It was a really awesome movie- an incredibly simple story, that was nevertheless absolutely universal. With two utterly unlikely characters- proving that it is never either too early or too late to start having your life's adventure.
Unlike most animation movies this didn't depend on a funny cast (thought there were funny moments), but was unabashadly sentimental. Yet, the sentimentality wasn't cloying, maybe because the emotions were things that everyone had experienced- of having a hero, and feeling let down, making a choice- between what you want to do (nothing- you just want it to be none of your business), and making it your business and taking a stand.
I loved the depiction of Carl as an old man. His resistance to change around him, his ties to his possessions, the last remainders of this life with Ellie, his determination to fulfill her dream. I loved the way every expression was etched on his face. How many faces the animators must have studied to get every nuance of every emotion right? There's no best actor that comes close.
It was the small moments - though this is one movie that is all about the small moments- not the climax, which seems almost incidental- that made the movie so brilliant. There was the scene of Carl and Russell walking with the house, Russell whining in a manner that would be familiar to anyone who has ever travelled with kids "Are we almost there..."
There was the scene with dogs playing poker... the frog 'alarm clock'... There were moments of pathos so deftly done- when Carl and Ellie realise they can't have a child, the moments of Ellie's death, Russell's conversation about his father -so natural and unforced, there's no attempt to pretend that this is a fairytale, in a fairytale world- its so set in our world, it become utterly believable that ordinary people can do ectraordinary things
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