REVIEW: SOUL

 

4/5

Soul Power. 

101 Mins. Starring: Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Graham Norton, Rachel House, Alice Braga, Richard Ayoade, Phylicia Rashad, Donnell Rawlings, Questlove & Angela Bassett. Director: Pete Docter. 

Everybody has soul. You, me. Coffee, tea. Every man, every woman. Every boy, every girl. Even that person that won't smile back at you on the street when you pass 'em each day...give it another try. You never know like 'Meet Joe Black's' Brad Pitt bouncing off cars hilariously when it's your last time to cross. It's been a hell of a year. It's felt like that very Pitt GIF. The Pitt's. Heavy. Imagine Ricky Gervais' Golden Globing this. 2020. What was it good for? You know the rest like War, HUH?! We lost the Black Mamba and the Black Mambacita. We even lost the Black Panther and nations of our loved ones. All as we screamed Black Lives Matter until we could all breathe again through our masks as police brutality infected and ruined as many lives as COVID-19...for generations. 2020 even took a few things from me in its last week, like it did all of us. But not our resolve. It's over now. Its a New Year and a new day. 2021. 100 years ago like Fizgerald's Gatsby old sport they called this jazz age the roaring 20's. Now this year we roar back. From cinemas to sport stadiums in concert...when it's safe to. Because masked up, locked down and quarantined at home, if we were looking for some heart these not so happiest of holidays then we have a plus. Disney have given us 'Soul' this Christmas like South Korea. Chief creative executive of Pixar, Pete Docter as director knows how to doctor up the perfect prescription for our seasonal blues, affective all year in this disorder. All at the same time Warner Bros and 'Wonder Woman' took us back to '1984' as Bugs and Mickey went at it for all the carrots. As Pixar's perfect new film this season of giving even had people not breaking 'Toy Story' out the chest this Christmas for your festive filmography that isn't really under the tree like 'Home Alone', (or 'Uncle Buck' for this writer) and 'Die Hard' (YES BRUCE IT IS A CHRISTMAS MOVIE ('Billy On The Street' voice)). That's a relief as I've cried far too many times at that incinerator scene (I mean read those last few words again, it's a kids film people. F##### Disney!) and the toy donation finale from 'Toy Story 3'...and I'll give you a clue, it's not three like streaming subscriptions. Pixar's 'Soul' with all of Walt Disney's and new animators making their mark like those rookies clawing away at 'The Lion King' is worthy of being raised above you head like a Simba trophy, especially in a year that's scarred. Long live the King. 

How about the comedy one? Straight out the Foxxhole (or is that manhole?) and live in living Pixar CG color, multi-talented, Oscar and Grammy winning actor, singer and comedian with my official title of 'funniest man alive', Jamie Foxx may just have starred in his biggest film yet. Especially when it comes to gross for a thing that isn't even in that many theatres right now like it's rival 'Wonder Woman' taking it to the Max like 'Collateral' or HBO is. Coming in at around the same time, this time last year that Jamie should have been taking home the Oscar for his subtle performance of power and grace in the soaring 'Just Mercy' courtroom drama with the 'Creed' and 'Marvel' heavy hitters of Michael B. Jordan and Brie Larson. Killing it like Killmonger and no stranger to that Disney extended universe, Jamie Foxx's Amazing 'Spider-Man' Electro villain from Andrew Garfield's world will be getting a multi-verse reboot, recharging jolt as the Netflix 'Project Power' street-level hero project re-Spawn's into all sorts of superhero movies for his next schedule on his work rota this calendar. All this but yet the 'Ray' Oscar player and 'Annie' Broadway movie hit with 'Rio' computer animated experience too is at his best here. Showing just how much the ever 'Unpredictable' and 'Unchained' talent and charismatic character can caricature a new icon for Disney lore. His soulful Joe Gardner is a passionate pianist and beloved school teacher looking for that break whose really going to learn a lesson in a real out of his body experience when he almost had the fingertips on the 9 clouds of his dreams. And knowing the chords and keys like Charles, Foxx plays this all perfectly like he does the ebony and ivory. Steinways haven't sounded like this since Mahershala Ali knocked them out for his in the corner support, Oscar gold of 'Green Book'. 

New York like the Knicks jokes, SLAM basketball magazine tribute clippings in the same barbershop they talk sports shop with like water coolers, or even the way King of New York Nas talked about this cities classic pizza on his 'Life Is Good', 'Loco-Motive' track like a 42nd street terminal ("At night, New York, eat a slice too hot/Use my tongue to tear the skin hangin' from the roof of my mouth"...we've all been there G). In rich mahogany and coffee animation, this is as soulful as Marvin and Tammi. With jazz notes even Hollywoodland's 'La La Land' couldn't touch like 'Chicken On A Stick'. A born star this is the greatest show man. As live as Saturday Night. Or '30 Rock' legend Tina Fey going up against the '1984' Cheetah of her old NBC friend Kristen Wiig. The 'Mean Girls' writer playing such an endearing character. But it's Graham Norton who steals the show as a sign twirling spiritual guru who does a better job than Joaquin Phoenix's Joker. The 'So' talk show and Eurovision Song Contest winning host (who also appeared in Will Ferrell's latest slapstick comedy schtick based on that very show, 'The Story Of Fire Saga'). Norton who is fastly becoming the new Brit to U.S. Richard Ayoade. And Richard Ayoade...who is...well, Richard Ayoade. 'The IT Crowd' comedy gold legend who recently cameoed like a cash for celebrity birthday surprise app in Star Wars' 'The Mandalorian'. Add 'Thor: Ragnarok's' Rachel House, 'I Am Legend' star Alice Braga, 'Creed's' Phylicia Rashad, 'Chappelle Show's' Donnell Rawlings, The Roots and Jimmy Fallon's 'Late Night' drummer Questlove and 'Black Panther' Queen and Tina Turner playing legend Angela Bassett adding to this all-star...no all-time, class cast of cultural excellence. 'What's Love Got To Do With It'? Everything! And what Walt Disney or its Pixar franchise is complete without a moving montage scene that will play like all the times you've ever cried? This year poignantly playing to our emotions like a roll call of all we have lost this year in Hollywood, from 007 to "Who Is Alex Trebek"? Taking us to the great beyond in our year of R. E. M. How can we not feel it? How could you not watch a movie like this when it's the one thing we need right now? Like the warmth of a fireplace this Christmas, a cup of mocha hot chocolate and marshmallows, or the touch of a soul you can't live without. This is for all those we've lost. Still here in spirit this cold Winter, watching over. Just like how this film shares emotional DNA in 'Tron: Legacy' digital blue, with the inspired 'Inside Out', or cultural and spiritual ones with 'Coco' like the two strings of Kubo. Just like how this film shares something with us all, like we do each other. Hope in a time of despair. Love in a time of hate. Heart in a time of hurt. Soul in a time of cold. Now isn't that just music to your ears? There's nothing like this food for the soul. TIM DAVID HARVEY. 

Further Filming : 'Inside Out', 'Coco', 'La La Land'.