Sunday 1 August 2010

This isn't supposed to happen when watching an animation

Last night we watched a great film - UP.  I'd heard good reviews about from various people and when on the annual trip to HMV in Inverness (just after the anual trip to Waterstones in Inverness - we really should do those the other way around, a couple of discs weigh less than several bags of books) and saw it on BluRay on offer.  It was a duo pack (DVD and BluRay) so we started to watch it with my parents.  That didn't work as we were all talking as well, so we gave up.  But not before my mum, Mrs Stace and I started to well up a bit.

I won't go into the details of why - for those who have not seen it but would like to, but both of ended up in tears at several places in the film, and for a good 5 minutes after the film had finished.  Both of us kept saying 'It's an animation, you are not supposed to cry at animations!'  But it's actually a really powerful film, told in a fantastic way.  And with some very mood setting music.  So pleased that we brought it.

I get teary eyed at a few films, but generaly I never cry - not since I was a teenager, as I may have mentioned before having spent the best part of a decade being told boys don't cry it's not something that I can do so well.  But last night the tears flowed freely.  I think I have a good idea why - but as it would spoil the film I'm not going to say (but have come back whilst writing this).

I was me yesterday and so needless to say I went to bed with panda eyes...

There was something funny yesterday...  Mrs Stace was paying for parking and the machine ate both her ticket and money.  We pressed the intercom and I talked to the guy on the other end in my best Dutch.  The reply I got.  OK Madam, we'll be right there to sort it for you.  I felt great - I was not in Stace mode and wasn't trying to do anything with my voice.  I then felt rather guilty for thinking it was great - we were in a crowd of people waiting to pay for their parking and it can't have been great for Mrs Stace to hear with that many people within hearing distance - although she did look and me and laugh...

11 comments:

  1. Oh my god!!
    I bawl like a baby on some of movies I have seen. However UP, was not one of them. To me, certain movies will touch my heart and make me think as if it was myself in that experience and that is when I get so emotional. My honey gets the same way. Some times we will watch something just cause we know that It will touch our hearts and makes us cry. Then, we make fun of each other and start laughing!

    I know, we are kinda different that way. However, it is similar to how you and your mother must have felt. Just know, you are not the only one.

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  2. I've felt a bit tearful while watching a couple of films. The beginning of UP is the best bit of story setting I've seen for a while.

    I saw a review of Toy Story 3 the other day which said that some of the guys watching it were getting tearful at one point.

    The one programme that always reduces we to tears is the final episode of the series Babylon 5. The last 10 minutes always does it to me no matter how many times I've seen it.

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  3. I have even shed tears during a few poignant moments of The Simpsons.

    Melissa XX

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  4. I think Up is one of the most moving films I've seen in a long time. The photobook at the start and then again, towards the end, hits you hard and I found it incredably moving. Even now, just replaying the scenes in my head, I can feel my eyes prickle with tears. A sign of a job well done for the film's creators? :-)

    PS: The parking metre incident sounded very funny.

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  5. PPS: The Beeb's news story on films that make men cry. We are not alone! ;-)

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  6. I've heard from several people that they cried at Up. I haven't seen the film, so I don't yet know why, but we're going to have to see it. So what if it's an animation? You cry because a story touches you. I cry at live-action films (not exactly real, right?), plays (real people on stage, but acting), and books (all in my imagination). Why not animated films?

    Very good about the parking incident!

    @Melissa: I can't watch the episode about Bleeding Gums dying without crying. I'm sure there are other episodes that would do the same.

    I should write to Matt Groening to ask if he might do a Simpsons episode about a trans kid, since recent animations have done such a poor job (e.g., The Cleveland Show). A trans girl whom Lisa would befriend. I'm getting choked up already, and it doesn't even have a plot!

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  7. LeAnne: Mrs Stace and I could not look at each other during those parts of the film as we were both trying to hide the fact that we were crying at an animation...

    Jenny: I have to agree with your comment about the beginning. It was such wonderful storey telling. And the score matched it perfectly!

    Melissa: I think the Simpsons matches poignant with the adult comedy, with the slapstick. It's a shame I can't get the new episodes over here for some reason. When it's on it's invariably a repeat that I have seen so many times that I flick through.

    Lynn: Absolutely a job well done. I'm so pleased that I got this film, though I must watch it without makeup next time...

    The parking incident was great, I must admit to feeling very lucky with the voice. My mum was speaking to Mrs Stace last night without realising it wasn't me at first, and the last time her mum called I answered the phone to be greated with 'which one of you am I talking to'. Oddly enough I like this more than she does...

    I saw the BBC thing, thought it was very good :)

    Veronica I can more than recomend the film.

    I see your point that it shouldn't matter if it's an animation or not. Thanks for that :) There are a couple of books that we have on the shelf that I refuse to read on the train because they make me well up.

    Stace

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  8. I cry at almost anything, sometimes even adverts [well once or twice].
    So what were you doing up in Inversneckie? I'm sure the HMV there is good, but is it that good! (Or is that where you or Mrs Stace grew up?) It's a lovely place and somewhere we never get to often enough :-(

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  9. What can I say - the Waterstones and HMV there justify the 1600km trek from Amsterdam. And you can't discount the entertainment from watching people who couldn't care less ruining good (and expensive!) coffee at the motorway service stations on the way up...

    My parents moved up to the Cromarty Firth area a few years ago, so we generally make the trip once or twice a year. With dad being 60 last January we went during the bad weather - all I can say is I'm pleased the V50 has AWD, the A9 was dreadful (in fact I think it was closed the day before we went, and the day before we came home!)

    And there was a (Dutch) lorry jacknifed near the Highland Spring plant just to make life that little bit more interesting.

    Stace

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  10. I saw Toy Story 3 yesterday and had to wipe away a few tears at the end. The wife certainly noticed me doing that but then she was doing the same.

    My son and neice had dry eyes.

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  11. I've heard that about Toy Story 3. I've got to get around to watching it at some point.

    (I say that aqbout so many films though, and somehow never quite get around to it) I normally just get them on DVD / BluRay when they come out :)

    Stace

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