9 Disney Movies With Upsetting And Dark Moments
4. The Toys Are Nearly Melted In An Incinerator - Toy Story 3
Another Pixar entry, and if you've seen Toy Story 3, you know exactly why the incinerator scene at the end of the movie is so emotional. After adjusting to the new environment of the pre-school the toys are donated to and dealing with Lotso, the big obnoxious purple bear, Toy Story 3 throws us for a loop by sending the toys into an incinerator.
It's a true testament to the character arcs that we've grown up alongside that the prospect of these characters' dying was so emotional. Letting the characters scrabble against the flow of rubbish only to solemnly give in and hold hands is far more powerful visual storytelling than any dialogue could have been, as the close-ups on their outstretched arms represent their strong bonds.
Pixar have mastered the concept of bringing toys to life and letting us hear their thoughts, for at this moment we see their personalities and how much they care about one another. As Buzz, Woody, Jessie and the rest of the gang find themselves staring down the possibility of incineration, we see them brace one another in the face of certain doom. Toy Story 3's ending is therefore a shocking, but fascinating way to broach the topic of death parenthetically.