Christmas may be over, but with the latest edition of our Lockdown Streaming Survival Guide we're taking a look at Disney's Christmas gift to all of their Disney+ subscribers; Pixar's 'Soul'. What? It's not like it's a Christmas movie.
Don't forget to check out our Moustache Lockdown Streaming Survival Guide in its entirety, you can find it by clicking here.
After a freak accident, Joe (Jamie Foxx) - a musician looking for his big break - finds himself transported to the world beyond. Now he must find a way to get his soul back into his body, before it's too late. And the only person who can help him is the one infant soul (Tina Fey) who doesn't want to go to Earth, maybe Joe can show them the joy of a life on our little planet.
Pete Docter - the man behind some of Pixar's more emotional stories - and the magnificent team at Pixar have brought to life another beautiful look at... well, life, and the structure behind it. Following Joe on his journey of discovery, we are given a window into these two very different worlds, and the bond that they share. The animation is truly mind-blowing in its beauty; from the photorealistic New York to the place beyond our world, where new souls are prepared for their life on Earth - and both have been populated with a whole host of quirky characters, voiced by a fabulous cast that includes Alice Braga, Richard Ayoade, Graham Norton and Angela Bassett. If 'Inside Out' represents the biological side of life, then 'Soul' definitely represents the spiritual. You could argue that the psychological aspect of life sits somewhere in between these two movies, with both having equal claim to it.
Jamie Foxx is a great choice for the lead, he is able to emote so much using simply his voice, everything from Joe's love of music to the joys he finds in life, not to mention the reasons for him wanting to get back to it all. It all has a very genuine feel, you can appreciate how desperate he is to get back, as well as the awe and wonder he feels for this new world he is experiencing. But this wouldn't be an adventure if he didn’t have someone to share it with, which is where Tina Fey's '22' comes in. 22 is the only soul who doesn't want to go to Earth, her ability to be entirely uninterested is hilarious, and Fey revels in it. But with Joe accidentally volunteering to mentor 22, they find themselves in a position where they have to help each other, and chaos soon ensues, and in grand Pixar style. The result of which is an exhilarating chase across worlds, as Terry (voiced by the hysterical Rachel House) the "accountant" responsible for tracking all souls tries to put things right.
And then there's the music, I couldn't review Soul and not mention the music. Now I am not exactly a jazz fan, but the music is magnificent. It gives the movie real heart, and goes a long way to helping you understand Joe's passion. Much like all of Pixar's properties however, there is more to Soul than simply some great music and a crazy adventure across reality - although that part is a lot of fun. Soul carries with it an important message; one about about enjoying life, and taking the time to appreciate the world around us - something that can be more of a struggle these days, but it is still just as important. That said, I do think that younger audiences may struggle with some of the ideas that are explored here. It's arguably more complicated than Inside Out. Thankfully, Pixar make movies that appeal to everyone, so the grown ups in the room will be able to explain it.
Once again, Pete Docter and his Pixar crew have knocked it out of the park. Soul is a delightful story about life, the universe and everything. One brought to life by some magnificent animation and a fantastic voice cast. The message at the heart of this story may be a little much for the younger viewers to comprehend, but the adults will undoubtedly enjoy the movie just as much, so they'll be able to explain it to them.
9/10
Soul is available on Disney+ now.
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