Scene Analysis - Up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsG2S_1PRnk

Okay, so this is my first time doing this, so don't go to hard on me. Before I begin I have to make a few things clear. This should probably go without saying, but in almost all of the scenes I break down there will be spoilers, many times major. So if you have not seen the film and wish to not be spoiled, don't read or watch! Now, I am not exactly sure the best way for me to go about this, but I think I will begin by describing the scene as well as key plot elements that heavily involve it, then explain why I think it's amazing. Basically, I am reviewing not a movie, but a scene in a movie. Fun, huh?

Just after his house caught on fire and he sent Dug away, Carl, back to his terribly grouchy ways, heads inside to pick up what is left of his home. He finds Ellie's scrapbook, and begins to go through it until he sees the "Stuff i'm going to do" section. Immediately Carl is overwhelmed by his sadness of her death, and the guilt he still feels for never being able to give Ellie her one and only dream. He starts to shut the book, and while doing so notices something he had not ever noticed before; a picture on the next page. Turning the pages with shock on his face, he for the first time realizes that instead of spending her life wondering what could have been, Ellie spent it on her time with Carl. The "Stuff i'm going to do" section, which was supposedly saved up entirely for their adventures at Paradise Falls, was actually filled with Carl and Ellie's most precious moments in their life together. The last picture in the book was a note to Carl, reading the touching words, "Thanks for all of the adventures, now go have a new one! - Ellie".

Well, as you can see my love for the film might be a bit uncommon, as I will tell anyone anywhere that Up is not only an underrated movie, but also the best animated film of all time. And what exactly is it that brings this film together so beautifully? This scene. When attempting to make a meaningful drama, character development is everything, especially in an animated film, as it is harder to relate to adults. This wonderful scene shows viewers and film makers alike just exactly how much character development can change a film completely. It's a shame really, because some people absolutely cannot see Up for what it was intended to be. The premise is just to stupid for some teens, and obviously some teens are just too stupid to look at the heart of a film, not just the outside.

Anyway, I would compare Carl Fredrickson's character to a lighter (and nicer) Grinch or Scrooge. After getting to know Russell he begins to soften up again as a person, but the death of Ellie is nearly too much for him to carry on it would seem. And that is why I would rank this in my top 5 favorite scenes of an animated film. Like Grinch and Scrooge, they have that one unforgettable moment when they finally understand what is wrong with their life, and why they just seem to hate the world and everyone in it. This scene, my friends, is that perfect moment for Carl Fredrickson, and I love it.

Clearly I have a ton of work to do, and yes I am aware that my breaking down this scene was not very descriptive, and I will only work at making it better from here on out. Thanks everyone who reads, it means so much!