October Movie Pick: Pixar's 'Inside Out 2' - The Age of Anxiety

Recently, I started educating myself on emotional intelligence to better control and balance my feelings, which had been out of control. It's imperative for one to understand themselves in order to gain clarity about why things happen the way they do and develop tools to guide themselves in a better direction. Why were these tools missing from my inventory? Of course, over the years, you pick up various methods that sometimes work. But eventually, as you dive deeper into the subject, you start recognizing patterns that may have served you before but no longer work in today's environment and daily life.

If only I had experienced this conversations as a child, with someone helping me to name the explosive feelings I had, I wouldn’t have to struggle with learning it now. Emotions are like a language, and we all know that languages are much better learned when we’re young. Just as I’ve struggled with learning German for the past four years—or how I would struggle with Arabic or other paths I want to take—emotional intelligence also takes time. To build a solid base of mental and physical protection, you must repeatedly face certain situations and consistently choose actions that lead to lasting positive outcomes for your well-being. Just like fitness training, emotional intelligence requires practice. Pixar's two movies are incredible exercises; you can go right now and work out your emotional understanding, putting some order into your mental “mish-mash potato head.”

Spoilers ahead

To be honest, I found the first movie more thrilling than the second, but that doesn’t mean this one falls short on emotional learning. In this film, we discover new situations, secrets, mind tricks, and characters like Envy, Boredom, and Shame—and of course, we live in the age of Anxiety. I loved the glimpse of Nostalgia, which hit home hard; it was a funny and relatable gag that actually made me feel nostalgic. And when Joy respectfully told Nostalgia, "Too early," hilarious. But before we get to Inside Out 3, we should discuss this part. Like the first one, I’m not particularly interested in Riley and her story. What keeps me intrigued is the depiction of emotions and the connections happening in our body and mind. Riley’s life feels like a healthy childhood, not experiencing Shame for such a long time. But here, we finally meet Shame, and he's adorable. I loved how Shame had a connection with Sadness, covering for her when she was creeping out. Did you notice that? It's a great example of the detailed work the Pixar team put into the film.

The plot kicks off because Joy overlooks negative experiences, shooting memories to the back of Riley’s mind, trying to control her personality. Shoving those memories and their emotions down, letting them stay in the mind without processing them, is what creates secondary emotions. I loved that Joy—Joy itself—was responsible for this crisis. The pressure of constantly feeling good prevents us from relaxing, something that only happens when we experience all emotions in a healthy balance. Many of us were raised by parents who didn’t talk about emotions, pushing painful memories down until they bubbled up into Anxiety. We truly live in the age of Anxiety, and our generation is more affected by it than any before. When Riley starts thinking about who she wants to be, the stress of choosing the right path, combined with some secrects, unresolved memories and the pressure to fit in, leads to the creation of a marvelous character. Anxiety came to save the day with a plan that adapts through imagination. Anxiety reshaped Riley's sense of self, replacing Joy’s carefully built happy persona saying, "It’s not about who Riley is, but who she needs to be." These destructive path stem from a lack of understanding of each emotion’s role and importance.

The complexity of this story, packaged in an easily digestible Pixar film, is a triumph for humanity. We all need to learn about emotions and have these conversations. The depiction of a brainstorm, where ideas form and the way panic attack occurs, was incredible. The birth of sarcasm, its follow-up behaviors, and the creative use of imagination made this film fascinating. The secrets in the movie were funny, but let's be honest—those secrets were mild. The "dark secret" turned out to be PG-13, but realistically, our secrets at that age were much darker—or is that just me? Did I just out myself? Either way, the movie highlights how secrets contribute to our suffering. Loverboy Lance Stash Slashblade, who moved like a character from a 2D game, was hilarious. The fusion of animations! 

We see how secondary emotions oppress the core ones, making Anxiety the villain. But Anxiety emerged because Joy was mishandling Riley’s experiences in an attempt to maintain control. I love that Sadness played a vital role in the story, but ultimately, it was the return of Joy—and the realization that all emotions are essential—that saved the day. The importance of dealing with Anxiety is clear. Riley begins to regain joy in the things she once loved, and this rekindling of her passions plays a vital role in defeating Anxiety. By reconnecting with activities and emotions that brought her happiness, Riley was able to restore a sense of balance, allowing Anxiety to loosen its grip and no longer dominate her mind. As Joy says, "It’s not happening right now," calming Anxiety in the massage chair they designed to prevent losing control and triggering another panic attack. This simple act illustrates how addressing Anxiety directly helps maintain balance and avoid overwhelming emotions. This is a marvelous film that opens the door to the much-needed conversation about emotional intelligence.

Soon, I’ll finish one of the most monumental books of my life, Emotional Intelligence, and dissect the subject further in a review that will deepen my knowledge. I finished the original by Daniel Goleman long ago, but the 25th-anniversary edition added so much more that I suggest reading or listening to both. There’s so much to learn and discover. I used to say that the most important book for me—the one that changed the course of my life—was Allen Carr’s Easy Way to Stop Smoking, but this 25th-anniversary edition has surpassed it by miles. A review is coming soon.

Iliya Badev