You might think that a kid's film wouldn't be able to pull off a dramatic sequence that deals realistically with complex emotional issues. But for our money, the opening montage from Up is as heavy and achingly sad as anything we've seen in films more geared towards adults, tracking the trajectory of Carl and Ellie's relationship from childhood to old age. We see them deal with issues that are all too real for most adults - dreams of a vacation paradise get shunted to the side when the car needs to be repaired, plans for having a family are cruelly destroyed by infertility, and finally, Ellie dies, leaving Carl all alone in the world. It's rare that a film attempts to tackle all of those issues, let alone in the first five minutes. It's an honest look at just how sad and beautiful life really is, and for that reason it leaves most audiences a quivering mass of emotions in right from the get-go.
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
