I recently watched INSIDE OUT 2, the second installment of Pixar's film franchise that gives audiences a fun yet deeper look at the complexities of emotions.
I'll be honest -- I enjoyed this film far more than the original, and found it much easier to connect with its story and themes.
Maybe I'll do an "If Inside Out 2 Were Submitted for Coverage" post and dive deeper into why I think the sequel is objectively stronger than the original... 👀
In the sequel, protagonist RILEY hits a critical point in her life: puberty. Universally recognized as one of the most difficult and emotionally volatile times in a person's life.
Although there are several other films that focus on puberty and its effects, the spotlight has never been placed on one of the core emotions people start to feel at that age: anxiety.
Anxiety has affected basically all living creatures that have the capacity to feel emotions since the beginning of time, so why is this feeling only being showcased in family media now?
In recent years, we've seen society become more open to and accepting of conversations about mental health.
I mean, just between 2005 and 2017, there was a 63% increase in anxiety diagnoses among young adults -- and this is certainly in part due to the increased awareness and de-stigmatization of this disorder.
With more people aware of its symptoms, more people are able to look within and discover they may be suffering from an anxiety disorder.
Of course there are other factors for this 63% increase; in general there's a lot more to be anxious about now than in the years before everyone became almost forcefully interconnected through social media, and constantly exposed to local and worldwide tragedies on the news.
Like I mentioned in my last post, one of the main qualities of a great story is its ability to reach the audience, or society as a whole, at where they are in their lives.
I think Inside Out 2 could only be successful now for this reason.
Even though this movie would've definitely helped me and likely millions of other kids / pre-teens when I was at that critical point in my life (many, many years ago 😅), this movie would've been trashed by adult audiences if it came out even just 10 years ago.
As a kid in the early 2000s, I remember being able to go home and not ruminate about what happened at school.
But as soon as Myspace came around, and I as an elementary schooler was definitely too young to be on there at the time, I was constantly worrying about whose top friends list I was on (spoiler alert: my best friend Stephanie), who I would put as number one on mine (spoiler alert: my best friend Stephanie), and what happened during the day that may have affected any of that (spoiler alert: my best friend Stephanie and I almost exclusively talked to each other every day, so usually nothing would affect any of this).
As silly at is sounds, the Myspace top friends list was the beginning of my experience with anxiety. And since then, it's something I have to almost persistently try to keep under control.
Luckily for younger / more impressionable audiences today, they have films like Inside Out 2 to offer helpful insights and coping mechanisms to ease their anxiety.
But Inside Out 2 is certainly not the first film to portray anxiety in an accessible way for a mass audience, and it's looking like it won't be the last.
So let's get into this "trend" of anxiety in family media, another prominent example of it, and how family films can help shape future generations for the better.
Inside Out 2 - Internal Coping Mechanisms for Anxiety
Anxiety is portrayed as much more than just a fleeting emotion in Inside Out 2. That girl is here to STAY.
Although she has her place and value in Riley's mind, she can easily spiral out of control if left to her own devices.
This accurate depiction of anxiety is crucial for helping younger audiences understand and articulate this emotion, which can often be confusing, overwhelming, or straight up denied.
Further, by personifying Anxiety, Inside Out 2 provides an accessible way for young audience members to engage with this concept, which helps foster early conversations about mental health.
This is a huge improvement from typical portrayals of anxiety in media, where it's often oversimplified or made into the butt of a joke.
The best part of this film though is that the portrayal of anxiety extends far beyond just identifying and providing language to express the emotion -- it offers coping mechanisms that young people can easily understand and utilize after watching the movie.
One of the most poignant scenes of the film centers around Riley's panic attack.
She had been pushing herself way too hard for days leading up to this, placing unnecessary pressure and criticism on herself, and ruminating on / overthinking every little thing she did and experienced while at hockey camp.
At this point in the story, she's convinced that her life will absolutely be over if she doesn't score 3 goals during scrimmage. She'll do anything to get those 3 goals -- even if it means going against her own values and beliefs.
After aggressively pushing an opposing teammate, one of her closest friends, to the ground, Riley is forced to sit on the sidelines.
She's there alone with nothing but her thoughts, and very quickly we see physical symptoms of a panic attack arise in Riley as Anxiety spirals out of control in her mind.
She gets tunnel vision, unable to see, feel, or think past her anxiety. Her heart races. Her breath quickens. Her body can't keep up with the speed at which her mind is racing.
Inside her head, we see Anxiety moving faster than the speed of light, pushing every button, pulling every lever, fully having taken over the controls of Riley's brain and not allowing anything else in. It's a very accurate depiction of how anxiety feels.
The other emotions manage to regain control by projecting positive memories that refute the beliefs Anxiety instilled in Riley.
Whereas Anxiety had convinced Riley she wasn't good enough, other core memories in her system proved she was a smart, talented, friendly, and creative person.
And if all those things are true, how can she not be good enough?
As Riley recalls these memories, she starts breathing deeper, her heart rate slows, and she's able to see beyond the clouds Anxiety left in her wake. Riley tells herself she's a good person, and THAT is enough.
This scene provides an excellent, clear example of an internal coping mechanism that audiences of any age can use when they experience something similar to what Riley was going through.
Additionally, towards the end of the film, we see how Riley has adopted a new technique to help effectively manage her emotions in the future: by focusing only on what is within her control.
This offers a long-term thought process for audiences to use in their own lives to manage anxiety.
(I myself have to use this strategy probably 100 times a day. 🤣)
Puss in Boots 2 - External Coping Mechanisms for Anxiety
Puss in Boots 2 is quickly going to become my most talked about movie on here. (Aside from The Matrix, but that's not relevant right now 😉)
We all know the famous panic attack scene, where Puss becomes so overwhelmed with fear and anxiety that he physically cannot get up.
His heart pounds, his breathing quickens, his mind races.
When Perrito sees him like this, he tries talking to Puss, but Puss is so deep in his anxiety, he can't respond.
Perrito doesn't know how to help Puss, so he decides to just simply be there for him.
As Perrito rests his head on Puss' belly, Puss' anxiety starts to lower.
Puss sees and feels he's not alone, and that comfort puts his mind and body at ease.
This scene shows a clear example of an external coping mechanism for people suffering with anxiety. When you're overwhelmed, sometimes all you need is someone to be there for you. It's a valuable lesson with actionable takeaways for everyone -- from those with anxiety to those whose loved ones have anxiety.
This contrast between Inside Out 2 and Puss in Boots 2 highlights two different but equally valuable approaches to managing anxiety.
Together, these films convey the message that anxiety is a normal part of life, and there are various effective ways to cope with it.
Family Media - Creating The Future
The increasing portrayal of anxiety in family films and television since 2020 is indicative of a broader, positive cultural shift toward mental health awareness for young people.
By normalizing the discussion around anxiety, these films empower children, teens, and even adults to better understand / manage their emotions and seek help when needed.
These films really serve as a bridge between generations, encouraging open discussion between children and adults about their emotions. This is especially important today when mental health issues are increasingly prevalent, particularly among younger people.
Inside Out 2 and Puss in Boots 2 are at the forefront of a growing trend in family content that addresses anxiety in a meaningful way.
I'm hopeful these films inspire future films and television shows, opening the door for further discussions and themes centered around mental health. This is so important because if mental health issues aren't addressed early, they can grow into debilitating mental illnesses as children become teens and then adults.
But even aside from mental health, "getting it right" thematically in family media is crucial because the target audience is highly impressionable.
Making an impact on future generations is inherent to this genre, whether intended or not.
The messages these stories send are more important than in any other type of media.
Family films quite literally shape the future.
So let's make it a good one!
What are some themes you hope to see tackled in family films and television shows in the future? Any predictions?
How do you feel about the current trend of depicting anxiety in accessible ways for young audiences?
Let me know in the comments below!
Healthful lifestyles would be a great theme in light of the growing number of health concerns we are facing. Doubt that would attract a large audience, however you never know until you try.
um I would like to see the coverage report for inside out 2
Smart and informative post Mic.