MORAL OF THE MOVIE

Simply put, life is worth living. Despite all the bad that may come from a life on Earth, it is also important to acknowledge the good and simple parts of life. In the grand scheme of things, we all seek a purpose in life... yet, why can't our purpose in life be to live life at its fullest (whatever that may mean for you)? In the end, Soul (2020) is a beautiful story about what makes life worth living.

WHO I THINK WOULD MOST ENJOY THIS MOVIE

Anyone and everyone who has a heart and has ever wondered what their purpose in life may truly be... If you ever thought that Pixar movies needed to focus on more mature themes, then this is the movie for you, especially if you were moved by Dir. Docter's (@petedocter ) other Pixar projects such as Up (2009) and Inside Out (2015).

ADDITIONAL NOTES/COMMENTARY

Had I seen this movie 5 or 10 years ago, I would have probably marked it as Marriage Material and moved on. Obviously, that's not what happened. Instead, Soul (2020) came at a point in my life in which I am pondering the very same thoughts about death, the meaning and purpose of life, what I should decide to do with my life, etc. And for that, this movie could not have come at a better time for me. Selfishly, I feel like this movie was made for me. It's almost as if the filmmakers got in my head and made a movie with the morals that I needed to hear/learn. This just goes to show that I'm not alone in having these thoughts and that it's a common rite of passage for all of us to have questions and doubts. As such, even after only watching it once, I dare say that Soul (2020) is one of my favorite movies of all time simply because of the timing of when I watched it and the morals that its story has to share. Once the movie reached its conclusion, I couldn't help but stare at the screen as the credits rolled by. Then, I saw a very touching note at the end of the credits: “Dedicated to all the mentors in our lives". This is emblematic of another of the film's morals about the importance of teaching and teachers. I once asked one of my own mentors in life how I could ever repay him for everything he had done to mentor and guide me, but he simply said "Don't worry about me. Just pay it forward and mentor those that come after you." No one ever makes it alone. That's why it's so important to appreciate those who help guide us through this thing we call life and pay it forward. Having said that, mentorship can come in a variety of shapes and forms. I’ve often seen films as some of the core mentors in my life that have shaped who I am and how I behave, which is why I have this particular outlook on getting a moral out of every movie. Soul (2020) is definitely one of the mentor films that has impacted me significantly, which is why I ironically deemed it as SOULmate-worthy. In the end, I can't rave enough about Soul (2020). From its masterful storytelling to its eye-poppingly colorful cinematography to the brilliant voice acting to the trance-inducing music, Soul (2020) is truly a masterpiece. Thank you @pixar and @petedocter for this beautiful gift of a film.