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9 Don’t Miss Details from Pixar’s Inside Out

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9 Don’t Miss Details from Pixar’s Inside Out

Yesterday I shared how Inside Out Busts Through 5 Myths of Your Emotions: Joy, Anger, Sadness, Sorrow, Disgust.

The movie is still dancing in my mind.

I couldn’t help but watch Inside Out through the lenses of all I’ve learned through researching joy and happiness for Fight Back With Joy.

Here are 10 details of Inside Out I adored:

  1. Joy, Sorrow, Fear, Disgust, and Anger were portrayed as energy. Instead of giving them smooth skin, the creators gave them effervescent particles. The emotions weren’t stationary, but moving and changing—especially when responding to a situation or memory.Disney Inside Out
  1. Joy glows. Oh, yes she does. She’s radiant. Not just in Inside Out but also in real life. If you watch the scenes where Joy tumbles into the subconscious, you’ll see what we all know to be true: Joy glows brighter in the dark.
  1. No one escapes life without experiencing loss. Rather than be skittish of pain, Pixar tends to root movies in it. Remember Finding Nemo? A story about losing a family. Or Wall-E? A story of losing a planet? Riley has lost life as she knows it. Sometimes we do, too. Like Riley, our emotions will go into overdrive, act chaotic, and drive us toward some unbecoming behavior. But in the unbecoming—we can become something more. 
  1. Amy Poehler and Phyllis Smith are “bazziliant.” Yep, that’s one bazillion brilliants.

Amy Poehler = melodic delight          Phyllis Smith = melancholy disposition

Amy’s vocal styling embodies joy at every turn. Her exuberance and mania are contagious, especially set against Phyllis’ gloomy glum. Both actors shine and develop from one-dimensional to multi-faceted as the story progresses.

9 Don’t Miss Details from Pixar’s Inside Out

  1. Moving forward requires letting go. One of the most carnival-like characters, Bing Bong) is a beloved, delightful character reminiscent of one of Toy Story’s toys. One of Riley’s imagery friends, Bing Bong steals her heart (and ours). Yet for Riley to move forward she must let go. So must we.
  1. Inside Out is Pixar’s first original film to come to the screen without Steve Jobs. The guru had played a significant role at Pixar’s studio until his passing in 2011. This film shows that the Pixar team is still in good hands.
  1. Sadness can save the day. Our culture leaves little room for sadness. Sometimes, like the characters of Inside Out, we may even wonder why she is there? When we don’t shove her to the margins or ignore her voice, sadness can learn to make peace with our other emotions. We may even discover, that like Joy, sadness brings healing and serves a mighty purpose. 9 Don’t Miss Details from Pixar’s Inside Out
  1. Both Joy and Sadness shared blue hair. Perhaps Joy and Sadness are more connected than we realized. In earlier drafts, the heroes of Inside Out were Joy and Fear. According to writer-director Pete Docter’s previous version had Joy and Fear getting lost. This created comedic moments, but as the project progressed the paring felt off.
  1. I almost forgot. Oh, we’re all forgetful. In one scene, memories that are shaped like round marbles that are no longer in use—like beginner piano lessons or the names of US presidents—are eliminated to make room for new memories. This helps explain those days when I feel like I’ve lost my marbles.

If you had one emotion that you wish was depicted as a character in a sequel Inside Out, what would it be?

I’m nominating Hope.

50 Comments

  1. Robin
    Robin on June 20, 2015 at 12:06 pm

    Oh my head Margaret!
    I didn’t read the post yesterday, as I was out and about the entire day and concluded it with a viewing of this movie! I kid you not, I thought of you the entire time.
    Our last session for Fighting Back With Joy is Monday (Lelia from EBC is our fearless leader) and what a trip it has been. Here most of us thought this would be a nice, light bible study for early summer – so far from the truth. I have discovered so much in these 6 weeks that will be a forever life changer.
    When I was watching the movie, every time Joy spoke I pictured you (and what a riot today I see a picture of you dressed up like her!). And when the connection of sadness and joy was made in the movie, I wept, like I have so many times these past weeks processing grief for myself, knowing that without doing that I may miss more joy in my life.
    This was one of the greatest movie joy bombs I have ever seen, and I know for sure God navigated the timing of this movie and study just for me, His daughter. What a treat! How I love Him so.
    I thank you Margaret for your vulnerability and gift of writing. This was so good that my 17 year old son and I just started Scouting the Divine together last week. I am looking for a local sheep farm now for one of our field trips. You have touched on a part of me that I thought was gone, that childlike fun. It is kind of cool. Woo! LOL

  2. jen
    jen on June 21, 2015 at 10:41 pm

    After 17 years of seeing kid movies, I literally dreaded seeing this movie. I literally had to be dragged to the theater. But, I really liked it. It made me really sad at different points, reflecting on how my own kids’ minds change with growth and experience. Anyway – it’s nice to see another Christian blogger writing on this great film.

  3. Margaret
    Margaret on June 23, 2015 at 12:13 pm

    So thrilled you enjoyed the movie. There are scenes still playing on repeat in my head, still processing, still learning. Huge hug to you, Robin.

  4. Margaret
    Margaret on June 23, 2015 at 12:14 pm

    I’m so impressed by how they handled this one, Jen! Definitely a good kid’s movie.

  5. Amy
    Amy on June 27, 2015 at 1:52 pm

    I loved this movie … I bruised my husband and annoyed my husband by continually poking him in the ribs with my elbow saying … “This is so SMART!!!”
    It was a little hard to watch actually seeing the letting go process work it’s way to completion but I believe they handled the it with such integrity!

    Since you chose hope … I think I would like to see them include the development of sympathy/empathy … though this could be a slippery slope in terms of being cloaked in “tolerance” rather than simply being able to view something from a different perspective.

    Thanks for this thoughtful look at this movie … but also how you put into words so many of my own observations of the world! Sometimes I forget I don’t “know” you! LOL

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