Pixar's new film 'Soul' to hit selected cinemas in the Philippines on Christmas Day
Pixar is releasing its latest animated film Soul on Christmas Day, December 25, in the Philippines.
The movie will be available for streaming in the US on Disney+, but viewers from the Philippines can watch the film in selected cinemas on the same day.
Soul tells the story of a miserable music teacher named Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx).
Joe always aspired of making it big in New York's jazz scene - a dream that has become so elusive that Joe feels he's running out of time to make it a reality.
Photo by: Walt Disney Co.
He finally gets his break and is chosen to perform with jazz icon Dorothea Williams (Angela Basset).
But just when Joe thinks that things are finally looking up, he falls into a manhole and goes into a coma.
Joe meanders through the afterlife and discovers that there's a Great Before or a world where souls develop personalities, quirks, and traits before being sent off to Earth.
Joe exhausts all efforts to come back to life so he can live his ultimate dream of making a mark in the music business.
But can he do it? More importantly, is it too late?
Photo by: Walt Disney Co.
The movie wants us to reflect on our own lives: Are we living enough? How do we define happiness? How do we want to live our life if we have a choice? Are we being true to our inner dreams and passions?
“It is a weird balance between having passionate conviction and yet being willing to let go of anything at any time. Or not anything,” director Pete Docter told entertainment website, Collider.
“You have to know what to hold onto and what to let go. It's really kind of a mysterious... I will say, at the end of these movies, sometimes I watch and go, 'Where did this come from?' I was there the whole time. But it kind of takes on its own life.”
Producer Dana Murray, meanwhile, talked about the process of piecing the project together to achieve the story's vision.
Photo by: Walt Disney Co.
“It's a lot of talking in a room, and drawing, and bringing in different people, and talking more, and bringing in experts and research.
“We talked to hundreds of people from religious experts to shamans, to yoga instructors, to teachers... trying to talk about where a soul comes from and get perspectives. And it really starts there, and I feel like just grows and grows and grows and grows as your team grows.”
Soul made its debut at the BFI London Film Festival on October 11, 2020.
The movie was intended to be screened in cinemas but the COVID-19 pandemic pushed producers to go for a digital release instead.
Photo by: Walt Disney Co.
But since the streaming channel Disney+ is not available here in the country, Soul will be available for viewing in areas under the Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ).
Here's the full list of participating cinemas:
As always, don't forget to wear a facemask and face shield, and always sanitize your hands to keep you safe against the virus. Make sure to observe social distancing, too.
Enjoy the movie!