Soul-Hot Take

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 Soul (2020 US) Pixar brings us this sweet story about a middle school band teacher who has a near death experience and then must figure out the meaning of life.  Yeah they really go there with the meaning of life theme. Jamie Foxx leads an all star cast as Joe Gardner. I loved the animation in this especially when Joe Gardner plays the piano. Animators painstakingly logged the exact key being played in the music and recreated it  visually. The result is pretty stunning. Soul was nominated for many awards including Oscars. I love the color work in this telling a story of its own. Each plain of existence has it's very distinct color pallet. Pixar consulted with an internal cultural trust made up of Pixar employees of color. The result is a multidimensional story with layered and complex characters. I really loved it but you will need the tissue box and not because of a tragic ending. It's just so darned sweet. Find it on Disney Plus for now and available to rent on most streaming. It aint cheap though.  


Update: Pixar made a companion short called "22 vs Earth".  It was very cute but watch Soul first. 

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