Inside Out (2015)

Cast:

• Pete Docter, Writer/Director

• Meg LeFauve and Josh Cooley, Co-Writers

• Patrick Lin and Kim White, Cinematography

• Michael Giacchino, Music

• Amy Poehler as Joy

• Phyllis Smith as Sadness

• Richard Kind as Bing Bong

• Bill Hader as Fear

• Lewis Black as Anger

• Mindy Kaling as Disgust

• Kaitlyn Dias as Riley

• Diane Lane as Mom

• Kyle MacLachlan as Dad

• Paula Poundstone as Forgetter Paula

• Bobby Moynihan as Forgetter Bobby

Background:

• Inside Out was released on June 19, 2015 after having its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.

• On a budget of $175 million, Inside Out would gross roughly $858 million and finish as the #7 film of 2015 worldwide.

• Inside Out received effusive critical acclaim, and was listed on many critics' top-10 lists in 2015.

• Inside Out would receive two Oscar nominations for Best Original Screenplay and it won Best Animated Feature.

• The National Board of Review and the American Film Institute named Inside Out one of the 10-best films of 2015; it also won the National Board of Review's Best Animated Film award.

• According to Film and Philosophy, a philosophical journal, Inside Out is one of the best animated films ever made.

• Various other publications, such as IndieWire and The A.V. Club, have referred to Inside Out as a standout entry in the 2010s.

• A 2016 BBC poll of 177 film critics listed Inside Out as the 41st-best film of the 21st century, and The New York Times placed it seventh on its own list.

• Empire and The Independent respectively named it 18th- and 41st-best in 2020.

• The film's screenplay was listed number twenty-nine on the Writers Guild of America's "101 Greatest Screenplays of the 21st Century (So Far)" in 2021.

• Inside Out also had a sequel that released in 2024 that was the highest grossing film of that year.

• Inside Out currently holds a 98% among critics on RT, a 94 score on Metacritic, and a 3.8/5 on Letterboxd.

Plot Summary: Inside Out takes place largely inside the mind of 11-year-old Riley as she navigates a difficult move from Minnesota to San Francisco. Her emotions—Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust—are personified and operate from Headquarters, guiding her reactions and memories. When Joy and Sadness are accidentally swept out of Headquarters, the remaining emotions struggle to manage Riley’s turmoil. As Joy learns to appreciate the value of Sadness, the film explores the complexity of growing up, emotional balance, and the importance of embracing all feelings.

Did You Know:

• According to the director Pete Docter, each emotion is based on a shape: Joy is based on a star, Sadness is a teardrop, Anger is a fire brick, Fear is a raw nerve, and Disgust is broccoli. He noted that he likes broccoli very much, however.

• The writers considered up to 27 emotions but settled on five (Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Fear, and Anger) to make it less complicated. Some primary emotions that were cut included Surprise, Pride, and Trust.

• Some memory balls in Riley's mind contain scenes from other Pixar movies, such as Carl and Ellie's wedding in Up (2009).

• Originally, Joy would team up with Fear rather than Sadness. The creators thought they would be the funnier pairing. They went with Sadness instead when Pete Docter was on a Sunday walk and then had a bad train of thought. He feared he'd get fired and lose his friends. Because of this, he realized Joy needed to know it was okay for Sadness to be at the controls occasionally.

• When Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera pitched the film to Mindy Kaling, she was moved to tears and said, "I think it's great that you guys are making a film that shows it's difficult to grow up, and that it's okay to be sad about it." According to Pete Docter, they exclaimed, "Quick! Write that down!"

• In Riley's classroom (No. A113), a map at the back of the room has pins plotted at different places worldwide. They refer to where all the Pixar movies are set.

Best Performance: Pete Docter (writer/director)

Best Secondary Performance: Amy Poehler (Joy)

Most Charismatic Award: Lewis Black (Anger)/Richard Kind (Bing-Bong)

Best Scene:

• New Core Memory

• Dinner Conversation

• Goodbye Bing-Bong

• Joy Recognizes Sadness

• Riley Comes Home

Favorite Scene: Goodbye Bing-Bong

Most Indelible Moment: Joy Recognizes Sadness/Riley Comes Home

In Memorium:

• Frederick Forsyth, 86, English novelist (wrote The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File, and The Fourth Protocol)

• Sly Stone, 82, American Hall of Fame musician (Sly and the Family Stone) and songwriter ("Everyday People", "Family Affair"),

• Arthur Hamilton, 98, American songwriter (songs, "Cry Me a River", "I Can Sing a Rainbow")

• Jason Constantine, 55, American film executive (for Lionsgate Films) and producer (of franchises Saw, John Wick, and The Expendables)

• Marise Wipani, 61, New Zealand actress (known for roles in Soldier, Soldier and Xena: Warrior Princess)

• Harris Yulin, 87, American actor (known for roles in Scarface, Clear and Present Danger, Training Day, Ozark, and Ghostbusters)

• Brian Wilson, 82, American musician (The Beach Boys), songwriter ("Good Vibrations"), and record producer (Pet Sounds)

• Ananda Lewis, 52, American TV host (host of MTV's Total Request Live and Hot Zone)

Best Lines/Funniest Lines:

Sadness: Crying helps me slow down and obsess over the weight of life's problems.

Joy: Oh no! These Facts and Opinions look so similar!

Bing Bong: Don't worry about it. Happens all the time.

Anger: Congratulations San Francisco, you've ruined pizza! First the Hawaiians, and now YOU!

Fear: All right! We did not die today, I call that an unqualified success.

Anger: We should lock the door and scream that curse word we know. It's a good one!

Disgust: What's "poo-ber-tee"?

Sadness: Remember the funny movie where the dog died?

The Stanley Rubric:

Legacy: 8.75

Impact/Significance: 8.75

Novelty: 10

Classic-ness: 8.75

Rewatchability: 8.5

Audience Score: 8.75 (86% Google, 89% RT)

Total: 53.5

Remaining Questions:

• What is Mr. Anderson's job?