The "Incredibles 2" roared into theaters last week and with it came Pixar content and articles from all over the web. I myself even became involved in a highly contested Pixar ranking bracket. All of this made me think back to the different moments from Pixar that made my emotions get the best of me and I narrowed it down to this top five.
1. The opening sequence in "Up"
My word, what a jarring way to start a movie. You bought your ticket to see a house attached to balloons fly away and were immediately punched in the face with a failed pregnancy, financial woes, the loss of your dreams, and the death of a loved one. It's a gut-wrenchingly beautiful sequence that packs the emotions usually displayed over an entire film. If I payed to go see "Up" and it cut to black after those 4 minutes, the emotional journey would have been worth the price of admission.
2. When Andy gives up Woody in "Toy Story 3"
It's scientifically proven that no movie makes grown men cry quite like "Toy Story 3." The tears begin to well when Andy starts talking about how special Woody is. The feeling escalates as you feel the satisfaction and joy of the toys being played with one more time. By the time Andy drives away and says, "thanks guys," you have gone through half a box of tissues and are thinking about everything you have given up since childhood. Thanks, Pixar!
3. When Bing Bong sacrifices himself in "Inside Out"
Speaking of leaving childhood things behind, here's Bing Bong. We knew that Pixar making a movie involving sadness was going to produce tears. We didn't know it would hurt this bad. Bing Bong sacrifice shows a pure love that puts others above himself. "Take her to the moon for me," he says. I can't, I'm to busy balling my eyes out!
4. When Jessie's owner forgets about her in "Toy Story 2"
Pixar is already good at making people cry, they didn't have to throw in a Sarah Mclachlan song. This devastating anthem paints the picture of what it's like to be left behind by someone you love and makes us feel regret for all that we have left behind in our lives. No franchise has ever made us feel the combination of childlike joy and nostalgic sadness for the past quite like "Toy Story."
5. When Sulley scares Boo in "Monsters Inc."
It's not the ending to "Monsters Inc." that is the most emotional but this scene where we cry right along with sweet Boo. This is a moment that tears apart a touching friendship and causes Sulley to rethink his entire life's work. Seeing Boo realize Sulley as the scary monster he pretends to be instead of the caring one that he is truly breaks the viewer's heart.
6. Honorable Mention: The furnace scene in "Toy Story 3"
Screw it, the "Toy Story" franchise is cinema's greatest achievement in waterworks so I couldn't help but include this scene. The first time you say "Toy Story 3" and experience those excruciating moments where you thought they might actually all die made you sob just as much as the ending of the movie. I never thought the eyes of an animated character could reach the same level of emotion as a human actor but eyes of these toys when they accept death tell you everything you need to know, no dialogue needed. Now that this article is over I am going to go lift weights and talk about football to try and forget any of this happened.
