Dream Productions
Writer: Mike Jones
Director: Valerie LaPointe, Mike Jones, Austin Madison
Cast: Paula Pell, Richard Ayoade, Kensington Tallman, Maya Rudolph, Amy Poehler, Ally Maki
Walt Disney had a dream.Â
I mean, besides the parks and the domination of the animation industry. His dream was to let people in behind the scenes of his studio. It's true! The original "Mickey Mouse Park" idea that became Disneyland started out as a studio tour. As visitors attempted to schedule walkthroughs of the animation offices, Walt produced 1941's The Reluctant Dragon, a glossy but highly entertaining overview of how cartoons get made.
I mention this because Pixar's streaming series Dream Productions advances Walt's vision for the 21st century. Launching from the characters and environments of the films Inside Out and its record-breaking 2024 sequel, Dream Productions takes us to another department in the mind of 13-year-old Riley (Kensington Tallman). How? A studio tour. Inspired.
And that's not just talk. It absolutely works. Dream Productions exists next to The Office (also starring Phyllis Smith) and Parks and Recreation (also starring Amy Poehler) in the docu-comedy genre, except it's the story of the little people who craft the dreams meant to influence Riley's waking life.
The lead is dream-directing veteran Paula (Paula Pell, in a brilliant casting move), a standout of Riley's infant years who's struggling to keep up with older subject matter. While all the other directors are dealing with sports victories and anxieties, Paula keeps relying on the tried and true and immature: ice cream, cupcakes, and a past-her-prime diva, Rainbow Unicorn.
Paula's star falls far and fast as she's confronted with a vérité-inspired daydream director (Richard Ayoade), a demanding studio head (Maya Rudolph), and her former assistant director-turned-pro (Ally Maki).
It's a tale as old as the hills: get with the times, or get out of the way.Â
You can't blame Paula. She's gotten to where she is because she thought she knew what was hip. In fact, when she consciously tries to age up her dreams, they become awkward techno-goth rehashes of the past. While she pulls some successes out of the fire, you can feel the frustration growing around her with every effort.Â
As someone who is acutely aware of how old he is becoming (while still looking a youthful 32), this hits home, and probably will to a lot of viewers as well. Younger fans of Inside Out will love the familiar characters (the entire sequel cast is back), the cute jokes, the physical comedy, and the fact that everyone looks like candy. There's a dog shaped like a sleep gummy named "Melatonin", a joke that kids will absolutely not get. Older fans will connect with Dream Productions on a deeper level: comedy that's got depth, relevance, and a soft-handed reflection on how we pass from one stage in our lives to the next.
The animation absolutely sings, with no loss in quality going from the big screen to the small. I laughed from beginning to end, empathized with everyone in some way, and wanted more out of the Inside Out world. There are so many brilliant moves (Riley's dream adult persona is played by a colored pencil sketch on a piece of notebook paper, who works as a barista and rescues puppies for the United Nations) that you lose count. It's reassuring, poignant, and punching well above its weight class as far as animated comedies go.
ANIMATION: 5/5
VOICE TALENT: 5/5
4-EPISODE LENGTH: 4/4
TIMES I LAUGHED OUT LOUD: 2 MANY/2 COUNT
NEED FOR MORE ANIMATED PAULA PELL: 5/5
Dream Productions is streaming now on Disney+.
