Rated PG

INSIDE OUT 2 reunites us with the emotions of Riley, who is now heading into puberty and must face a new batch of complicated feelings.

A lot of what worked in the original film is still present in this movie – from the exuberant voice cast including Amy Poehler as Joy to the high-concept lens that makes Pixar so innovative. However like puberty itself, things start to get a little messy when trying to streamline the story.

The secondary characters like Anger and Disgust go on the journey with Joy, which if fun but not as nuanced as the charming relationship between Joy and Sadness from the first film. And Riley’s real-life struggles as a teenager seem a bit too routine.

Still, INSIDE OUT 2 is a great family film with beautiful animation and an emotional core that has made Pixar films stand out for decades.

It’s not as good as the original, but this does course correct from some stumbles in the past.

INSIDE OUT 2 gets three and a half Joys out of five. I’m Kevin Carr, and that’s the way I see it.

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