I Went to the Movies

There used to be a song (so I'm told) that would play before the movie to encourage you to go out and get a treat at the concession stand. This song ran through my head for about two hours yesterday.

I went to the movies yesterday - on a Tuesday night!

I did. I'm stretching some of my comfort zones this summer - going out late, paying full price for a movie, and doing new things. So, I went to the movies last night to see Inside Out, the new Pixar movie! It was a deal that I learned about because I am fan of Pixar, and I follow all of their Facebook pages, so I am considered an "Insider." (Insert fan-girl squeal here!)

In addition to the movie, I got to see lots of additional information and was given a lanyard with Bonus Points and access codes to more stuff and a lithograph of the movie poster. It was well worth the money that I spent (my sister thought it seemed expensive, but it was less than what I pay to see a musical, so it really wasn't all that bad!), and I had a good time.

It was the perfect setting for this introvert.

First, until the movie actually started, there were only three of us in the room. I got to get my preferred seat and had the entire row to myself. Once the movie started, there were 12 of us in the theater. When the movie ended, all but the original three of us left - I guess they either didn't know about the live video stream extra or they didn't care. It was interesting to hear about the process of movie-making and the development of the storyline.

Did I mention that I was out until after 9pm?

This is yet another Pixar movie that I will own.

SPOILER ALERT...maybe...not that much, I promise!

The movie itself is an interesting exploration into emotion and brain format. I loved the creativity. During the live video stream, the director mentioned that they had all considered including music cognition as a part of the neurological structure in the movie, but thought it was a bit too complicated. (Grins from me!) The movie brought in lots of different considerations when thinking about emotional regulation as well as how our emotional development progresses as we age. As a visual learner, the movie offered some visual representations for some complex processes that I think would help some folks learn about the brain. There would have to be some significant discussion about the various brain functions presented and how they actually work, but it would be a good teaching tool (and an excellent excuse to assign a movie to watch!) for students, interns, and professionals. One of the things I know about Pixar is that they ground lots of what they do with experts in the field as well as with the research that is out there. I didn't watch the credits to see who the technical experts were, but I am sure there were plenty over the five years in development.

Favorite moments?
  • All of the different emotions presented for all of the different people involved in the story. The adolescent boy was my favorite.
  • Realization that emotions are not simple.
  • All of the different parts of the brain represented in the movie.
  • There isn't really a villain. No one stands in the way - just development.
The movie should appeal to younger kids as well as to adults. There was one little one - I think the kid was about 5 years old - who laughed in different places than the adults. That was an interesting comment on development as well. I think the movie works well for all ages - everyone will get something from the movie, but the something we get is different based on our experiences and emotions as well... 
I hope you go to see the movie when it starts on Friday - I mean, you don't have to go ON Friday when it opens, but I do hope you go. If you do, let me know what you thought.

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