The Sunday Mail
Film Review
Tinashe Kusema
IT has been quite a while since I reviewed an animated flick.
I think it was back in 2010 following the release of “Shrek Forever After”.
Back then, a few of my close friends even gave me a new nickname — one I will never share — but I really did not mind.
Fortunately, the nickname died a natural death but I am still proud of that review.
The DreamWorks’ production has since grossed over US$750 million at the box office.
It is currently ranked 21 on the highest-grossing animated movies of all time.
At one point, it was ranked seventh.
My follow-up is close and dear to my heart.
It is one of two favourites for Oscar glory come April 25 when the Academy of Motion Picture, Arts and Science is expected to celebrate the best releases of 2020.
And given that we are currently at the mercy of a worldwide Covid-19 pandemic, and most of the big releases of 2020 were put on ice, expect a very novel event this time around.
If chatter on the dark net is to be believed, then Disney and Pixar’s “Soul” and the late Chadwick Boseman are favourites to walk away with Best Animation and Best Actor gongs respectively.
I am yet to get my hands on Boseman’s last project but believe “Soul” is up there.
As a side note, “Soul” will go down as the very first movie I watched with my two-year-old daughter Celeste.
Granted, she lasted until the hour mark before dozing off, but that counts, right?
“Soul” tells the story of Joe Gardener (Jamie Foxx), an aspiring jazz pianist who dreams of performing on stage, but dies hours before his big moment.
Gardner’s soul then travels to the afterlife, a purgatory of sorts, where old and new souls intersect.
Not quite done living his life just yet, Gardner manages to sneak into the Great Before, where personalities are put into souls before they come to Earth.
There, he takes on the assignment to train a soul — numbered ‘22’ and voiced by Tina Fey — to find its spark.
What transpires is a tale of redemption in Gardner’s case and a journey of self-discovery as 22 struggles with her own insecurities on her path to discovering the true meaning of life.
Now, at first I was tempted to launch into a tirade about how Disney and Pixar conspired to create one of the first animated films of colour about a jazz musician and totally forgot about the music.
From the onset, we are introduced to this jazz musician who loves and lives jazz music.
However, we hardly hear the music.
In fact, the music plays second fiddle to other troupes.
I spent the better part of the first two acts expecting to hear some Miles Davies, Nat King Cole, Nina Simone and Frank Sinatra-inspired original scores.
But alas, the soul in question is celestial.
This is not to say their creative choice was wrong, but it kind of makes the whole plot predictable.
The ‘two celestial beings roaming the earth and bumping into the true meaning of life’ is so old a troupe.
It borders on the ‘90s action movie cliché.
If you do not get that analogy, then this film is for you.
The film does have its moments, top of the list being the strong voice cast.
In Jamie Foxx (Gardner) and Tina Fey (22), you have two bonafide Hollywood stars with the buzz and talent to carry a movie by themselves.
There are also a couple of surprises.
The likes of talk show host Graham Norton and Quest Love are likely to keep you at the edge of your seat.
But Angela Bassett and Phylicia Rashad were my favourite surprises.
Notice how I did not mention their characters?
You can actually play a game and try to guess their characters.
The movie plays it safe and gives a straightforward story chronicling how these two individuals find meaning in their lives by walking in each other’s shoes for a day.
There is even a little comedy, mostly from the film’s supporting characters.
Whether this film warrants an Oscar or not is a question for another day.
However, in a year of very few releases, expect some surprises and opportunities for films that ordinarily would have been overlooked.
