Despite the wave of changes and cancellations, I was lucky to attend a very socially distanced screening of Soul at the London Film Festival.
Back in 2015, Pete Docter took us on a journey through Riley’s emotional development, and ultimately our own. With Soul, Docter and his team of storytellers, never afraid of a tackling a tricky topic in an animation film, set the bar even higher.
What makes us… us? Why do we like the things we like? What drives us to be the way we are? What is our Soul?
Of course no one knows for sure, and from the Ancient Greek philosophers to the latest psychology trends, the answers are numerous. The film’s team researched and consulted with experts, psychiatrists, gurus and average Joe’s to cook up an interesting and entertaining approach to these questions.
Visually, the film is stunning. From the souls (what do souls look like?) to the ultra-detailed gritty New York City urban landscape, Pixar’s legendary quality and attention to details shines brightly, without overshadowing the story.
Whether you’re an introvert or extrovert, outgoing or anxious, you will see a part of yourself in Soul. The set of characters take us through a relatable, funny, and touching journey to understand what makes us who we are, with the help of a talented and diverse cast featuring Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey and even Graham Norton.
Soul is Pixar at its best: visually stunning out-of-the-box original storytelling.
While the film absolutely deserves a cinema release, Soul will premiere exclusively on Disney+ on December 25 due to the current pandemic.