Do you have a strong personal connection to a certain film?

Pixar's Feature Films
#1

For me (and the rest of my sisters) its Up, because of my grandparents.

I already went into the details of my grandmother’s depression on another thread, so I won’t do that again. But when editing the Up clips for my Come on Get Higher Pixar couple tribute, I noticed the similarities between Carl and Ellie and my own grandparents.

They met when my grandmother was in the eighth grade, I think. My grandfather was in the tenth. They got married right after she graduated highschool, and lived in a house they had practically built themselves in the same area they grew up in. She ended up getting sick last year and dying, and it has been very hard on my grandfather.

Meema (That was our name for her) was very similar to Ellie. She considered her family her “greatest adventure,” and was just as sweet and supportive to as all as Ellie was. Like in Up, their little house was originally surrounded by country, but as time went on the area got more and more developed until it was a full blown suburb, town houses and everything. They ended up selling and having to leave it seven years ago, and bigger houses are now being built on the land (albeit extreeemmmelllly sloooowwwllly. The small houses have only been torn down for about two years.)

My sisters and I now agree that we have an especially strong emotional attachment to Up. They even said they cried when seeing the up clips in my video. I kind of wish we could show it to Grandfather (Yes, that’s actually what we call him. Meema and Grandfather.) but we don’t know if he could handle it.

Do you have something like this?

#2

That’s a very touching story Rac_Rules, thank you for sharing it. The relationship between your Grandma and Grandpa sounds like one you might read about in a novel; that sort of attatchment is not something you find everyday. I’m very sorry to hear your grandma passed away. She sounds like a wonderful lady.

As for myself, I have an attatchement to Up for the same reason. It reminds me of my grandparents. I also really love The Incredibles. It was the first movie I went to see in theaters with my entire family, and every year since then, it’s been our tradition to watch it every time we go up to our cottage.

#3

Wow Rac_Rules. That is a very touching story. It’s no wonder you have such a strong connection to that movie. I love reading stories like that.

I don’t have any story quite like that. I am just really attached to Monsters, Inc and Toy Story because I was obsesssed with them in my childhood.

#4

I’m really attached to Cars,becaus I don’t know…All the things that I’ve learned about the interstate and route 66,I really want to go and explore it… :slight_smile:

#5

xCarsLuverx: I used to be totally obsessed with Cars - it totally made me want to go on Route 66, and watching the Pixar crew doing just that on all those podcasts made me want to even more!

I dunno… I think Ratatouille does it for me. I love art, and it seemed as though that movie was geared towards people with an immense desire and passion for creativity. Whenever Gusteau would say one of his lines, I always find myself mentally substituting the words “cooking” or “food” for “drawing” and “art”.

Growing up in a small town, you get alot of people saying “oh you can’t do that here because no one appreciates that, blah blah blah…” and they make you feel only 7 inches tall. There was really no inspiration to keep going, other than my immediate family who gave me advice and helped me out. I found that Ratatouille seemed to spark a new creativity inside me and actually inspired me to start drawing. Also, Michael Giacchino made me realize that I really did want to go into music; that it wasn’t just “something my parents made me do.”

So, I really think that Ratatouille just inspired me and also helped me to break out of what I knew and forced me to try something different. :wink:

#6

I have a huge attachment to The Incredibles! <3 I cant exactly explain why though :laughing:

#7

Very touching story, Rac_Rules. :frowning:

There are several Pixar movies I have strong emotional ties with.

Toy Story - it was like sibling rivalry in those days. As the series went on, it became more mature, reflecting how the Pixarians were dealing with other things at the time… family members pass away, loved ones die… things aren’t like how they used to be. It’s just part of growing up, though.
And the way they conclude Toy Story 2, with Woody saying they’ll always be there for Andy and ready when “the day” actually comes… it’s like when I was little, saying someday all this big stuff will happen, but no need to worry about it now. It’s not for a while. When that day actually hits you, it’s an entirely different matter.

A Bug’s Life was my favorite movie as a child. Flik was just a tiny ant in a big colony, a tiny ant with big dreams who wanted to really stand out in the crowd… I feel that way. I think even small people can leave big impressions.

Ratatouille was largely about pursuing your artistic dreams but being there for your family also. That’s where I am exactly.

Now, Up sort of trudges deep into what Toy Story taught me… growing up, and learning to deal with death. It’s all part of life. But that there was hope, even in the face of death…

…plus, it made me respect my grandparents even more. We need to be able to move on, make new things, learn and grow. But we should also respect and learn from the past.

#8

I’d have to say I have a connection to Toy Story, Ratatouille, and Up. Toy Story is pretty much because it was the first film I saw in theaters (even though I was only one year old :stuck_out_tongue: ) and it and the sequel were my favorite movies growing up.
With Ratatouille, beforehand I was really into Pixar and other animation, but later on, during that pause between The Incredibles and Cars, society got me disinterested in the medium (I got teased a bit), and after Cars was underwhelming for me (sorry!) I all but gave up on it. I saw a clip of Ratatouille as a special “behind the scenes” thing (it was the part where Remy’s exploring/escaping the kitchen early on) before it came out, and was interested but too nervous to ask to go to the theater. By chance, when my sister and I were visiting my aunt she couldn’t think of anything to do with us, so she brought us to the theater and we ended up seeing Ratatouille, and I loved it. It reinvigorated my love for the medium and for the studio more than I could have imagined. :smiley:
And for Up, I just love it to death. It’s been a fantastic inspiration for the films I hope to make one day.

#9

I dont know why but i can get attched to things easy. It might be just the way i am but i like to believe its because i’m a writer and i over anilize things. Theres probably to much for me to say about having any strong feelings for the movies so i’ll just write about the ones i remember right now YD (i have horrible memory)

I just saw Toy Story 3 and still even though i only saw it once i still remember the things that make me happy and sad and all that. I’m so in love with Buzz and Jessie! YD i actually i think i love them so much is because i’m like Jessie and my bf is A Lot like Buzz. YD no lie he really is YD I started my fanfiction with this in mind and i anylized them closely so that probably goes with why i care about them so much too. I do love Woody and i was really upset by the fact that [spoil]Bo Peep wasnt there and Woody was grevig at all![/spoil] I feel like i know Woody and it seemed so out of character of him to not give a small moment to greve.
Since i am going to graduate from high school this year the movie was hit close to home in terms of “growing up” I still go into the toy section when i go to the store and the fact that i might not always do that Scares me. I want to always be true to myself and loving things like dolls and toys is a part of me. Heh my bf went to DisneyLand this summer (havent been to a Disney park Ever) and he was gone from town for a week. I knew of course he’d get me things and we wouldnt get to talk much but i was still sad that he was gone and i wish i could have been with him. He ended up getting me a ring -a small cheap ring that had one peice of metal swirled around the finger. One end was a star stone and the other Mickey, both were in his birthstone.- an Ariel pen that i have yet to stick on something. A cute shirt with an old style Mickey and reflective paint splaters on it -He’s an artist- And lastly he told me to open up his bag that he carries practicly everywhere. When i opened it i saw a plushie. It was a Buzz Pook-a-Looz. They are relatively new, and i know this because had just seen them and was dying for one because i saw a Buzz one. -I didnt tell him i had wanted one though and i usually do. ^^’ i’m spoiled that way, i make known of what i want though i dont expect to get much.- I love his so much and hes so specail to me YD After he came back from California i had a planned vacation with my best friend to leave for a week. We only got the weekend together before i left and every night i slept with my little Buzz Y3 YD my friend ridiculed me for it but she thinks i’m very childish anyway ^^ I still sleep with him even now YD
There are so many things specail to me about Disney in general. Disney is like my insparation. It sets off a spark in my heart that helps exnight a fire. I want to always feel this kind of… Happiness, Hopefullness, Joyfullness. Its to hard to explain what i feel without going on and on because to me its infinite. ^^‘’’ i dont want to go into another LONG talk on anything else cause I’m pretty sure no one is going to read this all the way anyway YD so lets just leave it at that.[/spoiler]

#10

I think no movie means more to me than The Lion King.

It is just such a beautiful film, and I watched it so many times when I was younger that it means the world to me. Every single scene conjures up within me great sensations and emotions. As well, the music is so amazing, from the amazing music and lyrics of Tim Rice and Elton John, to the breath taking score by Hans Zimmer. From the very start of the film, as the sun rises above the savanah and Lebo M immediately begins to sing, I really feel apart of the great circle of life. I realize that this world is so much larger than myself, and that every creature depends on one another to survive. It is such a humbling and the opening really is one of the greatest beginnings in all of cinema. Then when the song is over and the final drum beat is hit right as “The Lion King” appears on screen in a field of black, I just want to jump up and shout in happiness.

What is truly amazing though, is how these emotions are not lost throughout the rest of the movie. Simba and Mufasa’s love for one another is so genuine and inspiring, and makes me thankful for my own family. Then during the wildebeast stampede, Simba’s terror is my terror. When Mufasa dies before his own eyes, Simba’s pain is my pain. I just cannot believe Simba blames himself for his father’s death; I just want to reach through the screen and tell him, “it isn’t your fault. You did nothing wrong.” Though I have never cried before at Mufasa’s death (and I so easily cry during movies), no scene has ever left me so stunned and clenching at my chest. I am just in too much schock to cry, I guess. As well, from the moment the wildebeasts start charging, to when Simba dissapears on the horizon as he runs away, the music is so powerful, terrorizing, and heartbreaking.

Not only this, but I love Scar. Though I hate him for killing Mufasa and ruining poor Simba’s childhood, I really do love. He is the greatest Disney villain in my opion. He is so clever and intelligent, and yet so truely black at heart. I love he can joke so easily with Simba beneath Pride Rock while at the same time plotting to kill the very nephwe before him. Scar is also so funny, from the way he treats the hyenas, to the way he forces Zazu to sing for him. Scar’s reign of the Pride Lands is so devistating, and it is shown no better than in the face of Serabi. The pain in her eyes absolutely breaks me.

I also love Rafiki. His paintings of Simba and then Nala on the tree are so simple, yet they capture the entire feeling of the film. I love how Rafiki whispers and then screams when he realizes Simba is alive! The transition from this moment into the next scene is so beautiful, as are all the transitions in the film. Then Rafiki finds Simba, and he reminds him of his father’s message: that the great kings of the past will always be there for you. This message is so meaningful to me. It reminds me that no matter who I love that dies during my life, I can always just look up and know that they are watching over me, giving me strength. I would also argue that there is no greater single moment in film then when Simba looks into his reflection in the pool and sees Mufasa. How powerful! How so meaningful and inspiring! This moment makes me hope that I too can be like my father when I am older. It provides me with hope.

As Simba runs across the desert to return to his home, I feel like I should be singing praises. The slow motion of each paw pounding the ground and the amazing music absolutely fills me. Then, after Simba defeats Scar and starts to claim the throne that is rightfully his, I am at my happiest. I feel like I watched my own child grow up and become a respectable, deserving man. The rain pours down on the lions, perfectly setting the scene and raising the emotion. Then I waiit in eager anticipation for Simba to finally roar and take his place as king. The epic music builds and builds, and then when Simba roars, I explode within! All of my emotions and dreams roar along side Simba and the lionesses.

Then the movie ends just the way it began,truely completing the circle of life. This movie is brilliant. The animation is stunning and beautiful. Each and every moment is so masterfully thought out. This is just an amazing movie, and these sensations and responses are extracted from me every time I watch it.

So yeah. I guess The Lion King does mean a lot to me.

#11
  • Toy Story: I grew up with this, I think it’s a perfect film, and there is a certain level of comfort I find when I watch it.
    -Ferris Bueller’s Day Off: This is a feel good movie, and is one of the best I’ve ever seen.
    -Ratatouille: My entire family (including myself) loves it.
    -Monsters Inc.
    -Shark Tale: I don’t know why. but it’s great. :laughing:
#12

For me it’s WALL-E. It was the first movie I went to see on opening day. The art just swept me up and I loved the story. Yet when I excitedly showed my family and went a second time they just kind of shrugged, Makes it that much more special to me.

#13

YES!!!

Toy Story: it was my childhood.
Toy Story 2: the best one.

The Incredibles: the whole family thing really hits me, as well as Helen and Bob having been together for so long, and still being able to work out their problems.

Up: I don’t have a profound reason like you guys, I just really loved watching a couple get old together, and Carl getting over it. <3

#14

That’s a very poignant story, Rac_Rules. Just goes to show how films can mirror real-life in so many ways. Maybe you should write a letter to Pixar/Docter to let 'em know how much Up has touched your family.

I can’t think of any movie that has affected me on such a personal level, it’s more of a film with characters that I relate to or feature themes that I appreciate/enjoy.

Finding Nemo was the first Pixar film that I actually liked. Marlin’s love for his son and the hardships he endured to find him was really sweet. I remembered tearing when Nigel was recounting to Nemo and the Tank Gang the adventures his father’s been through to bring him back.

Cars was responsible for bringing about a whole paradigm shift of my view towards the studio. Some of you may have read that I initially despised Pixar because it unintentionally brought about the ‘death’ of traditional animation. I was and still am a huge fan of automobiles and car chases, so it naturally piqued my interest. None of my friends wanted to watch it, so I had the misfortune (or good luck?) to see it on my own. I fell in love with the amazing visuals, the tragic story of the demise of small-town America, and of course, the endearing characters. It opened my eyes to what this studio is capable of, and I started to pay attention from then on.

Ratatouille also connected with me for the same reason it did for many others, the tenacity in chasing your goals and never giving up, and the sad reality that while may one dream may end (the closing of Gusteau’s restaurant), another begins if you know where to look.

Wall-E remains my favourite Pixar film of all-time. The scale is grand, the themes universal, and the character is the personification (or robotification) of unconditional love. The only thing I didn’t like was that it felt too short. I wouldn’t have mind if they fleshed out aspects like Wall-E’s history on Earth, the life of the passengers on board Axiom, etc. If it was a ‘Brad Bird’ 2-hour length movie, it would’ve been perfect.

How to Train Your Dragon was a recent addition. I’m an open-minded progressive, so it appealed to my personal beliefs, but notwithstanding the whole political aspect of it, it is an amazing film that challenged my belief of what Dreamworks can do. You can say Kung Fu Panda was like Finding Nemo and HTTYD was the Cars of Dreamworks for me. Of course, most of it was largely due in part to the talent of Chris Sanders and his team, but it sort of leveled the ‘playing field’ between the studios in my mind.

Pocahontas and Toy Story also have a place in my heart because I remembered watching them in cinemas with my family as a kid. And both experiences were amazing, I remember laughing, crying, and all the stuff you do when you’re watching a great movie on the big screen.

#15

Thank you for sharing such a touching story with us, Rac_Rules, and to everyone else who has shared their attachments to certain films for whatever emotional reasons. It’s amazing how something supposedly fictitious can influence and make you think about your own life.

A lot of Pixar’s films are important to me, but Monsters, Inc. will always be the one that I’m most emotionally attached to. It’s influenced my childhood, my potential career choice, even my view of humanity. Every time I watch it, it doesn’t feel like I’m watching a film. There’s something different about the experience.

#16

Toy Story, was 2 when it came out, 3 when i got it on vhs, and just loved it :slight_smile:, and still do :smiley:
Ermmmm, Con Air, also grew up with it, i can quote the whole movie ;D
Also Rebel Without a Cause, James Dean’s character mirrors myself and alot of people.
Add 101 Dalmatians (animated), Peter Pan, Black Cauldron and Pinocchio as i grew up with them.

#17

TDIT, I’m glad Cars showed you the light. :mrgreen:

#18

Rac_Rules, that’s really touching. I’m so sorry about your grandmom, she seems like a really wonderful person.

I have an attachment to Up in kind of the same way, except my grandmom is the one alive and my grandpop has moved on. I was little, but I remember him clearly. I love him so much.

All of Pixar’s movies are special to me, since I’ve grown up with them. I was born in 1995, a month before Toy Story came out in theaters. Pixar has always been in my life, and so my childhood memories are attached to their movies.

#19

Man, it’s really special how you guys have these personal deep reasons for loving Pixar. Evangeline, does your grandmother do okay w/o your grandfather, or does she have issues like Carl?

#20

Monsters Inc and a bugs life.

I saw both of them as a child, and loved both of them. Both of them have moments which i loved when i was a child…and i still love.