It’s easy to be cynical about Pixar sequels, and understandably so. why we need more car or Toy Story A movie (or spin-off) from an animation studio that prides itself on unique storytelling? Why, after a string of solid original movies soul, Luca, turn redand element, Do we need to look back at 2015? Inverted?
However, of all Pixar movies, Inverted Most people would invite an organic sequel. Its exploration of the complex emotions in our minds is perfect to continue because we as humans are always evolving and changing! When has this change been more dramatic than the beast of adolescence?
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Just like in 2022 turn redwhich in itself proves a seminal performance of adolescence, Brain Teasers 2 Embrace the complexities of this daunting life stage, especially when it comes to feelings of self-worth and anxiety. The result is a candid take on mental health that proves more mature than its predecessor, while also maintaining a much-needed dose of irreverence and Pixar comfort.
Brain Teasers 2 Addressing the emotional challenges of adolescence head-on.
Image source: Pixar
Directed by Kelsey Mann, Brain Teasers 2 We are reintroduced to Riley (voiced by Kensington Talman), who is now 13 years old but still as obsessed with hockey as ever. Helping her navigate the world are her five emotions: Joy (voiced by Amy Poehler), Sadness (voiced by Phyllis Smith), Disgust (voiced by Lisa La Pira), Fear (voiced by Tony · Hale) and Fury (voiced by Louis Black). after the incident Invertedthe group is now a well-oiled machine, with everyone helping Riley in their own way.
But wait, what is this big, blaring alarm on the mood console? Why smash the headquarters to pieces with a wrecking ball for a surprise renovation? This confusion can only mean one thing: puberty has arrived, bringing with it new emotions.
First and foremost is anxiety (by stranger thingsMaya Hawke), a toothy orange puffball who wants to protect Riley from all the terrible things she “can’t see.” This mostly means drawing horrific scenes of everything that happened Can Riley goes awry—a strategy that immediately pisses Joey off.
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Adding anxiety is jealousy (dubbed) BearAyo Edebiri), Ennui (voiced by Adèle Exarchopoulos) and Embarrassment (voiced by Paul Walter Hauser). New, more exaggerated character designs set this group of emotes apart from the original team. Although Envy is small, she has huge eyes and drools over everything she sees. Ennui is the picture of disaffected French cool, lounging like noodles on the couch. While embarrassment was by far the dominant emotion, he preferred to hide himself deep in his sweatshirt.
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New emotions and old ones emerge when Riley learns that her best friends Bree (voiced by Sumaya Nouridine Green) and Grace (voiced by Grace Lou) are assigned to a different high school Tensions between emotions. The summer hockey skills camp they attend may be their last chance to play together on the same team, but it may also be the time for Riley to impress her new high school coach and the team’s formidable captain, Valentina Chance (voiced by Lillimar). Will Joey win by insisting that Riley stay with Bree and Grace? Or will anxiety destroy the friendships she’s spent years trying to secure a “cool” future for Riley?
Brain Teasers 2 Indicates that both have advantages. Of course you want Riley to stay close to her friends, and of course you want to see her succeed at doing the things she loves. There is certainly a way to combine the two. Instead, anxiety puts options on the binary, kicking old emotions out of the HQ and setting in motion a plan to build a new sense of self for Riley.
Brain Teasers 2 Really understand mental health.
Image source: Pixar
Watching an anxiety plan unfold can make you feel anxious yourself. seriously, Brain Teasers 2 It was one of the most stressful viewing experiences I’ve ever had. However, it is also one of the films that I feel is most concerned about its depiction of mental health.
Riley’s attempts to impress high school teams went awry every time. She made the mistake of snowballing herself into a nickname; she hid her true interests to fit in; she pushed herself to extremes in an attempt to prove she was good at hockey. Every painful social interaction has you curling into a little ball in your seat—not just out of Riley’s embarrassment, but out of the realization that we’ve all been through similar awkward phases. like turn red or 2023 God, are you there? It’s me, Margaret, Brain Teasers 2 Know that empathy is the secret weapon of any great coming-of-age movie. So even if you’ve never picked up a hockey stick, you’ll develop feelings for Riley, Bree, and Grace as the group of friends navigate an emotionally charged dilemma.
Riley’s experience plays out like a grounded coming-of-age drama, in stark contrast to the fantasy adventure movie playing out in her head. Inverted The plot of “core emotions needing to return to headquarters” has been explored, so its successors mixed the groupings of emotions and even made changes to separate happiness and sadness. At times, scenes bemoaning the loss of emotion can be too similar to the first film, so when Brain Teasers 2 Bringing new intellectual barriers to our emotions, such as the “sarcasm gap” or real brainstorming. One particularly hilarious scene involves the encounter with Riley’s secret, such as the fact that she still likes dora the explorerA cartoon character named Bloofy (voiced by Ron Funches), or her obsession with the dramatic video game dream ship Lance Slashblade (voiced by Yong Yea). These colorful journeys into Riley’s mind may appeal to younger viewers, but it’s the way they tell Riley’s real-world story that resonates most.
Brain Teasers 2 Riley’s troubles are relentlessly pushed to a visceral climax, proving just how debilitating anxiety can be. But just like the original InvertedThe film teaches us a valuable lesson about the importance of allowing ourselves to experience our emotions, rather than keeping them separate or locking them away entirely. (You’ll need tissues.) Even Anxiety isn’t considered an outright villain, just someone who overthinks things to the point of crisis. Who among us doesn’t?
So while the pursuits of Joy and his colleagues can sometimes feel redundant, there’s no denying that Brain Teasers 2 There is something new and important to say. This is the rare Pixar sequel that truly earns its existence and deepens the first film’s message. Even though it may make you deeply, deeply deep It’s anxiety-provoking, but simply a joy to watch.
Brain Teasers 2 Opens in theaters June 14.
