![]() ![]() Only later, does he realise what he has been missing. The thought, “You got what you wanted, now what?”, washes over him. When he finally does succeed, he is left feeling hollow. He neglects what he perceives as distractions, inconveniences, and barriers, to the one thing that truly matters: his dream. But as he edges ever closer to realising it, he becomes disdainful of the process of living. He is willing to do anything to achieve this dream. Joe is consumed by his dream of leaving a safe, secure, teaching job behind in order to become a jazz musician. But my soul was roused far more by Coco and other jazz-centered films like Whiplash (2014), than by Reznor and Ross’s work on Soul. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross did a superb job on The Social Network (2010). Perhaps most disappointingly, the film’s score did not leave a lasting impression. But his cat persona just isn’t all that enjoyable to watch (unlike Coco’s Dante who, without uttering a word, is infinitely more entertaining – find me an animated dog that is more full of life.) Joe’s new form allows him to view himself from the outside, advancing the story, and ultimately helping him appreciate the finer things in life. It doesn’t help that the cat Joe’s soul is implanted into isn’t particularly interesting. This trope is the central draw of countless movies and, quite frankly, has been done to death (if you can forgive the pun). Soul relies on the body-switch trope, wherein a character’s soul is mistakenly implanted into another body. But every time I left Earth, I was eager to return. The design and animation of the characters, the world they inhabit – none of the scenes set in the ethereal worlds were particularly enjoyable. The film starts out well enough, but once Joe (quite literally) falls through the floor, narrowly escapes the Great Beyond and finds himself in the Great Before, things start to lose their spark. ![]() Both Miguel and Joe have an animal sidekick Joe must team-up with a tubby therapy cat, whilst Miguel is helped along by his dependable dog, Dante (arguably the best animated dog ever created).Both films centre on a specific ethnicity’s culture Coco explores an aspect of Mexican culture, whereas Soul is a celebration of jazz.Joe and Miguel both struggle against their unsupportive families in order to realise their dreams.Both protagonists find themselves in a version of the afterlife (or in Joe’s case, ‘Great Before’).Both films’ protagonists play musical instruments Joe is a pianist, whereas Coco’s Miguel plays the guitar.Coco and Soul’s major themes are music and death.And likely very familiar to anyone who saw Pixar’s 2017 release, Coco. Joe’s story is a good one, but not a great one (by Pixar’s standards). Soul (2020) follows Joe Gardner, a music teacher striving to become a successful jazz musician.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |