When the Little Mermaid wound up marrying the prince instead of choosing to die and return to sea-foam. I felt cheated out of her hopeful transformation into a daughter of the air with the chance to earn a soul of her own.
I’ve always been one to cry at the drop of a hat when it comes to movies and a lot things that aren’t, but I’ve come to realize something about myself after watching some of these newer Disney movies: Death and self sacrifice get me more than anything else.
Was I sad when Ellie died in Up*? Hell yes. But that was a tears rolling “oh man that’s sad” kind of crying.
Made a little worse was the quoted text above. Having the toys just accept that they’re going to die is just heartbreaking. They’re innocent and they’re just accepting death? That’s more sad to me than old age.
And the cherry on top? That I’m surprised hasn’t been mentioned? Effing Bing Bong, man. His death had me fighting in the theater (thank god it was dark) to not out-and-out cry. Everything about that scene was perfectly made to get you. The slow buildup of trying to make it, then him saying “Let’s try one more time” and you think “oh shit, no” then he starts to get off the bike (OH GOD, NO) then his final phrase? God, that just ruined me. Thank the Lord I hated everything else about that movie that I never have to see that again.
*Hollywood Studios did a cool thing last summer where you could hear the music of Pixar via a live orchestra. It was a kickass concept and cool show for things like Toy Story and the Incredibles. But then there’s Up. They, of course, used this opening scene as the example of Up’s amazing soundtrack and it was the worst idea ever. Having 200 adults sitting in broad daylight all crying was NOT what I was hoping for during that trip let me tell you.
This, a thousand times this.
Like you, noble self-sacrifice REALLY sets off my otherwise non-existent allergies, and Bing Bong messed me up pretty bad.