This four minute section of Pixar’s film UP is one of the most emotional animated scenes I have ever watched! It really touches on the dream to find someone, fall in love, get married, and spend the rest of your life with that person. A lot of people can relate to this dream and therefore are more emotionally connected from the beginning. It begins with their wedding and as an audience you really feel their joy. It then moves to them building a house and enjoying one another’s company. I love that the filmmakers really focused on the little things in their relationship like reading together and holding hands, or having a picnic and looking at the clouds. These small, cute gestures really tugged at my heartstrings! You could just tell through their animation of the two characters that they were very much in love and supported one another through every hardship.
The transitions were also done very well to evoke emotion from the audience. The camera pan from the very bright, colorful, saturated nursery to the dark and dreary hospital really made my heart drop. The way that they transitioned through an entire lifetime so seamlessly is amazing to me. The audience knows exactly what’s going on even though years are going by. I also loved how they transitioned through a large chunk of time through his wife putting on different ties everyday.
Another thing that was extremely strong through this clip was the use of music. Not only did the actual scenes and acting help the audience to know what was going on, but the transitions in the music also evoked emotion. When the music got soft and sad at the end it only made me cry harder. I always commend those who can make a scene completely clear and understandable, even with no dialogue.
I believe this section of the film is incredible because in four minutes the audience already cares so much for both the wife and husband. When the wife passes away, after living such a wonderful life with her husband, you feel like you’ve lost her as well. Even though she is only a 3D animated mesh, the audience has so much emotion invested in her and her husband. This section of film from UP is simply genius!