Inside Out 2

In “Inside Out 2,” Joy remains in charge alongside Sadness, Anger (voiced by Lewis Black), Fear (voiced by Tony Hale), and Disgust (voiced by Liza Lapira) within headquarters, a vibrant tower within Riley’s mind. This central hub is intricately designed, resembling a blend of carnival and industrial settings. From here, they monitor Riley through a large oval screen as if observing from behind her eyes. They manage and sometimes disrupt her thoughts and actions using a control console that resembles a complex sound mixing board, which becomes more intricate as Riley ages. At the end of the first movie, a mysterious new button labeled “puberty” appears on the console. By the sequel’s start, this button has evolved into a loud, alarming red signal.

“Inside Out 2,” released in 2024, is an animated film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. It serves as the sequel to “Inside Out” (2015), marking Kelsey Mann’s directorial debut in feature films. The screenplay was written by Meg LeFauve and Dave Holstein, based on a story created by Mann and LeFauve, with Mark Nielsen producing.

In “Inside Out 2,” Riley (portrayed by Kensington Tallman) encounters challenges due to puberty, which range from deeply emotional moments to more expected developments. Despite almost a decade passing since the first film, time in the movie universe is fluid. Early in the sequel, Riley celebrates her 13th birthday with braces and a persistent pimple on her chin. New emotions come into play, led by Anxiety (voiced by Maya Hawke), a vibrant character with orange hair and expressive eyebrows. Anxiety swiftly takes charge of both Riley’s emotional control panel and her actions, aided by Envy (voiced by Ayo Edebiri), Embarrassment (voiced by Paul Walter Hauser), and the delightfully weary Ennui (voiced by Adèle Exarchopoulos), who adds a distinct flair with her French accent.

Directed by Kelsey Mann, this sequel focuses heavily on Riley’s time at a girls’ hockey camp, a nerve-wracking yet PG-rated phase in her life. It separates her from her parents and introduces new friends, emotions, and decisions. Mann collaborated on the story with Meg LeFauve, who co-wrote the screenplay with Dave Holstein. Similar to the first film, the story shifts between Riley’s inner thoughts and her external challenges. Her new emotions lead her through worry, frustration, embarrassment, and attempts to seem indifferent. While Joy and the older emotions add humor, the filmmakers guide Riley toward emotional growth. As Riley navigates these new feelings, the movie subtly adjusts its focus. While she faces the challenges of being a teenager and the complexities of growing up, the film handles this stage with sensitivity, much like caring parents reluctant to see their child mature too quickly. Consequently, Riley doesn’t experience typical teenage milestones like getting her period, sneaking out, or developing a crush. The absence of these usual teenage experiences underscores Riley’s portrayal as an ordinary, relatable kid. The narrative also avoids depicting her glued to her phone, as the camp’s coach conveniently restricts phone use. This approach reinforces Riley’s innocence and aligns with Pixar’s commitment to wholesome storytelling, echoing the heartfelt group hug she shared with her parents in the first movie—an embodiment of Pixar’s values.

One reason the filmmakers likely kept Nostalgia (played by June Squibb) in a smaller role could be that giving her a larger part might have seemed too direct for Pixar. Pixar is known for its enchanting animation and ability to evoke sentimental feelings, resonating especially with adults who, like Anton Ego in “Ratatouille,” are transported back to childhood memories by certain experiences. Just as Ego learns to embrace pleasure through his nostalgic memories, Pixar encourages its audience to do the same when watching their movies.

Franchises often rely on nostalgia, making it easy to enjoy “Inside Out 2” because it follows the successful formula of the first movie. The sequel maintains the original’s style and creative ideas, offering familiar delights. Director Kelsey Mann adds a few tweaks and explores new, slightly darker themes without going too deep. He also includes a captivating scene where Anxiety loses control, shown as a swirling orange vortex. This vivid and intense portrayal of emotional chaos shakes up both the audience and the film itself. It showcases Pixar’s knack for turning concepts into powerful visuals, some of which challenge its typically gentle storytelling with moments of profound impact.

Overall, “Inside Out 2” is an engaging film with a very catchy and nice storyline. Personally, there was nothing bad about the movie it was a good watch from the beginning to the end. I’d rate it a 9/10, as it was a very good watch with superb cinematography and very strong performances from the characters.