#5 Inside Out
June 19
Synopsis: From an adventurous balloon ride above the clouds to a monster-filled metropolis, Academy Award®-winning director Pete Docter (“Monsters, Inc.,” “Up”) has taken audiences to unique and imaginative places. In Disney•Pixar’s original movie “ Inside Out,” he will take us to the most extraordinary location of all—inside the mind. Growing up can be a bumpy road, and it’s no exception for Riley, who is uprooted from her Midwest life when her father starts a new job in San Francisco. Like all of us, Riley is guided by her emotions – Joy (Amy Poehler), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith). The emotions live in Headquarters, the control center inside Riley’s mind, where they help advise her through everyday life. As Riley and her emotions struggle to adjust to a new life in San Francisco, turmoil ensues in Headquarters. Although Joy, Riley’s main and most important emotion, tries to keep things positive, the emotions conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house and school. Anticipation Level: Medium-High. Pixar makes its triumphant return to the big screen on June 19 with Inside Out. Directed by the genius that is Pete Docter, I don’t expect this film to disappoint. It’s been quite a while since Pixar had a non-sequel, critically acclaimed hit (2009’s Up, also directed by Pete Docter), so I’m anxious to see if they’re able to recapture the magic. If neither this film nor Good Dinosaur is able to do that, the magical run they had from Toy Story to Toy Story 3 might seem like a distant memory. I also give it a few extra anticipation points because the premise brings back memories of Epcot’s Cranium Command.[lp_page]