Inside Out 2: Fun and Funny Take On What’s Really Going On In Our Heads

"Inside Out 2" brought a lot of joy to movie box offices this weekend. It raked in $155 million domestically, and $295 million globally. Apparently the biggest opening since "Barbie, last July.

I'm happy to say I helped the box office personally, and I loved the movie! Saw it at Regal, Downtown Summerlin (great theater) - with popcorn, and a gin and tonic.

Riley is now 13 years old - a pubescent teenager! Ahh - I remember it well. All sorts of new, and not real fun, emotions (and pimples) popping up.

Yes, Inside Out 2 has Anxiety rearing its ugly head. And if that's not bad enough, anxiety also brings along her pals embarrassment, envy, ennui (boredom). Yes, the three teenage "E's".

The new voices are great, and right on the money! And of course, the originals are back: Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Fear (Tony Hale), Anger (brilliantly voiced by comedian, Lewis Black).

Riley is headed off to a three-day hockey camp, and she has to make some tough decisions. Her two closest friends are going to different school next year. They are at camp too, but does she stick with them, or hang out with a couple of the other cool older kids?

Inside Out 2 hits on the teenage angst we all had (and don't think you didn't). Growing up is complicated, and the pressure on Riley is a lot. And the competition, and decisions, gets even tougher. So here comes Anxiety!

Joy is still very determined, and focused to win out over all the negative emotions. But even she feels them in Inside Out 2. She doesn't have all the answers, and Anxiety is very persistent.

Oh, and something else that is introduced in "Inside Out 2" is Riley's beliefs system. It connects her to her sense of self. And as we all know, all of that starts taking shape early on.

Inside Out 2 is a fun, and familiar rollercoaster ride, especially for adults. But the good, and bad, emotions are shown with humor - and amazingly detailed animation.

It's a great movie that, in my opinion, is even better than the first. As an adult it really hit home, because I understand those emotions much better now. However, that is not to say that they don't get the best of me at times!

As the first movie did, moreso for kids, Inside Out 2 answers the question, moreso for adults: What is going on in our heads?

It's Father's Day weekend - that means you have to listen to Dad Rock.

When I say "Dad Rock" what bands come to mind? My 30 year old nieces and nephews would say Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, Eagles, Tom Petty. But what about Pearl Jam? Nirvana?  Bon Jovi? Yep - Dad Rock!

Maybe it's time to look at "Dad Rock," and how far back it can actually go.

Some punk kid (you actually have to say that once you're at least 10 years older than someone who says something you don't like) made a video a while back, claiming that bands like Linkin Park, Matchbox 20, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Fall Out Boy are now DAD ROCK.

What? According to the Urban Dictionary, Dad Rock is basically just that: Rock music your dad listened to when he was young. According to that definition, that can span several decades, depending on how old your dad is.

But seriously - My Chemical Romance and Red Hot Chili Peppers?? 

In the 80's when you listened to oldies, it was 60's and 70's songs. For 90's kids, oldies were 70's and 80's. So by that loose scientific research, the determination is that music that is 20 to 30 years old, is now considered an "oldie." Yikes!

Now if you're 20, 25, 30 years old, your oldies are going to be relatively new. But the sad fact is, by all of this new math - everything will soon be dad rock music.

So dads, go ahead and pop in that Red Hot Chili Peppers CD - or Cassette - and get that dad bod rockin'! And know that your music IS, and always WILL BE, cool!

By the way, interesting, and possibly even ironic:  The kid who made the video is wearing a Metallica shirt.

Now I have to wonder - is there also "Mom Rock"?

Here are some of the bands that are considered to be the top "Dad Rock" bands. Brace yourself dads!

Nickelback is the "bro band" of Dad rock." They claimed the top "dad band" spot on Loudwire's top 10 Dad Rock bands. Nickelback has become a meme, and are made fun of to no end. People love to hate them.But deep down, I think people truly love Nickelback. And nobody can tell me that "How You Remind Me" wasn't a bop!  

Van Halen, to many, will be one of the ultimate, and definitive rock bands of the era, because of Eddie Van Halen, and David Lee Roth. Whether you like the DLR of Sammy version of the band better, it doesn't matter. DLR and EVH defined the sound of Van Halen - you really can't argue that. Now put on your spandex, dad - but maybe go up a size.

Blink-182 is still one of the coolets, and fun bads ever. Pop punk at its finest. Raw and loud vocals, and it just seemed like they were always having fun, which made you feel the same way! 

Limp Bizkit's sound was something different, at the time. It definitely wasn't mainstream. But LB was definitely he beginning of the whole era of rap metal/rock - which we went on to see a lot of. Their live shows were powerful, and they were everywhere, for a while.

Nooooo! You never thought Jon Bon Jovi, with that beautiful flowing hair, would be labeled DAD ROCK! He worked that stage like a true rocker - and still did, the last time I saw him. His documentary "Thank You. Goodnight" is great. It really give you a good look at the work he put in to start the band, and make it the huge success it was - is.