Review: It’s not quite ‘Inside Out,’ but Pixar’s metaphysical comedy ‘Soul’ will lift your spirits

“Music and life operate by very different rules.” Those words are spoken by Joe Gardner, the protagonist of Pete Docter’s new animated comedy, “Soul,” and as such they should be received with some skepticism. “Soul” is Pixar’s 23rd feature and its first to center on a Black protagonist — a precedent the movie embraces with wit, sensitivity and a lovingly detailed portrait of Joe’s family and community life. The best, most nuanced aspect of “Soul” is the way it affirms Joe’s calling while also placing it gently in check and providing a necessary dose of perspective. But the lingering lesson of “Soul,” a lovely, imperfect movie about life’s lovely imperfections, is that every moment is worth living to the fullest, this one very much included.