10. "Thanks for the adventure. Now go have a new one!" - Up
If you ever wanted proof that Pixar movies aren't just "kid's movies," look no further than 2009's
Up. Winning the Oscar for Best Animated Feature and earning a Best Picture nomination, the film is one of the studio's most mature offerings to date. From its opening sequence that no one was really expecting, we could all tell that the themes explored in
Up would be a little heavier than expected from an animated family film. Protagonist Carl Fredricksen had promised his late wife Ellie that they would go to Paradise Falls. As life goes on, small inconveniences pop up that force the couple to break into their savings and ultimately prevent them from making the trip. Determined to not let his dream pass him by, Carl ties helium balloons to his house and intends on flying to Paradise Falls. Of course, the neighborhood kid Russell is along for the ride as well and when they reach Paradise Falls, Russell's objectives change from helping Carl move his house to saving "Kevin," the wild bird he has befriended, from Charles Muntz (who apparently is some kind of ageless wonder). Focused solely on getting his house to the Falls, Carl is against taking any side missions, clashing with Russell and ultimately having a falling out. Retreating back to his house, Carl flips through Ellie's adventure book and for the first time looks past the page labeled "stuff I'm going to do." To Carl's surprise, the next pages are filled with photos from his marriage and the fun Carl and Ellie had when they were together. At the end of the album is a message from Ellie that reads "Thanks for the adventure. Now go have a new one!" If you don't at least tear up during this scene, you have no pulse. At this moment, Carl realizes what's important. He's already given Ellie the adventure of a lifetime. Now he has to help Russell and have a brand new adventure.