Inside Out (2015)

Tagline: “Meet the little voices inside your head” Having recently spent a month with people whose little voices are overwhelmingly aggressive, this is not universally good advice.

Premise: A Disney Pixar animated effort about the balancing of emotions, who are characters in their own right. We follow Anger, Fear, Disgust, Sadness and Joy inside young Riley's head as she comes to term with growing up, a family move and all that brings for an eleven year old. Or however old she is. It's hard to tell- she's computer generated.

Delivery: “Congratulations San Francisco, you've ruined pizza! First the Hawaiians, and now YOU!”

Inside Out is a film I first saw on my therapist's recommendation. I shit you not. You know when dentists recommend toothpaste? I figured, she's in the industry, it's probably a good call. She earned her money that day; don't try talking sense into me, gimme a Goddamned film. I put it on for a film night with my family in 3D, of course. Inside Out is Disney Pixar (Dixar!) so it's appropriate for all, and I mean when I say that there's something for everyone in it.

"Something for everyone" is a compliment wheeled out often for kid's films, but it is important if you're going to sit through a film with children. You need entertaining too, and those little toerags need some edumacation. There are lots of jokes and little details within Inside Out for adults to enjoy. Much like the Toy Story series, Up, or Wall-E, Dixar really nailed this one. Inside Out is so well constructed and clever; as we follow the characters inside the labyrinth of memories and formative experiences inside Riley's head, seeing how they interact and relate to the outside world.

A film which is very funny, yet engaging is not unique. Inside Out is also meaningful and a great way of explaining to children or to anyone that your emotions need to work together. There's a place for all of them. My therapist was right and if you don't already, spare a thought for people whose little voices are overbearing. It's awful. The film is also, as Disney have a habit of doing, quite sad in a couple of places. But hey, joy wouldn't feel so good, if it wasn't for pain.

Bedsit it? Absolutely. Put it on with the family. Put it on alone. Either or. It's that good. For me Inside Out is the best of the Pixar films, and it's not just because I'm a mental case recently out of the nut house. 8/10