My Weird Beef with Soul Criticism 

Kids grow up how you raise them. Raise them soft and stupid and you get a soft and stupid adult. Raise them with nuance and maturity and thats how they will grow

I speak from experience. Kids can be surprisingly mature if allowed to be so. Especially if they're not coddled and learn to draw their own conclusions.

not every kid does

I heard a saying somewhere that goes "kids aren't stupid. They just lack experience."

I mean, usually 3-9 year olds bring their parents to watch disney stuff, so...

Is that an ice age 3 quote?

@@irongirltoni Yes, yes it is.

Haha, people hate on Buck but he’s my favorite Ice age character

Ok but I've age 3 is actually so good

@@lexerwilliams8880 Wait, why?

@Jack Lardleif you just proved my point

We know that teenagers are not naive of adult topics, its practically forced as curriculum in middle/high schools. But not every teenager is as well developed intellectually or emotionally mature as others. One teenager could graduate high school as a freshman and be fast-passed to college, while another is cheating on math tests just to catch up with his or her peers. Every kid comes from different backgrounds and matures at different times, which is why we have ratings for movies and laws about youth alcohol consumption. No one said that teenagers aren't human beings, but there is still some growing and learning involved that occurs when you are not living safely under your parents roof, worrying about your future career, maintaining a full-time job, dealing with lay-offs, scheduling college classes and student loans (if you intend to continue school), paying for food, a car, gas bills, apartment rent and utilities (or a down payment on a house), security, doctor bills and medical expenses, insurance/retirement, government funding, taxes, marriage, children, and many, many other pressures. There's a difference between knowing something and actually living it. That's why people use the verb "adulting." Teenagers shouldn't be treated like children, they deserve respect, but that doesn't make them adults.

@@s.e.e455 and I completely agree with you, there are all sorts of people in every age group. I'm just saying that as a person who in their teenage years didn't get a drip of privacy because my parents didn't see me as a normal human being with my own life, it's easy for me to say that not all teenagers get respect.

Having been a teenager myself and had to interact with other teenagers both then and now... no. Teenagers are fucking stupid. People don't respect them because they're fucking stupid. Hell, half the time they don't even grow out of being fucking stupid, it's just a perpetual condition.

Also can we talk about how it's weird that adults, GROWN ADULTS, make fun of teenagers for being "edgy" and "immature" . It's kinda gross how adults dehumanize literal kids , it's so normalized too.

Exactly, more people need to realize that kids can be more smart and mature than you think

Yeah, I knew what suicide meant when I was 8-9

I knew about suicide since I was 7

Finally someone said it, after the age of 8 I feel like we're much more smarter than whatever the hell people think

You'd have to be pretty dumb to think a 10 year old wouldn't know what suicide is...

I'm going to be honest. A lot of audiences are too dumb to get this and need to be spoon-fed a "proper" ending

My like made it to 420 likes

It would honestly be nice to have a concrete scene of the message of the ending Joe living out life, but I find it interesting that we already have a glimpse of that through little flashbacks of his life that didn't focus on Joe fixating on his career goal. We can simply take those little scenes as a possibility that it is what one of the things Joe later did in his freetime away from the band. 🙂

I honestly didn’t like it but if anyone liked the ending I respect it

I mean that new Soul short is releasing on Disney+ today and IDK if that'll work like an epilogue or what but I mean it does sound like itd provide something past that ending. If not that then before the movie's beginning, idk.

exactly 😂

which is?

@@mlp_snowdrop its the joke where Terry notices their count is off, and Jerry says "OH WOW TERRY LOOK ITS THE MOST AMAZING THING EVER" to distract her, and then subtly moves her count back. Then Jerry's just "oh nevermind" and leaves, confusing Terry.

Dash that and the cat when it dies

Hello there I didn't expect you here. I mean you were a on metal stream so makes sense

Yes

period

great!!.... as long as you don't ask for a trophy ;D

Well said I like that

Terry’s job also IS counting If something is off it MATTERS especially the fact someone CHEATED death. It is LIFE someone is playing with

I agree - imo, the best "children's movies" are ones that are engaging and thought provoking for young kids, but are also deep enough for adults - especially when coming _back_ to one after growing up results in someone noticing new ideas and themes that they either couldn't understand or ignored as kids.

@@KingBobXVI exactly!

Truuue, I fell in love with anime when I was around 9 or 10 because of the beautiful animation and deep story lines. The Proud Family was another show I loved because of how they talked about subjects like being black or not spending too much money. Some kids are wise very early on.

@@dannikris3696 OH yesssss! I only discovered The Proud Family in more recent years, but I instantly fell in love with it! There's something about it that's very heartwarming and mature, yet fun about that show. It handled a lot of important subjects honestly while also being entertaining and enjoyable! I may not be black myself, but I definitely think the writers of that show deserve a lot of credit for addressing subjects that many other shows would back away from. Actually, a lot of other cartoons (new and old) have done that too, and I think it's one of the better ways to teach kids (and others) about issues like that, because they're portrayed in a way that shows the different sides of them instead of letting people figure those lessons out "the hard way" (though not that that can always be avoided). I think animation is very captivating, since it's not something that's a part of nature that we have to look at every day, and that's why I think it has the ability to be such a useful tool for spreading a message. If anything, animation should be used more often for things like this!

@@lexyshannon9428 100% agree with you! 😊

More like: What if Black people had feelings?

Oh, boy. *prepares popcorn for when the anti-abortion folks come*

@@WildWestSamurai Hello! I have arrived

@@theimplications635 But they already do.

@Skyler Keck Hah rip

Brave

People forget that children don't stay the way the are, they're going to be the adults of tomorrow. In a way, they take "becoming an adult" for granted. Maturing is NOT a natural thing, if it were then we wouldn't have so many closed minded and irresponsible adults around the world. Many school students complain about how schools don't actually teach important stuff like finding a job and paying the bills, and they're totally right! We have to teach children how life goes the way it does, otherwise they won't handle it by themselves. It reflects on the "children entertainment" part of things, people associate "child" with "mindless", and that's a problem for the mental and psychological growth of many people.

I loved serious films when I was a kid. When I watched Littlefoot's mom die when I was 3, I wasn't "too young" to watch it. I watched that movie multiple times because of it, because I could relate to it.

If anything, we've dumbed down a lot of children's media. When I was a kid, we had a show where siblings were separated via abduction, and one grew up gaslighted and abused and twisted, then had to learn the truth about everything she thought she knew. Meanwhile, a sorceress in her brother's world had an affair that resulted in a child that another man would raise, and that sorceress ached for the daughter she longed for. If you guessed He-Man and She-ra, congrats. And let's not get into what was in Jem, but it was amazing. In the 90's, we had the animated Batman series that created one of the most twisted and abusive relationships to date with the creation of Harley Quinn, and Animaniacs wasn't mere slapstick. Now, anything that might even slightly challenge kids is seen as "too much."

@@100lovenana Millennials are becoming boomers

With that profile picture I doubt that child smiles are anywhere in your future lol.

@@goten3268 Children are but clay to be molded to The Emperor's will!

Being the daughter of a teacher, it's like parents expect teachers to always work--teachers aren't babysitters because you don't want to spend time with your kids.

@@autobee23My mother is also a teacher and I could not agree more. Teachers are being ever increasingly required to fill in roles they should not be doing, such as almost being counselors and listening to the student's problems. We have enough baggage on our minds as to be taking on that of others when it's not our responsibility in the first place.

The only reason I am not a teacher because I have a passion for it that I actively snuff out under blankets of reality. I love teaching and I love having people think and learn how to find information and all that. I was helping out my teachers since elementary school. In 6th grade I was tutoring kindergarteners. But the fact that I could never support myself on that career physically puts me off. I need time for me too. Teaching is a full time job that consumes your waking moments. But if i had a wage that supported me through summer and i didnt have to work multiple jobs to make ends meet, I would totally be a teacher. I'm not into making myself miserable even for something I love. Not even touching on the awful parents with the demon spawn.

Yeah

Yes

Sometimes, yes.

i dont understand this, ofcourse a children can be intelligent but he wont have the same experience as anadult while watching the movie

@@wilkson1300 No they won't. But that doesn't mean we should stop them from watching it. They'll get their own conclusions from it. And some children will understand the "adult" perspective some won't. But you won't know how they'll react unless you show it to them.

I'm not even a full-on grown-up and I still heavily dislike students of my own age. I wouldn't even dream of being a teacher.

skeletalmixer101 as you grow older, you may find you see student age kids as just kids, you understand their ignorance to a degree and you may dislike them less : but thats just my two cents

I’m a teacher and I felt the frustrations he felt trying to inspire kids to love the subject I teach. My favorite scene is when Connie visits him because it reminds me that kids do have passion for certain things in school even if they say otherwise. All some of them want is affirmation that it is something to be passionate about.

It's a funny thing the movie doesn't even point out... Most musicians only do it part time and have a different part time job. And well, being a music teacher is the most common one for obvious reasons. Lol. So yeah, when you go to all of those small jazz bars and so on. The places where Joe seems to be playing. Those musicians will almost certainly have additional income. Lol. I know... Because I am one of them! I am a musician and song writer as well and I work part time as a barista at a local private coffee shop too! And it's something that works REALLY well for me, because in summer time where all my concerts are. There will be high school part timers taking vacation jobs. And in autumn and winter I take a lot more hours while there are no one working vacation jobs... Cause it isn't vacation. And then in December which is the busiest month for musicians like me. Well... Work is day time. All those christmas parties are in the evening. It's a tough month, but that's okay. Because I get to rest January where NOTHING ever happens XD So yeah... Most working musicians whom aren't big radio hollywood stars. We have sepperate jobs! It's very normal.

I think completely different. I’ve been so lucky to actually have good teachers unlike most people I have known, that they inspired me to be the good teacher in at least one kid’s life. I could worry about lesson plans and grading and whatnot but if I could at least be the change, or the push, or whatever is needed in one kid’s life, I’d be pretty happy. Yeah it’s stupid but, I’m pretty stupid so yeah

YOOOO YOU’RE RIGHT

REME HAS A LINK to the soul realm!

@@ninjajack6457 😁😁

@@spooderman6312 YES!

OH MY GOD. NO HARD FEELINGS PIXAR THEORY, I THINK YOU HAVE A POINT NOW!

Ayo wait didn't Mike scare those adults in the end had potential to be a great scarer

@@1times1 l think Mike just had to use a different scare tactic for him personally instead of completely relying on what he read in a book

@@1times1 It was Sully, Mike guided him.

@@blueberrylu5964 rewatched the movie yeah you right my bad

Giving up the idea of being anything you want doesn't mean giving up walking your own path...probably wouldn't have been such a screw up if I learned that as a kid.

Its a really old overused joke, love the irony

I just said jokes on you shorty I've been home

When Terry tells you to go home, you go home, even if you're already there. Terry is the best. XD

I had the same reaction.

SAME

R/ThatHappened

@@lillyshooby4083 nope that could easily happen

r/Idon'tdoubtthataskidsaresmarterthantheyleton

I don't think it's a hard concept to understand there are kids who understands death and life meaning at 7

@@light9205 depending upon their environment, could be even earlier

NatalieSue - just a suggestion: maybe do volunteer work for a year (pick a cause you like/support) or sign up for a service that will give you a broader view of the world while helping people (example: Red Cross or Peace Corps). I have found that doing something selfless helps you find yourself even quicker. And at the end of a year or two, if those things weren't a job you could see yourself doing for years on end, you helped others, which is always a good thing, and hopefully gained some valuable life experience. Much better than rushing straight to a college/university to rack up debt/blow money on an education you're not even sure is the right path for you. Best of luck!

It is overwhelming. I remember being in high school still knowing I wanted to work with animals in some way, but didn't want to be a vet, couldn't afford to live off volunteering at some animal rescue, and didn't know what other kinds of jobs even existed. One of my mentors used to say that there is no luck, just preparation meeting opportunity at the right moment, and my two cents of advice for you ten years after I graduated high school is that even if you make a decision that ends up being not at all what you thought you wanted out of a job or relationship or whatever else is important to you, your life's not over. You don't have to be stuck doing the same thing for the rest of your life and as long as you live, you can always change it. It's your life and I promise you don't have to have it all figured out before you're thirty or even after you're thirty. After having three kids and being a stay-at-home mom for six years, my mom went back to school and got a teaching degree. I currently work in a lab, but I have the dream of eventually being an animal educator and in the meantime, I work on honing my craft on fiction writing because I'd also like to be a published author someday.

Cherish the journey MORE than reaching your goals! After years of putting pressure on myself, I learned that life is a beautiful messy adventure! If you reach a goal and it doesn’t work, that’s okay, find a new dream 💗

I love this thread. Thank you all ♥️

Coming back to this a year later, I can’t believe people are still finding my comment and actively seeking to assist me. I feel so touched. Thank you! Over the last year I’ve done a lot. I finally published a book I’ve been working on for years, then started working on the sequel. I quit my job and got a new one. One I really enjoy. And I began volunteering at my church more, helping with young teen girls going through a lot of hard stuff. It’s got it’s ups and downs and there are days that feel like it’d be better if I wasn’t around, but I remain for the sheer sake of loving what I do. And that is, simply enjoying the little things of life. That conversation with a friend, being open and vulnerable without regard, placing boundaries for myself and others, and watching tv shows that no one really cares about. Needless to say the last two years have been a mixture of hell for me, but my characters like to say: “Even the darkest night can’t drown out a lantern built on resilience alone” Here’s to another year.

Up is pretty heavy too, at least in the sequence of "Married Life", but it's a great movie.

I think it's more that people think Soul is potentially "boring" for kids and that they won't understand all of the themes.

I mean not all Ghibli movies are for children

@@spidernymph8964 I saw soul when I was 11 and i think its one of the greatest movie

“The main character dies, but only to live.”

"Were you killed?" "Sadly, yes. But I LIVED!"

Now that I think about it this could also go for(spoilers) Danganronpa v3 "What happens in danganronpa v3?" "The main character dies" "Oh in the end..." "No in the beginning"

@@themightypancake5695 I am now stealing this every time I end up on a Soul video (except this one). Unless, you don’t want me to. This is probably the best joke in reference to the movie,

Rezero in a nutshell

isnt that what older people like about childrens movies from their childhood? the fact that they liked it as a kid but now that they are older they understand more about it? thats why there are all of those "adult jokes you may have missed" compilations

Yeah! I went back to Madagascar and I think I died

I think kids movies like this are way better than the colorful marketing scheme like minions which have absolutely no deeper messages or memorable feelings

Yeah you can’t blame the kids it’s not their fault our brains grow different to the point where we can’t understand certain things unless taught Like raise a child correctly when they’re young and they become mature by the time they’re 11 12 or 10 even Or raise a child incorrectly they become selfish and arrogant you know?

That was my inside out

Not true, most kids are constantly underestimated (see the literal comments war highlighting and pointing out the issues of adults gatekeeping this BENEFICIAL MOVIE because they think kids/teens can't understand it), blocked out, ignored when they have issues, taken advantage of, bullied, overwhelmed by responsibilities of school that are brushed off by anyone who may be able to help them, constantly having information withheld from them, and have 0 way to financially stabilize themselves if the household they live in is abusive or they are in foster care, which EVERYONE knows is a living hell. Just because they don't have to pay taxes or go to work doesn't mean they don't deal with bullshit that they shouldn't have to go through.

@@nadinkhatib1858 I understand that, and the idea of the quote still holds true in some places. If you take a kid with abusive parents, then it doesn't work at all, but if take a kid with(Hopefully) normal parents, then the child could be freer than the parents themselves. So the quote still holds true in the right context, but i really do understand your point, and the fact that in plenty of ways, the quote is a bit frustrating. Thank you for reminding me about that, and i wish you a nice day.

Yes. That ambiguous ending felt right to me because of that. Joe just continued to live his life, and it was a great experience regardless of the hypothetical route he had taken.

Nice pfp

Nah. The title being shown only after a movie is over isn't a new thing. It's happening in movies all the time now.

@@wariolandgoldpiramid in other movies yes, but in "soul" it hit's different, once you watched the whole film, and that title popped up, you will feel as if joel's soul and living has fully started.

@@wariolandgoldpiramid If you honestly don't think this was explicitly done for this reason, especially from a studio that has consistently shown it's title at the start of their films (Pixar have done this with every movie since it's inception), then I honestly don't know what to tell ya bruh

@@wariolandgoldpiramid the point is not that it's a new thing, it's that they appreciate how it was used in the movie.

@@wariolandgoldpiramid let the people have their concept, ohhhh shit i forgot ur allowed to have opinions, nvm go and speak ur nonsense cause u don't know how to read the mood

It wasn’t made during pandemic and was delayed from Summer and from Thanksgiving theatre release.

@@sarasamaletdin4574 yeah, it was more of a joke considering the coincidences

idk, you can still live life to the fullest even in lockdown

I think that gives the message even more power. This pandemic has made a lot of people appreciate the little things that we used to have.

I love that people are taking your joke so literally haha

Same! I'd loved to have seen this when I was in high school! I kept feeling like "I have to be great. I have to be the best! I have to accomplish this big thing!" And only after some heavy depression did it occur that "I'm not happy throwing myself at things like this."

Same! Joe might be my favorite Pixar protagonist just because his journey was so relatable to me.

300

I've seen that. I hope you find some more colors with time. And I agree, this movie is something that ought to be shared.

Every atom of your body is worth something to me, to my family, because that’s what we believe. I’m glad you feel better now and know that people care for you even if you don’t know them. Have a good rest of your day and I hope your tomorrow is even better.

Edit, i deleted the original comment because it was quite personal, but i basically said something similar, but not as bad by a mile, happened to me.

@@deomvii I'm happy that you've gotten better, and I think that one day those feelings will fade completely. I mean we've already gotten to this point. I don't regret those years I was like that though. It helped me grow in the long run, but I wish it shorter. I hope both of us grow to be truly happy with ourselves, and our choices. It's never too late to change things.

@@gracie-md1qq "The worse part was i had no excuse to hate it as much as i did." I just wanted to say one thing. Your pain was valid. Just because things could have been worse doesn't mean you had no right to feel the way you did about things. You had every right. Your pain is valid. Your feelings are valid. YOU are valid 💕

Totally agree. Like many others have said, animation is a medium of entertainment, not a genre. To be honest I think I’d like a lot of other movies and shows more if they were in an animated format, seems like a lot more hard work and soul (lol get it) go into it than live action production.

@@stevengoomba6490 I hate it when I see a movie that could've EASILY been animated for a way smaller budget and with much better effect, but instead they make it an okay to pretty cool looking live-action film for even three times the budget. Like, you could have a potentially better product for cheaper, but instead you decide to waste money.

Though in defense of Trolls, i did like the message that movie had regarding happiness

It's also quite ignorant to the shows that use the medium to discuss heavier topics and darker plots to assume anything within an animated format is "for kids". What ever happened to General Audience? Why did it become culturally appropriate to use black and white definitions regarding media as either "kid appropriate" or "adult appropriate", despite many, many forms of media being appropriate for all age groups?

I hate that too, since animated movies and shows have the potential to tell whatever story they want since the only limit is the imagination. It kind of feels like a lot of people just put animation in a box of being for kids when that couldn’t be further from the truth. Like, would you let a child watch Evangelion, Primal, F is for Family or something similar just because it’s technically a cartoon?

She’s a wise woman, for being an outcast for reasons beyond her control. I love “The misunderstood outcast” trope. Sooooo relatable!

I love The Owl House!

Veronica Piccinini She’s Edalyn freakin’ Clawthorne. The OWL LADY. Of COURSE she’s got some of that cryptic mentor wisdom in her. And she is also my favourite TOH character because she is the living definition of Chaotic Neutral and I am HERE for it.

This reminds me of: "Your destiny is already written." "No, destiny is a book you write yourself."

Who the heck is eda clawthorn?

It isnt a kids movie, its a company's movie :)

@@Amy-si8gq LMFAO

Yeah. That maybe you don’t have a “true purpose”, but that’s okay, because “just existing” is already a good reason to live.

I realy like that, cause I feel like the audience goes in with the same mindset as Joe that life has some type of secret or grand meaning behind it, and it's easy to miss the real meaning in both life and the movie that just life itself is worth living. So I thought it was an interestingly simple, but sweet message.

@@veronicapiccinini7956 existing is NOT a good enough reason to live

@@pastelpessimist7250 Agreed. Also, a terrible message to teach anyone. Life has a purpose, otherwise God wouldn't have bothered breathing it into Adam.

@@pastelpessimist7250 why not?

I know how you feel man 😞. Being babied alot can cause the child to mature very slowly and can pretty much make them think that life is all about themselves, believe me I used to be like that because back then up to the age of 11-12 I’ve been babied constantly and I got so tired of it that I finally screamed that I’m a growing boy and they should quit treating me like I’m still 5.

I feel you, I’ve been lied to and babied so much as a kid, and even to this day. I have so much trust issues cuz I’m one of the youngest people in my family. But when I get the chance to speak my mind, people are shocked at how much I know

literally all kids think this way lol it's not unique guys

Lol, when I was 8, I was smarter than most adults. How many adults had read all of the World Book Encyclopedias, A-Z, multiple times in a row and can tell you the half-life of a log is around 14,000 years, what RDX is, and what a "Ship of The Line" is? A smart kid has several dozen times more knowledge than a dumb adult, despite the dumb adult having been around to absorb information several times longer.

@@manictiger maybe you just have a massive ego instead of a massive intelligence

yes the movie's animation is amazing

Remember what CGI used to look like? Like. Just compare Joe or Luca to Andy. We've come a long way.

@@josephdavis9234 Demon Andy

Hey so this is late and probably annoying but, same. I was also experiencing an existential crisis at around that age. Did you ever feel this odd feeling of just emptiness in your chest after, that made you scared of sleeping? And yes to everything else you said.

Dude, *same.* I legit felt too terrified to sleep because 1) I could've totally died in my sleep at any point, doesn't help when your body feels "off" some nights 2) it seemed like death-lite, being unconscious and not having any awareness when I slip into it. This movie was very therapeutic for me.

Wdym?

@@fupoflapo2386 Basically, "you can't watch this till you're older". Which while true, they'll understand it a lot BETTER when they are older. But that doesn't mean they can't understand it NOW

Hey my three year old liked it. This movie has many different aspects to relate to though. I think parents sometimes focus on the wrong things. Why should we hold children back from something soul churning, when we (as a culture) often allow them to watch vapid, and painfully shallow content?

You hit it home

They dont understand that DARK THEMES can be put in children movie. To teach them about death, it happens, but there is also to live your life, and being happy. You wont know when youre dead, so dont wait for your life to start, start your life now. You dont need that big break to be the most amazing person, but you are amazing for being able to appreciate the little things

Nevermind intuition, they’re also developing and the lessons they learn from these movies will help positively SHAPE their adulthood. Even if the meaning of some things don’t stick for them at first, they’ll still retain the knowledge of it. So yeah, hope we can get out of this dark age sometime. And good for Pixar and Dreamworks for still trying.

They have a very low wisdom and intelligence stat. But they have a proficiency for intuition rolls.

@@rickmarinara5179 You rolled a Nat 20 for Charisma with that comment.

@@rickmarinara5179 you definitely got some inspiration points for this one

@@eaglefan2569 only after rolling a nat 1 and rerolling for race benefits

It's the internet

@@KhayJayArt it’s real life

I’m dumb

Thank you

THANK YOU! FREAKING THANK YOU! HOLY MOLY, I WASN'T SURE IF I WOULD FIND A COMMENT LIKE THIS, BUT THANK YOU SO, SO, SO MUCH! It really angers me when SOME/MOST adults do this, as it is harmful to kids and teens, since they would feel just so underestimated that they'd think no. one older than them would care for what they'd have to say.

"And you (the audience) should too"

@@FlashQuatsch damn

Literally almost every movie does this it’s nothing new lmao. “Happily Ever After”.

@@pasqualelibertino6141 It's not that it's something new, it's because it's used differently. Soul doesn't end in a happily ever after, it ended with a normal norm of life of "anything could happen," and suggest to the viewer a way to go through those challenges.

@@spookyscarylamppost3431 Right . . . I get that . . . The circumstance in which the above comment says otherwise though . . . Remember just because some disagrees doesn’t mean “they didn’t get it like you did” lol

her obsession over the numbers is kinda similar to the lost souls in the movie- hmm-

Terry was a she?

@@irongirltoni They were all genderless 4D constructs given form by Joe's unconscious psyche in order to cope with what he can't mentally comprehend. She has a female voice(voiced by Rachel House), though, so I'm calling Terry a lady.

I think Terry is a boy becoz despite being genderless he sounds like a boy

I love how the Jerry's talk with Terry. They don't really seem to like Terry and they are not interested in Terrys obsession with numbers, but they don't want to be mean so they constantly praise Terry for everything. But the Jerrys actually Don't care about the numbers or any Problem Joe might have caused.

r/IamSoDeep needs you back bud.

@@GamezPDD You are extremely arrogant. Stop looking down on people.

@@gramioerie_xi133 yeah

Watch out for the Christians tho (and I mean those types who loves shoving their religon onto people’s throats. Most Christians are nice and knows what it is to be a Christian) they are gonna say “yOu aRe gOiNg tO hElL iF yOu tHiNk tHaTs tRuE! lIfE hAs A pUrPoSe! REEEEE!

Same

I always thought I needed a purpose to keep going. Maybe a big career and a family. But I realize there’s so much concern about the future that sometimes it’s just better to think about the present and remind myself that I don’t need a purpose to life a good life.

It helped me understand people who don't want a purpose. Personally, I'm very purpose-driven. I have to be aiming toward a goal or I get bored or suicidal. It's like leaving a Border Collie indoors all day. Eventually it'll go mad, because it's a working dog and needs things to think and do. Anyway, I liked the film. I liked how deep it was. I've already known the message for awhile, but it's a good reminder. At the end of everything, we all wind up, well, dead. Life is a gift and that's its ultimate purpose. You can do what you want with it; it's your gift.

just finished this movie a while ago, so good.

Freedom is an illusion give to us by the illuminati

@@lexerwilliams8880 ok

@@lexerwilliams8880 pants are an illusion and so Is dead

@@lexerwilliams8880 you trolling or are you serious

Children have always understood darker themes a lot better than adults have ever. Look at the stories we used to use as bed-time stories or warnings. The Brothers' Grimm stories are prime examples. And they're not the only ones. There's the Grecian, the Egyptian, the Roman, the Norwegian, the Chinese, the Japanese... every culture has stories they tell their children as warnings and as ways to help them through life. We adults now a days are overcoddling children and protecting them when they honestly don't need it from movies like Soul.

I agree, and it’s something a lot of people needed during the time of year it came out

I have to agree, I was so used to feeling like a lost soul. And this movie isn’t the solution, but it’s a plausible answer.

I agree. I usually have a bone to pick with stakes that are not actually stakes but I found myself dreading the idea it would usurp my expectations and have him die. I’ve never been so glad as when they let him live.

Bruh

I'll be honest, for me, that ending took away from the message about living. Life means nothing if death means nothing.

I hated the ending at first because I expected something grand to finish the movie. ...now I know that's what Joe felt like. Plus, I greatly prefer a vague ending over a bad ending. With a vague ending, you are encouraged to make up your own interpretation. With a bad ending, you are FORCED to do so.

I though it was kinda fitting, but it felt kinda weird. It made me think: if you are in *the zone* can you die during that moment? The fact that he could have been sent to the great beyond made me feel weird. But i think the way it ended with 22 was amazing and emotional. But with Joe it felt like something was missing, it just didn't have an impact on me

@@EmuOtoriInAMountain to answer that, it’s because Joe is not suppose to be alive. The thing that is keeping him alive is 22’s earth pass, so by giving it to them Joe isn’t able to continue living. I hope that explains it.

@@reasyrandom That what I was thinking too. That it needed a bigger message and ending, but I realized that was the point. Joe also was expecting a bigger message, but just like the message of the movie the ending is suposed to just be simple and sweet, and not as complex as we try to make things.

@@EmuOtoriInAMountain I find it gives true meaning to "Being so happy you could die"

Yeah, it was weird for me to find out after watching the movie that some people had a beef with the ending. To me, it felt natural. We don't need to know what exactly Joe accomplishes in the future, what events will happen in his life. All that matters is that Joe will live and savor every moment.

Yeah, i thought the movie made it pretty clear that he didn't died, he was in coma.

I guess some people saw Joe's daydream about what he'd do if he got back to his body and took it to mean he actually died, because he thought he was dead at the bottom of a sewer hole. I'd struggle to see why it wouldn't be seen for what it is, though; they made it very clear that scene was a daydream, and went on to confirm he was just comatose in the hospital.

It’s more like he was dying

I imagine that you don't die until your soul actually goes into the great beyond

@@arthurdent578 plus see also Bardo state, per many Buddhists...

I used to have the same issue with my life. My school had me take an IQ test at the end of 5th grade and I was congratulated for my results. I had been very insubordinate throughout that year so it was a nice change to feel like I did something right. The following year I was placed in the advanced program at my school. There was a lot of work involved, and I was missing more and more assignments as the year went on. My rationale was that since there were so many individual homework assignments, it wasn’t worth the 15% of my grade to complete all of them. I was often called to the administration and questioned in ways such as “why can’t you do your homework if you have such a high IQ?” Due to all the stress I eventually broke down at the end of the year and pulled the fire alarm. I felt like I had failed everyone in my life. Every student in the school found out it was me who pulled it. The next year it was even worse. The administration found me to be a lost cause, and I remembered that these were the same people who were congratulating my mom and I to no end a year before. I realized that I was only a number to them, just like the results of my IQ test. IQ tests don’t determine raw intelligence at all, but they loved me because they could see the statistic as a simple number. I recognized this and I split inside. My entire outlook on life darkened considerably. Suicide wasn’t really on my mind, as I have an aversion to the idea of not being able to think. Same reason I don’t like going to sleep or the idea of doing drugs. I’ve been falling for a few years now; I’m currently kicked out of my highschool. I’m not in a hole, as holes don’t apply to my situation. I’m in the middle of a ring with my family and friends watching me get punched repeatedly. If I stay down and just wait, the constant punches become a background numbing sensation and I can think of something else in the meantime. If I move a muscle with the inclination of getting up, my opponent punches and kicks me down so hard that I black out for a while and lose all hope. My family and friends can yell over to me, but they can’t enter the ring themselves as they aren’t in my head. I know that I shouldn’t be waiting for something to happen in my life, but I have been thrown to the ground every time I have attempted to be consistent. I have all the capability to do something with my life before I die, but at the same time I don’t. I wish I knew someone who escaped it all, just to see a trace of light on the other side. Maybe I’ve just been walking on a sunny afternoon with darkened sunglasses the entire time. The lights can be bright but I can always apply more black paint to these glasses of mine. I’m afraid to take them off, as I haven’t seen true light in so long that I can’t remember it properly. I’m done living like this. I put so many things off even though I have to do them at some point. This essay that I’m currently typing is so depressing but now, all of a sudden, I feel like I can escape it. I see a path that I can start taking right at this moment in order to free myself. Spending so much time on this stupid reply seems meaningless, but somehow I became motivated to live for the first time in years. I’ll come back here in a few weeks or so just to see where it began. Welp I have a life to live now instead of typing. Might as well give it a shot

@@ginghuraalthenonrank8279 it's worth a shot to matter what. Good luck, dude. Remember, you don't have to succeed

@@ginghuraalthenonrank8279 This comment is amazing. I absolutely adore how it’s worded and you’ve drawn me into your journey. I can relate to bits and pieces. Teachers urged my parents to let me take IQ tests when I was younger, and they found out after I did so that my IQ was high. My mother pushed her perfectionism onto me and made me place my identity into being smart and mature. I disowned any traits I had that didn’t fall into that category, and I grew up trying to prove myself constantly. But while your role in your story seems to be the one who is disowned by adults for your unique solutions, my role was to use my IQ to please them at all costs. At my Christian private school, I was the teachers’ pet, and the goody-two shoes, and the girl who could say a lot of amazing things that impressed people without really knowing the meaning of any of them. I fell into the spotlight of making adults happy and proud of me; they always prided me on being mature, and I prided myself the same way. I only broke out of this when an existential crisis due to my abusive/gaslighting home life made me question everything. I lost it all- my identity, my faith, my self-esteem, etc. And I was all alone. When I begged the adults at my school to help me find out what I should believe, they did try to help out, but they didn’t know how to handle the kid who wasn’t perfect. They didn’t know how to talk to a disturbance in their order of things. And they would tell me they hoped that my situation would get better, but a lot of them failed to come alongside me. After barely making it out of that existential crisis without killing myself, I’ve since realized that THAT inability to see kids where they are is what’s so damaging in the education system, and to kids in all general circumstances. Only now do I see how dangerous so much of my childhood was. Being prided on my intelligence made me constantly compare my mind to other people’s, not to mention that it completely destroyed my work ethic. (I’m STILL recovering from both of those things.) And being positively labeled as a mature kid caused me to consciously throw so much of my childhood away in an effort to act older than my age. And now, it makes me wonder- why don’t adults just expect kids to be kids? And why can’t adults look at the more questionable kinds of kids and see potential for greatness? Why do all these adults have a standard, and they push away what doesn’t fall into it? Now, after my experiences, I’ve become the kind of person who is absolutely infuriated when I see my teachers picking on certain kids who they view as the troublemakers; it doesn’t sit right with me. And I usually speak up about it, then and there. I try to lighten the weight that teachers place on those kids, because I can’t imagine how debilitating it is to carry. Why can’t adults look at these kids and learn from them? It boggles my mind. So many of my classmates truly do have wonderful ideas, or brilliant gifts, or interesting personalities. And I see so many of these people being disregarded for the beautiful traits that make them who they are. Because teachers love what’s EASY. If a kid fits into their standard for a good, obedient kid, it works for them. And if they don’t, I rarely ever see teachers look beyond that. And it’s not okay. It’s part of the reason I’m considering teaching when I grow up. It breaks my heart to see these things. So, fellow commentor, I want to let you know that I’ve been touched by your story. I’m so sad that you’ve been failed by the education system the way you have. And even if you know these things, I want to tell you that you are so much more than just a number. You are beautiful and capable, and every one of your ideas and opinions is worth being listened to. I PROMISE that you can do what you set your mind to, whatever that may be. And I promise you that despite the biased world we live in, there is a future out there that will reward you for being who you are. I’m honestly glad for people like you who are rejected by society’s expectations; they show us how flawed and limiting those expectations are. We need people like you who challenge the standard. You’re invaluable and indispensable, and I’m so joyful that I can share the world with someone who has had such defining experiences and carries unique perspectives because of it. If you want to improve yourself in any area, the recommendation I have is to NOT rush it. Enjoy every little victory, and congratulate yourself for every hint of motivation. These things take time. Self-improvement can take an irritatingly long time to yield tangible results, but a lot of the early and important transformation actually happens in your own mind when you resolve to better yourself. Don’t be afraid of failure, which is essential for growth. Love yourself and your goal enough to see it through those failures, too. Find a crowd of people who will motivate you to get better. And keep track of any results you get, however minuscule, because when you look back at them over time a positive improvement becomes evident. ^^I don’t know if you have the same issue, but I know time-management with assignments absolutely destroys me day in and day out. I hand assignments in at the deadline (or sometimes much later) since I’m both a chronic perfectionist and procrastinator. I’m trying to work on that, and it’s slow as heck. 😅 But it’s okay; I have faith in myself, hahaha. And I have faith in YOU! Whatever it is you want to chase, go for it! Whatever your dream is, I swear to you that you can pursue it. No matter what negative words come your way, please never forget how legendary you are. 🤩

@@sophiaredwood5825 A lot of the things you said apply to me and it means a lot to be able to see your perspective. I’m improving bit-by-bit everyday and eventually I’ll be able to see that my efforts have paid off. Thank you for that reply, it means a lot to me

@@ginghuraalthenonrank8279 Ayyyy I’m glad!!! Go for it!! 🥰

It's been a year or so and I hope you're doing ok man. Fighting for my life through a depressive episode myself lol. I know it can be really effing hard. So I just hope you're doing better or at least ok and that you're taking care of yourself man 💜

​@@alim.9801 its been almost (but not quite, apparently) 2 years already i think, god damn- and im faring great, actually!! im out of therapy and i graduated school so i just took a break from everything and relaxed for a year, its nice and good luck on your journey too!! ik its a very cliche phrase for this situation but hope is out there my man

I actually cried. On the airplane no less.

I kind of agree, but at the same time having him live kind of cheapened his sacrifice. Anybody would give back the Earth ticket if they knew they’d just get to go back anyway. Also him realizing what he had managed to uplift others could be used as a moment where he learns that his life was fuller than he once thought and feel more okay with moving on. Also, I don’t feel like the movie ever really gave him a moment to actually realize the impact he had on people? He was always brushing people off or not really paying attention when folks were telling him what a difference he made in their lives and there was never a moment where he really realized what he had done for other people. The closest he got was after talking to the barber, but I really wanted him to have a bigger revelation; maybe about his former student who Joe wasn’t really paying attention to when he said his class was the only reason he stayed in school. My overall impressions after I saw the movie twice was that it just felt like it was missing something. It felt incomplete. Inside Out had that moment where the memory turned yellow AND blue and it really put the whole movie into perspective, but with Soul I felt like I was waiting for a moment like that, a closing argument in the thesis, and it felt like it never came.

Hey, i know you may feel like it's sad but it's because you think so, life is dead and viceverse there is no justice to it. It just is. So if joe died which he didn't it woulve been just the end of a life.

If he died I couldn’t handle it honestly Like- that’s just suicide metaphor He had a chance to live and him saying no is just him killing himself Not the best message if this is truly a “kids movie” (It’s an all ages movie so kids will watch it anyway)

@@kyoyameganebereznoff yeah, But that ending is so predictable. I'm glad soul subverted my expectations even tho it's pulling things out of thin air.

I love how in the beginning they make the moments of Joe’s life look so lonely and sad, and then he reflects on them at the end and sees how meaningful they really are.

I'm pretty sure Terry's a guy

I took it as Terry, being the other part of the great unknowable universe, is the facet of the universe that actually cares about keeping track of what's going on on the small scale. Thanks to Terry, the Jerrys don't care at all about it. That's why the Jerrys are tall while Terry is short.

Somehow you’ve described my ex-boss to a tea. Sadly management kept said-ex boss on to make us miserable when in reality the position was practically useless.

@@skeletalmixer1019 Terry’s non binary all of the Jerry’s and Terry’s are They just use she/her for them because of the female-looking design

@@abigailw7146 they’re not even that, the first Jerry said they were just a hypothetical construct for the human brain to understand

"I MADE HER CRY" is one of my favorite lines

@@anni1348 I liked it because Mother Teresa was an a hole

I can't blame you lol. If I'd known it was going to make me cry, I'd have been scared of watching it, too. But I'm glad I did watch it. I needed that therapy movie and I needed that cry. Good luck, dude

When I first watched this movie, I watched it with my mom. My mom has this habit where she falls asleep during the movie, so I watched it by myself. After the ending, I was crying so loud, my mom woke up and said “are you ok honey?” I just said “Mom, it was so sweet.”

God I love this movie. The message that there isn't a 'life purpose' is something that our society really needs. We need more movies like this.

Or "Life is so unfair. I don't wanna die. Somebody call the Wambulance. Wah!" I love the humor in this movie.

Also the whole thing with The joke at the end is the sole reason we need to keep the ending in, as far as I’m concerned that’s the best joke in the whole fucking movie

@@anni1348 YES

I’m someone that draws freelance and learned how to animate during the pandemic. I really loved the “hands are hard” joke, probably my favorite one in the entire movie

*"I'm gonna wish you never died"*

That is the absolute cutest thing I've ever read

she has great taste in movies :)

I loved the black cauldron when I was 4, kids are weird lol

Dawww, my heart!

Awwwww that's sweet

Yes, and the few moments that existed purely for comedy were actually great! (I laughed out loud at Jerry rolling their eyes like "No one actually wishes to die, 22")

@Brady Burkett well, ok, i like your interpretation, but most people said that when Joe was given a second chance he should've refused it?? Um??? They could've said to let Joe not have a second chance to be a bit more realistic, but that's kind of strange to give up a second chance if Joe appreciated life that much. And yes, while it would make sense a little because he learned how much life really mattered and stuff, but that's still a strange message to send.

@@temutemacular yeah. see refusing the second chance is called *a suicide metaphor* and I don’t think we need to be showing kids “joe didn’t chose to live why should you”

Wait why? That wasn’t his arc😅

@@abigailw7146 Lmfao can you imagine? “Remember kids, you don’t have to live anymore after you reach your goal. You already know what life’s like, right? Why not die now? Just like good ‘ol Joe!”

I'm actually going to be a teacher and that is very true. My hope is that things cna change where teachers are seen as essential workers and they deserve maybe as much as money as doctors or lawyers

Same with other "essential employees" since plenty of them are underpaid and underappreciated

Practically- you can't even spend time with them in a way...

Your niece has good taste already

@@gwan1714 I know right?!? She changes every week but she's been into some good movies.

Cried here too- feel the same way

If I may be permitted to touch on some of my personal beliefs - In Soul, we are shown a "great before." In my church, we actually believe it. We call it the preexistence. And part of that believe is that every single person who's ever lived came from there, all literal children of God, who gave us our spirits how our earthly parents gave us bodies. His entire purpose for sending us to this difficult world was because we could no longer progress as spirits, and needed the unique experiences only a body could bring. Thus, to go back to your original point, I believe that you have worth, because you are a child of God that saw the trials you'd face in this world, and you had the courage to choose to come. And then, here on Earth, it truly doesn't matter if you're exceptional - your purpose here is to learn, to grow, and be a better person when you leave this world than when entered into it.

I'll pull a Joker here... it's society's fault. It sounds funny but I'm serious: If a person doesn't offer anything to the rest of the crowd (via a job that provides stuff to other people like food, health, economy, etc.) they're deemed worthless. In cavemen times everyone had to offer their hand in keeping the group alive and well, if you didn't help then you were going to be banished for being only an obstacle in their eyes. Politics follow this as well: The very intention of most politics is making sure that EVERYONE offers something to society. That's why jobs exist. If someone goes through life just enjoying stuff, without working on something or giving anything to anyone else, they'll be deemed lazy and useless. It's the law of Give and Take, for you to receive something you must give something else of equal value. For example in Wall-e: The people in the Axiom were just "existing", they weren't doing anything to change things even just a little, much less anything productive to keep the Axiom stable. In a working society they would be absolutely worthless.

It sure can feel like... “what’s the point?” with the way our society is shaped. Especially when you need a job to live but can’t find one or can find one but it makes you miserable. Or the fact we are drilled throughout our school years that we need to get good grades to get into a good college and have a good career or else you’re not doing something right. But something I’ve come to realize lately, with the help of this movie and advice from my mom, is that life can’t be all about that. You have to find moments to appreciate the birds chirping outside after a rainy morning, the smell of your favorite foods while they are cooking. Don’t think about what you have to offer to the world, think about what you want from the world. Think about what makes you happy, and if you can’t find something that does, then look for it. There is so much beauty in this world that feels so dark sometimes, you just have to find it. I have days where I don’t feel like it’s worth it to live, and when I think about what life would be like without my mom or my best friend... let’s just say it’s not a fun time. But something I try to focus on is the things we can do to live life without the focus of others. I want to travel (when it’s safe to). I want to meet new people, even if it’s only for a plane ride or if it’s for year. I want to save to move somewhere else, see the beauty of life in other cultures or places. I want to be the best happiest version of myself, so I’m gonna try my best to be kind, laugh a little every now and then, and remember the good times I’ve had when it gets bad.

@@jadynsauro6504 And my takeaway from that - when you have those moments, those life experiences, use them when possible up help others, no matter how small the gesture may seem. My way of doing this later on will be having a family, but find a way that you can be a positive influence on the world, even just for the people around you.

This is the most wholesome comment string I’ve seen in like 3 years, and that’s saying something. I too love that message.

2 decades ago, actually.

S o u l

soul

*S* *O* *U* *L*

is it about soul yall???

S O U L S O U L

Yeah my mom calls me all these names and beats me up when I make a mistake or speak from my mind, acting like “on since I’m her mother, she HAS to forgive me no matter what” which isn’t the case

@@angelaplays that is horrible. I'm sorry you have to live with that. My parents were typically just verbally abusive when they realized you didn't get along with what they thought and won't even listen to reason or see your side but that's worse. You beat your kid, you have a problem and you should never feel like you need to forgive her for doing so in any circumstance

Please remember that it says everything about them and nothing about you. It took me longer than I'd have liked to learn to believe in myself since my parents didn't, but I got there eventually. Don't ever turn away from something you want to do because you very probably won't be the best at it. Who cares if you're the best? There's more than one opportunity available, and one perfected skill will not be what makes a person valuable, but rather an array of complementing skills and the right attitude. Believe in yourself because you truly can do what you set out to achieve. And when you stumble, remember that those who have the most successes also have the most failures. Because they try more than others and don't let their failures stop them. Nobody is perfect. Everybody makes miscalculations or mistakes. It's practical learning. You'll spend your whole life learning and growing. Be the best version of yourself, live up to your own standards, contribute to a cause outside of yourself, and cut toxic and abusive people out of your life when you can. You got this ;)

@@jes7119 I needed that, thank you

Something I should have said before: please prioritise your happiness and mental health. It's okay that it defeats you. You shouldn't have to get good at dealing with abuse. Don't suffer and struggle and build your life around proving yourself. Why try to impress people you don't respect? For all the growing and achieving you'll do in this life, at the end of the day, what is it worth if it doesn't make you happy?

Right?! I keep thinking about that story.

Just... Dorothea Williams. Every scene with that character was breathtaking. Angela Basset killed it in the role.

@@marialarson1711 ikr? Angela Bassett was *good* good in that movie

Why can’t Pixar make good stuff?

@@tanner201x8 its not literal

I guess that's also referencing the part where he is in the great beyond and says "I can't be dead. My life just started". Which implies he wasn't living until his big dream of having a music career became true. Even tho he actually was already living before that.

@@anni1348 I had forgotten that he had said that! Makes a lot of sense haha Thank you for reminding me :D

You mean exactly what YMS did in his review?

@@ProjectSudoku pretty much what YMS always does lol

@@zhief4072 I have zero beef with anyone who does like his content, but I will never understand how anyone could see that level of concentrated negativity as entertaining.

I think I liked the movie, but I also think I enjoyed the bits on Earth more than I did the bits in the Great Before. 22’s cutaway gags didn’t really land for me.

And that's exactly why i don't like CinemaSins

Dude, same. I'm 19 and graduating gave me enough existential crisis, but graduating during a pandemic where you couldn't distract yourself with stuff outside? Damn, really had to sit with those thoughts. And still am. This movie helped me a lot.

Same

Same.....

Me too

Thank you for your contribution to our society

When 22 was inside Joe for most of the movie, I was honestly worried that this would make people super mad, but thankfully this didn't happen.

Same

I mean, while I am not any more than mildly disappointed at them not killing Joe off, I do think there was something that could have potentially gained by doing so. In my opinion the idea of being ok with not becoming great and being at peace with the smaller impacts you have in this world would be a really great one, something that giving him a second chance makes less impactful. Not everyone will have a chance to have a chance to try again, the idea that you don't have to do anything more than live to have value and if you were to die tomorrow you'd still have made an impact that will last would have been solidified by showing Joe's impact when he is indeed gone. He didn't become famous, he didn't become the best teacher ever, he never amounted to what his mother wanted of him, but he made people's lives better by just living. Of course this is just my perspective.

@@perpecedecelequex I was satisfied with the fact that Joe was prepared to face death at the end. He felt his life was meaningful and could end at that point. That he didnt have to yet was also nice for the character's sake.

That's when you wait five years to see it so the hype can go away.

When I was 6 another kid told me I had ugly feet, whatever that means. I never wore open toed shoes again until I was nearly 18 lol. Random things get to you sometimes

i love the ending, if they had explain what happens to Joe and 22 and all that, it would feel pointless and unnecessary. You can have an ambigous ending and debate what would happen to this characters, sometimes that's all you need.

Honestly was expecting something a lot more ambiguous based on what people were describing