So, Riley’s officially a teenager now. Which means, yep, she’s got braces and is dealing with restless nights and suddenly snapping back at her parents. It’s all thanks to puberty throwing her self-esteem into chaos. Plus, she’s bummed because she just found out her best friends, Grace and Bree, are going to a different high school after the summer. But hey, for now, they’re all heading off to a three-day summer hockey camp together. During this trip, Riley wants to fit in with a new group so she won’t end up alone later on.

The new crew is this hockey team full of older girls who mostly think she’s just an awkward newbie—everyone except Viv, the team captain. Viv decides to look out for Riley. Meanwhile, inside Riley’s head where Joy, Anger, Sadness, Fear, and Disgust hang out controlling things up there…new feelings start crashing the party like Ennui (yep that’s boredom), Envy, Embarrassment—and worst of all Anxiety—a total powerhouse that could seriously mess with Joy’s plans.

Following up Inside Out wasn’t easy—it really nailed those emotional mind journeys we go through as kids in such a smart way originally! But Inside Out 2 comes in strong too with brilliant ideas focusing on how Riley grows up—this character was based on Pete Docter’s daughter (he’s behind the first film).
This time around, instead of just being the executive producer, the story’s crafted by Meg LeFauve (who also worked on Inside Out), Dave Holstein, and Kelsey Mann. Mann, who’s been a longtime Pixar animator, is stepping into directing for the first time. So if you were a kid who loved the first Inside Out and now you’re a teen, this sequel sort of grows up with you—kinda like how people grew along with Harry Potter.

One of their cool moves is flipping the idea from the first movie on its head. The original flick made it seem like we’re all just driven by emotions that control everything inside us—hence “Inside Out.” That theme was starting to feel a bit cramped, especially when you’re young and it feels like these strange emotional characters in your head are running wild and separate from each other.

Inside Out 2 tries something fresh by having emotions work together more seamlessly. And it’s packed with new ones that challenge the old ones because that’s what being a teen is about—wanting to change everything about yourself to get approval from friends and worrying if you’ll ever fit into a world beyond just supportive parents or childhood buddies.

It’s doing an awesome job capturing that feeling as it pulls you back into its colorful mental playground.
Alright, so here’s the deal with “Inside Out 2.” We’re diving right back into that whirlwind of emotions swirling around in teens’ heads and hearts. You know, all those feelings of not measuring up and using sarcasm as a cover-up? The first movie kind of said, “Hey, all these feelings are cool.” But this sequel takes a step further by pointing out that anxiety can be pretty toxic and isn’t too helpful for dealing with real-life stuff.

This time around, it’s like we’re hitting pause on that never-ending positivity vibe from Joy and making room for some more chill emotions. But don’t worry, we’re not throwing out the “you got this” attitude entirely. The big takeaway is all about owning your thoughts and actions. Riley’s got to learn how to handle her inner battles without getting caught up or bossed around by her emotions. They’re part of her ride but shouldn’t be steering the wheel.

And then there’s the direction – Mann’s style might not be as flashy as Docter’s was with the first film. Still, there’s an emotional buildup that’ll hit you hard by the end; even parents might find themselves moved when they see echoes of their kids’ struggles. It’s just too bad Ennui (with Deva Cassel voicing, mind you) and Embarrassment don’t get more airtime because they really are key players in any teenager’s emotional lineup.