Soul

Review Time! Joe Gardner is a Middle School music teacher, feeling unfulfilled in life and dreams of getting the gig of a lifetime. When such an opportunity arises, he jumps at it, only to unwittingly drop down a manhole. He soon finds himself bodiless and about to head into the Great Beyond. Not ready to pass on yet, he accidently winds up the Great Before, the world of souls before they are born. There he is soon paired with Soul 22, a soul that is missing their spark which is preventing them from being born. Determined to get his body back, Joe reluctantly helps 22 and both of them soon learn just how much of a gift this life really is. With top-notch animation, beautiful music (both during the performances and throughout the movie), fun humor, and plenty of poignant moments, Soul is a delight to watch. Joe is a relatable, if all too flawed protagonist, as he feels that life is passing him by, a feeling that we all experience. Soul 22’s cynicism is balanced by their wide eyed innocence and watching 22 experience the ups and downs of life are both touching and inspiring. The movie also presents interesting questions about life, our purpose in it, what happened before and what potentially happens after. In addition, it shows the magnificent gift that is our bodies, as the souls shown can’t feel, taste, or smell and 22 soon realizes what living is all about. And somewhere along the way, Joe does as well. So if you have Disney +, give it a watch! It might just remind you how much this life is really worth living!