Last week Lil’ J and I went to see Disney Pixar’s Inside Out at a press screening. She’s my little review sidekick and now that it’s out we’re finally sharing our thoughts!

I won’t be posting any spoilers so don’t worry about that. She had been counting down for over a week to see it. The commercials just draw kids in I tell ya. It had her wanting some of the Inside Out merchandise that’s been on the shelves for months.

We had some of the magnets on our fridge and yesterday her grandma got her this Disney Inside Out Inside Out 5 In 1 Puzzle at the Disney Store outlet. I interviewed Lil’ J about the movie while she worked on it to give you her perspective.

There was an adorable short film before the movie called Lava. I loved it but Lil’ J wasn’t impressed “because volcanoes scare me,” she said.

Here’s what she said about the main feature:

Mom: What was the movie about?

Lil’ J: They’re creature things, and they make a kid a kid, and her name is Riley. So one feeling that’s like ‘eew yuck’ and one’s joy, she’s happy, and ones scared and ones sad. Want to hear about grumpy? He’s the one that when he gets angry he gets fire on top of his head. Oh, and there’s an elephant one and he sings. Ok?

(The elephant actually isn’t an emotion but an imaginary friend)

Mom: What was your favorite part?

Lil’ J: When they were singing ‘Who’s the friend you like to see? Bing Bong Bing Bong!’

Mom: What didn’t you like about the movie?

Lil’ J: I didn’t like the parts where everyone was laughing and I didn’t understand. I didn’t understand parts of it but I did laugh at some parts.

Mom: Do you think it’s a movie for grownups, that little kids should see it too?

Lil’ J: I think little kids too, because I’m a little kid, and I saw it, and I think little kids would like it too.

Mom: How old?

Lil’ J: Three, or maybe four or five, ok? But no one [year-olds], no babies. Two is ok if he’s not a squiggly worm or anything.–I mean if they are hyper and don’t sit still–If they aren’t like a squiggly worm, that’s ok with me.

Lil’ J ranks Inside Out over Cars, Monsters Inc, Finding Nemo and even Brave. She however still likes Cinderella, Wreck it Ralph, Frozen and Frozen Fever (she wanted to be sure I put that in there) more.

I should preface and say that I’m super critical of Disney Animated Movies because I always set the bar SO HIGH. When I expect too much I’m often let down. I’d heard so many high-praise reviews that I was expecting my mind to be blown by this movie. Kinda like that red guy in the middle, but in a happy way.

Since I’ve been keeping up with the trailers for so long, many of the funny scenes I had already seen, however there was still a lot of humor I didn’t expect that had me and the rest of the audience laughing hysterically. A lot of the jokes were geared for an older audience. I’d say maybe 7 and up.

I had an idea of the storyline from the previews but the movie ended up being even better and way more complex than I had imagined. Lil’ J was able to follow along for the most part, but like any other movie we see together, it sometimes takes a couple viewings to catch things she missed before.

We plan to see it again in theaters next week during the day, and of course we’ll be buying it on DVD.

One thing I really thought was awesome about the movie–Like many movies Disney Pixar produces, this film has a deeper meaning within the storyline. It’s been fun to use the characters from the movie to talk about our emotions when we’re working through them. Others have said it’s a great movie to bring awareness to mental illness and depression.

Having heard that before I watched it I think I went into it taking it a bit too seriously, but in the end I was laughing and tearing up anyway. Lil’ J was completely connected and concerned for Riley throughout the movie, and I loved every second of the film. It was awesome, nothing like we’ve seen before, and one I’m excited to see again and again.

Like Lil’ J I’d rank it above Cars, and Monsters Inc. probably even Finding Nemo. I wouldn’t rank it above Wall-E, Toy Story 3, or The Incredibles, but I suspect it’ll grow on me through the years like these have, and if you ask us, it’s definitely worth seeing, especially with your kids!

Do you plan on seeing Inside Out?

If your kiddos want some fun before or after seeing the movie, here are some activity sheets from Disney that I’ve uploaded for you!: Spot the difference game, coloring page, emotional door hangers and my personal favorite: Inside Out inspired nail art tutorials.

Tags: disney, disney pixar's inside out, inside out, lil j, movie review, pixar, review