On March 23, bring home one of my favorite films from 2020- Disney Pixar's Soul. This film encourages us to stop waiting for something bigger or better and instead to find the magic in the ordinary. Keep reading to enter for a chance to win one of two digital copies in our Pixar Soul giveaway!
Pixar Soul
Soul tells the story of Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx), a middle school band teacher who dreams of becoming a professional jazz player much to the exasperation of his mother Libba (Phylicia Rashad). Who needs job security and benefits anyways? After a chance to audition to play with renowned saxophone player Dorothea Williams (Angela Bassett) thanks to former student Curly (Questlove), it seems like Joe is finally going to get to realize his dream. He takes off though the streets of New York not paying any attention to the world around him, lost in his thoughts about how his life finally has meaning.
But then he dies. As the Great Beyond looms before him, Joe refuses to let go of his chance, his one shot to have the life he always dreamed of. His escape leads him to the Great Before where he inadvertently becomes a mentor for the feisty 22 (Tina Fey), a soul who is adamant about not wanting to go to Earth. After realizing how they might help each other, the pair go on an adventure to make it happen and end up teaching each other and the viewers what makes life truly worth living.
Like the Pixar greats before it, Soul is beautifully written and stunningly animated. But at its heart, Soul is a whimsical and bold look at what makes life worth living.
Disney and Pixar’s Soul Bonus Features*
- Deleted Scenes
- Introduction – Writer Mike Jones and story supervisor Kristen Lester introduce the Soul deleted scenes.
- Mentor Orientation – Joe sneaks into the You Seminar Mentor Program orientation, trying to figure out how on earth he can get back to…Earth.
- Clubhouse Forgery – Joe follows 22 into her “secret lair” as she reluctantly agrees to help him find his way back to Earth.
- Home Lessons – Stuck inside Joe's body, 22 clumsily attempts to help the downstairs neighbor.
- Living the Dream – Joe has a heart-to-heart with 22 about her fear of living on Earth, then tries to make his way back home via a dream portal.
- Press Shot – Joe, stuck in a cat's body, and 22, stuck in Joe's body, take the subway to the jazz club for a publicity photography session.
- Audio Commentary – View the film with audio commentary by director Pete Docter, co-director/writer Kemp Powers and producer Dana Murray.
- Not Your Average Joe – See the thought and care that went into crafting Joe and his story in Pixar's first film to feature a Black leading character.
- Astral Taffy – Get an in-depth look at the artistry and technical innovation that went into creating the sets and characters of Soul‘s world.
- Pretty Deep for a Cartoon – The filmmakers tackle big questions, such as: Where does a newborn's personality come from? What's the meaning of life? And more!
- Into the Zone: The Music and Sound of Soul – Explore the movie's different sonic worlds and discover how music drives and adds specificity to Joe's journey.
- Soul, Improvised – See how the Pixar Systems team and Soul‘s crew managed to finish the film on schedule during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Jazz Greats – Giants of the jazz world who consulted on Soul share their passion and hard-won wisdom about what music is and does for us all.
*bonus features may vary by retailer and product
Pixar Soul Giveaway
Two lucky fans will be chosen to receive digital copy for Disney Pixar's Soul to redeem on Movies Anywhere.
How To Draw Joe Gardner
I had the chance to talk with Pixar Story Artist Michael Yates about the film Soul. He even walked me through how to draw Joe Gardner and I think I did a pretty great job. Now it's your turn to try!
