Before Inside Out hit theaters, there were some questions about whether or not the first film from Pixar since 2013’s Monsters University could connect with youngsters. Now, nearly six months after the film’s release, we know the answer. Not only did it connect with younger audiences, but it connected with all audiences, just like Pixar’s many other original ideas. With the film out on Blu-ray and DVD today, we can finally watch it over and over again, if you didn’t already while it was still in theaters.
I did do a full review of Inside Out in June when it opened in theaters and I still regard it as one of the best films I’ve seen this year. The story of Riley’s emotions is, well, an emotional experience and it does what good movies should do. You become attached to every character, even Bing Bong (and Richard Kind should become the first person ever nominated for a voice performance at the Oscars). And when the film is over, you feel relieved that things have worked out and you don’t mind the fact that there was a lesson. Director Pete Docter, whose daughter was the inspiration for the movie, showed us that a little Sadness (Phyllis Smith) can help bring more Joy (Amy Poehler).
The Blu-ray release is just as stellar as the film, although it is perhaps not as in-depth as past Pixar releases. Spread over two Blu-ray discs, most of the extra features run under 10 minutes. They are still surprisingly thorough in exploring how Inside Out came to be. Docter and co-director Ronnie Del Carmen also recorded a commentary track.
A particularly enjoyable featurette has Docter’s daughter and composer Michael Giacchino’s daughter showing us how their dads work. And on the first disc, there’s a wonderful featurette with the women of Pixar talking about their hopes and dreams and working on the film. Lastly, there's 16 minutes of storyboard sequences that didn't make the final version of the film. These are fascinating because they showed that at one point, the filmmakers were pairing Joy with Fear (Bill Hader) instead of Sadness early on.
However, most viewers will be more excited to see Riley’s First Date?, a four-minute short that acts as mini sequel to the film. It’s funny, since it mostly builds on the scene in the film where we look inside the minds of Riley’s parents. Jim Murphy’s Lava short is also included.
Inside Out does look beautiful and I don’t think you lose anything if you only get the film in 2D. Docter and company didn’t fill the film with gimmicks that would make seeing it in 3D at home necessary. Also, Disney provides a 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track.
Inside Out is still a lovely, touching film that proves Pixar is back. It’s much more than that meme that goes around - “What if feelings had feelings!” It’s a wonderful exploration about what it means to grow up and reaching the balance between happiness and sadness. The Blu-ray is a must-own.
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