'Inside Out," the new Pixar-Disney animation destined to be a classic, charts the emotional journey of 11-year-old Riley (Kaitlyn Dias). It's not just about how she feels, it's about how Joy (Amy Poehler), Disgust (Mindy Kaling), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black) and Fear (Bill Hader) form a team in her mind, support her through rough patches, encourage her to make new friends or recall old ones and decide how best to counter lame adult questions such as "How was school?"
The film is an ambitious undertaking that dabbles in neuroscience and philosophy while spinning a tale crammed with visual candy and buoyant charm. It turns the tables on the old adage that movies aren't as smart as books, and if Kant were around today, he might have pulled entire scenes to supplement a new edition of his "Critique of Pure Reason."
"Inside Out" does what Pixar does best: It stimulates adult minds stiffened with age and alerts them to the brilliant possibilities of everyday life. Through Riley, we get to experience the sensation of listening to our own thoughts, becoming aware of how different situations affect different emotions and the sheer wonderment of sorrow. This stuff comes easily during childhood, but it seems the digital age deprives adults of the time to savor anything other than data. Intriguingly, and most importantly, "Inside Out" never treats feelings such as anger and fear as negative ones — they are part of the team and crucial to the process of discovery and maturity.