Therapist Reacts to UP and Grief

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How do you find happiness and purpose in life after loss?
Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright are both crying because they’re reacting to Pixar’s Up. They talk about Carl’s reluctance to move on and find a new life without Ellie, and they cry watching the montage about their life. They talk about Pixar’s perfect screenplay and physical comedy, and they cry about that. They discuss how life can continue after loss, finding new joys and purpose, and Jonathan almost leaves and lets Alan do the show by himself because Up is his kryptonite.. Oh, and Michael Giacchino’s heart-wrenching score makes them cry too.
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Written by: Megan Seawright, Jonathan Decker, and Alan Seawright
Produced by: Jonathan Decker, Megan Seawright, Alan Seawright, and Corinne Demyanovich
Edited by: Trevor Horton, tzhediting.com
Director of Photography: Bradley Olsen
English Transcription by: Anna Preis
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[@joelgilmore3084]

I like the fact that the main thing he had to do to get Ellie’s message is “turn the page” which is like moving on, when he was just stuck on that one page he was stuck in his grief

[@SieMiezekatze]

Really poetic ..........and ....wait why I am crying

[@fabiofebres2031]

​@@SieMiezekatze not the only one

[@caitlinmariah2067]

Dammit Joel, I already stopped crying.

[@tiananesbitt7156]

At last a classic! 😭

[@kirstedock77]

Cross your heart…Russel’s heart is where he is missing his Assisting the Elderly Badge. This movie is perfect in the way so few are.

[@MrChannelforwatching]

You guys didn’t mention it, so I wanted to point out: At 18:44 when it shows a closeup of the missing badge, that gap is actually located directly on top of his heart. It’s meant to show that hole in his heart due to his detached relationship with his father. The reason why he wants that badge so much is because he feels that if he gets that last badge, he’ll rekindle his relationship with his father, and fill that gaping hole in his heart. By the end of the film, that gap is filled by Carl giving him the Ellie badge. In the end, Russel’s heart is fulfilled. It’s extremely clever character design and symbolism.

[@qwertydavid8070]

yooo that's exactly what I thought too, glad I'm not the only one who saw that symbolism. UP is such a masterclass in storytelling, it's one of the smartest and most beautiful movies that I've ever watched, and pretty much anyone from any age can watch it and understand the message.

[@Sean-ne3gx]

Not only that, but it is filled not with what he was actually looking for but with Carl sharing what was the most treasured part of his own heart for most of his life. Which is another message, Carl wanted to do this on his own because it was his and Ellie's thing, but in the movie he is forced to share it with this kid, a bird and a dog. By the climax, not only does he achieve the goal, but he found more reason to live on and continue the adventure and he helped the other characters to find a better and more fulfilling way to live their own lives. Another note: you could read the souring of the villain's relationship with them being his refusal to share his big adventure and search for meaning with anyone else. Alan's right, such a tight and well written story.

[@95zrealme37]

Undergrad research on this movie would be so hard but soul-fulfilling

[@Narra0002]

It really is. Damn, Pixar is good ❤

[@Narra0002]

@@Sean-ne3gx true

[@richielavery2446]

The bit where Russell says “we’ll I have to help you cross SONETHING”. And one of the main recurring themes is Carl crossing his heart/keeping a promise. That bit always gets me.

[@c.h.9223]

Yes, in the end Russell helps Carl crossing "something", He makes Carl cross his heart for a brand new promise. Love it too.

[@princeelijahthegreat9265]

the whale

[@taylorskie4739]

I like that! I also saw it as Russell helping Carl cross through his grief, to the other side of that obstacle

[@609lani]

I believe in a dark theory is that Russell helps Carl cross over to the other side 😅

[@rethaf4387]

And, in getting to Paradise falls, he helps him cross an ocean.

[@Boonehams]

I saw this in theaters and when the screen went black at 6:13, the silence was shattered by the sound of a little girl in the front row saying, "Where did she go, mommy?" All of sudden, I could feel EVERY adult in that audience cringe, and several audible gasps were heard, along with a few saying, "Oh no."

[@TheAngryMoth104]

That's such a fucked situation i wish to never have to be in, that being said if i wasnt already crying i think id have cracked laughing

[@breez3656]

Well, thank you, random user, now I'm gonna cry my eyes out! But seriously, I would absolutely lose it in this situation. The innocence of the question after this gut-wretching scene is just... brutal.

[@justsomeaeroacefurry3479]

​@@breez3656 I would bawl my eyes out.

[@sucktitles]

The mom: "She ded lol"

[@helenajournals]

"that might sound boring, but I think the boring stuff is the stuff I remember the most" is the most insane heart wrenching line ever written for an animated movie. WHO WROTE THAT!!!

[@Justanotherconsumer]

I felt this a bit yesterday. Quiet Sunday afternoon, kids playing in the living room listening to Holst’s Jupiter (or, the music for Bingo’s egg as our daughter puts it - if Bluey makes her a classical music fan I will not complain), cooking using the last of the turkey stock from Thanksgiving while my wife took a nap. Nothing special, supposedly, but still special - a moment of happy peace and comfort. As someone that’s had some pretty serious medical issues and is more than aware of how much misery there is in the world, it’s a moment I do not take for granted.

[@__-fm5qv]

And honestly its so true, my favourite memories of my Gran aren't the big things. It's baking in the kitchen, having "picnic in the car" at the seaside, cutting her damn hedge because she couldn't do it in her old age. It's her opening the front door with arms wide and a smile on her face and the smell of dinner in the oven. Everyday normal things, made so much better because she was there.

[@Techydad]

​@@__-fm5qv And it's amazing how often your "it's bad at the time" memories become the treasured ones. My grandfather would take me to my bowling league and then give the opposing league pointers when I wouldn't listen to him. I hated that at the time but look back on it fondly. He also painted me a clown painting. The eyes would follow you wherever you went. My parents didn't blame me for not wanting to hang it up as I was afraid that the clown would leap out and grab me. We'd only hang it up when my grandparents came to visit. Now, I treasure that painting. (Even though my wife refuses to let me hang it up because it freaks her out too.)

[@yvonneweiohara399]

It is sad!! I remember after my dad passed, my mom said that the one thing she missed was just making coffee for him every morning. It broke my heart.

[@helenajournals]

@@Justanotherconsumer i was the same way with early exposure to classical music from tv and movies, can tell you from experience that she will be a fan later on! 🫶

[@trinaq]

I liked the little touch of Carl referring to his house as Ellie, basically giving the house his late wife's personality. When Muntz dies by getting his foot caught in the balloons, it can be inferred as Ellie saving her husband.

[@YourFunkiness]

No, I think it's something more like he believes a piece of his wife's soul is still in the house, or as he touches it, he remembers her.

[@robrobusa]

I think he just talks to her when he looks at the house - not like he calls the house Ellie.

[@luckybug479]

It’s interesting to see how people interpret it differently. That’s the beauty of symbolism. I really like all the ways people have seen it here. 😊

[@remyhavoc4463]

Meanwhile, Monster House:

[@YourFunkiness]

Whatever the case, it's clear the house represents his last remaining connection to Ellie.

[@noakai]

I like that ending montage because it kind of shows that just because Ellie didn't have the big adventure she had talked about in Paradise Falls, she didn't feel like she missed out on anything. Her adventure was the life she found with Carl and she was happy. He felt so guilty that she didn't get to go and do that but for her, it wasn't this huge great loss that she didn't, and him seeing that their life together WAS her adventure and she was grateful I think probably did a lot to help him let go of any guilt he felt for "failing" to give her the life she wanted. She had the life she wanted, all the way up to the end.

[@ncz7]

.

[@miles7224]

I love that message that they show at the end, and I love how they show it, instead of cramming it down the audience's throat. Another beautiful example of that visual storytelling is actually in the opening montage. In one scene, Ellie and Carl are dancing in their living room and the Paradise Falls jar is tucked away. Without obviously telling the audience, they deliver that message. That Ellie doesn't need a big adventure at Paradise Falls, she has all the adventure she needs right there. Damn you, Pixar, you've done it again

[@NotWhatIamMadeFor]

I am going to show my age when I say this but, your comment makes me think of the second My Girl movie. Vada sets out to find out - for a school assignment what her mother's greatest accomplishment was. She goes on a whole journey to find out about the mother she never knew and she learned that her mom made mistakes and didn't always do the right things and she dealt with, i think addiction and stuff and we see Vada come back to school after the break and when she is asked to present her findings she tells the class that she is her mothers greatest accomplishment.

[@TheFangirlOtaku]

It makes the scene in the beginning montage where they either miscarry or find out they won't be able to have kids and Ellie is just in the backyard thinking even more impactful. If there was any adventure Ellie felt like she missed out on it was probably raising a kid with Carl. Now he's living out that dream for her vicariously by being a father figure to Russell.

[@SarahVillacarillo]

literally was going to comment that! sometimes your life perspective changes when you meet someone that changes it for you, and life becomes a more fulfilling adventure than you could ever imagine for yourself

[@Farbautisonn]

As a widower, I can easily say that the 5-8 minutes in the intro is about as epic as it gets. It nails everything, and whoever wrote that, should get an oscar. I only got seven years with my wife. But every single minute of those seven years was a lifetime of bliss. But with the greatest love, comes the greatest grief. It does not only cripple you. It burns you down to a cinder.

[@jeanthepants7905]

❤❤

[@Goldbonds]

She's watching down on you from Heaven, stay strong king

[@yeahboy6807]

"To grieve deeply is to have loved fully." God of War: Ragnarok

[@Theomite]

Only 7 years? Not an equitable trade.

[@xweert711]

I'm so, so sorry for your loss. I'm so glad you had such a beautiful love with your wife, and I hope that, wherever you are, you're okay.

[@maliaestrada5238]

I love how Russell's line of "its the boring stuff I remember the most" mirrors Carl and Ellie's life together. Most the their memories and pictures are of simple things like cleaning their house or driving or going to work but that's what made up their life

[@Call_Upon_YAH]

Jesus Christ is the propitiation for the whole world's sins. They that believeth and are baptized (with the Holy Spirit) shall be saved; but they that believeth not shall be damned. Those led by the Holy Spirit do not abide in wickedness. *God is ONE manifesting himself as THREE;* the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit! Bless him! *For these three are one.* As I am led by the Holy Spirit, nothing I state is a lie, but the truth of God. Anyone who tells you differently is misinformed or a liar. They do not know God, nor led by him. Anyone who *claims* to be a Christian and is against what I am doing, and where I am doing it; the Holy Spirit does not dwell within them, they lack understanding. They know not God, read his word, and their religion is in vain. Do not hear them, they will mislead you, the lost cannot guide the lost.

[@Call_Upon_YAH]

Another truth many have been deceived of: When you trust in God and cast your cares (worries, anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts) upon him, they will be NO MORE! Know that there is power in the name Jesus Christ! His name casts out demons and heals! The world is wicked, evil, and of the devil. I too, was a wicked sinner of the world before I opened my heart to God. I am living proof of God's work and fruitfulness! He is an active God who hears the prayers of his! God's children are set apart (holy) and righteous. The devil is a liar that comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy; that includes your relationship with God. Open your heart to God, repent of your sins (he will forgive you), and let him direct your path. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands and purify your heart, lest you walk with the devil and follow him to hell.

[@CIoudStriker]

@@Call_Upon_YAH Cool. Nobody asked.

[@thethirdtime9168]

@@CIoudStriker Honestly I reported them for spam lol - It's got zero to do with the video and all to do with pressuring stuff over people's heads, just like spam does

[@kaceyempey5853]

It's so true. I just lost my Dad to cancer and it's the little things I miss most.

[@karofauske]

One detail that broke me was Ellie did all his ties for him and when she's in the hospital bed she touches his face and then his bow tie that he did himself, it's like she's saying "See? You'll be okay"

[@stargirl9114]

Ow… It’s okay, I didn’t need my heart today. 😭

[@Call_Upon_YAH]

Jesus Christ is the propitiation for the whole world's sins. They that believeth and are baptized (with the Holy Spirit) shall be saved; but they that believeth not shall be damned. Those led by the Holy Spirit do not abide in wickedness. 👍🏾 *God is ONE manifesting himself as THREE;* the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit! Bless him! *For these three are one.* As I am led by the Holy Spirit, nothing I state is a lie, but the truth of God. Anyone who tells you differently is misinformed or a liar. They do not know God, nor led by him. Anyone who *claims* to be a Christian and is against what I am doing, and where I am doing it; the Holy Spirit does not dwell within them, they lack understanding. They know not God, read his word, and their religion is in vain. Do not hear them, they will mislead you, the lost cannot guide the lost.

[@Call_Upon_YAH]

Another truth many have been deceived of: When you trust in God and cast your cares (worries, anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts) upon him, they will be NO MORE! Know that there is power in the name Jesus Christ! His name casts out demons and heals! The world is wicked, evil, and of the devil. I too, was a wicked sinner of the world before I opened my heart to God. I am living proof of God's work and fruitfulness! He is an active God who hears the prayers of his! God's children are set apart (holy) and righteous. The devil is a liar that comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy; that includes your relationship with God! Open your heart to God, repent of your sins (he will forgive you), and let him direct your path. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands and purify your heart, lest you walk with the devil and follow him to hell.

[@fabulous7ssbu]

Not on the topic of this video but i wanna recomend reacting to a netflix series called raising dion! I think it has some very good representation of famillial bonds and how to raise a child. A lot of it, especially in the second season, hit really close to home for me and i think it may for the two of you aswell. Give it a shot!

[@karofauske]

@@Call_Upon_YAH Good for you. I hope you have a nice day.

[@_whoisannie]

giacchino actually didn't change to minor key in the moments you thought he did. he rarely even changes the key at all, in the opening it changes for a bit in the middle of it, but then it comes back to where it started, just a lot slower and with less instruments. at the end, when karl is looking through the album, it's the same theme, just a bit higher. which honestly makes it even more impressive, he didn't have to change to minor which is usually the choice (and it mostly works), he gave us the emotional change through tempo change and instrument choices!! it's really brilliant.

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

Boom! Giacchino'd.

[@chrismoule7242]

This.

[@TayTazer1]

I like to think that Ellie put together the rest of the "Stuff I'm Going To Do" section while in the hospital, knowing she had no more time. As part of her acceptance of death, she came to the realization her life was meaningful, because she spent it with Carl. She just didn't have time to tell Carl how much it meant to her... so she put it in the book, knowing he would someday look through it, and realize it too. Joy in the mundane is an important part of life, and I hope one day I can look back on it as wonderful, just like Ellie did.

[@NotWhatIamMadeFor]

Yeah, thats how I thought of her doing it too. Because, the book would have been around for years during Ellie's life. It would have been very odd for Carl never to have seen Ellie putting pictures in there. However, one of the life stages you learn about in dealing with people is that when a person comes to the end of their life, they start to evaluate it and if they are happy with the life they lead, growing older or even even knowing that they are dying is easier because they are happy with who they are and what they accomplished. I like to think that Ellie was evaluating her life and thinking that she lived a good life and that Carl was her world. He was her adventure all along! As for Carl, Ellie knew him better than anyone. She knew that he would keep the book.She also knew that opening the book up again wouldn't be something Carl would be able to do right away. It would be too painful. Ellie theoretically didnt even tell Carl she completed the book with the adventure of their life together because of this. She knew that he was going to have to take time to accept her death and that when he was ready he would finally open the book and Ellie knew that when he got to that point it would be good and healthy for him - and he would be ready to have a new adventure. That is true love!

[@QuillWorks]

Adding in here 10 months late that you can actually see the scissors and tape on the side table next to her in the hospital so your theory is all but confirmed!

[@Ride_XP]

@@QuillWorks oh my god, you're right! I've seen this a thousand times and never noticed that.

[@pdruiz2005]

There’s a strand of Buddhism that teaches that joy in the mundane IS the meaning of life. I believe the Greek Stoics believed the same thing.

[@annelieschulze3945]

I attended a talk with the screenwriter of UP and he said that ending scene where Carl flipped through the picture book is inspired by his own dying father. He had Alzheimer’s and didn’t talk anymore but when he looked through his old picture books he would tear up and smile… makes the scene even more heart wrenching

[@carries8052]

Oh great as if it wasn't gut wrenching enough - now that's there in my mind! 😭

[@shinrin-yoku3877]

❤️😭😭❤️

[@dianedemarco370]

😢

[@BenjaminDolphin]

As someone who works daily with people with Alzheimer's, I'm bawling now. This is so beautiful ♥💔😭

[@udilschik]

@@BenjaminDolphin, do you perform some kind of mental gymnastics to detach yourself emotionally from the situation of your patients? Or does it come naturally? If not, how do you sustain yourself mentally, working there?

[@bambicrandi]

There is a guilt in Carl having an adventure without Ellie. Almost like a survivor’s guilt. When my brother died, I questioned every time I laughed or giggled. There was a guilt there, because you keep thinking that person isn’t there to laugh so why should you deserve to laugh? When he accepts that she’s gone and she wouldn’t want him to be sad was the best part of the film for me. Edit: I want to add, it took many years for me to grow some acceptance…and it is still hard to think about sometimes even after 13 years. Good luck on your grieving journey, don’t give up. I needed therapy for a long time until it became a little bit easier.

[@thexavier666]

I lost my elder brother 14 years ago but I clearly remember this exact emotion. I never wanted to be in any sort of limelight or photos. If I ever enjoyed anything, I always wished my brother was there just to experience it.

[@TheRibottoStudios]

that was me but when Robin Williams died via.....how to say in a youtube comment friendly way....unsuscribed from life. I just SPIRALED for about 24 hours questioning everything, since i had also been going through depression. Why was I still here, why was I alive and he wasn't, it's just a weird sense of survivor's guilt that I am glad I kinda got over. But every once in a while, around August....man. I just wish that man was still here.

[@wild4934]

That was how I felt when my favorite youtuber died. I thought that by smiling laughing and having fun it would be disrespectful to his memory. Then I watched some of his older videos and I realized "he would mock me for thinking like this" his name was technoblade for anyone curious

[@Firegen1]

I think you just nailed what Jonathan mentioned. I'm so sorry for your loss and everyone's above me. I think the second part only makes sense to those who have moved along a little in their grief journey. Which sadly means it maybe didn't hit as broadly as it could of but for those who have found a way to keep the memories in their hearts but also the knowledge that their loved one would never want them to mourn in shame or regret, I think that speaks to that. The people who truly love us would only ever want us to be happy and continue with life as best as we feel capable.

[@nightstar4483]

Oh I feel you it’s a lot less close for me since it was for the recent passing of technoblade I still feel very guilty to have anything connected to Minecraft and been very disconnected from it without paying attention I could watch the on going stories on theire and for a while unsubbed and tried to run away from anything related to Minecraft because I felt like if he lost his passion why am I aloud to touch and interact at basically his life.. Like I said lot less personal but I still feel the guilt :(

[@ashd2179]

I honestly think the part with the mailbox where he messes up with the handprint and she makes one herself says a lot about their marriage and the love they have for one another. Gives me chills everytime!!!

[@Overseer2579]

Yeah, like they each don’t care if the other isn’t perfect. They still love each other ❤

[@ashd2179]

@@Overseer2579 exactly! That I true love right there seeing the beauty in each other flaws 🥰 it’s helps when your in love with your best friend

[@deliciamurugan2626]

it’s the small stuff.. the seemingly simple stuff we end up cherishing in the end

[@emilythecrazedanimefan3664]

Over the years I've realized that there are a lot of parallels between Russell and Ellie as a child. Not only are both recklessly adventurous and goofy to a fault, but I personally feel like Ellie was also a lonely child who was more than a bit attention starved. We don't know anything about what her home life was like, or if she had any friends outside of Carl, but the fact that she was shown playing in an abandoned house and sneaking out to visit Carl speaks volumes to me. It's really one of the beautiful elements of this friendship, not only does it give Russell the positive male role model he needed, but it was the catalyst that ultimately led to Carl moving on from mourning Ellie.

[@isphus]

And nobody went to her funeral. If anything that goes to show that not only did Carl only have Ellie, but Ellie only had Carl.

[@chelmin88]

i actually love the ending scene because so often we focused on what was missed out. we forget what we had. ellie reminding carl that their life was an adventure in of itself was not only comforting, it was reminding him that life need not be this grand adventure. he was her adventure :)

[@MaryKat2]

This comment right here made me cry ngl .He was Her Adventure 😭💗💗

[@painstakeranimations9253]

Oh man that gets you :')

[@justalittleturtle5600]

Ellie never got the adventure she wanted as a kid (paradise falls), but she got something even better. Her life with Carl, which was a whole adventure in itself. I always believed that was what she intended to tell him with the scrapbook, and I’m glad others think the same. It’s such a beautiful statement. We may never get that grand life we imagined for ourselves as kids, but like Ellie, we shouldn’t let that stop us from enjoying the beautiful life ahead of us.

[@jazzinikki01]

Awww ❤😭

[@t.v.rockwell4504]

What I liked about the intro was that we never see Ellie seem sad about not going to Paradise Falls. She was just happy to be with Carl, except for the tragedies of life, but they got through it.

[@KdeeBUBBLES444]

I like the idea that maybe part of the reason Carl never found Ellies message in the adventure book until much later is because he was afraid to turn the page and find it empty (not just that he assumed there was nothing there), symbolic of a lot of his feelings while grieving, but also mainly symbolic of his fear of moving on without her and finding nothing else waiting for him in life.

[@Narra0002]

So true

[@anthonydelfino6171]

Exactly. It was too painful for him to think about turning that page and see it empty. That's why he never saw it until so long after her passing. He didn't want a reminder that he let her down, when in reality it was exactly the opposite.

[@kowai03]

It is also difficult for some bereaved people to look at photos/videos/reminders of their lost loved one and can take time to build the courage.

[@tiagopesce]

my exact same opinion

[@mevb]

In 2008, I lost my first girlfriend and partner (while the autopsy couldn't determine the cause of death, my theory is she had a seizure, since she was epileptic, she collapsed because of it and hit her head on the floor, as I found her unconcious in the bathroom of our home, making her brain collapse), we were together for nearly two years and lived together about one and a half years and I loved her so much, at first I couldn't live without her. My parents convinced me not to end my life to join her, living with them for a couple of days and then we traveled to their apartment in Torrevieja, Spain, to get away for awhile. After her funeral, I did recover from the loss and moved on, though til this day I still miss her and ponder upon how life would have been if she was still alive (which surely would have been different). Having experienced loss of my lover, I relate to Carl and his loss of Ellie.

[@FunNFury]

I hope you are doing well. I know it can be really hard to miss someone.

[@momochanjones7302]

Can I give you a virtual hug?

[@thelastwish558]

😭

[@beeswarmgamer69coolmother43]

I am sorry for your loss

[@dakilangraikage9988]

I think I can relate to you, recently my bf passed it hasn't been a month since his passing and everything just feels so hard right now. I attempted but failed. He is my everything to me, he meant a whole lot to me, I can't see my life without him. We have been together for three years and dating for four, we have known each other for eight years. Its been a real struggle since his passing, we planned on getting married but because of his sudden passing we couldn't. My heart goes to yours

[@slantedglasses7242]

I remember how my dad beat himself to literal death to be able to afford the lifestyle he thought I needed, while I kept remembering the tiny sandwich lunch he made for me one day after school. We ate it in a park, like a small spontaneous picnic. I don't even remember the jam he used for the sandwich. The boring stuff I remember the most.

[@candidawojcik6356]

I had always felt that Ellie's message was telling Carl that he didn't have to worry about not completing her childhood adventure with her because their life together was her adventure and he should start a new one without guilt. It reminded me of when my grandmother passed away and I found out that she slept with pictures of all of us grandchildren under her pillow every night.

[@someguyontheinternet604]

That last bit has me tearing up, I can't lie about that.

[@VickiLovesDoctorWho]

A full on sob escaped out of me when I read the last sentence 😭 That must of been a huge comfort to you to know she loved you so much 💗

[@Call_Upon_YAH]

Jesus Christ is the propitiation for the whole world's sins. They that believeth and are baptized (with the Holy Spirit) shall be saved; but they that believeth not shall be damned. Those led by the Holy Spirit do not abide in wickedness. *God is ONE manifesting himself as THREE;* the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit! Bless him! *For these three are one.* As I am led by the Holy Spirit, nothing I state is a lie, but the truth of God. Anyone who tells you differently is misinformed or a liar. They do not know God, nor led by him. Anyone who *claims* to be a Christian and is against what I am doing, and where I am doing it; the Holy Spirit does not dwell within them, they lack understanding. They know not God, read his word, and their religion is in vain. Do not hear them, they will mislead you, the lost cannot guide the lost.

[@Call_Upon_YAH]

Another truth many have been deceived of: When you trust in God and cast your cares (worries, anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts) upon him, they will be NO MORE! Know that there is power in the name Jesus Christ! His name casts out demons and heals! The world is wicked, evil, and of the devil. I too, was a wicked sinner of the world before I opened my heart to God. I am living proof of God's work and fruitfulness! He is an active God who hears the prayers of his! God's children are set apart (holy) and righteous. The devil is a liar that comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy; that includes your relationship with God. Open your heart to God, repent of your sins (he will forgive you), and let him direct your path. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands and purify your heart, lest you walk with the devil and follow him to hell.

[@patwolfe6558]

@@Call_Upon_YAH Look, I love Jesus with my whole heart but this isn't the place and doesn't honor Him.

[@KittyPieVibes]

One thing I noticed recently is that Russell is like the child Ellie and Carl couldn’t have. He loves the outdoors and exploring and is very crafty, they would’ve loved him

[@msk-qp6fn]

stwapp now im crying more 😭

[@alexmartinez5859]

Fuck that’s not fair, man!

[@HaifaaAmni]

26:42 the fact that even all these years after her death, Ellie still saved Carl. Which is quite literally how their relationship started

[@kryw10]

I like the way opening montage humanizes Carl. There is so much ageism in film and (sometimes justified) anger toward our elders right now. Carl is a person, he was a child, he has a story. The opening montage serves the purpose of making him relatable. I love it.

[@_elle]

Something I like to point out from the very beginning is the bedside table in the hospital room. The tape and markers. Ellie's finished scrapbooking the parts of the Adventure Book that Carl sees in the end. It's not a huge detail, but it's enough to foreshadow what he'll find in the book later. I like to think it's overlooked because everyone's eyes are too blurry with tears to see anything in that scene lol

[@NatalieValentina6]

Yep. The 1st time I noticed the tape dispenser, I thought it was a strange thing to have on a patient's bedside table...then I realized it was her adding to her scrapbook. This movie is just a masterpiece.

[@danthomassolo]

Wow, I never noticed that before. Had to go back and see for myself. Great spot! I agree, this movie is an absolute masterpiece.

[@generalcodsworth4417]

I'd like to imagine that the nursing staff helped get her everything without Carl knowing for sure. If he had just opened the book instead of feeling like his gaze would taint Ellie's memory, things would've turned out differently for him. But of course, Russell was able to save Carl from himself, and Carl was able to help Russell in return.

[@svenmorgenstern9506]

Oh, I noticed...and, something only a CNA would catch - no toe pleats on Ellie's covers. I may be the only person in North America to catch that - good thing I did, because the alternative would've been a 72 hour involuntary psych hold. Yeah, "Up" hit pretty hard. 😭

[@smashley5687]

“If you’ve gotten to a place where you don’t need anybody anymore, that might be true, but there are still people who need you.” Damn. That was a brick to the face.

[@queenluciefer]

Yeah, that hit me super hard too, definitely made me tear up all over again (bc let's be real, I teared up multiple times during this video 😭)

[@christopheryoung5212]

I wanted to comment just to highlight this quote. Very uplifting.

[@lolahernandez6871]

I'd say a few bricks in one shot!

[@rosereddened]

I love that shot of Ellie's chair, missing Ellie, with Russell's sash, missing its badge. This film is so rich with visual symbolism, which ideally all films would be but this one just consistently nails it. It's like the dialogue. They never miss a chance to drive home the themes.

[@AlexReTard.]

I don't know about you guys, but for me that scene at 27:00 always makes my eyes go waterfall. The "Helping elderly" badge wasn't even the point, but Ellie badge, something Karl was keeping with him for years, yet he agrees to move on, to bestow his highest honor with something so priceless to him.

[@Theomite]

The Ellie Badge was the embodiment of all her honor and respect she felt for a person. It may just be a bottlecap, but when given a proper designation, it was a sort of vessel for everything she valued. That's why it's a huge honor.

[@puppydoggylover]

“What is grief if not love persevering” ever since wandavision came out with this line, its helped me understand grief so much more

[@generalcodsworth4417]

As these two have said before, pain is the price we pay for love. To experience love, pain is inevitable. But to evade love to prevent the pain is to be empty, which will be so much worse. We need connection.

[@madeleineallen7758]

Reminds me of this line from HTTYD: The Hidden World: "With love comes loss, son. It's part of the deal. There is no greater gift than love." Such a great and emotional quote.

[@lolzguyl]

@@madeleineallen7758 "But in the end, it's all worth it." Words to live by.

[@slimmccoy8863]

"Callahan's Law: Shared pain is lessened; shared joy, increased-thus do we refute entropy." - Spider Robinson Have always loved that quote. Carl and Russel have found a way to share both.

[@doroma6920]

I love that Elli was always the one that wanted the big adventure out there and she got the little times, the adventure of everyday life. And Carl only wanted the everyday life and got the (very, very) big adventure and that was exactly what each of them needed. Beautiful!

[@Jalu3]

24:54 it was great that Ellie left a message for Carl to continue to live. When death is sudden, or unexpected, a loved one does not always leave such a message. And those who remain behind in this mortal life, are left without the loved one in their life; without such a clear message that it's OK to continue to live a life after they have left. The pain of grief, of loss, is real. Comfort those who are going through their journey. Some journeys are longer than others.

[@unterdessen8822]

There's a short novel by Leo Perutz called "The Cossack and the Nightingale" with a similar concept. It plays in the 1920s, shortly after the Bolshevik revolution in Russia and is about an aristocratic couple, who had to flee from there. The wife adapts to her new life of just being an ordinary citizen in Western Europe and works as a singer. Before the story started, she broke up with her husband over a case of infidelity (on his side) and at first he isn't really in the story - but he interferes with her trying to find a new relationship. All of her love interests suddenly vanish (and it's because her husband kidnaps them or does something to them) and she knows that it's him doing this, which makes her quite paranoid. And his schemes get more outrageous over time. At one point she is convinced, that he must have bribed the king of Spain to prevent her from dating a new man. SPOILERS from here on In reality, Count Ogolenski (the husband) is on a mission: He's part of a Tsarist group, that rescued one of the Tsar's daughters (I'm not going to say which, but it's not the one you think of right now), got her out of Russia and hid her in the Netherlands. They're trying to get the crown jewels to her, because they're planning to install her as the new empress to combat the Bolshevik takeover. The count's main job is to bring the actual crown to her. He's ready to let his marriage crash and burn over this, because it's more important to him to save his motherland, but he still cares so much for his wife, that he takes precautions to keep her out of the plot and prevent her from finding a new man. Because in the end he hopes, that he will be able to save both his country and his marriage. To get his wife out of harm's way he pretended to have an affair (which he didn't) and agreed to a separation. But he keeps an eye on her, either personally or through his agents, and tries to discourage or remove every man she shows interest in, while at the same time managing his political activities. This costs him all of the money he was able to put away... so when his wife starts retaliating and attacks his stocks, that doesn't hurt him, because he sold those long ago to finance his mission. She can't bankrupt him at this point, because he has nothing to his name anymore. Late in the story she learns what he has done, and that he was never unfaithful and only pushed her away to protect her (so if he became a target, she wouldn't be associated with him), and that does save their marriage (aka the thing he was willing to give up for the greater good). On the other hand, the thing he wasn't willing to give up - Russia and its new empress - is destroyed: He succeeds in bringing the crown to the hidden princess and learns, that it doesn't mean anything to her anymore, because she's a young womanm, who just fell in love and doesn't want to be drawn into politics. She simply calls off the mission to conquer back her country from the Bolsheviks, because she found a boyfriend in the Netherlands and wants to focus on that. The count is pretty devastated about this, but she's his empress (from his POV), so he can't do anything and follows her orders. He worries, that his wife may have gotten away during this last hot phase of the crown jewel mission, because he wasn't able to personally stalk her, and didn't have the money to pay someone to do it, but because she found out and understands what he did, he can at least get back with her.

[@amberlynightengale8382]

The photo of Carl and Ellie in the red car has me bawling every time because it looks IDENTICAL to a photo of my grandparents in THEIR red car. We lost my grandmother to her ten-year battle with cancer almost two years ago, and I've begun to recognize some of Carl in my grandfather since then. Luckily, my grandpa has a HUGE support group of his kids and grandkids, and now the family of his new wife, who he met through a widow and widowers' support group.

[@NakaliTama]

This movie gives me serious existential crisis. I watched my grandpa work until he got cancer and held him for his last words which were to my grandmother, “Mary, I love you”.

[@BlackFeathers39]

I think the hardest thing for a lot of people to understand is, when you’re grieving, moving on doesn’t mean forgetting. You can and will hold that person in your heart for the rest of your life.

[@HexIsme]

Right: Grief, at its healthiest, is essentially an adjustment period to a very different reality from what one was previously accustomed to. Any kind of major change can trigger a grieving period, not just death. The important part is staying aware of what's helpful and what's harmful to the individual in question. You don't "get over" death, you incorporate and accept it.

[@fireflieer2422]

@@HexIsme beautifully said.

[@lyn3325]

@@HexIsme Hmm. Yes. Absolutely well said. It becomes incorporated and accepted. I cannot tell if it is disconcerting or positive that the more I experience the loss of people, the easier it is for me to quickly accept it as a natural process. I think it helps me support people. Although, It can isolate me. People look at me oddly because I am able to just accept it. I treat all the negative as an acceptable part of life that can be experienced with love and joy. People I know that don't have loving families said that they're surprised that my family cares-- The stages of grief are openly important to my family. Other friends don't know how to talk about this stuff. I wouldn't change it for anything because I can help people. Yet... I realized recently that I was experiencing disappointment during the semester because I'm still going through grief still for having been born different from most people. Every time I'm reminded of it I'm thrown back into it. I guess if people don't accept what happened then it can be an ongoing process.

[@michaelmcdoesntexist1459]

@@HexIsme dude you don't actually honor your nickname. That was beautiful

[@anna_in_aotearoa3166]

To me it also feels like the society I live in doesn't really help with this process at all...? Showing emotion in public is not really considered okay, and there's a practical expectation that people will move on logistically, even if they haven't done so emotionally. People only get a few days off work for funerals and even while they're dealing with all the practicalities of losing someone & the up-&-down emotions, they're usually expected to keep up their duties as if nothing's wrong. It seems to me like many other cultures maybe have a more integrated approach to grief, which treats death as just another stage of life (rather than fearing or hiding it), and normalize supporting each other through loss in a more community-focused way...?

[@veevee306]

As someone who lost the love of my life very young (I was 26, she was 21) it's extremely hard to realize you will spend decades without them. It makes it feel impossible to go on. But after almost 5 years, I've discovered I can go on. The opening montage to this movie gets me especially hard, but now I can feel the joy at the end too. EDIT: She knew she was dying and accepted it before I did. She told me that I would move on and love other people and be happy. I didn't see it at the time, but she was right. She was just like Ellie that way.

[@kiramiller568]

*hugs*

[@KayliePrice]

I applaud you. Thanks for sharing. You are giving us hope and a sample that life CAN go on. 👍🏼❤️ Thank you.

[@trinaq]

Thank you so much for sharing your story, there's always hope, and you'll eventually find happiness again, while never forgetting your loved one. 💕

[@radudancoroian5169]

I am sorry for your loss

[@monicaduconge293]

I lost someone too I was with him from 18 to 25. When I turned 25 he passed three days before his birthday December 1st. I still get emotional about it but time has certainly made it easier for me to move on, and to appreciate the loved ones I have in my life now.

[@raymondkymsuttle]

The fact that they manage to tell a whole life story without a single word is utterly remarkable.

[@GideonGrimmGaming]

9:46 I love the use of lighting in this scene, how Russel is bathed in golden light, but Carl is in shadows. It’s great symbolism of how Carl is grieving, his mind and heart shrouded in darkness with no perceived end in sight. He’s all alone, no one to help him through his grief. Meanwhile, Russel is bathed in light. Sure, he’s unfulfilled because his dad is too busy for him, but he’s *trying.* He has a plan for getting his dad’s attention and approval by getting his final badge, an empty spot on his sash just above his heart no less.

[@GideonGrimmGaming]

Also, I think this movie has a great message of “your heroes can’t always be who you want them to be.” The adventurer dude that Carl and Ellie look up to being a violent immoral lunatic, but also Russel’s dad (who at the start of the film is Russell’s hero) isn’t who Russell wants him to be.

[@cabbagyboi9129]

Kinda wish they’d covered it but I also love the not-so-subtle symbolism of the scene where Carl had to throw out all the furniture in the house, including all of Ellies little knickknacks and their chairs in order to make the house light enough to fly so he could go after Muntz to save Russell. Literally him letting go of all the junk he’s been clinging to because it reminds him of Ellie, because if he doesn’t let that go he’ll lose the friend he has that’s still alive.

[@lexwithbub]

And the recognition that memories don't have to be attached to stuff. A person can live forever through memory alone.

[@heatherroecker3323]

His heart feels lighter once he's able to let go 🩵

[@showbizstudios655]

The fact that his grief was LITERALLY weighing him down 😭

[@americaroleplayer]

I love that at the end of the beginning scene- Ellie isn't sad. She doesn't see her missing out on the falls as some big failure. She had a wonderful life and she knows it. It's Carl who has to learn what she already knows.

[@Call_Upon_YAH]

Jesus Christ is the propitiation for the whole world's sins. They that believeth and are baptized (with the Holy Spirit) shall be saved; but they that believeth not shall be damned. Those led by the Holy Spirit do not abide in wickedness. 👍🏾 *God is ONE manifesting himself as THREE;* the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit! Bless him! *For these three are one.* As I am led by the Holy Spirit, nothing I state is a lie, but the truth of God. Anyone who tells you differently is misinformed or a liar. They do not know God, nor led by him. Anyone who *claims* to be a Christian and is against what I am doing, and where I am doing it; the Holy Spirit does not dwell within them, they lack understanding. They know not God, read his word, and their religion is in vain. Do not hear them, they will mislead you, the lost cannot guide the lost.

[@Call_Upon_YAH]

Another truth many have been deceived of: When you trust in God and cast your cares (worries, anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts) upon him, they will be NO MORE! Know that there is power in the name Jesus Christ! His name casts out demons and heals! The world is wicked, evil, and of the devil. I too, was a wicked sinner of the world before I opened my heart to God. I am living proof of God's work and fruitfulness! He is an active God who hears the prayers of his! God's children are set apart (holy) and righteous. The devil is a liar that comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy; that includes your relationship with God! Open your heart to God, repent of your sins (he will forgive you), and let him direct your path. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands and purify your heart, lest you walk with the devil and follow him to hell.

[@qhoadstep7314]

@@Call_Upon_YAH This psy-op is crazy

[@MicheleBornaEOLDoula]

Exactly!! Well said.

What is with these bible bots lately?

[@MonaLisa-ek1pm]

I love the way this movie holds Carl up against Muntz, two men stuck in the past and unable to move forward. Muntz has spent the last 60+ years searching for Kevin, trying to clear his name. His obsession eventually drove him mad, and he was willing to resort to violence to accomplish his goals. In the beginning of the film, Carl seems like he might be headed down a similar path when he assaults the construction worker with his cane. The difference is that Carl found support from Russell and Dug, which gave him a new purpose and allowed him to move on. Notice that when Carl finally meets Muntz, he's horrified to see what his childhood hero has become. Basically, Muntz shows us the person Carl would have been without the support of his new friends.

[@ascellaplays]

giacchino's scores never fail to make me feel. The full symphony in the beginning, when the two are young and vivacious, the change in key and instruments in the middle to show their heartbreak drifting into a peaceful and loving melody, then BAM simple solo piano everything is gone and youre crying

[@amandasnider2644]

I LOVE the score he did for FRINGE.

[@XxImaFunGuyxX]

I never realized that Carl felt guilty for not giving Ellie the adventure he "thought" she wanted. You two helped me realized Ellie already had the adventure she wanted with Carl-and the little things. Even after watching this movie several times, there's always a new take on it, and Pixar never fails to make me cry. Thank you, Cinema Therapy for normalizing vulnerability! Love you, guys

[@bobbybobson8248]

You could say that the boring stuff was the stuff that Ellie remembered the most.

[@lexwithbub]

"Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans" And when she gave him the album on her deathbed not only (unbeknownst to Carl because he didn't look at it until the final act of the movie) was she showing him the adventure that their life was, she was also giving him permission to continue having his own adventures.

[@aubreezily13]

I remember we had to study the married life montage for my film making class. I almost burst into tears when I realized that there is a pink light that is thrown over the scenes. And I slowly began to realize that it dies out as Ellie does, and that the music soars and falls with her. And when it slows down at the end when Carl walks back into their home alone, and the last pink light slowly fades out with it... God, this films wrecks me.

[@bobbiejoputnam459]

OMG you're so right. I wouldn't have known to verbalize the lighting effect or how t's coupled with the music but now that you've pointed it out it's even more magical.

[@Sunari]

Your poor class, how can this one be studied through the tears?!

[@katywolffis7678]

It’s some of the most beautiful 4 minutes in cinematic history.

[@aubreezily13]

@@bobbiejoputnam459 seriously! The film making in this movie is incredible. Every detail is so intentional and wonderful!

[@aubreezily13]

@@Sunari we were all in tears. Even our teacher swiped a few away from his eyes before he turned the lights back on for discussion!😂

[@andrewnguyen1627]

Man, this episode made me go through all of the emotions. I man-teared, I sobbed, I cackled. PLEASE keep making more content! ❤️

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

Will do! Thanks for watching!

[@iconoclastic-fantastic]

Russell is so much like Ellie, in their shared pursuits of adventure, nature, & care for animals. He's like the child they never got to have together. He sees Ellie in him & he reconnects to himself + his ultimate capacity to love after immense loss

[@The_Slate1]

Carl giving Russell the Ellie badge always gets me. It feels like they're filling the hole in each other's lives. Carl is a father figure to Russell and Russell reminds Carl that his life can still have adventure without Ellie.

[@bushitwo6367]

Especially when you think of the fact that he couldn’t have children 😢

[@mqgawario8722]

@@bushitwo6367 He could have kids, they just had a stillbirth or miscarriage

[@Prakriti2041]

@Mqgawario maybe I'm projecting because of my own struggles but I always thought it was implied that she found out she would probably never have children. Not for lack of trying. I never thought they just gave up after one. But maybe....

[@Vincenza8907]

Russell’s father doesn’t deserve him.

[@Vincenza8907]

@@mqgawario8722 sometimes a miscarriage causes infertility.

[@ooops.its.raquan7187]

My partner had never seen up before. I explained to him it was the quickest I had ever cried during a movie and he laughed at me saying it couldn't have been that bad. I made him watch the opening and comforted him when he started sobbing. It was truly a moment for the ages

[@jeaton1224]

Don’t let him go…

[@FridaTwin]

exact same scene in my household, hubby had never seen it and often benignly pokes fun at how easily I cry in movies. before minute ten he was sobbing grossly. I held him while he cursed my name and we ended up eating lots of ice cream watching the rest of the movie ❤

[@torytellstales]

My husband said the sweetest thing to me after watching this. He said he better go before me because learning to live without me is going to be a long and painful process and he'll be a grumpy old man like Carl.

[@meredithcarroll6209]

I watched "Up" with my last boyfriend before I met my husband. All I knew about the movie was that the wife died, and I started getting choked up when Ellie took off her hat and I realized they'd known each other since *childhood.* When they got to the doctor's office after painting the nursery I just lost it, and he looked over at me and went, "Are you crying?" That was pretty much the exact moment I realized I was wasting my time with him and needed to move on.

[@addyxinwonderland1473]

​​@@meredithcarroll6209 hope you and your husband are very happy together! You deserve it after that nonsense

[@ANerdWithAPiano]

Married Life isn't just a masterclass in messing with your feelings, it's a masterclass in waltzes, it's a masterclass in instrumentation, it's a masterclass in motifs, it's just a masterclass in music, period. Someone very special to me taught me how to waltz to that song. I have never listened to it the same way.

[@hmsquared8603]

This movie hits so much harder now that Ed Asner is no longer with us. Like you guys said, it is a beautiful, healing, masterpiece of art.

[@joaniedallaire4352]

Can we take a moment to appreciate the fact that they put the entire iconic sequence in the video without pausing it? What an act of respect!

[@cbpd89]

How did this video not get hit by the Disney demonetization fairy? Disney go after fair use commentary videos all the time, I don't know how these guys do it!

[@mr.voidroy6869]

@@cbpd89 its only been up for less than a day. Give it time.

[@mickdestroy8796]

@@cbpd89 Might already be, doesn't matter since they are doing publicity (demonetization cannot be seen by the viewer I believe, maybe you're mixing it up with a strike, or the vid being taken down)

[@redfullmoon]

@@cbpd89 with commentary it becomes fair use from what I understand

[@SuperTurboPOP]

I had to skip parts because I cannot HANDLE it right now

[@learningandgrowing7746]

I saw this movie for the first time just days after I lost my first pregnancy, the shot with them in the doctors office was so relatable and painful. When I lost my daughter I wasn't showing yet but had already started decorating the nursery, just the way they did. After watching that scene I had to call my husband to come home from work it felt like the grief of losing my baby would literally kill me. Since then I have had 3 children that I love with all my heart and am so grateful for them, but even now 12 years later the grief of losing my first will sometimes come back and bring me to sobbing. Her name was Zoe and even though I never got to hold her in my arms I miss her and mourn for her.

[@Trinidadianlove]

I'm so sorry for your loss. Zoe mattered. ❤️

[@stephanieflores277]

Reading this comment has brought me to tears. My mom went through a similar situation. She lost her twin boys before she had me. I could sense her tears and sadness when telling me this. Now makes me wish what it would be like to ha e older brothers

[@learningandgrowing7746]

@@Trinidadianlove thank you for your kind words ❤️

[@learningandgrowing7746]

@@stephanieflores277 my daughter who's 7 now has told me she wished she could have met her big sister. It's amazing how siblings can feel that sense of loss too. I'm sorry your mom went through that, she's not alone.❤️

[@danthomassolo]

Thank you so much for sharing this. My wife and I lost our first pregnancy at 7 weeks. Even though it was so early, we had already begun to feel like parents and made plans for the future. We’ve gone on to have a beautiful, healthy daughter who’s now 4 years old, but we still talk about Baby T (my wife made a teddy bear with a ‘T’ stitched into the foot, I wrote a song about her). Thank you especially for sharing Zoe’s name. It’s so important. So was she, and so are you.

[@katherinerhead8184]

I lost my son a few months ago and really needed this.

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

So sorry for your loss.

[@ArnavBoom]

"There are perfect movies, and this is one of them" idk but I like that line a LOT

[@marinaamarillo3627]

This movie has a special place in my heart because we went to watch it at the cinema with my grandma, my mom and my sister, and was the first time we went out all together after my grandpa passed away. We decided to watch a Pixar movie because we thought it'll be "soft" for my grandma on her grieving (No, we didn't know what the movie was about). The marriage life scene hit so beautifully hard that we all started to cry... but the ending scene, when Carl reads Ellie's final note on her book, we all looked at my grandma by instinct. She was crying a lot, but her eyes shined like they used to do when my grandpa was still alive. Those were the words I'm sure my grandpa would have told her and I think in that moment she started to heal. Thanks for this beautiful analysis and for the work you all do to show us how movies can connect with our minds and souls!

[@invisiblemissx]

Damnit. Your comment got me crying now. 😭

[@edgarramirez4053]

Give your grandma a hug for me please

[@fabiolanavia9171]

Managed to keep it together for the whole ep but this really got me 😭😭

[@Mogry51]

Thank you for sharing this with us. For me the movie brings back memories from my grandpa. He died just a couple days before turning 80. I could not say goodbye to him... So I cried during my first watch but it also made me happy. A great movie for sure!

[@austinkersey2445]

This reminded me of my grandpa, and how my grandmother never really recovered fully after his passing. She still had a joy for life, but she was duller and less full without him. She looked almost like a ghost, barely tethered to the Earth. And now, age has robbed her of her faculties, and I have to watch her body slowly realize that it's dying as it catches up with her mind. The moment I realized that she was gone beyond our ability to help was when she started talking about me rather than talking to me. She forgot how to play cards and board games (things she prided herself on being particularly good at), lost her intense focus that helped get things done, and her once sharp wit has whittled down to nothing. It makes me sad just thinking about her. 2022 took a lot from me, and this is just one of three horrible losses that accursed year saw fit to bestow upon me. I'm trying to move on though.

[@AshleyWeill]

Thank you for this. I lost my little brother four months ago to a car accident. He was 18. He was about to start college for the first time. He never even dated anyone. He was still growing and figuring out who he was. I keep thinking of what he missed out on but I’m trying to remember what he did do. He was salutatorian of his class of nearly 500. He was an all star tennis player; took his high school team to state 3 years in a row and won each time. I remembered all the times we played as kids and when we hid in my bedroom from thunderstorms. Now I have to live my life without him and I have no idea what that’s going to look like. I have to live my life to the fullest because he can’t anymore. I have to keep going.

[@ThinlyCut90]

The grief never really goes away, but that's ok. It's a reminder of the love you have with your brother. I wish you all the best.

[@emilymayfield8068]

Praying for you. Grief is so hard.

[@AWilks-wn3if]

Sending lots of love!!!! You are NOT alone!!!! 🥹😭❤️

[@Squire86]

❤️

[@tuborice4571]

Sorry to hear your loss. I lost my big brother in 99 and my little brother on the 20th November 2022. I can relate to loss.

[@Snipergod1024]

As someone who has lost his mother recently, and is supporting his father... Carl and Ellie are what I wish my parents had had more of a chance to have together. Up is such a brilliant movie, and it never fails to break me. As you said, Jonathan... Damn you, Pixar!

[@cherylsstuff9141]

I teach wellness classes for folks in jail and folks in recovery (SUD, trauma, PTSD, cPTSD, mental illness). This came at the perfect time! I used this in all my Jail classes. They loved it! So many of them have turned to drugs to numb their grief.

[@blackswan4486]

They shouldn’t be in jail in the first place sometimes.

[@caleb8659]

This is exciting and terrifying. My ex-wife and I went to see this a month after we miscarried. The opening had us both in tears.

[@sh4rky466]

I hope you’re doing okay now.

[@Maribelinda63]

So sorry, hope everlasting is going well

[@The_Serpent_of_Eden]

Blessings for you and your ex. That's a terrible hardship I wouldn't wish on anyone. May you find peace and stillness inside, both you and your ex.

[@caleb8659]

@@sh4rky466 we're better now, but I'll never forget the sledgehammer this movie hit me with.

[@trinaq]

My condolences, I hope that you're both in a better place emotionally now. 💕

[@attilathemom7518]

I'm not crying.. YOU'RE crying. Oh heck, we're ALL crying. I love this movie so much. You guys are so amazing for all that you do.

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

Thank you so much! 😊

[@der23]

You're right I am crying 😭

[@miriamrosemary9110]

Crying SO MUCH 😭❤

[@bjshifko]

Every time! No matter how many times I watch it.

[@mollydoesart9348]

🤧 I'm trying not to....🥺🥲 and failing

[@foluop6300]

The voice of Russell actually remind me of my younger cousin cus he talks similarly to him. From the way he talks slowly to the lisp and how his voice is high but not too high end the nasal in his voice. Like it hits too close to home

[@stephentg1]

I see "Up" as a spiritual sequel to "It's a Wonderful Life." Both are about dreams deferred. Both show how the good we do and the connections we make with others are greater than our plans

[@nataliecarbone6997]

I heard an interview with Michael Giacchino about the opening sequence, he was working with the studio orchestra to get the pacing right, they finally made it thru the scene and EVERYONE from strings to percussion was crying as they played, because the film plays on a screen in front of them. No one had really seen it yet, certainly not with music. So they had to take a cry break, and then they had to do it like 4 more times so they had enough material to do the mixing, even Michael was bawling his eyes out and he knew what was going on!!!

[@JohnSmith-wh2ob]

The way the music changes when the infertility is revealed to when he Carl smiles with the idea of finally getting plane tickets to the funeral it’s an absolute masterclass and he won an Oscar for it the only Oscar he won and it was well deserved

[@joanmilton9986]

@@JohnSmith-wh2ob She is at the doctor because lost the baby, meaning she was pregnant.

[@danielleking262]

I'm crying just reading this 😭

[@trinaq]

I remember watching this movie as a kid, and being confused as to why Ellie was crying in the doctors office during the opening montage. My mum honestly told me that it likely meant that they couldn't have children, which always broke my heart, and it makes sense why Ellie's death was so devastating to Carl. She was the only family he had left.

[@HajudinStar]

Same, after some years i re-saw that scene and it *clicked* pretty hard

[@sierralovat5498]

Not only that. They had a baby room. The crib, the blankets evrrything. What that implies is heartbreaking.

[@henrytims4745]

It seems to suggest a late miscarriage. And that the scene of her pointing out the babies in the clouds might have been her pregnancy announcement

[@calmandfree]

@@henrytims4745 I was just about to comment on this. I always translated that scene as her having a miscarriage and rather being hyper focused on it, they decided as a couple to just enjoy their time together and if it happens it happens

[@brandonbuchner1771]

I had always assumed that it meant that she had a miscarriage. That’s why they were getting the room ready. Because they found out that she was pregnant.

[@Gokittygo1230]

The dynamic between Carl and Russell always pulls at my heartstrings, they compliment eachother so well. Carl has lived his life and was ready to die in peace, but Russel is a child who has his entire life ahead of him. He’s a curious kid and wants to have his own adventure, and he changed carls outlook on things. Russel made him remember what it felt like to be with Ellie, when he was young, and when he had dreams. And Russel doesn’t have a father figure, or at least barely has one, so he obviously looks up to Carl. And that campfire scene made Carl realize that Russel wasn’t the upbeat kid he met, that Russel had feelings, and that he related with him. Carl hurt him and made him feel betrayed, like how his father hurt him aswell, but Carl came back and proved he cared. Unlike his dad. Carl lost his wife, which impacted him in multiple ways, but Russel didn’t even lose his dad, yet they are so relatable to eachother. Sometimes you can miss someone who isn’t even gone, and Carl realized that with Russel, but that doesn’t mean you should forget them and try to push them away from your mind. Cherish your memories with them, feel the feelings, and miss them. They found comfort in eachother. And they had their adventure together. I’m crying now lol

[@raonei2339]

I always wanted to travel, learn languages, all of that. I was born in Chile and a few years ago I got so sick I almost died, I cried thinking I'd never realise my dreams and die young. Today I moved t Europe and is my first year abroad. This year I made it to 10 countries! 😢 Thank you Pixar to make me realise I need to live now.

[@jenniferhiemstra5228]

This movie tells a better love story in it's first 10 minutes than most movies do in their 2-3 hours...CHANGE MY MIND.

[@dallassteel625]

I second that. No argument here.

[@mnels5214]

True.

[@JennieOkami]

No arguement. It's so simple and pure, and most of the beginning isn't even spoken.

[@jenniferhiemstra5228]

@@JennieOkami That's half, if not most, of it's brilliance. It communicates SO MUCH without a single word being spoken.

[@freshrimp9013]

No, because I don't want to change your mind.

[@Nortarachanges]

The part that always gets me is Carl giving Russel the Ellie badge at the end. Because Carl loves Ellie so much, but that’s the first time he’s shared her and what’s great about her with anyone

[@bobtheball5384]

Oh god I never considered that, in a way he's sharing the love Ellie had given to him in life back to someone else. That's so fucking beautiful.

[@marcpeterson1092]

That was the scene that destroyed me. Up is my favorite Pixar movie (though Soul comes close).

[@codytiff2548]

as a child of abuse and neglect who always wanted to do the "thing" that would make my dad and mom to notice me and be present for me to stop the abuse was so painful and russle is a large point of catharsus for me. i sob every time i watch russle get the badge because i had those people in my life. real good movie and omg the tears

[@prof.ezzorgauld7086]

No one escapes the emotional stage of this movie, but only the one's who never felt love

[@arjungupta5614]

The reason Carl hadn't opened up the book ever since Ellie gave it to him was because he was petrified of finding it empty. He thought he had failed to give her the life she yearned for, the life of a grand adventure she would've liked to put in that book. Opening up that book and finding empty pages would've ripped his heart out and reminded him of his failure (in his eyes) to fulfill the most important person's wish in his life. So he never found the courage to open it until he met and helped Russell. This is so heart wrenchingly close to reality and how people process feelings in real life. They are fearful and unwilling to look within themselves until a new experience compels them to reassess their beliefs, and when they finally do find the courage to confront their emotions, emboldened by their wisdom from the new experience, they are surprised to see it was something different all along. The other person thought and felt in a completely different way and in the end, nothing was how you thought it was. This realisation was positive in Carl's case as it set him free but it can also be negative and rip out your heart. This is how so many revelations happen in relationships. Parents, siblings, lovers, friends, colleagues etc Damn you, Pixar.

[@wacatto]

This is so beautiful and wise. Thank you.

[@ncz7]

.

[@aaron6290]

Beautiful words man,,

[@SarahRichardsGraba]

Even if the pages had been empty, if Carl could ever open the book and just be with those feelings of grief and shame, it would be healing too. Maybe not "positive" or heartwarming, but he would have had closure. That's the gift Russell gave him, that he was able to finally look at it no matter what it contained

[@traviscummings9178]

Oh, Pixar, always giving us immense joy and laughs but then leaving us sobbing in a puddle of tears just as fast

[@alexismysmevids]

I lost my dad a couple years, and the part with Russell talking about his father and going to get ice cream absolutely broke me. Because it really is the mundane stuff that you remember most when they're gone. It is fun to have adventures in life and to make grand gestures, but at the end of the day, it is the silly stuff like him buying a box of ramen because he knew I liked it or sharing a kit kat while watching fast and the furious that stays with you. And it's those moments that you will miss the most.

[@imarrams511]

This. You said it. "It's the mundane thing". My mom lost her battle against cancer. But it the little things,I miss the most. Doing the groceries while looking for the best deals together. Playing video games while she watch me and giggle if a fail that section. Or coming home after work, hungry and exhausted,but the nice smell and the warmth of her meals, welcome you.

[@mythcas9285]

I lost my grandmother almost 9 years ago to cancer. She was a tough woman, and had already beaten cancer twice before, but it just wouldn't leave her be. My parents had to focus on their careers when I was young to give us a good life, so my grandmother raised me just as much as they did. And when I think back I remember the gentle way she brushed my hair before school, the way she'd tell me I reminded her of my grandfather and then tell me a story about him, the smell of her cooking, and her carefully ironing mine and my sister's clothes- 7 and 4 at the time- because she was just that kind of a meticulous person. It really is those moments you remember more than anything. I *also* remember the time my younger sister told our grandma she was being bullied and Nana told her to punch that kid in the nose next time. My sister took that seriously. (It all ended up okay. The kid was the principal's grandson but luckily the principal understood the bully was at fault and no real damage was done. My sister and her former bully actually became really close friends after that.)

[@SofieArts]

I lost my dad too and yeah..

[@mnels5214]

Years later I was just offhand telling someone how he used to call me Sparky and started crying because I realized how much I missed it. Came out of nowhere.

[@pokaay3163]

I’m sad that I don’t think I’ll have memories like that with my dad. He does a lot for us but we don’t spend a lot of time together. Rarely when we sit down to watch movies with the family does he join us, and it’s harder to get along with him like when I was little. When he passes I think all that I’ll have are the things he left behind for us, but not any moments between him and I that I can treasure. It’s weird.

[@phoebejoy7466]

I lost my brother at a very young age and this movie is something I try to avoid but oh my word this video touched my heart so much. I have not watched the movie since my brother passed but I feel like I need to now because this 30 minute video felt so good for my soul

[@trillium.3.24]

I hope you've seen this movie by now, and that it was as cathartic for you as it was for me.

[@carmencecilialopez7536]

The first time I watched this movie, I was in Barcelona, my first trip alone after my divorce. It was a therapeutic trip after dealing with depression and working hard with school, immigration, and parenting my daughters by myself. And I cried a lot about everything that I hoped to live and I couldn't do. But also I was grateful for all that I absolutely could live and finally, I realized that my next adventure was yet to come. Other factors involved, I was a girl scout, also my daughters were and I was in Spain to know someone in a romantic way, I took the risk, no matter the result. And this movie was a healing trip that anchor this experience. Grief, heal, and move on. Repeat. Thank you guy to bring Up back

[@ExiaBlade]

I remember I had a friend who admitted she cried easily, and then made the mistake of admitting she never saw Up. I immediately told her boyfriend to make her watch it that night. She called me the next day frantically yelling "WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?!" 🤣🤣🤣

[@veritasmod7013]

My dude, that was devilish of you. And I LOVE IT! XD

[@lhamagalopante6735]

I did the same, but with my sister and Grave of the Fireflies...Same results! (although we watched it togheter and she yelled at me at the end of the movie ahahha).

[@fangal12]

Yeah, you definitely have the perfect screen name 🤣

[@jazznazz4203]

I love it

[@MysterySteve]

'Married Life' (the song from the beginning bit that makes everyone cry) is *easily* one of Giacchino's best pieces. It's almost an auditory short film all by itself. It's such an integral part of that iconic scene, and truly one of the most important pieces in soundtrack history. No one can change my mind on that.

[@danielsolie7117]

It always hurts so much in the scene where she is crying after finding out that she can't have children and Carl tries to comfort her.😰

[@SirArturia]

The first 10 minutes of Up always gets to me emotionally. So much happens in that 10-minute arc of a story. I always end up shedding some tears at some point in those first 10 minutes. Every. Single. Time.

[@laBoogy]

I also LOVE that Russel quite literally has a hole in his heart (blank space on sash) that he think his dad will fill via pinning the badge EDIT: I Just realized that Carl only has the Grape Soda Top which he got from Ellie, who is his whole heart.

[@thewandererspost7572]

I was about to comment that, but it’s such a small detail that I love about this movie

[@kaleighbell6797]

When my grandpa was dying, he told us “it’s alright to cry, just not too much. It’s alright to be sad, but don’t stay there too long” ❤️

[@NocturnalMelody]

Sorry for your loss. Your grandpa sounds like he was an amazing person.

[@aubreycarter7624]

Honestly, that's great advice. Your grandpa sounds like a very wise person.

[@amyg4961]

And now I’m hearing Carl say that to Russell someday and I’m sobbing all over again. 😭😭

[@beatricezanoni5582]

Mine couldn't talk at all I'm happy yours could

[@broadwaybrook2319]

24:14 If you notice to the left of that photo, there are balloons carrying presents, like when Ellie sent Carl the balloon with the message attached when they were kids.

[@jennifermccrary1570]

"Thanks for the adventure, now go have a new one!" DAMN IT PIXAR!

[@theaargent7056]

My uncle invited us to the cinema for this film as a family and my mum cried like a baby on the marriage Montague. Like she was full on bawling and my father held her hand. We lost him 4 years ago, so now I'm thinking of this memory and am also crying. It would've been his birthday today. Thank you Guys.

[@pokaay3163]

Sorry for your loss. He lives on in your memories of him :)

[@cardent1410]

I hope you're doing okay Aargent.

[@peapotfairy]

❤

[@thesisypheanjournal1271]

The scene where Carl gets up in the morning is also masterfully done. Ellie’s absence is absolutely palpable.

[@Houri8772]

The scene that stood out a lot to me while in class was when Carl see’s Russell being taken away and him throwing out all the furniture and cherished possessions in the house which was what made the house lively, came across to me as how he learned to let go of the house which held great, tender memories from the couple. When the house is light enough to lift up and float again, it shows Carl happily flying and to me that represents freedom and his will to let go of what was once there while cheering happily to move up.

[@invisiblemissx]

Very well said

[@itstheundisputedsagboo]

“It makes me think of my parents” -sigh…….me too 😢 I just lost my mom this month & I never really got the chance to give her the life that she deserved.

[@supermaro2349]

One detail I love is that during the book reading scene (22:56), notice how the colors inside the house are dull and nearly grayscale, but as the scene goes on and Carl reads through the book, the colors come back. Such a unique way of showing emotional restoration. If you want a comparison compare the colors at 23:09 to 25:00

[@thewandererspost7572]

Movie magic at its finest and subtlest

[@lexwithbub]

Their use of colour throughout the film is a lesson in colour theory in and of itself.

[@sharkylady986]

Man. When this movie came out, and when I watched it as a kid the opening never got to me much. I never really understood why everyone was so deeply moved by it. Cue like. Over a decade later, and I am crying my eyes out. I haven't lost a loved one, but there is just this sense of understanding and solidarity I am now able to feel. Specifically the line "Thank you for the adventure. Now go have a new one!" Absolutely breaks me. Just- Ellie wanting to tell him that's she's content. She didn't get to do everything she wanted to, but she got to spend her life with him. To her it isn't a loss. To him it is. And just her saying it's okay to move on. Encouraging him to live. It really fucking gets me man. Literally crying just writing this, what the fuck Pixar.

[@STS125]

One of the reasons Pixar is so great at what they do is while CGI technically allows you to do things you can’t usually do in real life filming, they still approach all their films as if they are filming them with real sets and cameras. It makes it much more organic for me. Like the shot from inside the house as they are walking and the picture of Elle is just swaying like she is walking with them…PERFECT cinematography from a film with no real cameras.

[@bryanhinsch2418]

I LOVE this channel. Seeing two grown men openly express raw emotion and have it received in a healthy and non-judgemental way is such a healing experience.

[@SaintPhoenixx]

Was just thinking that, obviously one is a therapist so it's a much more mature, safer environment to show emotions, but it's great to have two guys be totally open about crying and not pushing it down into a little ball of aggression in the pit of their stomachs.

[@thegr8joh]

every single person needs to be like them, really.

[@chilling_koala]

​@@thegr8johperiodt

[@skythefallenangel5326]

@@thegr8joh100%

[@FranciumBoron]

​@@thegr8johNo, thanks.

[@eiramesorina]

I never would have known this movie if I hadn't read an article about a girl who had terminal cancer and requested to watch Up ahead of its theater release. Disney Pixar indeed let her watch it before the release and she watched it together with her family in their home if I'm not mistaken. After a few days or so, she died. So I got so curious about what the story was and why this little girl was eager to watch it. I bawled my eyes out on those first few minutes of the movie and how it's so fitting for her situation as if telling her family that she wanted them to move on even after she was gone. That story will remain in my mind forever that's why I love this movie so much, aside from it being really a good movie.

[@TheKkf1015]

Colby (the sick little girl) didn't watch it ahead of the premiere; it came out in May but she was too sick to see it in theaters. So her family made frantic calls to Pixar to beg for them to send a copy for her to watch. Pixar flew out an employee with a DVD copy (this was in June, so it was still in theaters) and 7 hours later, little Colby died. From what I understand, it was a great comfort to her mother. The best thing about it to me, is that after Pixar didn't try to use it as an attention grab of "look how great we are" or any other kind of press. They just quietly fulfilled a little girl's dying wish and helped make a good memory for her and her family.

[@eiramesorina]

@TheKkf1015 oh I see. It was so long ago and I know I can't trust my memory so thanks for clarifying. Still, it's really nice for Pixar to do that.

[@daevidabalos5096]

i read somewhere in the internet , how the house symbolizes the grief that he had and dragging it all along. in the end he let go and move on, leaving the house and his grief. it is poetic, indeed.

[@hotcocothepogchampion3950]

I love how at the end he even said “I’m here for him”

[@caitsil3366]

I've already seen that opening mini movie and it STILL makes me cry every time. I think it hits even harder for me rewatching it because I know that Ellie feels no regrets and Carl hasn't yet realized that the life they had together wasn't wasted.

[@lsmmoore1]

I think in my case it didn't make me cry because it was the life I never had. Certainly not as a kid and teenager or in my twenties. Because I spent over a decade being treated as less than human by abusive special ed schools on the one hand and having that perception be validated by behaviors of an overprotective dad on the other. To the point that the stories of the residential schools Indigenous people were sent to were immediately relatable to me. It took me like two seconds to see that his life was NOT wasted. At least he had a life. At least he was treated like an actual person. At least he didn't spend a day in his life being subjected to any dehumanization whatsoever, even Dehumanization Lite (read: having your behavior read out like you're a literal lab animal or robot and they leave it at that and don't dehumanize you further).

[@katn8651]

The first time I watched Up, my mother was going through a divorce. I bought it thinking that it was a movie about an old man and balloons. The opening sequence broke her. All she ever wanted was a love like that. We talked about how her life wasn’t over yet. A few years later, she met a man she adores. They have the chairs just like Carl and Ellie. Up always reminds me of that and how life can change.

[@NotWhatIamMadeFor]

I really love that story and I really want to thank you for taking the time to share it! It's really beautiful.

[@STS125]

I love how the House literally became the embodiment of his wife. It is amazing storytelling

[@454ChevelleSS]

That line: "Thanks for tge adventure. Now go have a bew one!." Always reminds me of what my dad says.

[@youngcanuck5397]

23:36 this scene will never not make me cry. Ellie had always wanted to travel the world and discover the unknown. Seeing how much she valued the time she and Carl had together always gets me 😢

[@MARYWTHER]

It's really interesting because it also says that Ellie did not live her dream of travelling the world and all, yet she was 100% happy with Carl, living their simple, every day life. It's also an important message, that relates to Soul as well, that sometimes, your dreams don't work out. Doesn't make your life worthless or you an unhappy person. Your dreams are dreams but sometimes, just living life as it comes and as beautiful it can be, is more than enough.

[@Asgardian30]

It's the message written at the back of the book that breaks me every time.

[@westcoastmex629]

Yeah well carl as a loser who never better himself to make it happen

[@496brit]

The doctor scene for me sets the tone for the entire movie and what the movie is about. After Ellie is at the doctor’s office she is sitting outside and like he said she has such dignity. Quietly accepting her situation, and the next scene is them painting the falls over the fireplace. It shows us that she not only accepted her situation, but she didn’t let that define her life. She found a new purpose and that’s what she wanted for her husband. That’s why I think she orchestrated this entire thing.

[@justjesssss1026]

Describing Ellie as dignified is perfect. Because looking at the house in the closing scene, the house that became Ellie to Carl, when it perches beside that waterfall, the house has that same dignity. I don't know how you draw a dignified house, but someone at Pixar does.

[@TheRealMiniIsHere]

Been so long since I seen this and It broke me again and again and again! Pixar why do you tell an amazing story without words with great tracks!

[@animesubya]

This movie is just a masterpiece. I lost my grandpa last year. He lived with me and my mom for 17 years. Learning to live without him was rough to say the least. While my mom worked, him and I would be home together. Sometimes we did stuff and other times we just chilled by ourselves. But I always knew he was there and I wasn't alone. After my mom went back to work after her leave, I didn't know what to do with myself. I just would walk around hoping to find that familiar feel of the house. I often found myself standing outside of his room, wanting to go in. For his final day, he was brought home and passed in our living room. I can barely look at that spot without seeing the bed and him. Two months later, I was outside with my new puppy and I saw a cardinal. If you aren't aware, cardinals are thought of the dead sending you a message of hope. Anyways, the cardinal flew to a pear tree my grandma had planted. For years, we thought it was dead. However that year, I saw small pears growing. I just sobbed. For the first time in months, I felt at peace. I will say this year has been very hard. For his last dinner, we had shrimp curry. Just two months ago we finally had it. Before that time, my mom and I both actively avoided talking about that meal. She thought I didn't remember his final meal. Unfortunately, I remember it because it is my biggest regret. Grief is a crazy thing. One second you feel fine and ready to take on the world. But the next, you just want to curl up and cry for hours.

[@nazmunnahar9184]

I lost people too.. Here... Big hug 🫲🫱

[@katywolffis7678]

Ugh. I lost my grandpa almost two years ago. We would go over to the house all the time. I couldn’t-still have a hard time Going in his wood shop. That was his space-and the place I most associate with him. I was over at my grandma’s helping clean after thanksgiving and just seeing his old ring, holding his wallet, and a number of other things about did me in. I still haven’t been able to go to his grave site since his funeral. Sometimes it feels like he’s been gone for so long-other times not so long.