'Inside Out 2' review: An exuberant, brilliant whirlwind of adolescent emotions

I'm ready to kick off the campaign now for an “Inside Out 3” in which we return to the mind of Riley Anderson – perhaps as she heads off to college or enters the full-time job market in the twenties or when she becomes a mother. The possibilities are as long as life, and given the magnificence of the first two “Inside Out” films, a trilogy could place the franchise alongside “Toy Story” as the greatest in Pixar history.

Sorry sorry sorry! Here we are getting ahead of ourselves. For now, let's celebrate the spectacular visuals, sharp, funny and insightful storyline and wonderful performances from the expanded ensemble of “Inside Out 2,” which match the originality and exuberance of the 2015 original This film grossed over $850 million. worldwide, was nominated for Best Original Screenplay and won Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards, and is widely considered one of the best films in the Pixar library.

Directed by Kelsey Mann from a screenplay by Meg LeFauve and Dave Holstein, with Pixar's army of animation experts providing exquisite, stunning visuals and Amy Poehler leading an all-star cast, “Inside Out 2 ” will definitely resonate on a universal level, whether you were 13 decades ago, whether you have children who are 13 – or who are in this general age range here, right now. It's one of the funniest, smartest and most touching films of the year.

The last time we saw Riley, she was 12 years old and had adjusted to her new life in San Francisco after an emotional roller coaster journey. We pick up the story shortly after, with Riley (now voiced by Kensington Talliman) navigating and things going as smoothly as possible in her mind's headquarters, thanks to the teamwork of Joy (Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black), Fear (Tony Hale, replacing Bill Hader after a reported salary dispute) and Disgust (Liza Lapria, replacing Mindy Kaling, same reason). As was the case with the original, each emotion has its own distinct color and just a hint of distinct sparkle or glow; after all, they are emotions, not humans.

With Riley's sweet helicopter parents (Diane Lane and Kyle MacLachlan) at the forefront of her life, cheering her on, Riley enjoys spending time with her best friends and hockey teammates, Bree (Sumayyah Nuriddin- Green) and Grace. (Thanks Lu). She has this! It’s smooth sailing from here – wait a minute, hold on. Riley turns 13, which means she's become… A TEENAGE GIRL! This is the best thing ever, no wait, this is the worst thing ever, why won't everyone leave me alone, where has everyone gone, what's even pass!!!!

This throws the headquarters into mass chaos, with a “PUBERTY!” » flashing signs and construction crews bursting in to make way for a whole new set of emotions, including orange and anxious Anxiety (Maya Hawke), indigo and quite bored Boredom (Adèle Exarchopoulos), Cyan Envy (Ayo Edebiri), oversized Boredom and the very pink Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser). Well, we even get the occasional visit from Grandma Nostalgia (June Squibb), but her time will come much later.

Thanks to a tight, precise storyline and careful editing, “Inside Out 2” allows each of these characters to live out their moments, all within the framework of a three-day weekend during which Riley has been invited to a hockey camp that will largely determine who makes the high school team, led by Riley's hero, the fabulous, talented and kind Valentina “Val” Ortiz (Lilimar). Anxiety becomes the dominant emotion at headquarters, as Riley worries frantically and makes a series of bad choices. Suddenly, her basic sense of self, in which she tells herself, “I am a good person,” “I am a good friend,” was disconnected.

There's a distinct difference in the “real world” animation, with human characters looking a lot like those in many Pixar films and Riley's mind, which is even more colorful, complicated and wonderful than it appears. was in the first movie. movie. On top of all these new emotions, we get some great cameos from Riley's memories, including Bloofy (Ron Funches), who was a character on Riley's favorite interactive children's TV show when she was little, and Lance Slashblade (Yong Yea), a braggart. video game character. It was a tall order to match the brilliance of “Inside Out,” but the sequel meets the challenge on every level.