Stutee Ghosh reviews James Van’s Insidious 3 and Disney-Pixar’s Inside Out. Take a look
INSIDE OUT
It’s best when a movie can be described in a single word. The word for Inside out is “Brilliant”. From Pete Docter who enthralled us with his last directorial outing Up, we have come to expect nothing short of greatness but with this one he has managed to up his own game and we couldn’t be happier.
The story of Inside Out is super interesting and the story telling even better. We all have emotions, don’t we? But what if our emotions have a mind of their own? Interesting right? Well this is the train of thought beautifully adorned with some sparkling imaginative writing that woos not just young ones but us grown kids too. We enter inside the head of 11 year old Riley because really that’s the best place to be! We meet Joy voiced by the brilliant Amy Poehler. There is Sadness in blue overalls; Anger in a burning Red, a frail looking Fear and the green little thing with a smirk we encounter is Disgust.
These 5 little gems inside her head are responsible for not just how Riley’s life is going to turn out but also orchestrate her mood the very next second. On screen this translates to 100mins of unadulterated magic and fun.
Riley is upset with her parents’ decision to shift base to San Francisco from Minnesota. Her fear of the unknown, her apprehensions at being the new girl at school, her loneliness without her friends being around and her anger at the pace at which everything around her changes so rapidly will find resonance with everyone watching it, irrespective of the age bracket they belong to. For a Pixar movie aimed primarily for the kids, Inside Out is deeply philosophical. It understands sorrow and pain and stays clear of over simplification. “Be happy” isn’t as easy as people make it out to be and this film shows tremendous class and maturity at dealing with each and every emotion and how indispensable they all are. It’s important to feel Sadness to truly experience Joy. Anger and Disgust are equally important to keep ones spirits high and stay clear from the abyss of depression.
For a movie that starts with volcanoes singing the “lava” song and talking of hope it transforms beautifully into a work of art that tugs at your heart strings and makes you want to smile and cry at the same time. Somewhere Riley’s story is ours too. Through her journey we try clearing up some cobwebs in our own hearts. Inside Out is definitely special and a film that is bound to stay with you for a very long time. It’s a must watch. Go do yourself a favor and exult in this piece of brilliance. I’m going with 5 QUINTS out of 5.
INSIDIOUS CHAPTER 3
Although third in the series, Insidious Chapter 3 is a prequel to the previous two installments. Set a couple of years before the Lambert Family haunting, here we meet a reluctant Elaine as she decides to help a young girl Quinn to get in touch with her dead mother.
There are some staple motifs that have almost become an indispensable part of any horror filmmaker’s arsenal – ominous background score, eerie atmosphere, dimly lit surroundings, false scares and bone chilling anticipation of danger. All these are put to brilliant use by directer Leigh Whannell and we have a fantastically tight first half.
Almost on cue and to set the bone chilling moments rolling Quinn, perfectly played by Stefanie Scott ignores Elaine when she warns her against reaching out to her dead mother- “If you call out one of the dead all of them can here you” she says with nightmare inducing power. Like any good horror flick in this one too sane advice is ignored and the forebonding tone is set for the entire duration.
Just 98mins long, the first half is deliciously high on content and scares. While Quinn is trying to come to terms with the death of her mother, Lin Shaye brings out the nuances in her role brilliantly. Elaine might be vulnerable and restrained but she flaunts just the right dose of steely resolve when the need arises. She single handedly amps up the scary quotient of the film. The “ghost spirit” is at large, Quinn is in danger and the buildup is superb.
Alas post interval we encounter horror of another kind! This one makes us slump back into our chairs with a soft sigh. The tension slowly subsiding and no longer pushed to the edge of our seats we now take stalk of all that is happening before our eyes. The “man who can’t breathe” ghost looks like an anorexic version of the ferocious Bane from Dark Knight Rises. In the final scene instead of the classic Good Vs Evil battle that should be played out in epic proportions we have to be content with what looks like a tug – of –war between Elaine and the ghost. The film has its tail firmly between its legs. The second half is a serious let down and that’s a pity especially since pre interval it showed such potential.
Although not as scary as its first installment, this one would be more enjoyable if you are familiar with the franchise. For giving us only half of what was promised I’ll give Insidious Chapter 3 2.5 QUINTS out of 5.
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