Disney's "Soul". The Perfect Movie at the Perfect Time.

To the right was my bawling wife and to my left our transfixed toddler. There I sat in the middle, teary eyed and intrigued as we watched the latest addition to Disney Plus. But this movie felt different. I knew I was watching something special. As a physician and aspiring author, I have no intention or qualifications to ever become a movie critic or write reviews, but I felt eager to share my thoughts. I realized as the credits rolled that this movie could help people in a time when many of us could use a little inspiration.

I speak often about finding your passion in life. What is your purpose? I dedicated a short chapter to this in How to Build a Smile because I find it to be an important tool in obtaining success and a more fulfilling and happy life. I believe strongly that the actions you perform every day must have an impact on others, but most importantly, they must have an impact on yourself.

But sometimes camouflaged in our desire to “achieve” success or “find” our passion, we forget to see the beauty in some of life’s simple things. The crisp feeling of autumn, the sound of your toddler as they explore their imagination, the smell of a freshly lit fire or the taste of your favorite meal.

In typical Disney fashion, “Soul” does an amazing job of reminding viewers about how precious the minor details in life can be. Music and film have the rare ability to inspire and make people reevaluate life, and this piece of art, directed by Pete Doctor, does just this.

“Soul” follows an eager Jazz performer (Joe) who enters a universe separate from reality, somewhere in between life and death. His refusal to accept death out of fear he had “more” to accomplish ignites an adventure with an unborn soul (Number 22) and eventually the realization that Joe was in fact living a very full life.

In a time when a worldwide pandemic has changed the very way we live, this movie offers a bit of hope and comfort. It further reminds us of how precious and beautiful life can be if we take a minute to absorb the many things that infiltrate our senses. To quote the main character Joe Gardner, “Get ready. Your life is about to start.”