Up

Yup. Watching Up again confirmed what I expected. I do still have a heart and Up has quite the affinity for tugging at said heart. Obviously everyone will draw attention to the deeply saddening opening five minutes or so but the entire movie continues to prove heart-warming in a uniquely somber way. Carl Fredricksen's (the protagonist) commitment to upheld his promise of moving to Paradise Falls that he made with his deceased wife is what makes the movie so relatable and, therefore, so good. Whether we're old or not, everyone can appreciate the true love that these two share. And that's just the tip of the iceberg of why Up is such a fan favorite.

Really everything is on point. Visually, stunning seems to be the only word that can accurately describe the film. With a floating house, multicolored balloons that reflect light like prisms, and great, rugid landscape, I couldn't look away for fear of missing another moment of Pixar's awesome animation. This much was apparent to me upon my first viewing of Up some 5+ years ago, but upon watching it again, I also gained way more respect for the symbolism in the movie. As Carl speaks to the house, it comes to symbolize his always-present connection to his wife just as the adventure book represents his commitment to her. Additionally, Charles Muntz (Carl's eventual counterpart) offers great insight into how a failure to move on from the past can lead to an unfulfilling life. 

This combination of imagery, symbolism, and message is undoubtably the reason for Up's success. Boasting a box office of $300 million, a well-deserved Oscar, and fantastic ratings, Up truly has become the epitome of what animated film should be.