Simply lovely.

Inside Out feels like the first genuine Pixar movie since 2010. The animation studio maintained an unparalleled streak of success for over a decade before bottoming out with Cars 2 in 2011, followed by the pedestrian Brave and the fun but unsophisticated Monster's University. Leave it to Pixar veteran Pete Docter (the mastermind behind Monsters, Inc. and Up) to remind us why we loved the studio so much in the first place. Inside Out is a staggeringly original piece of work, sophisticated and delightfully creative, with Docter and co-director Ronnie Del Carmen dreaming up a unique fantasy world set inside the human mind, dealing with the tumultuous topic of teenage angst and emotion. Inside Out is a challenging movie, but, like all the best Pixar productions, it's also endearing, with lovely visual design and a welcome sense of humour ensuring that it's always a pleasure to watch.

Inside the brain of twelve-year-old Riley (Kaitlyn Dias), a team of emotions guides her through her daily life, tasked with handling her memories and thoughts. At the helm is Joy (Amy Poehler), who anxiously endeavours to maintain control, while Riley's other emotions - Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black), Fear (Bill Hader) and Disgust (Mindy Kaling) - occasionally muck up the works. When Riley's parents (Diane Lane and Kyle MacLachlan) move the family from Minnesota to San Francisco, things are simply not the same, and Riley's mind begins to go haywire. When an accident at headquarters occurs, Joy and Sadness are ripped away from their command posts, lost somewhere in the labyrinthine of Long Term Memory. As the pair determinedly work to find a way back to HQ, Anger, Fear and Disgust are left to steer the ship, but things are steadily spiralling out of control, affecting Riley's fragile prepubescent mind.

As anyone who has been through puberty can confirm, the teenage mind is overwhelmingly complex, with moodiness, odd thoughts and intense sadness seemingly coming out of nowhere, presenting a challenge to the creative team behind Inside Out. Soften the edges, and the movie loses its potency, but play the material too solemn, and kids will be alienated. Miraculously, Docter and Del Carmen accomplish a staggering tonal balance, and the result is an animated picture with broad appeal. Kids will be joyed by the sumptuous visuals and sublime humour, while adults can watch Inside Out by themselves and be utterly enthralled. What's particularly remarkable about this Pixar production is that, although it simplifies the subject matter, it's not too dumbed-down to be appreciated on more than one level. Indeed, with the movie boiling down to an immensely imaginative metaphor for human psychology, the accomplishments of Inside Out are numerous, and the nuances and layers will likely go over the heads of children.

Docter and Del Carmen refuse to hold back in some of the weightier scenes, with a heart-to-heart talk between Riley and her mother that rings true, while it's painfully relatable to see Riley introduce herself to her new class at school, with her memories of her old life suddenly tinged with sadness. Even though Inside Out does opt for a somewhat generic grand finale, the creators do not let the material get away from them, infusing the climax with utmost grace. The ultimate thesis on the mind of a prepubescent girl is both thoughtful and understanding, and it's sold with the sort of trademark Pixar elegance we have not seen since Toy Story 3. Added to this, the emotion and power of the story is underscored beautifully by Michael Giacchino's original soundtrack.

It's almost customary to point out, but the animation is superlative, maintaining a certain degree of cartoonishness whilst filling the frame with vividly designed characters and colourful backdrops, including the inspired layout of Riley's mind. Comedy is effortlessly derived from the material, with Inside Out dishing up subtle sight gags, some broader jokes for the kids, and even some adult comedy to even out the ledger. One standout sequence involves a brief glimpse into the minds of Riley's parents, with their respective teams of emotions playing into caricatures to hilarious effect. Further noteworthy hilarity occurs towards the end when Riley interacts with a young boy whose internal emotions declare an emergency because a girl is speaking to him. Be sure to stick around after the credits begin to roll, as we get a glimpse into the minds of several other people and even some animals, leading to some of the picture's heartiest belly-laughs. Inside Out is further bolstered by a spot-on voice cast, with the ensemble submitting great work right across the board.

The 2015 summer season only begat one other hugely successful animated adventure: Minions. Comparing the two, the difference is staggering - whereas Minions is a surface-level experience solely concerned with goofy comedy, Inside Out mixes unforced intricacy and thoughtful psychological commentary with some of the biggest belly-laughs of the year. And best of all, it doesn't feel like homework. There's so much compassion here, and it's easy to relate to, which makes the movie absolutely lovely on top of being an entertaining sit. Inside Out truly is the shot in the arm that Pixar needed to establish that they are still in the game, though we will have to wait and see if this quality is maintained.