SOUL (2020) – Another flawless gem from PIXAR!

The name Pixar is synonymous to a quality and superior standard in CGI animation that no other film studios have been able to match. The amazing thing about Pixar movies is not only the amazingly beautiful visuals of its animation but also the original stories that they all have to tell. The latest offering SOUL, is no different. Once it again it has manage to crave out a compassionate tale of an everyday person and mix it with an incredible degree of imagination to result in an unforgettable story of finding one’s soul and purpose in life. Sounds a bit heavy but don’t worry, the journey is told in a way that everybody of all ages can appreciate and more importantly comprehend.

Jamie Foxx provides the voice to the main character, Joe, a school music teacher who gets his first big break as a jazz musician. He gets an offer to play the piano in a jazz club with his idol. However before he could fulfil his lifetime dreams, something unexpected happens along the way that will change his whole perspective of life. Comedian Tina Fey provides the voice for the other main character in the story, named simply as 22. The both of them gave their beautifully drawn characters just the right level of vocal support to bring their characters alive in constantly delightful ways.

The film’s title is also brilliant in its multiple meanings that can be related to the film’s content. Firstly the relevance to the jazzy and soulful music that Joe is associated with. And secondly, to the reference to the essence of the living being in which much of the film’s story actually addresses. It also touches on the spiritual part of a person as opposed to the physical form, that is often believed to exist even after a person dies. Believe it or not all these definitions are brilliantly crafted inside a story that flows like a children’s fairy tale and yet one that carries a message that a typical fairy tale would never travel to. Much of the credit of this achievement lies with the writer director of SOUL, Pete Docter whose previous work includes other Pixar gems like Monsters Inc., Up and Inside Out.

The imaginary world presented in SOUL where our main characters meet is filled with so much imagination and wonder that you would simply just get absorbed inside and be totally invested in the fantasy tale. SOUL is probably the best feel good movie you will find during this holiday season and one that should be viewed by everyone.