Anyone who feels they’re living an ordinary, underwhelming life, watch Soul (2020)

After watching it the first time, it left me feeling weird… like the movie had already finished but somehow I wasn’t done with it yet. I had its tiny moments lingering in my mind for weeks.

Firstly, it’s a stunningly beautiful animation that literally looks like it’s been shot in the natural light of NYC. Top-notch visuals and sound with plenty creativity. Secondly, the characters feel real, believable, relatable and familiar. The contrasting elements of what one wants to achieve (especially in the light of 22’s previous mentors from Gandhi to Mother Theresa) versus where you are right now feels almost like it’s mocking how our modern societies are mirroring our own self worth against celebrities/big names we follow through our social media everyday.

But thirdly and most importantly, this film has depth to a level I personally struggle see how any children can even understand (it’s technically a children’s movie). And I mean this in a good way. Although Pixar has always excelled at delivering stories on multiple levels (what makes adults laugh vs kids) this is in a league of its own. Purpose of life, afterlife, before life… complex themes that are knit together to subtly poke us asking “are you really living your life?”

For your big city, ambitious living personas, this hits home so hard. The message of this film surprised me with its depth as it seems to follow suite of what Coco (2017) and Inside Out (2015) have started to explore.

As a huge Pixar fan (and a jazz lover), this film managed to pack beauty, purpose, wit and gratitude into an hour and a half and deliver it, not in a fancy bow with primary colors, but in an ordinary brown box with a lot of soul. That’s what makes it so special I think. Instant fave.

Submitted July 18, 2021 at 04:11PM by tuesdaycocktail https://ift.tt/2Ug9fm4