I have mixed feelings. I liked it, and there are challenging issues raised.
I will not give details of the movie, so as to spoil it for
those who have not seen it. First I want to say even though this is animated it
is not really a movie for little children. Whereas “Inside Out” dealt with the
inner mind and thoughts of youth adults, and was funny and poignant, this movie is about the deep existential human
questions about death and how we live our life.
Overall it is a good message. The message is we should
appreciate each moment of our lives. And we are fulfilled through building positive relationships with others. There were also some challenging thoughts.
First it definitively suggests an afterlife where we go to the great beyond (go
to the bright light – I’m ok with that) and a before life. This before life though
has a very Calvinistic approach to it. It suggests that we are all born with
certain dispositions and personalities (we are born good or evil). The image was a little too “predestination” for me. (probably for those who do not think
theologically all the time, this brief idea might have not even been a blip on
screen in your viewing the movie but it was for me).
The other challenging idea raised around the idea that a
soul cannot go to earth until it finds its spark. That fits in with the predestination
theme. What WAS interesting and challenging to me was the concept that our
spark is not necessarily related to our purpose in life. In fact the movie raises the
question that we may not have one singular purpose in life. I have spent a lot
of time in my life trying to understand my purpose. I have learned mostly
through my Buddhist practices and teachings to live in the present moment. Still
I like to think of what I am doing as having some purpose even if it is unknown
to me.
The movie focuses on people being in the flow when they are
in touch with their spark. However it also indicates “The zone is enjoyable, but
when that joy becomes an obsession, one becomes disconnected from life.”
It reiterates the focus on being connected with life. It is an interesting question
of balancing greatness (the whole practicing 10,000 hours) which sometimes
requires some obsession. So it is an interesting question about finding balance
between following your passion and finding joy. I don’t know the answer but I
thought it was an interesting question.
The funniest part of the movie was when 22 (a particular soul
before life) keeps messing with the flow of the New York Knicks players so they
wont be any good.
I do not like the ongoing negative stereotypical view of
accountants that is portrayed in the film.
I loved the music in the film
Lastly I think I must mention the issue of race. First I am glad to see an animated movie that is
full of African American characters which also provided jobs for African
Americans. However this movie does continue a trend of sort in Disney animated movies
that have non white lead characters becomes non human. It just happens too
often to make it a coincidence.
The Princess and the Frog – Disney’s first African American
Princess becomes a frog.
Spies in Disguise – African American Secret Agent becomes a
pigeon.
Brother Bear – An Inuit boy becomes a bear
Emperor has his new groove – Incan Emperor becomes a Llama
Now Soul – the African American protagonist becomes an bluish
amorphous ghost like creature and then a cat.
Perhaps I am being too obsessive about this. But perhaps
that is why the movie included a negative about being obsessive about things. Very
subtle if you ask me.
Despite this I enjoyed the movie because it was thought provoking
and I love existential questions and I loved the music.
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