by Alice Braga and Richard Ayoade.

Thinking this chance is better than going to the next step into the great unknown; Joe agrees to mentor 22, voiced by Tina Fey, a soul that has little interest in going to Earth to find her passion. A mistake sends them back to Earth in roles they didn’t want and Joe beings a serious try to make his dream real no matter the boundaries.

Director/co-writers Pete Docter and Kemp Powers have a smart idea. Jeffrey Lyles said in his review, “They approach Soul with some unique real world moments mixed with metaphysical and spiritual questions of purpose and self.”

Lyles continued, “The waiting area is a slow moving conveyor while the staging area feels like something workshopped for an app complete with a somewhat sterile, matter of fact feel to it.”

As always, the animation is top notch with some beautiful effects. Docter and Powers don’t stay on the traditional modern animation styles and great creative with intangible designs.

Lyles noted, “It’s not hard to envision the think pieces dissecting the script, co-written by Mike Jones, from deep thinkers. There’s some unintended connections to Get Out that could ring out for some viewers and there’s the continuing trend with black lead characters in animated films.”

“Soul” looks like it was following the typical hooking people in cliché of animated films with black leads like “Spies in Disguise” and “The Princess and The Frog.”

Everyone knows how the marketing goes. Lyles said, “The black lead is heavily promoted only to get turned into an animal early on.” “Soul’s” blue energy orb looking like Joe really shocked people, and the patterns shows up in a more obvious way later on.

Lyles admitted, “I felt more lenient in this instance as Joe, the black main character, didn’t disappear from the screen for lengthy potions of the film.” This is important in the second act as Joe takes 22 on a tour of the city where she is amazed by all of the sights, sounds and feelings with city life.

Lyles credited, “To the filmmakers’ credit, Soul isn’t a color blind animated film. The film captures the flavor of New York while nailing specific tones of black experiences like the communal feel of a barbershop and family pressures. These scenes are easily some of Soul’s richest and most rewarding scenes.”

The score by John Baptiste, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is also excellent and is the type you’d play in the background just to listen to the score.

“Soul” might not be playing every formula piece of “Inside Out,” but it is working off a similar formula. Instead of emotions, “Soul” looks at passion and purpose. Pixar films always hit the right areas of entertaining children and adults in different ways and “Soul” might hit a little differently for adults this time.

The children audience will love the slapstick physical comedy and body switches, but adults may find the questions of purpose way more significant.

A lot of Pixar films give adults an unusual look at life they’ve already gone through. “Soul” shows the future is still ahead for those who still want to go through it.

This is a movie that was needed for this year. This is a good lesson for everyone watching to be fearless, dream big, hold on to those dreams and massage them because dreams do come true. Follow your passions and harness them. Don’t ever think that you don’t have a purpose in this world, you have a purpose and you need to find out what that purpose is. This is great for those who have doubts and think negative thinking they are worthless when no one is. The animation is great, the CGI looks like you’re looking at real people at certain areas, and the voice acting is top notch. Seeing how this was released on Disney+ today, if you have an account, check this out because I give it a recommendation. I would even say this is one of my favorite Pixar movies. Give it a watch, and brighten up your holiday cheers.

Once again, Happy Holidays to everyone. I hope all of you have been playing it safe. Stay tuned tomorrow for when we finally wrap up “The Mighty Ducks trilogy” in “Disney Month 2020.”