It's strange anticipating a new Pixar release that I won't see on the big screen. This studio have given us some of the best animated features of the last 25 years with great cinematic value.
So my anticipation for this newest project felt peculiar to say the least.
While the story starts off nicely at a pleasant pace with nothing at all challenging. My senses and thoughts start racing with not only surprising story developments but unexpected styles of animation that I've not seen Pixar do at all.
With the added mature themes, a touch of complexity and something to keep the younger viewers entertained, it had me completely fascinated and not having a clue where this was going.
A moving and emotional final act gave us that bit of that vintage Pixar magic to remind us that this studio can still warm our hearts with even the most imaginative of narratives.
The voicework was pretty top notch with a few noticeable voices at work. Jamie Foxx continues to show how underused he is as a voice actor. Tina Fey for me stole the show and made the most of her well written character and had solid chemistry with Foxx.
I also have to give props to Rachel House, Alice Braga, the unexpected appearance of Graham Norton and the familiar voice of Richard Ayoade.
As for the production, I really liked how a lot of the film puts you into a dreamlike state. That place between life and death and consciousness and unconsciousness. Giving the film that vibe worked perfectly for my viewing experience.
I really liked the inventiveness of the worlds it creates and how it managed to make sense of it all.
The varied amount of animation styles surprised me as well as the choice of style it decided to show on screen. It was amazing how some of the simplest animation styles that was portrayed never felt out of place and perfectly enhanced the story as well as its characters.
But when it came to Pixar's expected style of animation, it continues to improve and become incredibly detailed. Their moments of photo-realism in their films will forever amaze me.
However if I was to be picky to find negatives, I could say there are times when the story tries to be a bit too clever for its own good and the narrative somewhat gets lost. Also, I don't quite feel the characters were as well developed or as instantly memorable as past Pixar characters.
So while I don't feel the story is as strong or as emotionally gripping as other Pixar films such as Inside Out, there is still plenty to like and get invested in. Its imagery is incredibly moving and satisfying, there is a lot of heart to this story, its themes are universal and it is told with great maturity that its younger viewers can understand over time.
Pixar continue to not be afraid to make their stories sometimes more understanding for adults than children. But still have plenty for everyone to enjoy. They haven't lost any momentum since their big-screen arrival in 1995 and I look forward to see where they go next.
Rating: 8/10
