How you feel about The Good Dinosaur probably has a lot to do with how good you thought Inside Out was. That film was no where near as beautifully crafted or as aesthetically striking as this, but its heavier reliance on a more complex story (calling it more original wouldn't be exactly true) seems to be cherished more. You could say that The Good Dinosaur shows some of the scars of its long gestation, particularly in its simplicity and familiarity, but then the lack of a B plot was a conscious decision, and not a compromise of having too many cooks. And if anything, the longer production time allowed for greater technological advances and a more beautiful canvas. Plus, if it wasn't for Inside Out's feels, you would probably have crowned that moment with the little stick families the most devastatingly upsetting moment since Toy Story 3. Anyway, despite the film's showy looks and seeming lack of depth, there are a lot of references, not only to former Pixar and Disney films, but also to wider cinematic culture. Come on, it's Pixar, that should hardly come as a surprise...
22. The Good Dinosaur Foreshadowing
There's always a nod forward to the next Pixar film (expect one or more of the Pet Collector's creatures to turn up in Finding Dory), Inside Out included a cameo by a character from The Good Dinosaur. That honour went to the Pet Collector (otherwise known as Forrest Woodbush and voiced by director Peter Sohn), who appeared in one of Riley's happy memories - minus his passengers. And Arlo also appeared in Monsters University, because The Good Dinosaur was intended to be released after that film... And it of course shouldn't be ignored that the Dinoco logo was also originally an Apatasaur (before being changed to a T-Rex in Cars)...
