Panorama reviews new Pixar

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Panorama reviews new Pixar film “Soul”

TARIQ LASHLEY

a&e staff

Idid not have good expectations for “Soul.” With a mediocre trailer that made the movie seem a bit too much like Pixar’s previous hit, “Coco,” I went into this movie expecting a cash grab that to me seemed appropriate for its straight-to-streaming release. So, when my family and I sat down in the living room to watch this newest Pixar flick, I was merrily surprised to see that “Soul” was good enough to become one of my favorite Pixar movies to date.

SPOILERS: The movie starts off similarly enough to “Coco,” akin to my suspicions. The moment “Soul” first truly stepped out of “Coco”’s shadow was near the end of the first act, where instead of continuing the story within the afterlife for the majority of the runtime, Joe and his companion, 22, went back to the material world. This change of pace was a genuine pleasant surprise for me. While I haven’t directly timed it nor looked for the numbers, I would estimate more than two-thirds of the movie takes place in the material world, and honestly I think this was the best choice that this movie made. After coming back to the real world, Joe and 22 interact and develop their friendship in a unique and unexpected way, set to the beautifully rendered New York City — and yes, Pixar’s graphical prowess has only gotten better over the years with the film amazingly designed and crafted.

Additionally, “Soul” does something rarely seen in a children’s animated movie: it perfectly recreates the barbershop atmosphere. There is a scene near the middle of the movie where Joe has to get a haircut, and even in the first few scenes of this part I was shocked. It might not seem like much to some people, but to see such a universal part of black culture displayed so accurately was a nice experience. Some may disagree, but I think the representation and showcase of African American people and culture within this movie was done pretty well, and the movie had messages that surprised me for a children’s movie.

The themes that the film reflects would fit more within a movie aimed at an older audience than the demographic for a Pixar movie. Ultimately, “Soul” was a nice surprise that, while not the best Pixar movie ever made, joins the ranks amongst “Inside Out” and “Coco” as being some of the highest quality animated films. p

Rating: 8/10

illustration by | ERICA SHI