Four Vietnam vets return to the place that changed their lives. An alcoholic screenwriter creates a masterpiece. Korean immigrants struggle to succeed on their Arkansas farm. A Civil War vet takes an orphan home. An aspiring jazz pianist discovers his true calling only after his death.
How does music aid the storytelling in each of these films? That’s what Academy voters must weigh in deciding this year’s Oscar winner for original score.
“Da 5 Bloods”
Terence Blanchard received his second Oscar nomination, also for a Spike Lee film (2018’s “BlacKkKlansman” was his first), and boasting his largest orchestra to date: 96 players, plus the unusual addition of the duduk, an Armenian woodwind.
This is the first year in Oscar history that two African-American composers (Jon Batiste and Blanchard) are nominated for original score.
Says Blanchard: “We wanted to have a really grand sound. When I saw that opening shot...
How does music aid the storytelling in each of these films? That’s what Academy voters must weigh in deciding this year’s Oscar winner for original score.
“Da 5 Bloods”
Terence Blanchard received his second Oscar nomination, also for a Spike Lee film (2018’s “BlacKkKlansman” was his first), and boasting his largest orchestra to date: 96 players, plus the unusual addition of the duduk, an Armenian woodwind.
This is the first year in Oscar history that two African-American composers (Jon Batiste and Blanchard) are nominated for original score.
Says Blanchard: “We wanted to have a really grand sound. When I saw that opening shot...
- 3/31/2021
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
Pete Docter won his first Oscar for a story with a talking dog. He won his second for a story with talking emotions. Now, he’s looking to win his third for a story about talking unborn souls.
“Soul,” which is the heavy favorite to become the 11th Pixar film to win the Best Animated Feature Oscar, is arguably the most ambitious project ever from a studio known for some crazy premises. It’s also Docter’s first as a director since becoming chief creative officer of Pixar. Development on “Soul” — a tale of a jazz musician who cheats death and winds up in an ethereal realm where souls gain their traits before going to Earth — began before Docter was promoted, and he knew the idea was special even in those early pitch meetings.
“People got on board because all the films we do are about us, even if the premise is far out,...
“Soul,” which is the heavy favorite to become the 11th Pixar film to win the Best Animated Feature Oscar, is arguably the most ambitious project ever from a studio known for some crazy premises. It’s also Docter’s first as a director since becoming chief creative officer of Pixar. Development on “Soul” — a tale of a jazz musician who cheats death and winds up in an ethereal realm where souls gain their traits before going to Earth — began before Docter was promoted, and he knew the idea was special even in those early pitch meetings.
“People got on board because all the films we do are about us, even if the premise is far out,...
- 3/15/2021
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
The list of music winners at the Golden Globes Sunday night bore a strange resemblance to the list of honorees in those two categories 10 years ago. Diane Warren, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross all repeated their wins from one decade ago.
They all had additional help this time, though. Reznor and Ross, who won in 2011 for “The Social Network,” repeated that victory in 2021 with the score for “Soul” — but they shared it with Jon Batiste, who composed the jazz parts of the film. It marked only the second time in the history of the Globes that a trio has triumphed in the category.
Warren won for “Io Sì (Seen)” from Netflix’s “The Life Ahead,” sharing the honor with singer Laura Pausini and Niccolò Agliardi. Warren’s win 10 years ago was for “You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me” from “Burlesque.”
The musical landscape for Pixar’s “Soul” was divided between two worlds.
They all had additional help this time, though. Reznor and Ross, who won in 2011 for “The Social Network,” repeated that victory in 2021 with the score for “Soul” — but they shared it with Jon Batiste, who composed the jazz parts of the film. It marked only the second time in the history of the Globes that a trio has triumphed in the category.
Warren won for “Io Sì (Seen)” from Netflix’s “The Life Ahead,” sharing the honor with singer Laura Pausini and Niccolò Agliardi. Warren’s win 10 years ago was for “You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me” from “Burlesque.”
The musical landscape for Pixar’s “Soul” was divided between two worlds.
- 3/1/2021
- by Jazz Tangcay and Chris Willman
- Variety Film + TV
Kemp Powers, co-director of Pixar’s “Soul,” is the first Black debut filmmaker to win a Golden Globe in its 78-year-history. In addition to his historic feat, he is also the second Black director to win in this category, following Peter Ramsey, who shared this award with Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Bob Persichetti for 2018’s “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.” Ramsey was also previously nominated for 2012’s “Rise of the Guardians.” There have only been two other Black directors to win Globes for their films in other categories — Steve McQueen (2014’s “12 Years a Slave”) and Barry Jenkins (2017’s “Moonlight”), who both won as part of the producing teams in best picture (drama). Powers co-wrote the film with director Pete Docter and screenwriter Mike Jones.
Producer Dana Murray, along with co-director and co-writer Pete Docter accepted the award. Powers, who wasn’t present with them, gave his speech via a...
Producer Dana Murray, along with co-director and co-writer Pete Docter accepted the award. Powers, who wasn’t present with them, gave his speech via a...
- 3/1/2021
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
The musical landscape for Pixar’s “Soul” was one of two worlds. “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” resident band frontman Jon Batiste used a jazz-filled, hectic musical palette to reflect New York City and the world of Joe Gardner, a middle-school band teacher who yearns to be a jazz pianist in the Pete Docter-directed animated feature.
A prepared piano — an instrument with its sound temporarily altered — helped Batiste find his way into the sound of the celestial world that Joe finds himself in after plunging down a manhole.
The world is “the Great Before.” This is where composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross stepped in to work on the music of the soul world where everything is translucent and opaque.
“One of the first tasks of composition would be to understand what it would sound like — what technique would be deployed and what instruments we’d use to bring it to life,...
A prepared piano — an instrument with its sound temporarily altered — helped Batiste find his way into the sound of the celestial world that Joe finds himself in after plunging down a manhole.
The world is “the Great Before.” This is where composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross stepped in to work on the music of the soul world where everything is translucent and opaque.
“One of the first tasks of composition would be to understand what it would sound like — what technique would be deployed and what instruments we’d use to bring it to life,...
- 2/11/2021
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Directed by Academy Award® winner Pete Docter, co-directed by Kemp Powers (“One Night in Miami”) and produced by Academy Award nominee Dana Murray, p.g.a. (Pixar short “Lou”), Disney and Pixar’s “Soul” will be available on digital, 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on March 23.
The digital and physical releases of “Soul” will include exclusive, never-before-seen deleted scenes and audio commentary by Pete Docter, Kemp Powers and Dana Murray. Additionally, fans can find the film packaged as a collectible SteelBook® at Best Buy and packaged with a limited-edition gallery book at Target.
Honored as a recipient of the American Film Institute’s Movie of the Year Award and winner of the National Board of Review’s Best Animated Feature in addition to being included on its Top Films list, “Soul” is “an animated film fit for all ages,” loved by critics and audiences alike. Certified-Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes,...
The digital and physical releases of “Soul” will include exclusive, never-before-seen deleted scenes and audio commentary by Pete Docter, Kemp Powers and Dana Murray. Additionally, fans can find the film packaged as a collectible SteelBook® at Best Buy and packaged with a limited-edition gallery book at Target.
Honored as a recipient of the American Film Institute’s Movie of the Year Award and winner of the National Board of Review’s Best Animated Feature in addition to being included on its Top Films list, “Soul” is “an animated film fit for all ages,” loved by critics and audiences alike. Certified-Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes,...
- 2/3/2021
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Saturday Night Live‘s Kenan Thompson has been tapped to host the 2021 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, which air live Saturday, March 13 at 7:30 Pm Et/Pt.
With Thompson at the helm, kids and families will celebrate their favorite stars across the worlds of film, television, music, sports and more.
For the first time ever, Nickelodeon’s Orange Blimp will leave the Kca venue and take fans on a wild ride around the world and beyond. Filled with slime and messy stunts, viewers will travel to outer space, Bikini Bottom and into celebrities’ homes using Xr technology. This year’s show will also feature live and interactive fan walls that bring celebrities and families at home to the main stage; second screen live voting all night long and a Kca award presented by one lucky family chosen during the show.
“Nickelodeon has been part of my life and my family forever...
With Thompson at the helm, kids and families will celebrate their favorite stars across the worlds of film, television, music, sports and more.
For the first time ever, Nickelodeon’s Orange Blimp will leave the Kca venue and take fans on a wild ride around the world and beyond. Filled with slime and messy stunts, viewers will travel to outer space, Bikini Bottom and into celebrities’ homes using Xr technology. This year’s show will also feature live and interactive fan walls that bring celebrities and families at home to the main stage; second screen live voting all night long and a Kca award presented by one lucky family chosen during the show.
“Nickelodeon has been part of my life and my family forever...
- 2/2/2021
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Jon Batiste (best known as the bandleader on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert”) became the crucial musical weapon in jazzing up Pixar’s “Soul”: Batiste not only composed and arranged the jazz compositions for Jamie Foxx’s animated pianist, Joe Gardner, during his life and death struggle between two worlds, but he also served as a direct resource to director Pete Docter, co-director Kemp Powers, and the character animators. The importance of this can’t be stressed enough: the “Soul” original score has just qualified for Oscar eligibility (ahead of the shortlist announcement on February 9) with its highly unconventional dramatic scoring and underscoring.
“The film is tackling a few heavy existential questions,” said Batiste. “Where does our soul come from? What is our purpose in life? And I had a lot of experience as a musician that I could bring to Joe, trying to get his big break.
“The film is tackling a few heavy existential questions,” said Batiste. “Where does our soul come from? What is our purpose in life? And I had a lot of experience as a musician that I could bring to Joe, trying to get his big break.
- 2/1/2021
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
The idea of shaping “Soul” around jazz music was always a very personal one for the film’s director, Pete Docter. “I grew up loving and playing jazz myself. Jazz became such a central theme, not only on a sort of cosmetic level but also deep symbolism,” he tells Gold Derby in our Meet the Experts: Film Animation panel (watch above). He specifically recounts a story of Herbie Hancock and Miles Davis playing a concert together. Hancock played some wrong notes but Davis ended up adjusting his own notes and ended up making the misplayed chords work. That lesson of taking anything that happens and turning it into something of value stood out for Docter. “When we heard that story, we were just like that is exactly what we are trying to say in the film. We don’t control where were born or what circumstances fall to us but...
- 1/29/2021
- by Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
On Pixar’s latest Oscar-contending feature Soul, writer/director Pete Docter grappled with worlds both real and imaginary, looking to bring each to life with the same level of care, thought and meticulous detail.
Contemplating the origins of human personalities, the film centers on Joe, a middle school band teacher with dreams of performing as a jazz musician, who is abruptly separated from his body, just as he’s on the cusp of his big break. Subsequently finding himself in a celestial realm known as The Great Before, the musician learns that he must mentor a fledgling soul known as 22, and teach her about the beauty of life on planet Earth, if he ever wants to get back to New York City.
In the case of The Great Before, two-time Oscar winner Docter (who also serves as Pixar’s Chief Creative Officer) would have to engage in the kind of...
Contemplating the origins of human personalities, the film centers on Joe, a middle school band teacher with dreams of performing as a jazz musician, who is abruptly separated from his body, just as he’s on the cusp of his big break. Subsequently finding himself in a celestial realm known as The Great Before, the musician learns that he must mentor a fledgling soul known as 22, and teach her about the beauty of life on planet Earth, if he ever wants to get back to New York City.
In the case of The Great Before, two-time Oscar winner Docter (who also serves as Pixar’s Chief Creative Officer) would have to engage in the kind of...
- 1/29/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
In a key scene from Pixar-Disney’s latest film “Soul,” the protagonist, Joe Gardner, a frustrated middle-school band teacher yearning to be a jazz pianist, describes moments of sublime musical creativity as being “in the zone.” While that state plays a pivotal role in the film, it also describes the rarified atmosphere that pianist Jon Batiste is occupying these days.
Known for his day job as the bandleader on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” the 34-year-old New Orleans-born, Juilliard-trained keyboardist contributed the crucial jazz component to “Soul.” He’s up for two Grammy Awards at this year’s (delayed) ceremony and will release another album, “We Are,” on March 19, but his music in “Soul” is generating even more critical kudos these days — and 2021 Oscar buzz.
Co-directors/co-writers Pete Docter and Kemp Powers called on Batiste to score the jazz played by Gardner (who is voiced by Jamie Foxx) and other characters,...
Known for his day job as the bandleader on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” the 34-year-old New Orleans-born, Juilliard-trained keyboardist contributed the crucial jazz component to “Soul.” He’s up for two Grammy Awards at this year’s (delayed) ceremony and will release another album, “We Are,” on March 19, but his music in “Soul” is generating even more critical kudos these days — and 2021 Oscar buzz.
Co-directors/co-writers Pete Docter and Kemp Powers called on Batiste to score the jazz played by Gardner (who is voiced by Jamie Foxx) and other characters,...
- 1/28/2021
- by Roy Trakin and Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Pixar’s Soul takes viewers to The Great Before, a world where souls find their quirks and passions before manifesting on Earth. The colorful realm rife with pastel-hued spirits was 23 years in the making, when director Pete Docter wondered how his son came into the world with a personality.
“Where did that come from? I thought your personality developed through your interaction with the world,” Docter says.
Set amid the cosmic realms of souls and the bustling streets of New York City, Soul follows frustrated middle-school jazz teacher and pianist Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx), who finally get his dream performing gig – until a misstep leads him to his ultimate demise. Hesitant to accept his death, Joe (in spirit form) finds himself in The Great Before, where he meets the unenthusiastic, unmotivated 22 (Tina Fey). In an attempt to help 22 find her purpose and passion, Joe rediscovers what makes life worth living for him.
“Where did that come from? I thought your personality developed through your interaction with the world,” Docter says.
Set amid the cosmic realms of souls and the bustling streets of New York City, Soul follows frustrated middle-school jazz teacher and pianist Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx), who finally get his dream performing gig – until a misstep leads him to his ultimate demise. Hesitant to accept his death, Joe (in spirit form) finds himself in The Great Before, where he meets the unenthusiastic, unmotivated 22 (Tina Fey). In an attempt to help 22 find her purpose and passion, Joe rediscovers what makes life worth living for him.
- 1/25/2021
- by Alexandra Del Rosario
- Deadline Film + TV
‘Soul’ Duo Says Pixar Movie Is “Investigation Into What’s Really Going On In Life” – Contenders Film
Oscar-winning director Pete Docter shared that the idea behind Soul, his latest Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar animated film, came from his own self-reflection.
“I was at a point in my life where I started to question, Ok I’ve always been taught — everybody I think has — to follow your passion, do what you love and that will lead to ultimate joy and satisfaction,” he says during the film’s presentation at Deadline’s virtual Contenders Film awards-season event. “There is nothing wrong with following your passion — I think it does lead to great joy. But for me, it wasn’t leading to this sense of everything is figured out in my life.”
“The film is an investigation into what’s really going on in life and how are we meant to live,” Docter adds.
In Soul, Jamie Foxx voices the lead character Joe Gardner, an aspiring jazz musician who...
“I was at a point in my life where I started to question, Ok I’ve always been taught — everybody I think has — to follow your passion, do what you love and that will lead to ultimate joy and satisfaction,” he says during the film’s presentation at Deadline’s virtual Contenders Film awards-season event. “There is nothing wrong with following your passion — I think it does lead to great joy. But for me, it wasn’t leading to this sense of everything is figured out in my life.”
“The film is an investigation into what’s really going on in life and how are we meant to live,” Docter adds.
In Soul, Jamie Foxx voices the lead character Joe Gardner, an aspiring jazz musician who...
- 1/23/2021
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
Like “Inside Out,” we get two worlds in one with Pixar’s “Soul.” Yet they’re a lot more imaginative and complex in Pete Docter’s celestial follow-up, which contrasts a lived-in New York City with the more ethereal vibe of The Great Before, the pre-birth training center where aspiring jazz pianist Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx) finds himself after eluding death in The Great Beyond.
For the iconic New York City, production designer Steve Pilcher and the art department created a tactile world that’s “solid, physical and reflective with lots of color…with a history of wear and tear. Buildings and railings and pavement are weathered or bleached,” he said. “Nothing’s really perfect in this world. It’s very organic and interesting. There is texture and tons of variety, color variation, weather conditions, wet surfaces, and dry surfaces — all that beauty that we take for granted becomes evident,...
For the iconic New York City, production designer Steve Pilcher and the art department created a tactile world that’s “solid, physical and reflective with lots of color…with a history of wear and tear. Buildings and railings and pavement are weathered or bleached,” he said. “Nothing’s really perfect in this world. It’s very organic and interesting. There is texture and tons of variety, color variation, weather conditions, wet surfaces, and dry surfaces — all that beauty that we take for granted becomes evident,...
- 1/21/2021
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Pixar has always been known for the way their films impact viewers on an emotional level and co-writer Mike Jones drew from the experience of when his father passed away to help bring that moment about in “Soul.” The moment towards the end when Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx) finds objects in his pocket was drawn from when Jones looked through his dad’s belongings, Jones tells us in our recent webchat (watch the exclusive video above). “I was sitting next to him as he was passing away and as I held his hand, I would think about what’s the most important thing to him as he looks back on his life. Is it failure? Is it success? Or is it the fact that his son is next to him and holding his hand.” He immediately put that perspective into Joe’s character. “It fed right into what we wanted...
- 1/11/2021
- by Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
Hollywood actress Angela Bassett feels it is important to have people of colour in the world of animated stories, because it is important for the young generation to know that there is a vast and diverse humanity out there.
"There aren't many," Bassett said while talking about the lack of animated Black women on screen.
"I've been fortunate enough to portray, maybe, a handful of them. It means a great deal. The more and more we get these stories and these images and opportunities out there (the better). We think animation is usually for the youngsters, but families are also taking. So, it just starts early with these images and this idea that (they get to know) that it's a vast and diverse humanity. I think it's a great thing," she added.
Bassett was recently seen in the animated film "Soul", with which Jamie Foxx became the first-ever African American lead in a Pixar film.
"There aren't many," Bassett said while talking about the lack of animated Black women on screen.
"I've been fortunate enough to portray, maybe, a handful of them. It means a great deal. The more and more we get these stories and these images and opportunities out there (the better). We think animation is usually for the youngsters, but families are also taking. So, it just starts early with these images and this idea that (they get to know) that it's a vast and diverse humanity. I think it's a great thing," she added.
Bassett was recently seen in the animated film "Soul", with which Jamie Foxx became the first-ever African American lead in a Pixar film.
- 1/9/2021
- by Glamsham Editorial
- GlamSham
Major Spoilers for Soul, so consider yourself warned. Pixar's latest animated feature debuted on Disney+ just last week and was greeted with largely positive reviews. The film stars Jamie Foxx as Joe Gardner, a high-school music teacher who falls down a manhole and is transported out of his body and must find his way back with the help of an infant soul (Tina Fey) learning about herself.…...
- 12/31/2020
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
Pixar's Soul is an emotional investment from start to finish, but it turns out the ending almost went in a different direction. Fans of the animated film know Joe Gardner (voiced by Jamie Foxx) fights his hardest to avoid the Great Beyond after his death and return to his body on Earth. His efforts finally succeed, when he least expects them to, thanks to his ability to help a directionless new soul find her spark. In a recent interview, however, the filmmakers who crafted the story revealed Joe's fate wasn't always clear-cut.
Related: Discussing Disney's Soul With Angela Bassett and Phylicia Rashad Is as Inspiring as You'd Imagine "Man, that ending sparked more debate than I think any other element of the film."
Directors Kemp Powers and Pete Docter, and producer Dana Murray told Entertainment Tonight they were undecided on the ending "up until the last screening." Murray said,...
Related: Discussing Disney's Soul With Angela Bassett and Phylicia Rashad Is as Inspiring as You'd Imagine "Man, that ending sparked more debate than I think any other element of the film."
Directors Kemp Powers and Pete Docter, and producer Dana Murray told Entertainment Tonight they were undecided on the ending "up until the last screening." Murray said,...
- 12/30/2020
- by Karenna Meredith
- Popsugar.com
Review After ‘Coco’ and ‘Inside Out’, Pixar comes out with another heart-warming watch that deals with myriad philosophical concepts.Sanjana DeshpandeFacebook/SoulPixar’s latest animation film Soul addresses some perennially troubling, existential questions through its 106-minute run time. The film upholds Pixar’s penchant for dealing with the metaphysical world as seen in its previous films. The film is a new addition to the body of work of directors Pete Docter and Kemps Power at the studio. Soul opens in a cacophonous classroom full of middle school children trying to play jazz and their discontented teacher Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx). The passionate teacher had always aspired to be a jazz player like his late father but couldn’t because his seamstress mother (Phylicia Rashad) wanted him to have a stable job. Soul, unlike Coco – Pixar’s earlier film that was based on the Festival of the Dead celebrated in Mexico...
- 12/29/2020
- by Sanjana
- The News Minute
After taking high school band teacher and aspiring jazz musician Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx) through an existential crisis and on an adventure through the wild worlds of The Great Beyond and The Great Before, Pixar’s Soul gives him an appropriately happy ending. However, as co-directors and co-writers Pete Docter and Kemp Powers revealed in the […]
The post Pixar’s ‘Soul’ Alternate Endings and an Unused Post-Credits Scene appeared first on /Film.
The post Pixar’s ‘Soul’ Alternate Endings and an Unused Post-Credits Scene appeared first on /Film.
- 12/28/2020
- by Ethan Anderton
- Slash Film
This article contains Soul spoilers. You can find our spoiler-free review here.
What are you going to do with your life? It’s a looming question, and one that a few days ago Jamie Foxx’s Joe Gardner thought he knew the answer to. He was going to play jazz, professionally, and break into the music industry—specifically as the pianist for Dorothea Williams’ jazz quartet. But standing there on the ramp toward the Great Beyond, and staring at his second chance back on Earth, he’s posed the question again by a well-meaning Jerry.
So just what are you going to do with the rest of your life? For the first time, perhaps since he was a child, Joe didn’t have a firm answer. He simply says, “I don’t know but I’m going to live every moment of it.” And with that we see Joe, resurrected from the dead,...
What are you going to do with your life? It’s a looming question, and one that a few days ago Jamie Foxx’s Joe Gardner thought he knew the answer to. He was going to play jazz, professionally, and break into the music industry—specifically as the pianist for Dorothea Williams’ jazz quartet. But standing there on the ramp toward the Great Beyond, and staring at his second chance back on Earth, he’s posed the question again by a well-meaning Jerry.
So just what are you going to do with the rest of your life? For the first time, perhaps since he was a child, Joe didn’t have a firm answer. He simply says, “I don’t know but I’m going to live every moment of it.” And with that we see Joe, resurrected from the dead,...
- 12/26/2020
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
There are few entertainers like Jamie Foxx; he’s a multihyphenate superstar with the trophy case to back it up. Though Foxx has the range and a backlog of dramatic, comedic and generally off-the wall characters to pull from, when it came to voicing Joe Gardner in Disney-Pixar’s “Soul,” the film’s creative team just wanted the Oscar- and Grammy-winner to be himself, which also meant bringing the full breadth of his Blackness to the role.
“In my career, I’ve never had to apologize for being Black,” Foxx tells Variety, looking back on his Hollywood journey. “I was on ‘In Living Color’ — I had a Black boss [Keenan Ivory Wayans, who Foxx touts as a mentor], Black writers, Black creators. Then with ‘The Jamie Foxx Show’ it was all Black. So, I’ve never had to worry about turning my Black up or turning my Black down. I’ve just been me and it is always worked out for me.
“In my career, I’ve never had to apologize for being Black,” Foxx tells Variety, looking back on his Hollywood journey. “I was on ‘In Living Color’ — I had a Black boss [Keenan Ivory Wayans, who Foxx touts as a mentor], Black writers, Black creators. Then with ‘The Jamie Foxx Show’ it was all Black. So, I’ve never had to worry about turning my Black up or turning my Black down. I’ve just been me and it is always worked out for me.
- 12/25/2020
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Not only does Disney and Pixar's Soul give viewers a visual and musical treat, but it boasts such an impressive voice cast, it's almost too good to be true. Jamie Foxx leads a star-studded cast as middle-school band teacher Joe Gardner who finally gets his big break, only to fall down a pothole and into a coma. He wakes up as a bluish, greenish blob (with glasses) and learns that his soul is in a purgatory, of sorts. His only hope to return to his life is in the hands of the unborn soul 22 (Tina Fey). They take him on a rollercoaster ride that winds up teaching him that he needs to learn more about himself before he can truly live a fulfilling life on earth.
I know, sounds intense for a kids' movie, but Soul endeavors to spark a conversation about one's purpose and the reason for living...
I know, sounds intense for a kids' movie, but Soul endeavors to spark a conversation about one's purpose and the reason for living...
- 12/25/2020
- by Mekishana Pierre
- Popsugar.com
Once everyone exchanges gifts, spends some quality time with their loved ones and eats far too much food, the next step on Christmas Day is usually to gather around the TV and see what’s on the schedule. Today, the choice looks to be a pretty clear one between HBO Max’s Wonder Woman 1984 and Disney Plus‘ Soul, both of which would have no doubt ranked among the biggest box office hits of the year had 2020 gone according to plan.
The latter follows Jamie Foxx’s music teacher Joe Gardner, who suffers an accident that separates his soul from his body, sending him into another dimension where he’s forced to band together with a cast of unique characters so that he can make it back to his own reality before his body dies. With Inside Out and Up‘s Pete Docter at the helm, it shouldn’t come...
The latter follows Jamie Foxx’s music teacher Joe Gardner, who suffers an accident that separates his soul from his body, sending him into another dimension where he’s forced to band together with a cast of unique characters so that he can make it back to his own reality before his body dies. With Inside Out and Up‘s Pete Docter at the helm, it shouldn’t come...
- 12/25/2020
- by Scott Campbell
- We Got This Covered
In Pixar’s “Soul,” jazz pianist Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx) struggles to escape the afterlife after an injury endangers his upcoming gig. The movie is written by Pete Docter (“Inside Out”), Kemp Powers (“One Night in Miami”), and Mike Jones, who also makes his Pixar debut as a lead producer. Jones got his start as a film journalist for Filmmaker and IndieWire before turning to screenwriting and eventually landing at Pixar. Now, he’s on track for serious awards contention, with “Soul” leading the field for Best Animated Feature as well as contending in other categories.
It wasn’t an easy journey. Here, Jones recounts his history and how it inspired his new project.
I grew up in San Antonio, Texas in a film-loving family, but I never thought writing or being part of the film industry was an option for me. We didn’t have a lot of money.
It wasn’t an easy journey. Here, Jones recounts his history and how it inspired his new project.
I grew up in San Antonio, Texas in a film-loving family, but I never thought writing or being part of the film industry was an option for me. We didn’t have a lot of money.
- 12/25/2020
- by Mike Jones
- Indiewire
Even though Soul, the latest Pixar movie, was originally supposed to be in theaters much earlier this year and was moved to a Christmas home viewing only release on Disney+ due to the coronavirus pandemic, the film is well worth the wait and may ultimately rank among the best offerings from the studio when all is said and done.
The tale is one of Joe Gardner (voice of Jamie Foxx) who is a frustrated school music teacher who aspires to be a great jazz pianist. Unfortunately, things constantly seem to be against him as he tries to get that stage of his career off the ground. Such as when he gets his big break playing alongside famous jazz saxophonist Dorothea (voice of Angela Bassett). Alas, things go from great to worse when Joe subsequently falls through an open manhole in the street as passes away. This does not give too...
The tale is one of Joe Gardner (voice of Jamie Foxx) who is a frustrated school music teacher who aspires to be a great jazz pianist. Unfortunately, things constantly seem to be against him as he tries to get that stage of his career off the ground. Such as when he gets his big break playing alongside famous jazz saxophonist Dorothea (voice of Angela Bassett). Alas, things go from great to worse when Joe subsequently falls through an open manhole in the street as passes away. This does not give too...
- 12/25/2020
- by Mike Tyrkus
- CinemaNerdz
So on the big day what do you plan on doing after the presents under the tree have been unwrapped? I mean after having breakfast or brunch, what’s next? How about opening a really wonderful gift via modern entertainment tech? In those pre-Pandemic days, Christmas afternoon and evening was one of the busiest times for the ole’ multiplex. Now several areas have shuttered their theatres, while many folks are still skittish about heading to ones still open (at least till those vaccines become more accessible). And so the fine folks at Disney are making the newest release from their subsidiary Pixar available to watch at home through their streaming service. But this is no “cutie-pie” family flick romp. No, this is one of the studio’s most ambitious efforts, pondering mortality, destiny, talent, and all that’s part of everyone’s Soul.
The soul at the heart of this...
The soul at the heart of this...
- 12/25/2020
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
From Up’s moving life story to the father-son parting of Onward, the animation powerhouse has never shirked from profound contemplation
There comes a time in the life of a writer, director and, perhaps, a company when the days shorten, the shadows lengthen and contemplating the inevitable must begin. The guy in the cloak with the retro lawn equipment can’t be ignored any longer: Death. In Pixar’s latest film, Soul, mortality springs itself with supreme bad timing on protagonist Joe Gardner, a New York jazzman about to play the gig of his life when he falls down a manhole. After 2017’s Coco and this year’s Onward, this is Pixar’s third film about death in as many years. Is this fixation the Californian animation giant’s midlife crisis in multimillion-dollar CGI form?
Soul, directed by Pete Docter, is a classy offering with smart colouring-book metaphysics in the...
There comes a time in the life of a writer, director and, perhaps, a company when the days shorten, the shadows lengthen and contemplating the inevitable must begin. The guy in the cloak with the retro lawn equipment can’t be ignored any longer: Death. In Pixar’s latest film, Soul, mortality springs itself with supreme bad timing on protagonist Joe Gardner, a New York jazzman about to play the gig of his life when he falls down a manhole. After 2017’s Coco and this year’s Onward, this is Pixar’s third film about death in as many years. Is this fixation the Californian animation giant’s midlife crisis in multimillion-dollar CGI form?
Soul, directed by Pete Docter, is a classy offering with smart colouring-book metaphysics in the...
- 12/24/2020
- by Phil Hoad
- The Guardian - Film News
Going to a movie theater this holiday season might be out of the question for most Americans, but fortunately you don’t have to leave the house to see some of the biggest Christmas movie releases.
Among the films coming out just in time to spread some Christmas cheer are “News of the World,” “Wonder Woman 1984,” “Promising Young Woman” and “The Midnight Sky,” just to name a few.
In the interest of being thorough, we’ll note some films are for some reason debuting this week in theaters only, with eventual home video release Tbd. We’ve included them below, but of course we want to remind you that Covid-19 has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans, and theaters across the country are being shut down due to the risk of spreading the disease. So, we urge you to keep that in mind before you decide to sit in...
Among the films coming out just in time to spread some Christmas cheer are “News of the World,” “Wonder Woman 1984,” “Promising Young Woman” and “The Midnight Sky,” just to name a few.
In the interest of being thorough, we’ll note some films are for some reason debuting this week in theaters only, with eventual home video release Tbd. We’ve included them below, but of course we want to remind you that Covid-19 has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans, and theaters across the country are being shut down due to the risk of spreading the disease. So, we urge you to keep that in mind before you decide to sit in...
- 12/24/2020
- by Samson Amore
- The Wrap
What is “soul”? Is it that feeling you get when you tap into the flow between emotion and expression, the spiritual and the physical? Is it something personal percolating within you, waiting to be unleashed? Is it the essence of humanity in a nutshell? Defining the concept is like aiming at a constantly skittering target. You sense it when you sense it. I know you’ve got soul.
No questions necessary, however, when it comes to understanding what Soul is — all you need to hear is the phrase “the new movie from Pixar.
No questions necessary, however, when it comes to understanding what Soul is — all you need to hear is the phrase “the new movie from Pixar.
- 12/23/2020
- by David Fear
- Rollingstone.com
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Disney+ has a new major release for families just as 2020 is wrapping up: “Soul,” the first Black-led Pixar film, was supposed to hit theaters in June 2020 but instead is out December 25 on Disney+ — no premium access required.
While “Mulan” required an additional $30 purchase for “Disney+ Premier Access,” which gave users who bought the film unlimited access to the live-action remake for as long as they subscribe to the service, “Soul” is being released on the regular tier that all users pay for, like other 2020 films including “Godmothered,” “Black Beauty,” the Taylor Swift documentary “Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions,” “The Mandalorian,” and the upcoming Marvel shows.
Buy: Disney+ $6.99/month or $69.99/year Buy it...
Disney+ has a new major release for families just as 2020 is wrapping up: “Soul,” the first Black-led Pixar film, was supposed to hit theaters in June 2020 but instead is out December 25 on Disney+ — no premium access required.
While “Mulan” required an additional $30 purchase for “Disney+ Premier Access,” which gave users who bought the film unlimited access to the live-action remake for as long as they subscribe to the service, “Soul” is being released on the regular tier that all users pay for, like other 2020 films including “Godmothered,” “Black Beauty,” the Taylor Swift documentary “Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions,” “The Mandalorian,” and the upcoming Marvel shows.
Buy: Disney+ $6.99/month or $69.99/year Buy it...
- 12/22/2020
- by Jean Bentley
- Indiewire
Welcome back to Tune In: our weekly newsletter offering a guide to the best of the week’s TV.
Each week, Variety’s TV team combs through the week’s schedule, selecting our picks of what to watch and when/how to watch them. As many across the country continue to practice self-isolation due to coronavirus, why not while away a few hours on some of the offerings below?
This week, two huge movies are available to stream and “Bridgerton” launches on Netflix.
“The Bachelorette,” ABC, Monday/Tuesday, 8 p.m.
Tune in for the two-night season finale of “The Bachelorette,” which promises to be an emotional affair for Tayshia Adams. Who will she choose from the final three potential suitors of Zac Clark, Brendan Morais, Ivan Hall? Guess we’ll find out very soon!
“Bridgerton” Netflix, Friday
Shonda Rhimes’ first series from her bumper Netflix overall deal premieres this week.
Each week, Variety’s TV team combs through the week’s schedule, selecting our picks of what to watch and when/how to watch them. As many across the country continue to practice self-isolation due to coronavirus, why not while away a few hours on some of the offerings below?
This week, two huge movies are available to stream and “Bridgerton” launches on Netflix.
“The Bachelorette,” ABC, Monday/Tuesday, 8 p.m.
Tune in for the two-night season finale of “The Bachelorette,” which promises to be an emotional affair for Tayshia Adams. Who will she choose from the final three potential suitors of Zac Clark, Brendan Morais, Ivan Hall? Guess we’ll find out very soon!
“Bridgerton” Netflix, Friday
Shonda Rhimes’ first series from her bumper Netflix overall deal premieres this week.
- 12/22/2020
- by Will Thorne
- Variety Film + TV
Plot: Moments after getting the chance of a lifetime, a sudden accident traps musician Joe Gardner's soul in the Great Beyond, meaning he must team up with another soul to get back to Earth so he can seize the new opportunity and live out his life-long dream. Review: Pixar has spent the last 25 years releasing animated classics as if they were…...
- 12/21/2020
- by Matt Rooney
- JoBlo.com
Pete Docter, the man who directed Up, Inside Out and Monsters, Inc. is back with a new animation flick for Pixar, and that is reason enough to get excited if you are a toon movie buff. Soul mostly lives up to the hype that preceded the film, serving an entertainer for all ages and pushing the envelope on animation art spectacularly with signature Pixar relish.
The film is about a jazz pianist who finds himself in the 'Great Beyond' after an accident, except that he is not quite ready to go. The idea sounds sombre, but the film is actually executed with cheerful relish.
Jamie Foxx voices Joe Gardner the pianist, bringing alive the vision of writer-director Pete Docter and his co-writers (Kemp Powers and Mike Jones) as the narrative unfolds the protagonist's adventure. Joe slips into the 'Great Before', where each life gets a soul before coming to Earth.
The film is about a jazz pianist who finds himself in the 'Great Beyond' after an accident, except that he is not quite ready to go. The idea sounds sombre, but the film is actually executed with cheerful relish.
Jamie Foxx voices Joe Gardner the pianist, bringing alive the vision of writer-director Pete Docter and his co-writers (Kemp Powers and Mike Jones) as the narrative unfolds the protagonist's adventure. Joe slips into the 'Great Before', where each life gets a soul before coming to Earth.
- 12/19/2020
- by Glamsham Editorial
- GlamSham
Christmas will bring us two cinematic gifts to keep us occupied during what will probably be the weirdest and saddest holiday season that we’ve had in awhile. Wonder Woman 1984 will arrive on HBO Max the same day that it hits theaters, and Disney is releasing Pixar’s Soul on Disney+ at no extra charge. Since […]
The post Pixar’s ‘Soul’ Clips: Joe Gardner Teaches Band Class and Zones Out While Tickling the Ivories appeared first on /Film.
The post Pixar’s ‘Soul’ Clips: Joe Gardner Teaches Band Class and Zones Out While Tickling the Ivories appeared first on /Film.
- 12/11/2020
- by Ethan Anderton
- Slash Film
The tough decisions were made and those few big releases holding onto their Christmas date are still moving forward—some for the few theaters that will remain open and some to hopefully drive holiday subscriptions to their respective studios’ streaming services. Does it signify a brave new distribution world? Probably not. Odds are that things go back to “normal” this time next year as long as another new virus doesn’t strike … and as long as our favorite theaters can survive what might be another lengthy hibernation.
It’s nevertheless weird to enter the month and know that the majority of awards contenders have been held to arrive in January and February (the so-called “dump months”) due to the extended Oscar schedule, but that doesn’t mean we’re without some important pieces to the puzzle. Thankfully the poster game knows it and excelled accordingly.
Minimal distractions
Why not lean...
It’s nevertheless weird to enter the month and know that the majority of awards contenders have been held to arrive in January and February (the so-called “dump months”) due to the extended Oscar schedule, but that doesn’t mean we’re without some important pieces to the puzzle. Thankfully the poster game knows it and excelled accordingly.
Minimal distractions
Why not lean...
- 12/2/2020
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
Where do people get their personalities? Do parents play a part, or are such things somehow determined before birth? For centuries, doctors of psychology, doctors of philosophy and doctors of theology have contributed their thoughts on the subject, but the latest breakthrough comes from another kind of doctor entirely: Pete Docter, the big-idea Pixar brain behind outside-the-box toons “Inside Out” and “Up,” who takes a look deep inside and comes up with another intuitive, easy-to-embrace metaphor for — dare I say it — the meaning of life.
The result is “Soul,” a whimsical, musical and boldly metaphysical dramedy about what makes each and everybody tick, featuring a cast of characters who don’t have bodies at all. “Soul” opens with the death of its down-on-his-luck hero, middle school band teacher Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx), a frustrated pianist who aces a jazz band audition, then steps out into the street, where he narrowly...
The result is “Soul,” a whimsical, musical and boldly metaphysical dramedy about what makes each and everybody tick, featuring a cast of characters who don’t have bodies at all. “Soul” opens with the death of its down-on-his-luck hero, middle school band teacher Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx), a frustrated pianist who aces a jazz band audition, then steps out into the street, where he narrowly...
- 12/2/2020
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
For many music fans, the name Trent Reznor has long been synonymous with Nine Inch Nails. It is, after all, the groundbreaking industrial rock act that Reznor founded in 1988 and was the sole stationary member of until Atticus Ross was added as a permanent member in 2016. For others still, Reznor and Ross are the Oscar and Emmy-winning composers of scores for acclaimed films and TV shows like The Social Network, Gone Girl, and Watchmen. And yet, even with this eclectic legacy, it’s likely few except the minds at Pixar ever thought of either Nin member as the sound for a Disney movie.
Until now. The duo, who were just inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last month, have composed the electronic portion of the music for the new Pixar film, Soul, which also features jazz compositions, performances, and arrangements by Jon Batiste.
Asked if the idea...
Until now. The duo, who were just inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last month, have composed the electronic portion of the music for the new Pixar film, Soul, which also features jazz compositions, performances, and arrangements by Jon Batiste.
Asked if the idea...
- 12/1/2020
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
It’s officially December, and that means this month you get to see Pixar’s new movie Soul when it arrives exclusively on Disney+ starting on Christmas Day. To better acquaint you with the story, the film’s star Jamie Foxx took the time to introduce his character Joe Gardner, a middle school band teacher who has dreamed […]
The post ‘Soul’ Featurette: Jamie Foxx Introduces Us to Joe Gardner and His Unique Predicament appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘Soul’ Featurette: Jamie Foxx Introduces Us to Joe Gardner and His Unique Predicament appeared first on /Film.
- 12/1/2020
- by Ethan Anderton
- Slash Film
Pete Docter was at his most inquisitive on “Soul.” That’s because, unlike the Emoji-like personalities that embodied “Inside Out,” the animated characters that inhabit Pixar’s celestial fantasy are more abstract. “What do souls look like? What are they made of? Where do they come from?,” asked director and chief creative officer Docter. “There must’ve been something before we were born that somehow infused us with the essence of who we are.”
And so Pixar went on its most ambitious exploration yet to solve the problem of creating these ethereal characters of The Great Before. That’s the pre-birth training center where aspiring jazz pianist Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx) finds himself after eluding death in The Great Beyond. He teams up with risk averse new soul, 22 (Tina Fey), on a journey to discover the meaning of life in Pixar’s first Black-led feature. “Fundamentals that came through again...
And so Pixar went on its most ambitious exploration yet to solve the problem of creating these ethereal characters of The Great Before. That’s the pre-birth training center where aspiring jazz pianist Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx) finds himself after eluding death in The Great Beyond. He teams up with risk averse new soul, 22 (Tina Fey), on a journey to discover the meaning of life in Pixar’s first Black-led feature. “Fundamentals that came through again...
- 12/1/2020
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
The holiday season is here and Pixar has a little gift for Disney+ subscribers.
After the animation studio’s next major effort was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the powers that be finally made the decision to release it on Disney’s streaming service. And that’s why you will now be able to watch Soul via Disney+ on Christmas Day. Soul stars Jamie Foxx as Joe Gardner – an inspiring jazz musician who finally gets his chance when his soul enters the Great Beyond.
Soul isn’t the only gift on Disney+ in December 2020. The sure-to-be-thrilling finale of The Mandalorian season 2 will arrive on Dec. 18. After those two beg exciting tentpoles, it’s pretty much business as usual for Disney+ this month (not that that’s necessarily a bad thing). An original movie of note, Safety, premieres on Dec. 11 and should at least be of interest to Clemson football fans.
After the animation studio’s next major effort was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the powers that be finally made the decision to release it on Disney’s streaming service. And that’s why you will now be able to watch Soul via Disney+ on Christmas Day. Soul stars Jamie Foxx as Joe Gardner – an inspiring jazz musician who finally gets his chance when his soul enters the Great Beyond.
Soul isn’t the only gift on Disney+ in December 2020. The sure-to-be-thrilling finale of The Mandalorian season 2 will arrive on Dec. 18. After those two beg exciting tentpoles, it’s pretty much business as usual for Disney+ this month (not that that’s necessarily a bad thing). An original movie of note, Safety, premieres on Dec. 11 and should at least be of interest to Clemson football fans.
- 11/29/2020
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Just nine animated films have ever earned Oscar nominations for their screenplays, but the upcoming Disney/Pixar release “Soul” is currently on track to join their ranks. According to Gold Derby’s racetrack odds, the script penned by Pete Docter, Mike Jones and Kemp Powers is among the top five contenders to be nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the 2021 Academy Awards. Can “Soul” become just the 10th animated feature to be nominated for this prestigious prize?
See Pixar’s ‘Soul’ to be released by Disney Plus on Christmas Day
Of the nine animated films that have previously earned screenplay nominations throughout the Academy’s 92-year history, eight have come from the Disney/Pixar partnership, which is good news for “Soul.” The writing team behind 1995’s classic “Toy Story” was the first to break through with a nomination for Best Original Screenplay. The other Disney/Pixar films nominated in this...
See Pixar’s ‘Soul’ to be released by Disney Plus on Christmas Day
Of the nine animated films that have previously earned screenplay nominations throughout the Academy’s 92-year history, eight have come from the Disney/Pixar partnership, which is good news for “Soul.” The writing team behind 1995’s classic “Toy Story” was the first to break through with a nomination for Best Original Screenplay. The other Disney/Pixar films nominated in this...
- 11/25/2020
- by Denton Davidson
- Gold Derby
Pixar’s much anticipated jazz-themed movie “Soul” represents Pixar’s first animated film featuring a Black lead character. And as the movie heads to a Christmas Day release on Disney+, it is clear that the studio navigated around racial issues with extra care after having faced criticism for a lack of diversity both on screen and behind the scenes. In the fantasy tale co-directed by Pete Docter and Kemp Powers, Jamie Foxx voices Joe Gardner, a mild-mannered middle school music teacher who finally gets his chance to perform on stage as the opening act at a jazz club. Unfortunately, Joe’s soul becomes separated from his body when he accidentally falls into a manhole, turning the character into a glowing blue-green ghost, or “soul.” “Soul” filmmakers took pains to make sure “Soul” did not fall down a manhole of negative racial and cultural stereotypes on the movie’s journey to the screen.
- 11/16/2020
- by Diane Haithman
- The Wrap
Take a look at more new footage from director Pete Docter's CG-animated feature "Soul", produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures, streaming December 25, 2020 on Disney+:
"...'Joe Gardner' (Foxx), a middle school music teacher, has long dreamed of performing jazz music onstage and finally gets a chance after impressing other jazz musicians during an opening act at the 'Half Note Club'.
"However, an accident causes Gardner's soul to be separated from his body and transported to the 'You Seminar'... "...a center in which souls develop and gain passions before being transported to a newborn child.
"Gardner must work with the souls in training, including '22', a soul with a dim view on life after being trapped for years ' in order to return to Earth before its too late..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Soul"... ...
"...'Joe Gardner' (Foxx), a middle school music teacher, has long dreamed of performing jazz music onstage and finally gets a chance after impressing other jazz musicians during an opening act at the 'Half Note Club'.
"However, an accident causes Gardner's soul to be separated from his body and transported to the 'You Seminar'... "...a center in which souls develop and gain passions before being transported to a newborn child.
"Gardner must work with the souls in training, including '22', a soul with a dim view on life after being trapped for years ' in order to return to Earth before its too late..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Soul"... ...
- 10/26/2020
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Disney and Pixar’s existential cartoon “Soul” has been set as the opening film of the Rome Film Festival, which is scheduled to take place as a physical event Oct. 15-25.
A festival rep said she was unsure whether the film’s director Pete Docter, who is also chief creative officer of Pixar Animation Studios, will be able to make the trek to Rome.
It is also unclear what Disney’s release plans are for “Soul” for which the studio has set a Nov. 20 U.S. release date, though Variety has reported it is instead exploring various other options, including moving it straight to Disney Plus. A Disney rep did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“Soul” had previously been selected to launch from the cancelled Cannes Film Festival, so it carries the Cannes 2020 label.
It is the third Disney/Pixar film from Pete Docter that made the cut for Cannes.
A festival rep said she was unsure whether the film’s director Pete Docter, who is also chief creative officer of Pixar Animation Studios, will be able to make the trek to Rome.
It is also unclear what Disney’s release plans are for “Soul” for which the studio has set a Nov. 20 U.S. release date, though Variety has reported it is instead exploring various other options, including moving it straight to Disney Plus. A Disney rep did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“Soul” had previously been selected to launch from the cancelled Cannes Film Festival, so it carries the Cannes 2020 label.
It is the third Disney/Pixar film from Pete Docter that made the cut for Cannes.
- 9/17/2020
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
"Music is life! You just need to know where to look." There's another lovely new 60-second promo trailer for Pixar's Soul to watch. It was debuted this weekend at the Essence Festival of Culture in New Orleans - and a Zoom Q&a with the filmmakers from that event is also included below. Soul is about a jazz musician who has lost his passion for music is transported out of his body and must find his way back with the help of an infant soul learning about herself. Featuring the voices of Jamie Foxx as Joe Gardner, Tina Fey as "22", Daveed Diggs, Phylicia Rashad, and Ahmir-Khalib Thompson. This brief new trailer also features the song "Parting Ways", which was written, produced and performed by Cody Chesnutt. Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole worked as a cultural consultant on the film, and musician Jon Batiste wrote original jazz songs for it. The...
- 6/28/2020
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Disney and Pixar have released a new teaser for their heartwarming collaboration, Soul! The one-minute clip, which dropped on June 27, offers a brief sneak peek at the musical animation starring Jamie Foxx. Although it's a quick snippet, the footage gives us a good idea of what to expect from the star-studded film.
Foxx plays Joe Gardner, a jazz musician in New York City who finally gets his big break, only to . . . fall down a manhole and into a coma. Kind of a bummer, no? But since this is Pixar, that's not where his story ends! Instead, he wakes up as an adorable bluish, greenish blob (with glasses), and by chatting with the hilarious 22 (Tina Fey), he discovers that his soul has now been transported to a purgatory, of sorts, and he needs to learn more about himself before he can reunite with his body on earth.
Phylicia Rashad, Daveed Diggs,...
Foxx plays Joe Gardner, a jazz musician in New York City who finally gets his big break, only to . . . fall down a manhole and into a coma. Kind of a bummer, no? But since this is Pixar, that's not where his story ends! Instead, he wakes up as an adorable bluish, greenish blob (with glasses), and by chatting with the hilarious 22 (Tina Fey), he discovers that his soul has now been transported to a purgatory, of sorts, and he needs to learn more about himself before he can reunite with his body on earth.
Phylicia Rashad, Daveed Diggs,...
- 6/28/2020
- by Quinn Keaney
- Popsugar.com
The pandemic may have pushed back the theatrical release of Pixar’s “Soul” (from Juneteenth to November 20), but that didn’t stop Disney from dropping a new teaser trailer on Saturday, touting the original song, “Parting Ways”.
Pete Docter, Pixar’s chief creative officer, follows up his Oscar-winning “Inside Out” with the Cannes-selected “Soul,” which explores the answers to some of life’s most important questions of identity. The musical fantasy introduces Pixar’s first Black protagonist, Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx), a New York middle-school band teacher who gets the ultimate gig playing piano at the top jazz club, only to fall into a manhole and journey to The Great Before, a fantastical place where new souls are formed before birth. There he encounters precocious soul, 22 (Tina Fey), who rejects the appeal of the human experience. But they team up so Gardner can return to Earth and complete his journey.
Pete Docter, Pixar’s chief creative officer, follows up his Oscar-winning “Inside Out” with the Cannes-selected “Soul,” which explores the answers to some of life’s most important questions of identity. The musical fantasy introduces Pixar’s first Black protagonist, Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx), a New York middle-school band teacher who gets the ultimate gig playing piano at the top jazz club, only to fall into a manhole and journey to The Great Before, a fantastical place where new souls are formed before birth. There he encounters precocious soul, 22 (Tina Fey), who rejects the appeal of the human experience. But they team up so Gardner can return to Earth and complete his journey.
- 6/28/2020
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
The new teaser for Disney and Pixar’s “Soul” has no little blue cartoon sprites and doesn’t boast the directing of Pete Docter but rather celebrates the many Black voices involved in the film’s making as led by its star voice, Jamie Foxx.
This latest look at “Soul” features all the human characters in the animated film and shows how Foxx’s jazz musician-teacher character named Joe finds the music and beauty in the world around him.
“Music is life, you just need to know where to look,” Foxx says in the trailer. “Spend you precious hours doing what will bring out the real you, the brilliant passionate you that’s ready to contribute something meaningful into this world. Get ready, your life is about to start.”
Also Read: Pixar's New Short Film 'Out' Features Studio's 1st Gay Main Character
This teaser includes an early look at an...
This latest look at “Soul” features all the human characters in the animated film and shows how Foxx’s jazz musician-teacher character named Joe finds the music and beauty in the world around him.
“Music is life, you just need to know where to look,” Foxx says in the trailer. “Spend you precious hours doing what will bring out the real you, the brilliant passionate you that’s ready to contribute something meaningful into this world. Get ready, your life is about to start.”
Also Read: Pixar's New Short Film 'Out' Features Studio's 1st Gay Main Character
This teaser includes an early look at an...
- 6/28/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
After her Oscar nomination for producing the 2017 animated short “Lou,” Dana Murray is making her feature producing debut with “Soul,” the third Disney/Pixar film from director Pete Docter to be named as a Cannes Official Selection. Jamie Foxx voices the role of a middle-school band teacher who is transported to the Great Before, a place where souls are developed before they go to Earth. It’s one of the few Cannes films with a Black cast and co-director/co-writer. Murray talked to us about the film, internal Pixar “culture tests” and how things have changed since Pixar co-founder John Lasseter’s departure in late 2018. — Gregg Goldstein
What can people expect from “Soul?”
Pete Docter makes films that go emotionally deep. People will walk away really thinking about their lives. We get so wrapped up in our to-do lists. [It’s about] appreciating the smaller things, a theme most people can relate to...
What can people expect from “Soul?”
Pete Docter makes films that go emotionally deep. People will walk away really thinking about their lives. We get so wrapped up in our to-do lists. [It’s about] appreciating the smaller things, a theme most people can relate to...
- 6/23/2020
- by Gregg Goldstein
- Variety Film + TV
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