How Pixar's SOUL Balances the Existential and Lighthearted
Summary
TLDRIn this video essay, the creator analyzes Pixar's film *Soul*, praising its thought-provoking exploration of life's meaning. The story follows Joe Gardner, a jazz musician, who teams up with an unborn soul named 22 after a life-altering event. Together, they explore philosophical themes like determinism and existentialism, while highlighting the importance of appreciating life's small moments. The essay discusses how *Soul* balances lightheartedness and deep existential questions, ultimately encouraging viewers to reevaluate their perspective on life and find joy in the present.
Takeaways
- 🎬 Pixar's 'Soul' is a thought-provoking film, potentially rivaling the cinematic brilliance of 'Ratatouille'.
- 🌆 The setting of New York City is brought to life with Pixar’s signature immersive world-building, comparable to 'Ratatouille's Paris.
- 🎷 The story revolves around Joe Gardner, a middle school music teacher with dreams of becoming a jazz musician.
- 💥 Joe's life takes a turn when he falls into a manhole and his soul enters the Great Beyond, sparking a journey to reclaim his life.
- 💭 'Soul' delves into philosophical themes like determinism and existentialism, exploring free will and the meaning of life.
- 🌀 The movie contrasts the determinism of souls being assigned personalities with existentialist ideas of free will and personal choice.
- 🎉 Pixar excels at introducing heavy topics like life’s purpose in a gentle, accessible way for younger audiences.
- 👶 The character 22, a cynical unborn soul, discovers the beauty of life through small, everyday moments, adding depth to the story.
- 🎨 The film masterfully balances lighthearted humor and deeper existential themes, offering profound messages for both children and adults.
- 🌟 The ultimate message of 'Soul' is that life’s spark is not about finding a singular purpose but appreciating the little moments of joy and wonder all around us.
Q & A
What is the main setting of Pixar's movie 'Soul'?
-The main setting of 'Soul' is in the heart of New York City.
Who is the protagonist of 'Soul' and what is his dream?
-The protagonist of 'Soul' is Joe Gardner, a middle school music teacher whose lifelong dream is to become a jazz musician.
What significant event happens to Joe Gardner that changes the course of the story?
-Joe Gardner falls into a manhole and his soul is taken to the 'Great Beyond', a mysterious and abstract place.
Where does Joe's soul go after the 'Great Beyond' and what does he try to do there?
-After the 'Great Beyond', Joe's soul ends up in the 'Great Before', where unborn souls are prepped for life on Earth. He teams up with a cynical unborn soul named 22 to reclaim his life on Earth.
How does Pixar's 'Soul' differ in its thematic approach compared to other Pixar movies?
-'Soul' differs by exploring heavy philosophical themes such as the essence of life, determinism, and existentialism, while maintaining a balance with lighthearted storytelling.
What two primary philosophical schools of thought does 'Soul' touch on?
-'Soul' touches on determinism, which is the doctrine that all events are ultimately determined by external causes, and existentialism, which emphasizes the existence of the individual as a free agent determining their own development.
How does the character 22's perspective on life differ from Joe's in 'Soul'?
-22 has a more open-minded and indiscriminate sense of wonderment about life, savoring every moment, while Joe is focused on achieving his dream and overcoming obstacles.
What lesson does Joe learn from his journey with 22 in 'Soul'?
-Joe learns that the elusive spark he was chasing in life has always been right in front of him, and that it's important to simply live and appreciate the moments all around us.
How does 'Soul' balance lighthearted elements with deeper philosophical themes?
-'Soul' balances lighthearted elements with deeper themes through its minimalistic animation, engaging storytelling, and the juxtaposition of Joe's and 22's perspectives on life.
What message does 'Soul' convey about finding one's purpose and passion in life?
-'Soul' conveys that true fulfillment comes not from chasing a grand purpose or passion, but from appreciating and living in the moment, finding joy in the little things in life.
Outlines
🎬 Pixar's New Masterpiece: A Riveting Story of Life and Soul
Pixar’s latest movie, *Soul*, is hailed as one of their most thought-provoking films, rivaling the cinematic brilliance of *Ratatouille*. Set in New York City, *Soul* combines Pixar's renowned world-building with a deeply reflective storyline. The film follows Joe Gardner, a middle school music teacher, whose dream of becoming a jazz musician takes a strange turn when he falls into a manhole and his soul is transported to 'The Great Beyond.' The story then explores profound questions about life and what truly gives a soul its spark. Joe teams up with an unborn soul named 22 in an attempt to reclaim his life, creating an emotional and philosophical narrative unlike any Pixar film before it.
💡 Exploring Life’s Big Philosophical Questions Through Animation
In typical Pixar fashion, *Soul* delves into complex themes that resonate with audiences of all ages. The movie examines two key philosophical ideas: determinism, the belief that events are determined by external causes, and existentialism, which emphasizes free will and personal responsibility. While the souls in the 'Great Before' are given certain personalities, the movie embraces the existential idea that individuals shape their own destinies. Through the film’s lighthearted approach to heavy topics, Pixar successfully introduces young audiences to deep philosophical concepts while maintaining the charm and visual appeal of their signature animation style.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Soul
💡Determinism
💡Existentialism
💡The Great Before
💡Spark
💡Joe Gardner
💡22
💡Jazz
💡New York City
💡Mentorship
Highlights
Seoul is Pixar's latest film and is considered thought-provoking, rivaling the cinematic mastery of Ratatouille.
The film's setting in New York City is as masterfully brought to life as Paris in Ratatouille.
Seoul explores the essence of life and what gives a soul its spark.
The movie opens with Joe Gardner, a middle school music teacher with dreams of becoming a jazz musician.
Joe gets the opportunity to perform with jazz legend Dorothea Williams but falls into a manhole, sending his soul to the Great Beyond.
In the Great Before, Joe teams up with unborn soul 22 to reclaim his life.
Pixar's storytelling can evoke emotions in both children and adults.
Seoul delves into philosophical territory, exploring themes of determinism and existentialism.
The film suggests that characters act with free will, emphasizing the importance of exercising it.
Soul introduces deeper, potentially darker topics in a way suitable for young audiences.
The film balances light-hearted and existential themes, encouraging viewers to find what gives life its spark.
Joe's tunnel vision is contrasted with 22's open-minded approach to experiencing life.
22's experiences on Earth lead her to find joy in simple moments, such as savoring pizza or observing beauty.
The film suggests that fulfillment in life comes from appreciating the little moments, not just pursuing a passion.
Soul blends the real world of New York City with the hypothetical realm of the Great Before.
The film is a timeless masterpiece that teaches us to reevaluate our perspective on life.
Soul conveys that the elusive spark of life has always been within our reach, encouraging us to simply live and appreciate it.
The video essay is one of the creator's first and they plan on making more like it in the future.
Transcripts
seoul is pixar's latest and in my
opinion
most thought-provoking movie yet i never
thought i'd say this
but pixar has finally created a film
that rivals the cinematic mastery of
ratatouille
with its physical setting taking place
in the heart of new york city
seoul breathes life into the city in a
way that's almost as masterful as
ratatouille's paris but aside from the
incredibly immersive world building that
pixar is known for
seoul stands out for its story the plot
dives into the essence of life itself as
it explores what exactly it is that
gives a soul its spark
but first let's start with some context
the movie opens in a band room filled
with off-key tunes
to set the scene for the life of joe
gardner a middle school music teacher
whose lifelong dream is to become a jazz
musician
one day joe is presented with the
opportunity of a lifetime
to perform alongside jazz legend
dorothea williams
but just when joe is about to get his
big break he falls into a manhole
and his soul is taken to the great
beyond a mysterious
abstract place that simultaneously looks
like an abyss
and a stairway to heaven but we won't
get into that in this video
as soon as joe realizes where he is he
immediately wants to go back to his
previous life
in a desperate attempt to return he
takes a leap and ends up in the great
before
where unborn souls are prepped for life
on earth
from there joe teams up with a cynical
unborn soul named 22
to reclaim the life of his dreams which
has just slipped through his fingers
as they have done time and time again
pixar brings to life a story that can
make anyone's emotions bubble to the
surface
whether you're a child or a full-grown
adult while pixar has a history of
illuminating themes of passion
purpose and finding your place in this
world what's special about seoul is that
it's not afraid to wander into heavy
philosophical territory in order to do
so
by doing this soul is able to take a
deeper dive into what it means to live a
full life
in a world full of lost souls the two
primary schools of thought that soul
touches on
are one determinism which is the
doctrine that all events
including human action are ultimately
determined by causes
external to the will and two
existentialism
a philosophical approach which
emphasizes the existence of the
individual
as a free and responsible agent
determining their own development
through acts of free will while there's
a deterministic quality about the way
souls are given personalities and
matched up with life-altering mentors in
the great before
nearly everything else about the movie
appears to offset this philosophy
as characters not only act with the
sense of free will but even emphasize
the importance of exercising this
ability in a way that is undeniably
existential in nature
before we get lost in the sauce of these
two philosophies let's just leave it at
this
soul confronts the meaning of life head
on but
because this is a pixar film the writers
had to find a way to gently introduce
these deeper
potentially darker topics to the highly
impressionable young minds that make up
a huge chunk of their audience
and that's where soul excels from the
minimalistic contours and gradients that
make up the grape before
to the familiar softness of pixar's
animation style
soul masters the art of balancing the
light-hearted and existential
in doing so the film nudges viewers to
take a closer look at what gives life
its spark
thereby transcending the trope that we
have to find our purpose and pursue it
with the passion
in order to achieve fulfillment in life
while joe is
dead set on overcoming any obstacle that
stands in the way of his lifelong dream
his partner 22 has a much more
open-minded approach to the mission
as 22 ends up in joe's body and joe
finds himself in the body of a cat
joe's tunnel vision is juxtaposed with
the indiscriminate sense of wonderment
that 22 develops while on earth as joe
hurries from place to place to get ready
for the show
22 stops at each corner to savor the
moments of novelty that cross her path
we see this happening when connie one of
joe's students
knocks at his door to announce that
she's quitting the trumpet
joe's first instinct is to shoo her away
in order to save time
meanwhile 22 sits and listens to her
jaded rant
and she really listens closely enough to
realize that deep down
connie does care about the trumpet and
has the potential to be a great musician
when joe wants to get in and out of his
haircut appointment 22 takes the chance
to learn more about dez the barber
reaching an understanding about dez's
life which joe had only scratched the
surface of before
from the way she soaked up every note in
the subway singer's song
to this sheer magic she found in a
falling propeller scene
22 saw everything from the lens of a
newborn baby during her time on earth
however her perspective was far more
refined than that of a newborn babies
because she had the wisdom of thousands
of mentors before her
and access to joe's mind and body and
yet
equipped with several lifetimes worth of
wisdom and knowledge
22 found her spark by simply
experiencing life
herself what begins as a movie about
passion
eventually turns into a more granulated
look at life with the spotlight pointed
at the little moments that make us fall
in love with it
moments as simple as savoring a slice of
pizza or
observing the beauty that's all around
us from beginning to end
this film is simply teeming with life
set in two realities that could not be
more different
soul blends the real world of new york
city in the hypothetical realm
of the great before in a story that
strikes the perfect balance between
lighthearted and existential
a marriage that makes this film in my
opinion a timeless masterpiece
through their journey together joe and
22 teach us to take a step back and
reevaluate the perspective with which we
see the world and thereby live our lives
often times it is not wisdom passion or
purpose that we are missing
but rather the permission to simply live
and appreciate the life that's all
around us
it's a perspective that all children are
born with but one that we lose sight of
over time
as discovered by joe in 22 the elusive
spark that we all chase
has always been right there in front of
us
congratulations on making it to the very
end of this video i hope you enjoyed it
and
if you did make sure to subscribe so
that you can stay posted on more videos
like these
this was one of my very first video
essays and i had a lot of fun making it
so i definitely plan on making more
videos like these in the future
stay posted and have an amazing new year
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