What was to be Disney / Pixars tent pole release of the summer, Soul was stopped in it tracks by the onset of the Covid Pandemic. It’s now got it’s long awaited release on Disney+ as the big Christmas Day release and it’s certainly been worth the wait.
Joe is a middle-school band teacher whose life hasn’t quite gone the way he expected. His true passion is jazz — and he’s good. But when he travels to another realm to help someone find their passion, he soon discovers what it means to have soul.
Pixar unsurprisingly have done it again. It what is probably it’s most Pixariest movie, Soul will tug on your heartstrings, make you realise how beautiful life is and re-teach you to appreciate all we have around us everyday.
The animation style is sublime drawing from all manner of styles and Soul will no doubts draw comparisons to Inside Out, it’s actually really unique, with an array of brilliantly drawn out characters, including the after worlds Gerry’s and Rachel House’s brilliant spiritual accountant Terry. The film has a very deep Jazz soundtrack with some beautiful music being played throughout, however if you’re not a fan of the genre, you might learn to fall in love with it.
The voice cast in Soul, including the aforementioned Rachel House, along with Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Richard Ayoade, the amazing Angela Bassett and even Graham Norton are all perfectly cast and simply sweep you up into the story. Pete Doherty directs it all into one swirl of colour, mono-tactic sweeps and ear soothing brilliance that will have you sitting in the wonderment of what you watched long after the credits have rolled.
Soul is to Pixar, what Spirited Away is to Studio Ghibli. Don’t delay watch Soul as soon as you can. Then after you’ve sat and pondered it for a while watch it again.
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