Embracing Cinema: A Children's Movie that Leaves Adults Reaching for Tissues

I recently rewatched the Pixar movie Soul and, once again, found myself marveling at Pixar's knack for creating movies that target kids but leave their accompanying parents in an emotional heap. Seriously, who knew animation could get so deep?

A fun fact about me that most do not know: I am a jazz fanatic. I’m talking my top Spotify Wrapped genre every single year type of fanatic. It's also why I have an undying love for La La Land (which is for an entire other post.) Basically, if there's jazz involved, I'm locked in, no questions asked. The movie is a delightful rollercoaster of emotions with a hefty dose of an existential crisis. It centers around Joe, a middle school music teacher with an unwavering passion for jazz. Joe’s dream is to become a professional jazz musician, and he's determined not to let anything derail that dream. Sounds pretty straightforward, right? But oh, there's so much more.

At its heart, Soul is about passion. Joe's devotion to jazz is palpable, and his journey is a resonant reminder of how our passions shape our lives. But there's a deeper layer here: the movie nudges us to reflect on our own lives and dreams. It reminds us that life can take countless different paths, each with its own unique story. One of the standout lessons from Soul is the idea that while we're busy chasing our dreams, we sometimes forget to savor the journey. The film beautifully suggests that life's meaning isn't just about achieving those grand goals, but about finding joy and fulfillment in everyday moments. It's about appreciating the simple pleasures and the relationships we build along the way. Joe and his sidekick, 22, both go on an individual journey of self-discovery. They learn what truly brings them happiness, which in our world, is often manipulated by societal expectations. As I touch on in a lot of my posts, self-discovery comes from turning inward and eliminating the external factors of this world. This takeaway really hit home for me.

Another brilliant takeaway from Soul is the redefinition of success. Joe learns that true success isn’t just about personal achievements or external validation. It’s about finding inner peace and satisfaction in the everyday. Watching Joe get lost in the moment while performing music reminds me of how I feel during yoga, meditation, swimming, or a high energy workout class— not thinking about the past or the future: fully indulged in the present moment of life. True fulfillment comes from fully engaging with the present moment and finding joy in the here and now. This takeaway from the movie is a gentle reminder of the importance of finding activities that ground us and deliver those precious moments of presence in our daily lives.

Towards the end of the film, 22 gets whipped away from the overflow of inner destructive thoughts while trying to discover her souls purpose. It reminds me a lot of the scene in Pixar's new film Inside Out 2 when Riley experiences a panic attack. Both scenes bring to life how our minds react to the opinions and judgements of those from the outside world. Despite saying we let the negative words and actions of others go in one ear and out the other, they linger in the back of our minds if we do not let ourselves FEEL! Personally, I did not realize how much negativity I supressed that blocked my ability to heal. I let myself feel the hurt of the negativity exposed to me, dating all the way back to when I was a child so I could experience the ability to truly and unapologetically heal. Healing those suppressed emotions of hurt and pain allows us to experience joy and passion to its fullest!

For me, films are a teacher of learning to feel. It's through watching films over and over that I learned how it's OKAY to feel sadness, anger, guilt, grief. It's also OKAY to feel joy, passion, fulfillment, and love. As we watch a film like Soul we go through this rollercoaster of emotions that teach us to embrace the emotions of the present moment - good or bad.

So, if you haven't seen Soul yet (or even if you have), give it a watch. Let yourself get swept up in the music, the story, and the lessons it offers - unique to each viewer. And maybe keep a tissue box handy—you never know when Pixar's going to hit you right in the feels.