Pixar have long since established themselves as masters of lovingly crafted animated movies in which the audience is instantly drawn into beautifully-realized worlds which offer us a fantasy-tinged reflection of reality. From bringing the contents of the toy box to life in the Toy Story series to taking us into the undergrowth in A Bug's Life, the Pixar universe is a magical place firmly rooted in the recognisable. The opening scene of Up is widely considered to be the best sequence of any Pixar film; a sweet and tender portrayal of the lives of Carl and Ellie, from youthful romance and marriage through to old age and the tear-jerking parting of ways which speaks to the expression "till death us do part". There are no fantastical elements involved, and nor are they necessary - the simplicity of earnest love is more than enough to carry the montage sequence through to its touching conclusion. The bittersweet resolution of their life together is also the most engaging moment in the film - Up, although it's certainly fun and entertaining, never manages to duplicate the emotional resonance it captured so perfectly in the opening few minutes.
