Soul (2020 film)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Soul
Soul Poster.jpeg
Disney+ release poster
Directed by
  • Pete Docter
Written by
  • Pete Docter
  • Mike Jones
  • Kemp Powers
Produced byDana Murray
Starring
  • Jamie Foxx
  • Tina Fey
  • Graham Norton
  • Rachel House
  • Alice Braga
  • Richard Ayoade
  • Phylicia Rashad
  • Donnell Rawlings
  • Questlove
  • Angela Bassett
Cinematography
  • Matt Aspbury
  • Ian Megibben
Edited byKevin Nolting
Music by
  • Trent Reznor
  • Atticus Ross
  • Jon Batiste[a]
Production
companies
  • Walt Disney Pictures
  • Pixar Animation Studios
Distributed byWalt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release date
  • October 11, 2020 (2020-10-11) (BFI Fest)
  • December 25, 2020 (2020-12-25) (United States)
Running time
100 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$150 million+[2]
Box office$121 million[3]

Soul is a 2020 American computer-animated film written and directed by Pete Docter. It stars the voices of Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Graham Norton, Rachel House, Alice Braga, Richard Ayoade, Phylicia Rashad, Donnell Rawlings, Questlove, and Angela Bassett. The film centers on a music teacher Joe Gardner (Foxx) seeking to reunite his soul and his body after they are accidentally separated, just before his big break as a jazz musician.

Docter conceived Soul in January 2016, working from his contemplations on the origins of human personalities and the concept of determinism. He co-wrote the screenplay with Mike Jones and Powers. The film's producers consulted various jazz musicians including Herbie Hancock and Terri Lyne Carrington, and animated its musical sequences using the sessions of musician Jon Batiste as reference. Apart from Batiste's original jazz compositions, musicians Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross also composed the film's score.

Soul premiered at the London Film Festival on October 11, 2020. It was set to be theatrically released on November 20 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Soul was instead then released direct-to-streaming on Disney+ on December 25, and in theaters in countries without the streaming service. It became the first feature-length film from Pixar not to be given a wide theatrical release and the first to be billed as a Disney+ Original. Soul was well-received by the media for its craftsmanship, story, characters, and musical score. Organizations like the National Board of Review and American Film Institute named the film as one of the top 10 films of 2020. Soul led the 93rd Academy Awards season with three nominations (winning two), and received numerous accolades.

Plot[]

In New York City, pianist and music teacher Joe Gardner dreams of playing jazz professionally. When he receives an offer for a full-time teaching position, his mother Libba urges him to accept it. Then Joe learns jazz legend Dorothea Williams has an opening in her quartet and auditions at a music club. Impressed with Joe's piano playing, Dorothea hires him for that night's show. As Joe heads off, his excitement distracts him, and he falls down a manhole.

Joe finds himself as a soul heading into the "Great Beyond". Unwilling to die, he tries to escape but ends up in the "Great Before", where counselors—all named Jerry—prepare unborn souls for life with the help of mentor souls. Each soul has a badge which grants passage to Earth once it is completely filled out with personality traits. Mistaken for a mentor, Joe is assigned to train 22, a cynical soul who has always lived in the Great Before and desires avoiding Earth. Discovering that Joe is in a coma at a hospital, 22 agrees to let him help find her "spark" to complete her badge and then give it to him so that he can return home. After Joe fails to find 22 a passion, they visit "the zone", a place that souls can enter when their passions create a euphoric trance, but which can also become a trap for obsessed lost souls. They meet the galleon captain Moonwind to locate Joe's body on Earth.

Joe returns to Earth but accidentally carries 22, entering their respective bodies of a therapy cat and Joe himself. They find Moonwind (at his day-job as a sign twirler), who agrees to meet them later at the jazz club to restore Joe to his body. In the meantime, 22 settles into Joe's body and enjoys small moments while interacting with Joe's peers. She holds poignant conversations with student Connie, his barber Dez, and Libba. Meanwhile, Terry, an obsessive accountant who tallies souls headed to the Great Beyond, sends him to it by arriving on Earth after he was lost, restoring the count.

As the day ends, Joe and 22 rendezvous with Moonwind to return Joe to his body. However, after Joe tells 22 that her experiences were not purposes, 22 refuses and flees to find her spark, with Joe tailing behind. As they run through a subway station, Terry traps them both and brings them back to the Great Before. 22 realizes her badge is filled out, yet Joe insists it was because of his traits, and that she has not truly found her spark. Angry, 22 throws the badge at him and disappears into the zone. A Jerry informs Joe that a spark is not a soul's purpose in life, but Joe refuses to believe this and uses 22's badge to return to Earth.

The night's show becomes successful, but Joe is upset at his unchanged life even after fulfilling his dream. Looking at objects that 22 collected while in his body, and recalling the moments they had enjoyed together, he sees that these experiences have given 22 her spark. By playing piano, he enters the zone with the intent to return her badge but discovers that she has become a lost soul. He chases her down, showing her a maple seed she had collected to remind her time spending on Earth. They realize that a spark is not a soul's purpose, but indicates an intention to live. Joe's actions restore 22 to normal, returning her badge and escorting her out of the Great Before for her journey to Earth.

As Joe prepares to enter the Great Beyond, a Jerry stops him and offers another chance at life in gratitude for finally inspiring 22 to live. Joe returns to his body on Earth and starts the next day committed to enjoying his entire life.

Voice cast[]

Headshot of Jamie Foxx
Headshot of Tina Fey
Jamie Foxx (left) in 2013 and Tina Fey in 2014. They voiced Joe Gardner and 22, respectively.
  • Jamie Foxx as Joe Gardner, a passionate jazz pianist and music teacher whose soul gets separated from his body after an open manhole accident,[4] and Gardner's soul, who enters the body of a cat.
  • Tina Fey as 22, a soul with a dim view of life, trapped in the Great Before,[4] who later inhabits Gardner's body.
  • Graham Norton as Moonwind, a spiritual sign twirler.[5]
  • Rachel House as Terry, a soul counter in the Great Beyond.[6]
  • Alice Braga, Richard Ayoade, Wes Studi, Fortune Feimster, and Zenobia Shroff as the five soul counselors in the Great Before who are all named Jerry.
  • Phylicia Rashad as Libba Gardner, Joe's mother, who works as a seamstress.[7][8]
  • Donnell Rawlings as Dez, Joe's barber.[5]
  • Questlove as Lamont "Curley" Baker, a drummer in Dorothea Williams' band and a former student of Joe's.[7]
  • Angela Bassett as Dorothea Williams, a respected jazz musician and saxophone player.[9]

Additionally, Daveed Diggs plays Paul, Joe's neighborhood frenemy;[4][7] Cora Champommier plays Connie, one of Joe's middle school band students; Margo Hall and Rhodessa Jones play Melba and Lulu, Libba's co-workers;[6] June Squibb plays Gerel, a soul who meets Joe before going to the Great Beyond;[5] and Esther Chae plays Miho, a bassist in Williams' band.[10] Cody Chesnutt provides his vocals, from his song "Parting Ways", as a street singer with a guitar.[11]

Sakina Jaffrey, Calum Grant, Laura Mooney, Peggy Flood, Ochuwa Oghie, Jeannie Tirado, and Cathy Cavadini provide the voices of Doctor, Hedge Fund Manager, Therapy Cat Lady, Marge, Dancerstar, Principal Arroyo, and Dreamerwind.[6]

Production[]

Development[]

Headshot of Pete Docter
Director Pete Docter in 2015

The development of Soul began in January 2016, when director Pete Docter sought new creative directions during the announcement of the 88th Academy Awards.[12][13] Docter pondered the origins of human personalities as well as the concept of determinism. In his first meeting with co-writer Jones, Docter pitched an idea "set in a place beyond space and time, where souls are given their personalities".[14] Despite being appointed chief creative officer at Pixar after John Lasseter's departure, Docter planned to complete his film.[15]

Writing[]

Pixar chose to portray the film's main character as a musician because they wanted an appealing profession for the audience, and settled that after trying for a scientist, which did not feel "so naturally pure". Docter described Soul as "an exploration of" things which focused on it.[16]

Docter and Jones worked on the development of the main character for about two years.[14] According to Docter, once they settled on the main character being a jazz musician, the filmmakers chose to make it African-American one due to the race tied to jazz history.[17][18] Powers originally joined as co-writer early in development to help write the character of Joe, and was initially given a 12-week contract, which was then extended.[14] He was subsequently promoted to co-director after his extensive contributions to the film, making him Pixar's first African-American co-director.[18] Powers based several elements of Joe on his personal life, as the character's story shared several elements with Powers' own, but also wanted him to "transcend [his] own experience" in order to make the character more accessible.[17] Powers also placed additional emphasis on authentically depicting the black community as well as Joe's relationships with them.[19] In order to portray accurately African-American culture within the film, Pixar created an internal culture trust composed of black Pixar employees, and hired several consultants, among whom were musicians Herbie Hancock, Terri Lyne Carrington, Quincy Jones, and Jon Batiste; educator Johnnetta Cole; and stars Questlove and Diggs. The filmmakers worked closely with them through the film's development.[17][19]

The idea for the therapy cat and Joe landing inside its body came from Jones. Docter and Powers appreciated the idea, as it offered the filmmakers a much needed way for Joe to "be able to look at his own life from a different perspective" and appreciate it.[20]

According to Murray, the filmmakers were undecided on the ending of the film before the last screening. Some versions of the ending had Joe actually passing on to the Great Beyond, while other ones had him returning to Earth a year later, or staying in the Great Before as a mentor. Several brief scenes showing 22's life on Earth after her new birth, including one of her reuniting with Joe in New York, were storyboarded. Docter considered it very strong for the audiences' decision and ultimately discarded these scenes.[20]

Casting[]

Docter said Jamie Foxx was perfect for Joe, citing his comedy skills and musician background.[21] He emphasized the role's passion for music relatable, stating that early in his career drew inspiration from Lionel Richie; nonetheless, comedy was preferred at first.[22] Foxx related the film's "bittersweet [feeling] of losing someone but gaining a vision of joy", following the death of his sister in October 2020 at the age of 36.[23][24] Tina Fey, in addition to voicing 22, also contributed to the screenplay, having helped to write her character's lines.[16] She considered the film, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, a "helpful reminder that [life] isn't defined by achievement or attainment".[23]

Pixar mainstay John Ratzenberger was also reported by some media to be a part of the cast.[25] However, one reviewer who screened the film later stated that Ratzenberger's name is absent from the film's credits and all official cast listings, and the reviewer did not recognize his voice at any point during the film.[26] Docter had reportedly said that Ratzenberger makes a "cameo" in the film,[27] despite not being credited in the main cast or additional voices. Co-director Kemp Powers later confirmed that Ratzenberger's appearance was not a voice role as per usual, but instead a tribute as a non-speaking background character in the film that was animated in his likeness, making Soul the first Pixar film not to feature his credit, and the first to have him make an appearance outside of voice roles.[28]

Animation[]

Soul is Pixar's first film to feature an African-American protagonist.[29] Pixar was mindful of the history of racist imagery in animation, and set out to create characters who were recognizably black while avoiding the stereotypes in old cartoons. Acknowledging this effort, Docter stated the film's animation had a "long and painful history of caricatured racist design tropes" that mocked African-Americans.[14] According to Powers, the animators used lighting as a way to highlight the ethnic diversity in the living world.[30] Pixar sought to capture the fine details of these black characters, including the textures of black hair and the way light plays on various tones of black skin.[14] Cinematographer Bradford Young worked as a lighting consultant on the film.[30]

Animators used footage of several music performers, including Batiste, performing as reference for the film's musical sequences.[30] By capturing MIDI data from the sessions, animators were able to retrace the exact key being played on the piano with each note and create the performances authentically.[30][31] According to Docter, the animators assigned to specific musical instruments often either had experience playing them or a great appreciation for them.[31]

The souls were animated by the filmmakers in a "vaporous", "ethereal", and "non-physical" way, based on their designs in definitions about those for various religious and cultural representatives.[16] They differentiated souls from ghosts by adjusting their color palette accordingly.[32] Animating the souls' designs were a challenge by Docter, since the animators had their most substantial work.[16] According to Murray, several artists helped create the souls' designs by giving their suggestions and opinions on how they should look.[33] The designs were also inspired by early drawings made by Docter. Animators created two designs for the souls in the film: one for the new souls in "The Great Before" (described as "very cute, very appealing, with simple, rounded shapes" by animation supervisor Jude Brownbill) and one for mentor souls (feature distinctive characteristics since they have been on Earth).[34]

The design of soul counselors ("Jerrys") originated from line drawings made by story artist Aphton Corbin; another artist then created wire sculptures of them, upon which the final design was based.[32] Together with the design of "Terry", they were seen by critics as a reference to Osvaldo Cavandoli's 1971 Italian animated series La Linea.[35][36][37]

For the Great Before, the filmmakers did not want it to be based in any specific culture given its nature of universality. They sought inspiration from the architecture of 1930s–1960s world's fairs, making a "sense of awe and importance".[38] According to Docter, the aim of the design was to "make a grand statement about learning and knowledge."[39] The personality pavilions were designed to be "abstract-looking shapes" as a literal interpretation of the abstract ideas they represent.[38] For the Great Beyond, the filmmakers went a direct take on the concept of "going toward the light", which they believed that the audience understood it.[32] The Astral Plane sequence took months to create, despite having its short duration.[40]

Music[]

Main article: Soul (soundtrack)

American musicians Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross of Nine Inch Nails composed an ambient score for the metaphysical segments of the film, while Batiste composed a number of original jazz songs for the New York City-based segments of the film.[41][42] Batiste sought to create what he referred to as "user-friendly jazz", which felt "authentic" but could still be appreciated by a general audience.[17][43] Reznor and Ross were brought in on the recommendation of sound designer Ren Klyce, who had worked extensively with the duo in David Fincher films.[44]

The score and the original songs from Soul were released in two separate vinyl-exclusive albums, while also both being compiled onto a digital album.[45][46] "It's All Right", the end credits song performed by Batiste, was originally recorded by The Impressions. A second cover of the song, a duet between Batiste and British soul singer Celeste, is not included in the film's soundtrack, but was released as a non-album single alongside the three albums.[47][48]

Release[]

Theatrical and streaming[]

Soul premiered on October 11, 2020, at the BFI London Film Festival.[49][50] The film was originally scheduled for theatrical release in the United States on June 19,[51] but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was pushed back to November 20.[52] Variety reported that Disney considered canceling the film's theatrical release and replacing it with a premiere of the film on Disney+ following the box-office failure of Onward, though a Disney insider disputed the claim.[53][54] The film's theatrical release was later canceled in favor of Disney+ premiere on December 25.[55]

Soul had a traditional theatrical release in countries without Disney+ where theaters have re-opened.[56] This included China,[57] the Philippines (in areas under MGCQ),[58] Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, among others.[59] Unlike Mulan, Soul was not released as a Disney+ Premier Access release, and was free to all subscribers.[55] The film was included in their lineups of the 2020 Cannes Film Festival[60] and the Rome Film Festival; it opened on October 15.[61]

In theaters, Soul was intended to be accompanied by SparkShorts short film Burrow, but it premiered on Disney+ instead.[62] A prequel short to Soul was released in 2021, titled 22 vs. Earth. It focuses on 22 leading a rebellion against her superiors.[63]

Home media[]

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment released Soul on Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD, and digital download on March 23, 2021. Physical copies contain behind-the-scenes featurettes, audio commentary, and deleted scenes.[64]

Reception[]

Box office[]

In its opening weekend, Soul grossed $7.6 million from ten countries, including $5.5 million from China.[65] By February 2021, the film had become the highest-grossing Pixar release ever in Russia ($18.3 million), Ukraine ($1.9 million), and Saudi Arabia ($5.9 million). Its largest markets at that point were China ($57.9 million), Russia, South Korea ($14.8 million), Taiwan ($6.4 million), and Saudi Arabia.[66]

Streaming viewership[]

Following the release of Soul on Disney+, research firm Screen Engine reported that 13 percent of viewers watched the film, and it over-indexed among parents, particularly mothers. The company also said that Soul was among the most-watched straight-to-streaming titles of the year, behind Hamilton and Wonder Woman 1984.[67] On December 21–27, 2020, the film gathered 1.669 billion minutes of watch time making it the number 1 streaming title that week.[68] Nielsen reported that Wonder Woman 1984, with 2.252 billion minutes of streaming on HBO Max, had surpassed Soul, with 1.7 billion minutes on Disney+, in streaming numbers on Christmas weekend.[69] Samba TV later reported that 2.4 million households streamed the film over its opening weekend.[70]

Critical response[]

Soul received "highly positive" reviews, describing as one of Pixar's finest and "most ambitiously existential" films.[71][72] On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, Soul holds an approval rating of 95% based on 342 reviews, with an average rating of 8.3/10. Its critical consensus reads, "A film as beautiful to contemplate as it is to behold, Soul proves Pixar's power to deliver outstanding all-ages entertainment remains undimmed."[73] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned Soul a score of 83 out of 100 based on 55 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[74]

Several journalists praised Soul for its craftsmanship,[75][76] which they saw as an exercise of Docter's expertise,[77][78] as the film was considered a return of Pixar's form by some critics.[79][80] Leslie Felperin (The Hollywood Reporter) and Jason Solomons (TheWrap) described the film as its peak, with Solomons characterized its "colorful visuals and gentle wisdom".[6][81] A. O. Scott of The New York Times expressed its "combination of skill, feeling and inspiration".[82]

The story, characters, and music were sources of praise. Kaleem Aftab of IndieWire felt the narrative "[veered] off in many unexpected directions, so that even the inevitable end point feels just right."[83] USA Today's Brian Truitt commended the performances of Foxx and Fey since they had their humor.[84] For Time Out Dubai, Whelan Barzey emphasized Joe's generations as more linked in the film.[85] Felperin and Peter Travers (ABC News) praised the musical score, calling it as "sublime".[6][86] Truitt and Travers credited Batiste, Reznor, and Ross for their music merits.[84][86]

Reviews were not uniformly positive. Adonis Fryer of the Ohio student newspaper The Post Athens concluded that "beautiful animation, strong voice acting, charming writing and easy-to-digest existential philosophy make Soul a compelling watch but does not make up for Disney's inability to truly center a black hero with agency."[87] The same sentiment was shared by Kirsten Acuna from the Insider. She felt that "the studio had taken a few steps backward" in their racial sensitivity as Soul used the same trope of "turning Black characters into creatures".[88] Molly Freeman of Screen Rant acknowledged the film's "message about the meaning of life and finding purpose, but it's messy and only made muddier by the questions the movie sets up then fails to answer. The result is Soul loses much of its emotional impact, with the third act playing out more like a rush to the finish line of the story without giving as much weight to the themes and emotional throughline of the film."[89] Charles Pulliam-Moore of Gizmodo wrote that "Soul comes across less like an earnest and casual celebration of everyday Blackness, and more like a twee depiction of it that’s meant for white audiences’ consumption."[90]

In 2021, Soul was listed as one of the best animated films of all time in Parade and Complex.[91][92]

Accolades[]

Main article: List of accolades received by Soul (2020 film)

Soul led the 93rd Academy Awards season with three nominations (including Best Sound). The film received two Oscars: Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score.[93][94] From ten nominations earned at the 48th Annie Awards, the film won seven awards (including Directing in an Animated Feature Production for Docter and Powers, Music in a Feature Production, and Best Animated Feature).[95] At the 78th Golden Globe Awards, it won Best Animated Feature Film and Best Original Score.[96] [97] Among the film's nominations include one Critics' Choice Award (won)[98] [99] and three British Academy Film Awards (winning two).[100] It was named one of the ten best films of 2020 by the National Board of Review (which won Best Animated Film) and the American Film Institute.[101][102]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Jazz compositions and arrangements only.

References[]

  1. ^ Debruge, Peter (December 2, 2020). "Soul Review: From the Minds Behind 'Inside Out' Comes an Even Deeper Look at What Makes People Tick". Variety. Archived from the original on December 2, 2020. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  2. ^ Brueggemann, Tom (September 15, 2020). "A Black Widow Delay Might Benefit Disney in the Short Term – If Theaters Can Survive". IndieWire. Archived from the original on September 16, 2020. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  3. ^ "Soul (2020)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Fuster, Jeremy (August 24, 2019). "Soul: Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey Star in Pixar's Most Existential Adventure Yet". TheWrap. Archived from the original on August 24, 2019. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
  5. ^ a b c Romano, Nick (October 15, 2020). "Pixar's new Soul trailer with Jamie Foxx unlocks the music of life". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on November 4, 2021. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d e Felperin, Leslie (October 11, 2020). "Soul: Film Review | London 2020". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 12, 2020. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  7. ^ a b c Radulovic, Petrana (August 24, 2019). "Pixar's latest film Soul is a metaphysical comedy with the studio's first black lead". Polygon. Archived from the original on August 24, 2019. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  8. ^ Aftab, Kaleem (October 11, 2020). "Soul Review: Pixar's Jazzy Existential Celebration Is One of the Studio's Very Best". IndieWire. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  9. ^ Bassett, Angela [@ImAngelaBassett] (February 22, 2020). "Hey Everybody you good? This summer, discover your brilliant, passionate self! So thrilled to finally let the world know that I am part of Disney and Pixar's new movie Soul! You'll be hearing a lot more from my character Dorothea Williams very soon. #PixarSoul" (Tweet). Retrieved March 17, 2020 – via Twitter.
  10. ^ Soul [@PixarSoul] (November 21, 2020). "Presenting the Dorothea Williams Quartet from Disney and Pixar's Soul. Streaming only on #DisneyPlus this December 25. #PixarSoul" (Tweet). Retrieved November 25, 2020 – via Twitter.
  11. ^ "Pixar's Soul Releases New Teaser Trailer (Watch)". June 28, 2020. Archived from the original on July 30, 2020. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  12. ^ "Pete Docter – Oscars: What the Nominees Are Saying". The Hollywood Reporter. January 14, 2016. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  13. ^ "Interview: Pixar president Jim Morris – The Good Dinosaur". Time Out Hong Kong. June 2, 2016. Archived from the original on February 16, 2016. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  14. ^ a b c d e Solomon, Charles (December 22, 2020). "Soul Features Pixar's First black Lead Character. Here's How It Happened". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 25, 2020. Retrieved December 25, 2020.
  15. ^ Verlaque, Juliette (June 22, 2018). "End of an Era: Inside Pixar on the Eve of John Lasseter's Departure". TheWrap. Archived from the original on June 20, 2019. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  16. ^ a b c d Romano, Nick (November 6, 2019). "Pixar bares its Soul in first look at film with Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on November 6, 2019. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  17. ^ a b c d "Soul: 'Finding Soul' Conversation: Essence Festival". Pixar. Archived from the original on September 25, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020 – via YouTube.
  18. ^ a b Goldstein, Gregg (June 23, 2020). "Soul Producer Murray Reflects on Cannes-Selected Animated Feature". Variety. Archived from the original on September 8, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  19. ^ a b Spiegel, Josh (December 8, 2020). "Soul began with the Great Beyond, then evolved into Pixar's film about black life". Polygon. Archived from the original on December 18, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  20. ^ a b Boone, John (December 28, 2020). "Soul Filmmakers Reveal the Movie's Original Ending (Exclusive)". Entertainment Tonight. Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  21. ^ Giardina, Carolyn (January 12, 2021). "Making of Soul: How Pete Docter Helped Pixar Explore the Meaning of Life". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 4, 2021. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
  22. ^ Truitt, Brian (December 23, 2020). "Jamie Foxx talks Pixar's Soul, the future of the movie industry and powering through a tough 2020". USA Today. Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  23. ^ a b Mottram, James (December 23, 2020). "Soul: Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey and crew of Pixar's new film on Disney+ talk about its black lead character and poignant message". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  24. ^ "Jamie Foxx opens up about role in Soul as Pixar's first black lead". WTVD. December 22, 2020. Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  25. ^ Sneider, Jeff (April 13, 2020). "Disney Moves Pixar's Soul to Fall, Raya and the Last Dragon to Next Year". Collider. Archived from the original on April 13, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  26. ^ Reif, Alex (November 10, 2020). "John Ratzenberger Seemingly Absent from Pixar's Soul". laughingplace.com. Archived from the original on December 24, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  27. ^ Swann, Erik (December 26, 2020). "Pixar's Soul director comments on John Ratzenberger's mysterious voice cameo". CinemaBlend. Archived from the original on December 27, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  28. ^ Julie & T.J. (January 1, 2020). "The John Ratzenberger Easter Egg in Pixar's Soul has Been Found!". Pixar Post. Archived from the original on January 1, 2021. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  29. ^ Sherlock, Ben (October 13, 2019). "Everything We Know (So Far) About Pixar's Soul". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on November 8, 2019. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  30. ^ a b c d Marshall, Rick (October 9, 2020). "Interview: How the directors of Pixar's Soul artfully animated the afterlife". Digital Trends. Archived from the original on October 12, 2020. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  31. ^ a b Murphy, Mekado (December 25, 2020). "How Pixar's Soul Animates Jazz". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 26, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  32. ^ a b c Jurgensen, John (December 23, 2020). "How Pixar Brings Soul and Existential Ideas to Life". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on January 3, 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  33. ^ Rui, Zhang (August 5, 2020). "Creators of Pixar's Soul share their vision". China Internet Information Center. Archived from the original on December 24, 2020. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
  34. ^ Taylor, Kage (December 10, 2020). "Exclusive: Get to Know the Fantastic Worlds of Disney Pixar's Animated Soul". The Knockturnal. Archived from the original on December 10, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  35. ^ Zinsli, Hans Jürg (December 26, 2020). "Seelenwanderungen mit Pixar". Tagesanzeiger (in German). Archived from the original on January 27, 2021.
  36. ^ Schneider, Johannes (December 29, 2020). "90 Minuten Trost". Zeit Online (in German). Archived from the original on December 30, 2020.
  37. ^ Gombeaud, Adrien (December 22, 2020). "Soul : la belle âme animée de Pixar". Les Echos (in French). Archived from the original on January 25, 2021.
  38. ^ a b Kelley, Sonaiya (December 24, 2020). "How the makers of Pixar's Soul envisioned a before-life place that kids can grasp". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 3, 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  39. ^ Astral Taffy, 2020. Disney+ Extras, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
  40. ^ Gray, Tim (April 15, 2021). "'Soul' VFX Team Break New Ground by Landing Their Astral Plane". Variety.
  41. ^ DeVille, Chris (December 3, 2020). "Soul, Pixar's Metaphysical Jazz Movie With A Score By Nine Inch Nails". Stereogum. Archived from the original on December 25, 2020. Retrieved December 28, 2020. Although Batiste's jazz work dominates the early phases of the film, the Reznor and Ross score comes to the fore in these metaphysical segments of SOUL and later as the supernatural encroaches into life on Earth.
  42. ^ Cremona, Patrick (December 25, 2020). "Soul soundtrack – everything you need to know about the music for the Pixar film". Radio Times. Archived from the original on December 27, 2020. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  43. ^ Hullender, Tatiana (December 24, 2020). "Pete Docter, Kemp Powers & Dana Murray Interview: Soul". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on January 3, 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  44. ^ Howard, Courtney (October 9, 2020). "[Interview] Music is at the heart of Pixar's Soul". FreshFiction.tv. Archived from the original on January 3, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  45. ^ Cornelius, Ray (December 17, 2020). "Disney and Pixar's & Soul Soundtrack + Two Vinyl Albums Available 12/18 (VIDEO)". WCLK. Archived from the original on December 27, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  46. ^ Anderson, Ethan (November 4, 2020). "Pixar's Soul Will Have Two Soundtracks, One for the Score and Another with All That Jazz". /Film. Archived from the original on December 30, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  47. ^ Disney+ UK [verified account] [@DisneyPlusUK] (November 24, 2020). "Brit-award winning @Celeste lends her vocals for the end credit song 'It's Alright' as a duet with @JonBatiste for #PixarSoul, coming exclusively to #DisneyPlusUK on December 25" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  48. ^ "Maggie Rogers, NIKI, and More: Best New Music Friday". Teen Vogue. December 18, 2020. Archived from the original on December 24, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  49. ^ Grater, Tom (September 8, 2020). "BFI London Film Festival To Screen Soul, Nomadland At Hybrid 2020 Edition". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 20, 2020. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  50. ^ "Soul". BFI London Film Festival. September 8, 2020. Archived from the original on October 14, 2020. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  51. ^ Reichert, Corinne (June 19, 2019). "Pixar announces Soul, a journey from New York City to the 'cosmic realms'". CNET. Archived from the original on June 1, 2021. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  52. ^ Fuster, Jeremy (April 13, 2020). "Disney Moves Soul, Raya and the Last Dragon Release Dates". TheWrap. Archived from the original on September 27, 2020. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  53. ^ Rubin, Rebecca; Lang, Brent (September 15, 2020). "'Black Widow' Eyes New Release Date, Soul May Move to Disney Plus". Variety. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
  54. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (September 15, 2020). "Black Widow Pondering Release Date Move; Soul Could Still Stay Theatrical". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 19, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
  55. ^ a b McClintock, Pamela (October 8, 2020). "Pixar's Soul Bypasses Theaters, Sets Disney+ Christmas Debut". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 11, 2020. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  56. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony; Hipes, Patrick (October 8, 2020). "Disney/Pixar's Soul Moving To Christmas Day Release On Disney+". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 11, 2020. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  57. ^ Frater, Patrick; Davis, Rebecca (January 4, 2021). "China Box Office: Huge Weekend Sees Soul Soar and Little Red Flower Shoot". Variety. Archived from the original on January 5, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  58. ^ Godinez, Bong (December 22, 2020). "Pixar's new film Soul to hit selected cinemas in the Philippines on Christmas Day". GMA Network. Archived from the original on December 22, 2020. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  59. ^ Robbins, Shawn (December 23, 2020). "Christmas Weekend Box Office Forecast: Wonder Woman 1984's Unconventional Release; News of the World and Promising Young Woman Debut". Boxoffice Pro. Archived from the original on December 3, 2021. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  60. ^ Keslassy, Elsa (June 3, 2020). "Pixar's Soul, Wes Anderson's French Dispatch, Steve McQueen Movies Among Cannes 2020 Lineup". Variety. Archived from the original on June 22, 2021. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  61. ^ Vivarelli, Nick (September 17, 2020). "Pixar's Soul Will Open Rome Film Festival". Variety. Archived from the original on September 19, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  62. ^ Fleming, Ryan (April 12, 2021). "Burrow Creators Madeline Sharafian And Michael Capbarat On Sharing Vulnerability: 'There's No Shame In Admitting You're In Over Your Head'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 2, 2021. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  63. ^ Desowitz, Bill (April 27, 2021). "22 vs Earth: Pixar Follows Soul with a Prequel Short About the Skeptical Sidekick". IndieWire. Archived from the original on June 9, 2021. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  64. ^ Latchem, John (February 2, 2021). "Pixar's Soul Coming to Disc and Digital Sellthrough March 23". Media Play News. Archived from the original on December 2, 2021. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  65. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (December 27, 2020). "Wonder Woman 1984 Tops Box Office on Opening Weekend". Variety. Archived from the original on December 28, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  66. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (February 21, 2021). "Chinese New Year Pics Hi, Mom & Detective Chinatown 3 Top $600M Each As Middle Kingdom Exceeds $2B In 2021 – International Box Office". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 22, 2021. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  67. ^ McClintock, Pamela (December 30, 2020). "Wonder Woman 1984 Shows Promise for HBO Max, Audience Survey Finds". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 31, 2020. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  68. ^ Porter, Rick (January 22, 2021). "Soul Leads Nielsen Streaming Rankings for Dec. 21–27". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  69. ^ Hayes, Dade (January 29, 2021). "Wonder Woman 1984 Soars To Christmas Streaming Win On Updated U.S. Nielsen List, With 35% Margin Over Soul". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 29, 2021. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  70. ^ Brandon, Katz (April 1, 2021). "Was Zack Snyder's Justice League a Hit for HBO Max? Here's What the Data Says". The New York Observer. Archived from the original on July 4, 2021. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  71. ^ Bui, Hoai-Tran (October 12, 2020). "Soul Review Round-Up: Pixar Gets Existential in One of the Studio's Best Films". /Film. Archived from the original on October 24, 2020. Retrieved December 25, 2020.
  72. ^ Rawat, Kshitij (October 12, 2020). "Soul review roundup: Pixar's latest film scores a perfect 100 per cent". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved December 25, 2020.
  73. ^ "Soul (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved October 10, 2021. Edit this at Wikidata
  74. ^ "Soul". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  75. ^ Hornaday, Ann (December 19, 2020). "Pixar's Soul has plenty of visual razzle-dazzle, and a convoluted, existential plot". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 3, 2021. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  76. ^ Kois, Dan (December 14, 2020). "Pixar's Wandering Soul Is a Movie in Search of Its Own Meaning". Slate. Archived from the original on December 3, 2021. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  77. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (October 13, 2020). "Soul review – Pixar's rapturous tale of a jazz nut on a surreal out-of-body journey". The Guardian. Archived from the original on December 3, 2021. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  78. ^ Collin, Robbie (April 26, 2021). "Soul, Disney+ review: Pixar stares death in the face with warmth, wit and wonder". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on December 3, 2021. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  79. ^ Utichi, Joe (October 11, 2020). "Film Review: Pixar's Soul Recalls The Lofty Ambitions Of The Studio's Finest". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 12, 2020. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  80. ^ Robinson, Tasha (December 23, 2020). "Soul revives the ambitious storytelling that defined Pixar for so long". Polygon. Archived from the original on December 3, 2021. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  81. ^ Solomons, Jason (October 11, 2020). "Soul Film Review: Pixar Gets Existential in Dizzying Animated Film". TheWrap. Archived from the original on December 24, 2020. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  82. ^ Scott, A. O. (December 24, 2020). "Soul Review: Pixar's New Feature Gets Musical, and Metaphysical". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 24, 2020. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  83. ^ Aftab, Kaleem (October 11, 2020). "Soul Review: Pixar's Jazzy Existential Celebration Is One of the Studio's Very Best". IndieWire. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  84. ^ a b Truitt, Brian (December 24, 2020). "Review: Pixar's exuberant Soul explores life, the hereafter and all that jazz". USA Today. Archived from the original on December 25, 2021. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
  85. ^ Barzey, Whelan (December 24, 2020). "Movie review: Soul". Time Out Dubai. Archived from the original on December 25, 2021. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
  86. ^ a b Travers, Peter (December 18, 2020). "Soul review: Disney's latest is year's best animated movie – by a mile". ABC News. Archived from the original on December 22, 2020. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  87. ^ Fryer, Adonis (December 29, 2020). "Film Review: Subliminal storytelling flaws hold Soul back from its true potential". The Post. Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  88. ^ Acuna, Kirsten (December 26, 2020). "Pixar's Soul is getting rave reviews, but it left me cringing up until the very last minute". Insider. Archived from the original on December 28, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  89. ^ Freeman, Molly (December 1, 2020). "Soul Review: A Heartfelt, If Not Entirely Impactful Pixar Movie". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on December 1, 2020. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  90. ^ Pulliam-Moore, Charles (December 28, 2020). "Soul Feels Like Pixar's First Black Movie Made With White People in Mind". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on January 3, 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  91. ^ Murrian, Samuel R. (January 16, 2021). "We Ranked the 51 Best Animated Movies of All Time, From Snow White to Soul". Parade. Archived from the original on September 17, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  92. ^ Khal; Herrera, Andy; Barone, Matt; Serafino, Jason; Scarano, Ross; Aquino, Tara (February 19, 2021). "The Best Animated Movies of All Time". Complex. Archived from the original on May 20, 2021. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  93. ^ "The full list of 2021 Oscar nominations". The Guardian. March 15, 2021. Archived from the original on March 15, 2021. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  94. ^ Pedersen, Erik (April 25, 2021). "Oscars: Nomadland Wins Best Picture, Actress & Director; Anthony Hopkins Takes Best Actor: Complete Winners List". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 26, 2021. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  95. ^ Giardina, Carolyn (April 16, 2021). "Soul, Wolfwalkers Wins Annie Awards in Features". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  96. ^ Oganesyan, Natalie; Moreau, Jordan (February 3, 2021). "Golden Globes 2021: The Complete Nominations List". Variety. Archived from the original on February 3, 2021. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  97. ^ Khatchatourian, Maane (February 28, 2021). "Golden Globes 2021: The Full Winners List". Variety. Archived from the original on May 2, 2021. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  98. ^ Davis, Clayton (February 8, 2021). "Critics Choice Awards: Mank Leads With 12 Nominations, Netflix Makes History With Four Best Picture Nominees". Variety. Archived from the original on February 8, 2021. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  99. ^ Davis, Clayton (March 7, 2021). "Critics Choice Awards 2021 Full Winners: Chloe Zhao's Nomadland Continues Its Reign on Awards Season". Variety. Archived from the original on May 2, 2021. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  100. ^ Ritman, Alex (April 11, 2021). "BAFTA Awards: Nomadland Dominates, Winning Best Film, Director, Actress and Cinematography". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 25, 2021. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  101. ^ Davis, Clayton (January 26, 2021). "National Board of Review Names Da 5 Bloods Best Picture, Spike Lee Becomes Second Black Director Winner". Variety. Archived from the original on April 25, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  102. ^ Lewis, Hilary (January 25, 2021). "AFI Awards: Da 5 Bloods, Minari, Soul Among Picks for Best Films of 2020". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2021.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""