Disney+’s Pixar’s ‘Soul’ Receives Critical Acclaim

Soul, the highly anticipated animated film by Pixar Animation Studios was released on the Disney+ streaming service last week. The film was originally supposed to be released in theaters. Unfortunately, similar to many movies that were intended to debut in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented the movie from being shown during its original release date. Regardless, the film received critical acclaim with many saying that it is the best movie that Pixar has made since Inside Out.

Soul stars Jamie Foxx as the voice of a struggling jazz pianist and music school teacher named Joe Gardner who wishes to become a bigger name in his rather lackluster career as a musician. Despite many people telling him otherwise, Joe is determined to become a successful jazz musician. Fortune soon finds his favor when he is granted the opportunity to play in a music club alongside a famous jazz musician. When he is apparently killed after walking over an open manhole cover, Joe is unintentionally transported to The Great Before, a realm where souls are developed and sent down to Earth where they inhabit a body. In order to get back to his own body before his upcoming gig, Joe teams up with a cynical soul named 22 (Tina Fey), who offers to help him out.

Many fans considered the movie to be a massive step up from Onward, a Pixar movie that was released earlier in the year and one that many considered to be underwhelming and not up to par with Pixar Animation Studio’s usual standard. Soul was directed by Pete Doctor, who has previously directed highly acclaimed Pixar movies like Inside Out, Monsters Inc and Up. Soul has proven to be yet another hit under his direction.

Unlike the 2020 live action remake of Mulan which charged $30 for viewing, fans can watch Soul on the Disney+ streaming service for no additional fee.