EIFF 2015: Inside Out

With Inside Out, their 15th animated feature, animation house Pixar take a detour to avoid some of the visual and storytelling beats that have made even their best movies feel a little familiar at this point. Within the head of 11-year-old Riley, we meet several characters representing her emotions: Joy (Poehler), Sadness (Smith), Fear (Hader), Anger (Black), and Disgust (Kaling). During one tumultuous experience, Joy and Sadness become separated from the rest and lost inside the depths of Riley’s mind, leaving the other three alone in charge of the girl’s emotional state.

Inside Out is concerned with the complexities of human decisions, actions and motivations, its power coming not through its sharp wit, fun characters and thrillingly detailed imagery (though those are certainly appreciated) but instead how its helmers turn internal woes we’re all familiar with into the stuff of grand drama. It has an elemental, humanistic grip, and the lucidity with which it articulates psychological subtleties and depression for a family-friendly audience is remarkable. And it’s also, you know, really entertaining.