As far as I’m concerned, there hasn’t been a “great” Pixar film since “Inside Out” (2015,) and that was 10 years ago. Since then, Pixar’s only flirted with greatness, the two most notable examples being “Coco” (2017) and “Soul” (2020).
“Soul” was one of a handful of Pixar titles that went straight to Disney+ during the pandemic. It was certainly well-liked, garnering positive reviews, albeit not as glowing as the handful of classics released during Pixar’s “golden age” in the 2000s: “WALL-E,” “Toy Story 3,” “Ratatouille,” “Finding Nemo,” “Up!” and “The Incredibles.”
In an interview with IndieWire’s Anne Thompson, Pixar CCO Pete Docter, who directed “Soul,” believes not many people talk about his film for one simple reason: it didn’t get a theatrical release.
Very few people talk about “Soul” because it didn’t have the big theatrical impact. There’s something indisputable about that […] I don’t think we had a choice. It was such a joy to work on, and I felt disappointed that it came out and it got dropped into the ocean.
Last year, Disney CEO Bob Iger admitted regrets in dumping Pixar movies to streaming during the pandemic, which devalued Pixar’s stock and trained audiences to ignore their theatrical releases.
Docter doesn’t mention two other Pixars that went straight to streaming during the pandemic: “Turning Red” and “Luca,” and for good reason — they lacked the vision and artistry of “Soul” which was truly a film made to be seen on the big screen.
“Soul,” which was Pixar’s 23rd feature film, tackled Joe Gardener (Jamie Foxx), a failed jazz pianist, who steps into a New York City pothole, and dies, just as he is about to finally get his big break. He enters “The Great Beyond,” a surreal afterworld, with soft, glowing edges and inviting colors, and populated by Don Hertzfeldt-esque stick figures who go by the name of Counselors.
With a techno-kiddie soundtrack from, of all people, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, I remember thinking “Soul” was semi-plagued by needless exposition and flat messaging, and that it fell short of “classic” status. Despite those misgivings, it was a visual treat, and originally conceived — an animated film that you couldn’t help but admire. Given it was screened at home by everyone, including critics, maybe “Soul”s qualities would have shone much brighter had it been widely on the big screen.
Netflix and Skydance Animation have also called it quits. The two sides announced Monday that they're ending the animated film deal struck back in 2023, framing it as a mutual decision.