Movie Man Darian Watching All Night Long

Soul

This is Pixar’s best film in a decade! I am a massive fan of Pete Doctor who has crafted some of the most iconic imagery ever captured on film. What I love about Pete Doctor’s approach to his stories is very honest and emotionally sincere about the story at the centre and the characters that surround it. He has given us another knockout that will rattle you to your very core. This is a film that tackles such heavy themes of death, the afterlife and living your life to the fullest. Now it is nothing new for Pixar to take on heavy themes in their films as they have done that time and time before. But what Pete Doctor does to Pixar’s realistic formula is something extra that connects to your heart and soul in a very real way. It is such a beautifully animated film with rich colours that will grab your attention the moment it starts. Layered with a truly terrific performance by Jamie Foxx who brings the heartache, joy and hope of Joe to great life in a performance that will have you captivated by what Jamie is brining to the screen. This is Pixar’s  best and most mature film I have seen since Toy Story 3 and Up. It has deep meaningful questions that will spark discussion after viewing the film and also will speak to a lot of people as well about enjoying life and being in the moment and the film expands upon that small bit of message and shows the emotional scope of what it is. Soul is not just a great animated film it is a great film in general and I would even say it is one of the best films of the year and a true return to form for Pixar. 

Firstly, I will say this what I have felt Pixar has been lacking for the last couple of years is that original creative story we fell in love with as kids. If it was Toy Story, Monsters Inc or even Finding Nemo those were stories that weren’t sequels or prequels of any kind but actual original concept stories with new and original characters that left a lasting impact on us. Now over the last couple of years we have got Sequel after Sequel and it has made me sad that a company that was founded and built on imagination and original compelling narratives have in a way over the last few years just pumped out sequels based off their original branded stories. Now I don’t mind a sequel I think Toy Story is next to Lord Of The Rings as the most perfect film franchises now that being said not everything needs a sequel did we really need a prequel to Monsters Inc probably not or a sequel to Finding Nemo as much as I wanted a sequel the film’s follow up to Nemo was okay but Pixar shouldn’t settle for just okay. Their best work outside of the franchise films such as Wall-E, Ratatouille and Up are some of the best films they have ever done I truly think Ratatouille, Wall-E, Up and Toy Story 3 were the greatest creative years for Pixar as those titles I named aren’t good films they are great films. Now why am I brining that up I will explain why because those films if you realize don’t have sequels I don’t want to see a Up 2 or a Wall-E 2 because frankly not every film needs a sequel sometimes one film is fine on its own. Pixar in the last couple of years got so wrapped up in nostalgia and expanding worlds through sequels or prequels or spin off films and yes I am looking at you cars 2. Pixar stopped making original content that was not a sequel or a franchise until 2015’s Inside Out and then they got them on track but then took a nose dive to Sequel world again. With these two films this year with Onward and Soul these two recent films of 2020 they have brought to us this year is some of the most compelling and satisfying storytelling I have seen from them in a very long time. The only reason I was so disappointed with them over the last few years is because I have seen what Pixar can do when they put in the passion for a great story and Soul this movie shows that Pixar can still produce great original stories that will engage audiences. Soul is their return to form and brings us back to where they are strongest which is when they focus in on a single character and expand upon it. I would say What Soul achieves for Pixar is top five best films they have ever put out because it is not focused on setting up a sequel or relying on comedy to carry the narrative Pixar knows it is fully capable of being able to craft a serious plot line that tugs at the heartstrings and then by the final act hits you like a punch in the heart in a very emotionally real way. While tackling heavy topics and that is the Pixar I love and that is exactly what Soul achieves. 

Secondly, From the first frame Soul lights up the screen in such an immersive experience of explosive rich texture and colour. Now I will say my main concern was this is the first ever film Pixar has done of having a person of colour being the central character of the film and in the marketing for this film they show him being killed off in the first few minutes and I thought the rest of the film was going to be him as a ghost and that was it. Now I am so pleasantly surprised that they did not take that approach as they do bounce back and forth from the afterlife to his psychical body form and I think having both of those balance each other out worked beautifully. As we got to see how he was like with his mother and friends and then it would cut back to the Afterlife so we get such great character depth from cutting back and forth seeing the full of life he had and then his current situation that to me was so smartly done. Adding to that already genius approach of character direction the film itself takes on the message of enjoying the small things in life as we are so busy chasing our dreams we need to slow down and enjoy the things along the way and soak in as much as we can. That is the heart of the story to live your life with the most amount of joy and happiness and never take it for granted because just like how he dies unexpectedly he realizes that he should have  savoured those moments more when he had the chance. It is  not until he is literally begging not to go that his perspective on what is really important comes into focus. The film is for all ages I wouldn’t even categorize this as a “kids movie” as the themes and structures of the narrative this hits on is very emotionally honest and it will have you crying throughout the film and especially the final act of the story. It is a story that is so well done as it never felt preachy with the message it was bringing across and it also never relied on the humour to carry the story as Pixar films recently have done that where they would have a great dramatically satisfying moment to be ruined by some cheap one liner joke. This film does not do that it stays on the serious narrative path it goes on and really amazed me as Pete Doctor crafted what I think is one of the greatest films of all time which is the film Up. He knows how to discuss the human condition and show the raw vulnerability of the characters he writes and its genius work as he brings so much heart to this film and a whole lot of emotion that feels earned and not forced as well as a fantastic message that will not only touch your heart but truly move you in such a heartwarming and emotional way. The themes and story is so brilliantly brought to the screen by the genius work of Pete Doctor. 

Now I have to mention the performances as Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey are fantastic! Now Jamie Fox plays Joe this jazz passionate musician with big dreams and goals that he wants to achieve but when he suddenly dies and everything is put into serious perspective for him he realizes to truly enjoy the small things. That whole arc I just mentioned is brought to the screen through a charismatic and at times heartbreaking performance by Jamie Foxx. Now Jamie didn’t change his voice for the film it is just his regular voice but what I found amazing is I at times forgot it was Jamie playing Joe as he slipped into that character so brilliantly that it I felt like I was just watching Joe and not Jamie as he just disappeared into the role and really shows such layers of emotional depth throughout the film. Then you have Tina Fey who’s voice I also didn’t recognize due to her amazing ability to just slip into the character she played so perfectly. As at first glance when we are introduced to her character I thought she was going to be the comic relief which Pixar has done time and time again which is fine but has by this point become a sort of a trope they do now. That being said Tina has humour for sure their are great moments where she flexes her comedic chops and will have you laughing for sure. She also though isn’t playing this character one sided she brings such a raw emotional depth to her that will make you so invested into her character and Tina brings emotional layers she keeps peeling back throughout the film and in many ways she is the heartbeat of the story character wise. As she helps Joe in so many ways and its a performance from Tina Fey that honestly is one of my favourites she has ever done. Everyone else brought great work to this film but it is the sheer genius of Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey that will blow you away.

Lastly, Soul is an outstanding film with what I think is Pixar’s best work in a decade giving a film with such strong structures of heart, emotion and amazing character depth. Pete Doctor lifts this compelling original story off the page and onto the screen in explosive colour that will have you engaged the moment it starts. It will spark discussion long after the film is over and also will have you wanting to rewatch it and break down every frame of the film. It is beautifully animated, terrifically acted and phenomenally  directed and written Soul is one of Pixar’s all time best films and in general a truly magnificent film that is one of the best films of the year. I recommended everyone go check this film out.  

When an aspiring  jazz musician  suddenly dies and is sent to the afterlife he tries to find a way to find his way back to the living and on the way learns to enjoy the small things 

Rated PG : Some Language|Thematic Elements

Jamie Foxx : Jamie gives a terrific performance in Soul! This is a truly moving performance that impressed me. Jamie Foxx is a truly fantastic actor who has given great works in films such a Ray, Django Unchained and Collateral just to name a few. Here he puts his tremendous work as a voice actor with truly great work that will move you. He plays Joe this aspiring Jazz musician and brings him to great life through his incredible passion that pours out of his heart but also has a sadness to him that is explored as we see the things he didn’t value when he was alive and so many things get put into perspective for him. Jamie is able to bring the emotional depth required to express Joe as perfectly and as complex as possible. As we see him in the beginning as happy as he is he has a very cynical look on his life and its not until he has seen things from someone else’s perspective that he really realizes that the small things he didn’t fully appreciate means so much. Jamie brings that over joyous charismatic energy to the role with such passion that can be felt through every ounce of delivery of dialogue he gives. Then he can be so emotionally cynical at times and be harsh on others and deny the fact he took things for granted and take his anger out on others in such a fit of anger and the wave of sheer raw emotion is felt in every word that is spoken from Jamie and as the film progresses that emotional guard he has in his heart starts to soften and he realizes to truly appreciate everything about life and Jamie brings the soft tenderness that will touch your heart. He brings such great emotional layers to this character that shows off all of his fantastic strengths as an actor we see the excitement of passion in the first act then the emotional struggle in the second act and by the final act the tenderness of emotional vulnerability. Joe goes on a journey of self discovery and comes out of it learning to value so much more then what he did before and Jamie is able to drench his voice into the skin of the character and make him pop in each frame by giving him charm, charisma and so much emotion. All at the while giving a fun performance that packs so much heart that you can’t look away from. Jamie brings Joe to such great lengths of realism of emotion that I forget that its Jamie Foxx all I saw was Joe and that’s a compliment to Jamie and his great ability to bring a character to life to such an extent you forget that its the actors voice. Jamie Foxx is truly fantastic in this film and I would rank this performance of his as one of his best to be honest. As he channels so much raw real emotion into one voice over performance that is truly enjoyable and touching all at once. Jamie Foxx gives a truly magnetic performance you cannot look away from. 

Pete Doctor : Pete Doctor delivers one of the best directed films I have seen all year! Pete Doctor is truly s genius of animated filmmaking and filmmaking in general as he writes stories and characters in such a way that feels honest and realistic in its depiction. While also bringing a message at the centre of it that will touch your heart. He has given us Ratatouille, Inside Out, Monsters Inc, Toy Story, and what I think is to this day one of the finest films ever made Up. He knows how to tap into the pulse of the human condition and connect with the audience in such a entertaining and emotional way that works every single time. Here he takes on the task of tackling one of the most toughest topics yet Death and the afterlife which is a topic Pixar has not gone into with any story before yes they have discussed death in serious ways in films like Toy Story 3 and Up but not to this extent. What Pete Doctor discusses is when this man dies the lesson to be learned is to appreciate every waking moment you have and not to take anything for granted because those small things mean so much and that is expanded upon hugely to a very real extent. He takes the life of Joe who has such dreams and goals and kills him off before the first forty five minutes and he shows the audience that we as people get so busy making plans we forget to live in the moment because we are so occupied with chasing dreams we forget to live the life we have along the way. That is the heartbeat of the story and he does an excellent job at bringing that very heavy topic to the screen. He even tackles other heavy themes such as anxiety and insecurity as well to a very brutally honest way that does not seem sugar coated whatsoever but is very upfront with how it feels. Now Pete Doctor brings these themes and knocks them out of the park if its in the outstanding writing at hand or the truly genius directing he is able to take a concept that has never been done before by Pixar and not rely on jokes or cheap gimmicks and deliver a serious message in a very real way to audiences that will move you in ways that Pixar has not been able to do for a very long time. Pete Doctor gives amazing direction that will amaze you and truly touch your heart Pete Doctor you are a freaking master of filmmaking that deserves so much more praise then what you are given.