Review: 'Soul' is a Heartfelt Trip to the Hereafter, and a Reminder of What's Important Right Here

It's got a lot of heart and...

Featuring the voice talents of Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey, Disney and Pixar land a huge animated win with their latest, "Soul," available now on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital so you can add one of the best movies of the year to your collection.

This is a story of Joe (Jamie Foxx) who is an aspiring musician. Content with his role as a music teacher, Joe inspires young people to creative new heights, but has never pursued his own ambition to perform as part of a jazz ensemble. Joe finally gets his chance.

As fate would have it, Joe is invited to perform as the accompanying pianist to a jazz great, but lands in an unfortunate predicament and on the existential stairway to the great hereafter. Even so, Joe is determined to make his gig and stumbles into The Great Before – the place where souls are nurtured and given a personality. He befriends Soul 22 (voiced by Tina Fey), and the two embark on a mission of self-discovery that lands them back on the mortal plane, though not in their own bodies.

Now the two must learn to compromise and steady themselves as Joe helps Soul 22 find its way in the world, and Joe realizes his full potential – and gets a second chance to be all that he can be. "Soul" is deeply moving and tender, expertly and emotionally evocative of a real mind-binding, soul-searching adventure, but with all the resonance of a coming of age story. The folks at Pixar have the formula down when it comes to narrating stories that have this much depth, but equally balance the line as to never alienate the diverse age range that will "get" this flick.

"Soul" is funny and endearing, and extremely smart, a hopeful animated escapade that, while presenting itself as wildly ambitious, remains very much grounded and resonates on all levels. It's a joyful and heartfelt movie that will bring a smile to your face, all the while reminding you of what's truly important in life: Never taking a moment for granted, and making the most of every minute we have to connect with one another. "Soul" offers plenty of that, and will especially work to bring the entire family together with its viewing pleasure.

The Blu-ray package includes the full-length animated feature in beautiful high definition and also includes a DVD and Digital Download so you can take "Soul" on the road. It's packed with Bonus Extras, including filmmaker commentary, Deleted Scenes, and in-depth character studies of the film's cast, and especially its remarkable soundtrack; it's a whole additional hour (and more) that helps to bring "Soul" into perspective, while exploring the creative minds behind this truly unique and exceptional animated film for all ages.

"Soul" is available now on Blu-ray, DVD on Digital for $24.99.