Inside Out (Blu-Ray): Review

Film

Inside Out, all about young Riley, uprooted from her Midwest life and moved to San Francisco. We see two stories in parallel, one in the world as we follow Riley overcoming all the new challenges she will face in this life-changing event, and the other aspect where we are privy to Riley’s emotions Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness, as characters living inside of Riley, in a huge city full of memories, islands and thought trains.

The emotions come to life in the form of characters, each with a personality embodying their namesake. The emotions however have their own short-comings to overcome, and as Riley hits a low point in her life, in the midst of becoming a young teen, so do the emotions, each needing to learn and overcome their own issues.

It will take teamwork, learning and a bit of faith, much like Riley’s own problems, and mirroring life as we all know it.

The cityscape that the emotion inhabit is vast and detailed, yet as it exists inside Riley’s mind, there is licence to bring in many fun and interesting concepts. The real world appears in stark contrast to this, letting us see how life would be without imagination, or when we give up caring.

Inside Out is a colourful delight, with a strong story at it centre, and a message that one can overcome. In true Disney style, this is an enjoyable story, presented in a very unique way.

A fun title for the whole family. Inside out is available now on disc for purchase in South Africa.

Disc And Bonus Features

There is both a 2D and a 3D version of Inside Out available on Blu-Ray. The 3D disc contains the film and a few sneak peeks, while the 2D version has several bonus features available, along with an audio commentary.

Video

The disc is encoded at a high bitrate, with no visible artefacts on screen. Colours are crisp and vibrant. Those with larger screens will benefit from the higher quality image.

Audio

Sound is presented in a variety of formats, including 7.1, 5.1, 2.0 and a 2.0 descriptive audio mix. The main title, and bonus features make ample use of the surround channels, further drawing the viewer into the on-screen action, and making them a part of the fun.

Disc Navigation

This, as with other Disney releases, a top quality disc. Navigation is easy, yet still manages to keep that creative flair to it.

Bonus

Lava: A short musical, about the love (lava) that two volcanoes have for each other. Some very detailed animation, and an interesting concept.

Riley’s First Date?: A humorous look at what might be going on in each family members mind, when a boy shows up to take Riley skating. Short, funny, and rather accurate.

Paths To Pixar: The Women Of Inside Out: A look at the women involved in the making of Inside Out. Informative, and inspiring, but is likely not to appeal to the younger viewers. Perhaps it will inspire some of them in later years to follow their dreams, but would have no entertainment value.

Mixed Emotions: A brief look at the research that went into creating the characters in the film that represent each emotion, how those came about and the steps involved in finalising their look. This is sure to be of interest to budding filmmakers, while still holding the attention of younger viewers.

Audio Commentary: Presented by Pete Docter and Ronnie Del Carmen and covering three main themes, namely history, invisible story, cinematography (with input from director of photography Patrick Lin).

The commentary will be of interest to any movie aficionados, and as the filmmakers themselves state, film students. It adds a great dimension to the film, listening to the various techniques shared, and the creative and technical processes used. Perhaps not for younger viewers, but certainly an interesting and valuable addition to the disc.

Sneak Peaks: There are a few trailers to other Disney titles, as well as one for the Inside Out Infinity game.

By Andrew Germishuys

Founder of SAMDB | Actor | Armourer | Tech Enthusiast With over two decades in the film industry, I'm a seasoned actor and skilled armourer. I hold numerous certifications in acting and filmmaking, complemented by degrees and diplomas in IT and technology, giving me a unique blend of creative and technical expertise. When I'm not on set or in the workshop, you'll find me immersed in the world of gaming and VR, fuelling my passion for cutting-edge technology. Connect with me: X / Twitter Facebook Instagram Mastodon Threads Explore my work on SAMDB IMDb