1. Carl and Ellie's Story
No movie opening can possibly have such an emotional roller coaster as the first ten minutes of Up. It starts off nicely as Carl and Ellie meet as kids and soon spark a romance. We follow them through marriage, moving into the house, and getting ready to start a family…and then Ellie is shown at the hospital in tears, and there goes that dream. They try to save up for a trip around the world, but something always happens to block it.
Just as Carl has finally bought the tickets for the trip, Ellie falls ill. He’s with her at the hospital, giving her the book of adventures they had as kids. It ends with Carl sitting alone at the funeral home with a balloon in hand, lost without his love. It’s a stunning opening that can affect people of all ages and leads to one of Pixar’s finest achievements.