Soul on Ice

As Disney and Pixar's first collaboration to prominently feature an African-American cast, "Soul" serves as a pleasant bookend to a year filled to the brim with unrest

While it wasn't holiday themed, "Soul" may have been just the kind of Christmas present to help lift spirits in what was an unequivocally challenging year, by all accounts. It was originally intended for the summer schedule, but in a move similar to their release model for "Mulan", it premiered on Disney Plus on December 25th and theatrically in markets where the streaming service isn't available. Unlike "Mulan", it debuted without a premium fee, despite carrying a similarly hefty price tag (estimated upwards of $150 million dollars vs. $200 million for "Mulan"). Critics and audiences have also been much kinder to the project, praising its storyline, voice acting and music.

Jamie Foxx voices Joe Gardner, an aspiring jazz pianist whose dream of becoming a musician appears to have slipped away from him. Feeling he's languishing as a middle school music teacher, he gets the offer of a lifetime when one his former students (Questlove) sets up an opportunity for him to play with jazz legend Dorothea Williams (Angela Bassett). After landing the gig, Joe suffers a potentially fatal injury, sending his soul to the Great Beyond. Refusing to transition into the next life before fulfilling what he believes to be his big break, he eventually finds himself paired with 22 (Tina Fey); a snarky, pessimistic soul who's managed to avoid being assigned to Earth for generations. Together, they embark on journey to reunite Joe's soul with his body and learn what living is all about.

Led by a great voice cast, "Soul" is yet another quality outing for Pixar. Their signature brand of wrapping life lessons and decidedly mature content in the saccharine shell of children's entertainment is academic at this point. "Soul" certainly fits the bill, with one of the main criticisms levied against the film being its themes of life, death, finding one's purpose and personal identity are too esoteric for kids to fully enjoy. Perhaps fittingly enough, some of the same topics were covered in two of director Pete Docter's previous Pixar pictures; "Up" and "Inside Out". However, those films sprinkle in their nuggets of truth a little easier and the finished projects are a bit smoother. Even with existential ponderings tipping its balance to a more adult scale, it's a heartwarming comedy that fits nicely amongst Pixar's extensive catalog. Featuring Alice Braga, Donnell Rawlings, Graham Norton, Phylicia Rashad, Rachel House and including original compositions from musician Jon Batiste, "Soul" is a charming tale that, much like life itself, can be enjoyed despite its imperfections. B+