(N-Depth) Movie Discussion- Inside Out

This post may seem a little overdue, but I have been on vacation of sorts for the last week. Or perhaps I planned it this way all along, since more people would be apt to read my post if they have seen the movie already. *rubs fingers together cunningly*

In case you have not seen the movie, then never fear, you can read my non-spoiler review for the movie here.


Let me start by saying, that Inside Out was not in my top favorite Pixar movies. I said as much in my previous review, in which I go into great depth explaining that even my least favorite Pixar movie is still far above many other movies when it come to quality.


Ok, on to the movie.


First off, it was brilliant. The brilliance of the writers at Pixar never ceases to amaze me; having grown up in a family where creativity is held in high esteem, good ideas were praised, and life lessons were woven into everything from the strange to the everyday ordinary, or, extraordinary. This is what Pixar is, and I admire them so very much for it.


Where to begin? A thought train, that is a literal train. Yes! And have you ever had your thought train utterly derail? Yes, I have, regularly.


I loved the dream production studio, that was perfect, the way the little writers take the real life events and then distort them is so how real dreams are.


The bubble gum song? YES! For me, it would come in the form of that one High School Musical song that Troy and Gabriella sing at their musical audition. How many times have I gotten the lines, "We're soarin', flyin', there's not a star in heaven that we can't reach..." Gah! Get out of my head!


I have to be honest, I was NOT a fan of the imaginary friend Bing-Bong. I read the title to a Disney article the other day that said, "Why Bing-Bong May Be the Best Pixar Character Ever Created" I was utterly astonished and enraged. What?!? How can you say that annoying puff of cotton candy is even in the same category as Woody and Buzz, Mike and Sully, Dug and Russel, Dori, Hiro and Baymax, and Fred, don't forget Fred, Walle and Eva, Elasti-Girl, and so, so many more! It's offensive to the very core of my being. In case you have not gathered this from my rant, I was not a Bing-Bong fan. He was obnoxious and frustrating. Even so, one of my favorite moments in this film took place surrounding him.


Ah yes, my top 5 moments in this movie.

1. The memory of when Riley was a toddler, and goes running out of the bathroom with no clothes on. I am the second oldest of six children folks, I know toddlers. This scene was so incredibly realistic and adorable, because let's be honest, most toddlers are rather nudist. I have certain siblings who, when they were toddlers, we felt triumphant just to keep a diaper on them. Toddlerhood is a sweet time when life is innocent and full of joy and giggles at tiny moments, it shouldn't be taken for granted nor should people freak out when talking about things like baby bottoms, poo, and peeing on the floor.  That's just life as a toddler, let' enjoy it and not mind getting down to earth about it.
2. At the end of the movie when Riley bumps into the preteen boy, and you see what is happening inside his poor brain. All of his emotions are running in circles screaming "GIRL", well, except for Fear, who is huddled in a fetal position on the floor. HA! Hilarious, so hilarious.
3. When Sadness sits down with Bing-Bong and empathizes with him over the devastation of loosing his rocket ship. This scene was a very crucial part of the movie, and really, a crucial part of life and relationships that people rarely get. More on this in Sadness' character spotlight.
4. When Sadness gets a hold of the controls just in time to keep Riley from running away.
5. When Riley walks into her house in San Francisco for the first time, and when she stands up in school and realizes just how badly she misses her home. I felt so much for her in those moments, because I did the exact same things, at age 10 and 11. I too have walked into a house that was awful, actually, when you combined the smell ( fermented cat urine) and the atrocious condition of the dwelling, it was worse than Riley's experience. I remember literally thinking to myself, "It's over, Mom and Dad have officially lost it." It ended up being a lovely home, but only after a thorough purging and remodel. Also, I packed up and moved across  the country when I was 11 years old. I experienced some very real culture shock, and felt isolated and sad.

Now, to my favorite part, the characters.

Joy, we all love joy. We all love feeling joy. The animators did a beautiful job of visually creating joy into an actual little person. She was bright, cute, and adorable, with spunk and just an edge of sarcasm that kept her from being too drippy sweet. Truthfully though, Joy rather annoyed me through much of this film. I knew that Sadness needed more input into Riley's life way before they ever made it clear in the movie. Also, while Joy truly wanted what was best for Riley, she at first failed to understand that it is impossible to be happy all of the time, and doing so ends up just making you feel empty and hollow. Trust me, I know. I have tried to put on my happy face at times when I really just needed to let myself feel things that I was stuffing. It wasn't healthy and it made me feel hollow.

Anger, ha, he was good for a laugh. Truthfully though, I feel that in many ways, Anger can be one of the most damaging emotions. I am not saying it is wrong to get angry, but how many people react out of anger and then regret their actions. Let's think about it for a moment, which Emotion was it that pushed Riley to want to run away? Anger, anger is often reactionary, and rarely do you find your best course of action when thinking in anger.

Fear was hilarious and adorable. I have a brother that is very easily startled and jumpy, so there were many moments that I chuckled while watching Fear. I really appreciated that while making Fear, well, fear, the writers didn't leave him shivering in the corner all the time.

I did not expect to like Disgust so much, but I found her really adorable. Maybe it was her sparkly green eyelashes and pink scarf/blush/lipstick. I don't know, but she was adorable. She was Disgust, but not a jerk, that is good character creation right there.

And you may be wondering why I saved Sadness for last, read on and I will tell you.

Sadness. The emotion that we all try avidly to avoid, stuff, or jump over. People who feel sadness are often avoided, ridiculed, or ignored for fear that they might drag the mood down. This truth about the Emotion Sadness was accurately depicted in Inside Out. Joy, in trying to do her job of giving Riley the best all the time (which she thought meant feeling happy all the time) attempted to keep Sadness in a tiny little corner away from the control panel, where she couldn't do anything to hurt Riley or ruin her memories. Dear Joy, you meant well, but you actually ended up hurting Riley more.

Remember how I said that one of my favorite moments had to do with Bing-Bong and the destruction of his rocket? Well, that had absolutely nothing to do with Bing-Bong himself, and everything to do with Sadness. Bing-Bong, was absolutely devastated, and in the bigger picture, we all felt a pang because we were watching the necessary but sad fact that Riley was letting go of her sweet childhood. Bing-Bong represented the fantastical and wondrous childhood years. Bing-Bong collapses on the ground in deep despair and stares down at the abyss that just swallowed a piece of Riley's childhood. And what does Joy do? She does what many people do instinctively, she avoids the obvious pain of the moment, and tries to jump right over it. Thanks Joy, but Bing-Bong doesn't really feel like smiling right now, he's dying inside.

And then comes a very critical and profound moment. Sadness, the emotion that everyone ignores, comes over and sits down beside Bing-Bong! She doesn't try to fix it, she doesn't try to keep him from feeling, she just sits next to him and shares in his grief.

That right there is a vital part of living and relating with people that is so often overlooked. When people are hurting, trying to get them to laugh it off or smile is not always the best course to take. Yes, joy is needed in the midst of suffering, but you know what else is needed in the midst of suffering? Sympathy, or to have someone who is willing to sit down and feel your pain with you. I think people avoid doing this because it is far messier than trying to make someone laugh, and it requires a greater personal cost to them. But the best relationships are those where people know when to it is "....a time to laugh, and a time to cry...". 

Joy eventually realizes this, after falling down into the deadest part of Riley's mind where she finds an old memory, and upon replaying it, realizes that a moment of sadness had to happen before it was followed by a moment of joy.

Joy then realizes that she needs to get Sadness back up to the Command Center to save Riley, who is in the process of running away and is shutting down her emotions entirely. With some breathtaking stunts, the two Emotions manage to make it up to the Command Center where Fear, Disgust, and Anger are all panicking trying to figure out what to do. Everyone is relieved, thank goodness! Joy is back, she'll know what to do. And finally, Joy has figured out what she needs to do.

Joy steps back and tells Sadness to go to the control panel, which is almost entirely dead and will not respond to any of the the Emotion's actions. Sadness steps up, and touches the panel.

And suddenly, yet, softly, the wall that Riley had built up in her heart and mind crumbles, and she feels again. 

See, I believe that sadness is about the most common emotion known to the human race. Why is that? Well, we live in a fallen world, imagine it for a moment, in the Garden of Eden right after Adam and Eve sinned and their connection with God was broken. What do you suppose they felt? That's right, the worst and most aching kind of sadness you can ever imagine. We as humans are born broken from the very beginning.

We have all felt sadness, and when you have felt what others have felt, you open yourself up to being able to have compassion and empathy for others who are hurting.

Riley had shut herself off to all emotions, especially sadness. But when she allowed herself to feel sadness, she touched the very most raw and vulnerable part of herself, and after that she was able to express and feel everything else that was inside of her.
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Now, this movie was made by a secular studio. And I am sure that they consulted a secular psychologist when discussing how the mind works. So there were obvious gaps in the way that the creators explained the human mind. No mention was made of the part of us that is spiritual, and how that effects our mind. Those who know the truth about how God created us humans will have to fill in the gaps for themselves. I do, however, applaud Pixar wholeheartedly for the good work that they did do in giving people of all ages a bit of understanding into how we think and feel.

What were your thoughts on this movie? What was your favorite part? Did they leave something out that you wished they had done? Who was your favorite character? Join the discussion and feel free to post on your own blogs/and or in the comments section.

(N-Depth) Movie Discussion- Age of Ultron

This is my first of my new "N-Depth" posts where I discuss movies on a much deeper level. For those of you who have a fear of spoilers be of good courage, these posts will enable me to get out all of my "feels" about a movie and also enable me to write spoiler-free reviews.




Now, down to business.




Phase 2 of Marvel's movies definitely had a different feeling than the Phase 1 movies. Those were origin stories, more lighthearted and framed like fun adventures. I've seen Avengers countless times and I still enjoy it as fun movie where I can get a good laugh and some good explosions/fight scenes.


But just like every phase has to come to a close, and a new, often more serious one begins, so we must accept that Marvel is also getting down to the serious business of writing superhero movies with greater consequences and gravity. Avengers: Age of Ultron was definitely the most desperate of our Phase 2 movies.




The Avengers themselves were each tested, made mistakes, and had to come to grips with who they were, and what their choices had cost the world. Yeah, I wouldn't want to be Tony Stark right now.



It seemed appropriate to start with Tony Stark/Iron Man, since it is thanks to him that we have Ultron in the first place. Without a doubt, you can depend on Tony to come up with a funny line. His delivery of humorous lines is just fantastic, he and Han Solo rank up there among the best of 'em. Tony is amazing with inventions, gadgets, and all other sorts of techy/nerdy paraphernalia. I said all of that to let you know that I truly do love Tony. That being said, Age of Ultron revealed in a deeper way some fatal flaws in Tony's approach to the world. He's always been the smartest, he's always been the richest, and he's always the guy with all of the answers. In Tony's world, there is no God, no, he is the god. He sincerely believes that it is his job to save/protect the world, to decide how to do that, and then to carry it out. Hence, Ultron. But in truth, Tony takes on way more responsibility than should be given to any one man. In Age of Ultron, Tony was prompted by fear to create something to protect the entire world. I don't blame the guy for being afraid, and I believe that he made the mistake because he cares so much, but as long as anyone tries to play God, there will be consequences. I do think that Tony realized some of this by the end of the movie, where he was much humbler and decided to step away from the chaos for a while. As far as his interaction with the other Avengers goes I really enjoyed it. There was such a sense of teamwork and a deep bond between them. I also think that he and Steve had developed a greater appreciation and understanding for each other, very different from the first Avengers. They are polar opposites in many ways, but there is a definite connection. Unfortunately, the lines were definitely drawn for the next Captain America movie, Civil War, and I dread to see Tony and Steve at odds. I do, however, believe that in their heart of hearts, they care enough about each other to reconcile in the end. Even the best of friends fight each other. One of Tony's Best Lines- "That man has no regard for lawn maintenance."

Now on to my favorite guy. One moment while I look at this poster....ok, I'm back. Ah, what to say. Cap, or Steve, has had a roller coaster of a journey. He's been at this game longer than anyone else on earth. He has been the man of his time, then a man out of time, and now a man adjusted to the time but with the same principles. It takes quite an individual to go through what he has endured and still remain intact with what you believe. Cap is the definite leader of the Avengers when it comes to tactics and strategies, he's a soldier, so he already has the mind for combat situations and the many variables involved. But more than that, Cap is always thinking on a moral level, with preservation of human life and freedom as his number one priority. While all of the Avengers work hard to protect people, no one else lives it out so thoroughly as Cap. I ached for him in this movie, as I have ached for him in every movie. When Scarlet Witch gave Cap a vision it was of a dance back in the 1940s, where everyone was celebrating the end of the war. He kept looking around at all of the people celebrating. Yet all he could hear were the sounds of war. The cameras flashing were like explosions, spilling drinks were spilling blood, and the entire vision had a red overcast to it. And then, Peggy, the love of his life, comes up behind him and asks for her dance. He can't stop looking around, not even when she says, "Steve, the war is over, we can go home now." And suddenly, it's all gone, the room is empty, Peggy is no longer there, and he is left alone. This sums up how Steve feels about his life. His entire adult life has been about war, and while he used to dream of a home and a family, he has lost hope that that will ever be his reality. It's like that dream grew old with Peggy. He has given up on the idea of a family and settled with the idea of being a soldier for the rest of his life. I don't blame Cap for feeling that way, but honestly, it scared me that he set his face in the direction. I feel like they are setting him up so that he is unattached and heroic, and then, a few movies from now, he will die some heroic death. That is definitely one option they could take, or, and this is the one I am hoping for, maybe they are setting him up to meet some incredible person who helps him realize he can have a life besides one of war, and maybe he would decide to retire and have a family. I doubt it will happen, but a girl can dream. Cap's Best Line- "If you get hurt, hurt 'em back, if you get killed, walk it off!"

I feel like Widow has evolved the most of all of the Avengers. She has the most horrible background story of anybody, and while she hides it well, you can often see the torment behind her eyes. She has come so far as a human being. Opening up her heart, allowing herself to be vulnerable, and allowing herself to feel. I think her friendship with people like Hawkeye, Steve, and even to a degree, Nick Fury has really helped. She is open now, ready for the next step. I believe she is even getting war-weary, and would just like to find a place, and a man, to settle with. I adored her sweet romance with Bruce Banner. The fact that she picked him out of a group very deliberately and said, "You, I want you." He almost can't fathom it. They were very beautiful together. Both have experienced some pretty horrendous trauma. I believe they feel something in the common that there are pieces of themselves that they despise, and no matter how much good they do, they both fear what they are capable of. She was so alone at the end of the movie, Banner had taken the easy, and what he believes is noble, way out and left her alone. I can't wait to see what Marvel does with these two, their stories are too compelling to leave hanging. In a way, she and Steve are in the same boat. They both have nothing else to turn to other than being soldiers. Oh well, at least they have each other as friends. I dearly hope that Marvel gives them both a deserving ending. Her Best Line- "I adore you....*kisses Banner and then shoves him off of ledge*....but I need the other guy right now."

Bruce, Bruce, BRUCE! Oh baby, it's time to give yourself a break. Banner is so adorable. He is this insanely intelligent guy who has a heart of gold, and the macho rating of about zero. Think about it, his best guy friends are all macho just by their very existence, and here he is, the rather shy dork who would be more at home in a lab or with children than fighting alien invaders. I think this is why Widow loves him, she doesn't see him as the Hulk, the thing he fears most, she sees him for the gentle and complicated human being that he is. He almost can't believe that anyone could feel for him like she does, but he responds so eagerly to her affection. It broke my heart when he was crying for her as she was relating a bit of her past, the fact that her ability to have children was taken from her. She is very much a broken woman, and he is very much a broken man. But together, they feel a little bit more whole. And then at the end of the movie, he leaves without a trace, believing that he is doing the right thing for Natasha. *Bangs head on wall repeatedly* Oh Banner, come home! She's waiting for you, come home sweetheart! Don't live in fear anymore! You won't hurt her, you will take care of her. Go home, she needs you. I do believe that Banner will eventually have to make a choice to embrace the Hulk as well as he embraces his scientific genius. His journey is taking longer than we'd hoped, but he is making progress. I just can't wait until he arrives there, and I certainly hope that Natasha is there waiting for him when he does. Banner's best line- "Uh, guys, is this a code green? Guys?"

On to our favorite Asgardian prince! Thor was a bit more detached emotionally from this film than he was the last Avengers. But considering that it was his confused and dramatic younger brother on a killing spree the last time, it is understandable. Thor's evolution was very defined. He went from being a war monger and self-centered jerk to a wise and kind man. He has great power, but he doesn't abuse it. Honestly, his part in Age of Ultron was a little difficult for me to follow. I believe they intended for the events surrounding him to be a bit more cryptic. Or maybe I am just a stupid earthling who can't comprehend the mysteries of the MCU, but I highly doubt that. I did enjoy Thor's more relaxed attitude. He has obviously been spending more time on earth, and has learned to loosen up some of that Asgardian formality and just chill out. I especially enjoyed his scenes surrounding the party near the beginning of the movie. His ''my girl is better than your girl" competition with Tony was adorable. I wish they could have brought Jane into this movie, their relationship together is the cutest. He's so big, she's so little, and he worships the ground she walks on. Adorable. I expect we will see a lot more of his influence as more is revealed about the Infinity stones, since he has a wider knowledge of the overall universe than any other Avenger. Thor's Best Line- "Jane's better."

I'm not entirely sure what to say about Vision here. I didn't entirely understand his conception, all I know is that he ended up with all of the good that Ultron was supposed to have. Sorta like Luke somehow got all of the good stuff from Padme, but avoided the junk from his father Anakin. Vision was a mysterious character, and I found him intriguing. I don't know exactly what he is, but I know that he feels steady, peaceful, and focused. He somehow managed to get the true message out of Ultron's scrambled ideas, and has a much better perspective on the world. His voice is very soft and soothing, and his eyes are beautiful. I am interested to see what they do with him in the future. Oh, and I definitely saw some sparkles between him and Scarlet Witch, whom he actually marries in the comics. How that works in real life, I have no idea, but let me tell you this, beautiful eyes will be passed on to their offspring. Vision's Best Line- "I was born yesterday."

"He's fast and she's weird." Thanks Hill, for summing that up. Scarlet Witch/Wanda was beautiful for starters, her eyes were huge, and you could tell that despite her pain, her heart was tender. I adored the relationship between her and her twin brother. While she was immensely powerful, she still allowed herself to be sheltered and protected by her brother. I think that shows a sweet vulnerability about her that makes her more approachable. I loved watching her movements, Elizabeth Olsen trained with a dance choreographer rather than a stunt trainer. It was noticeable, she was graceful and dramatic. I like how she has to feel the effects of whatever she does to other peoples' minds. That'll make you think twice about messing with someone else's brain. I feel like she has got huge potential as a character, and I can't wait to see more of her. Wanda's Best Line- "It's my job."


Oh Quicksilver! You whooshed onto our screens, into our hearts, and then, YOU DIED!!! WHAT THE HECK!?!? I did NOT see that coming, and I am still aching over it. Quicksilver/Pietro was simply adorable. He had a fun, almost boyish attitude, and definitely an ornery streak (ha, streak, see what I did there :) I adored, I mean, adored the relationship between him and his sister. She was his first priority, and they seemed to share one heart. I couldn't believe it when he died, it was so sudden, and entirely unexpected. I don't know what to say, only that I hope Cap's line of, "If you get killed, walk it off" was meant for him. I have some hope, considering that we thought Coulson was dead in Avengers, yet through the efforts of his intrepid fan base he was brought back to life and given his own show. Return to us Quicksilver, return dear boy! Pietro's Best Line- "What, you did not see that coming?" 


And now, ladies and gentlemen, I saved the best Avenger in this particular movie for last....



Yes ladies and gents, Hawkeye was the shining character, the anchor, the foundation of the Avengers team. He was the solid ground that kept them all from plunging into the abyss. I know, that sounds disloyal for a diehard Cap babe, but believe me, Cap would want me to tell you all the truth. In the Avengers, Hawkeye had a little over twelve minutes of screen time, not a lot of time to make an impression. Apparently the writers felt that it was about time to reveal just who this rugged and mysterious archer truly is. Hawkeye has a family! Yes, this stoic and still waters man has got the cutest little family this side of the Atlantic. It was so neat the way that they let you in on his dear little secret. The team is all broken up, Hulk just leveled a good chunk of a city, everyone else is shaken and traumatized, and Iron Man is feeling a huge weight on his shoulders. Quietly, Hawkeye takes them to the only safe place for them in the world at the moment, his home. A sprawling farmhouse that is sunny, cluttered, and full of love. If his wife, Laura, got any cuter, the screen would have cracked. Her pretty hair, gentle face, and adorable pregnant belly kind of make the movie for me. You saw the shift in him as soon as he stepped in the door of his home. He's not just a ruthless agent, he's a loving husband, and doting father. This sweet world is such a contrast to everything else in the Avengers' world, they were somewhat taken aback by it. I think it was very special the way the writers incorporated Hawkeye's home life into the dramatic and terrible events of this movie. It kept this movie grounded, and reminded you, and the other Avengers, that most of life is not just alien invasions and maniacal robots. It's families, and homes, and sweet, ordinary lives that make up the world. Hawkeye showed his clear head and wisdom during the final battle, something we didn't get to experience in Avengers. And while I ached, I hurt, when Quicksilver died, I am SO glad that Hawkeye made it. He had something to live for and some people to come home to, and I couldn't have been happier. One of Hawkeye's Best Lines- "No one would know...."

Final Thoughts

I loved the opening sequence, it was so action(y). The way the Avengers all clicked together to make the perfect team was just awesome. And that slow-mo action shot? Movie magic man, movie magic. That's the unique fun of superhero movies, they have the most awesome action shots.

I loved that Natasha gets to live somewhat vicariously through Hawkeye's family. She can never have a natural family of her own, but she can enjoy some of the sweet moments that can only be had in a family.

I love that Hawkeye's family was featured as a symbol of stability, beauty, and refuge. The way it was depicted was very complimentary of the high purpose and beauty of families.

I love that Falcon has joined the Avengers, he was one of the best aspects of Winter Soldier, and I can't wait to hear more from him.


The brave little tech guy (whom we have dubbed Sylvester) from The Winter Soldier has returned on the save-the-day hellicarrier! If you don't remember him, he was the one who stood up to Rumlow and said, "I'm not gonna launch those ships, Cap's orders." EEEE! I love this little dude, he was so courageous!

Banner come home!

Mr. Joss Whedon, we are begging you, bring Quicksilver back one day.

Cap, there is a future somewhere, you don't have to die.

Thanks for bearing with me folks, I know I can be longwinded, but like I said, this post is in-depth. There is much, much more to be said about the Avengers, but I believe I have said my fill.

Please, feel free to join the discussion in the comments, I love hearing feedback and would like to know what you thought of the movie.