SUMMARY & CAST NOTES

Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out 2 returns to the mind of newly minted teenager Riley just as headquarters is undergoing a sudden demolition to make room for something entirely unexpected: new Emotions! Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust, who’ve long been running a successful operation by all accounts, aren’t sure how to feel when Anxiety shows up. And it looks like she’s not alone. Maya Hawke ( STRANGER THINGS )  lends her voice to Anxiety, alongside Amy Poehler as the voice of Joy. The voice cast also includes Lewis Black, Phyllis Smith, Tony Hale and Liza Lapira. Directed by Kelsey Mann and produced by Mark Nielsen, Inside Out 2 opened on Thursday and can been seen everywhere

THE “NO-SPOILER” REVIEW

Inside Out 2 continues the franchise commitment to delve into profoundly human issues under the disguise of friendly animation. This installment explores the journey of self-identity and worth, introducing new characters like Envy, Boredom, Embarrassment, and Anxiety alongside the familiar faces of Joy, Anger, Sadness, Disgust, and Fear.

We again are following Riley, now at age 13,  as she faces the challenges of transitioning from Junior High School to High School ( both physically and mentally) and the movie expertly captures the complexities of adolescence. I’m captivated by the nostalgia the movie evokes: viewing it through the lens as a father witnessing my children’s journey,  but also vividly remembering personally the tumultuous years of puberty and my own quest for self-discovery as a teenager.

If you allow yourself to be open to it, Inside Out can serve as a therapy session of sorts ( the kind where you can eat popcorn & redvines) and the depiction of Anxiety in the narrative was intensely compelling and profound. This is a “no-spoiler” review but I will tell you that there is a extended scene in this movie that captures the helplessness of the emotion in a way that could only be done through animation.

If you loved the first you are going to love part two…. Big score on the ol’ Vibe-O-Meter 4.6

THE CONNECTED MOVIE & TV PART….

Now the fun starts. In a “Connected Movie & TV Review” we link cast member, writer, producer or production company to other projects that I would recommend under the potential categories of :  BINGE IT AGAIN, ALSO IN THEATERS, WATCH IT, READ IT or LISTEN.

THE INSDIE OUT 2 CONNECTIONS: 

BINGE IT AGAIN

STRANGER THINGS (NETFLIX)

Maya Hawke who voices ANXIETY in Inside Out 2 also played Robin Clark in 25 epiosdes of Stranger Things.

Stranger Things, unfolds in the 1980s in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana. The storyline revolves around a group of kids who stumble upon a mysterious world when they encounter a peculiar character named Eleven ( played by Millie Bobbie Brown) . This encounter leads them to discover a parallel dimension known as the Upside Down, created by a nearby human experimentation facility. The town faces eerie occurrences, including the disappearance of a young boy named Will. As Will’s loved ones and the police chief embark on a quest to find him, the plot thickens with the introduction of Eleven and her mysterious powers…

WATCH IT

Enola Holmes ( NETFLIX)

Mille Bobbie Brown, who portrays Eleven in the Stranger Things franchise, also takes a her turn as a sleuth in the Enola Holmes movie series.

SUMMARY : When Enola Holmes, Sherlock’s teen sister, discovers her mother is missing, she embarks on a mission to find her. Enola emerges as a super-sleuth in her own right, outsmarting her renowned brother and uncovering a perilous conspiracy.