(:)(:)(:)(:)(:) Pixar’s Soul streaming on Disney+ now is a rare find: a mainstream fictional movie that reveals deep spiritual truth. In this beautiful animated movie a middle school band teacher (Joe Gardner voiced by Jamie Foxx) dies on the precipice of his biggest break to become a real jazz musician. His soul refuses to take the conventional trajectory and ends up working with a new baby soul (“22” voiced by Tina Fey) on a scheme to get back to being human.
I loved the movie because it put on the big screen what I have come to know as truth: we are each spiritual beings having a human experience. The part of us that is spirit is having a wonderful time being us even when the human part is not. My life’s work is to teach myself and others how to enjoy life as a spiritual/human being, regardless of what is happening. Watching Joe Gardner and 22 delight in the simplest pleasures of life– seeing trees, eating pizza and walking–got me out of pandemic fatigue and self-pity and back into true appreciation of the great privilege of life.
Not even kidding, since I saw the movie, I’ve been noticing how comfortable my bed is, how smooth my sheets are, how even the aches and pains of the body are evidence that I have won the lottery of the universe and am getting the chance to be in a human body on a human plane at such a time as this.
It only costs $6.50 a month to access Disney+ which is less than what it would cost to see this in a movie theater. Why not plunk it down to see Soul and while you’re in there for the month, see the following: Yesterday (where only one guy remembers the Beatles and their music), Queen of Katwe and The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (heartwarming true stories set in Africa), and of course, Hamilton
Great review, Sara. I share your response to this movie and the belief that “we” are spirit travelers in human bodies. Soul hits all the right notes, in this regard.