Up (2009)

There's trouble aplenty in Pixar's animated Paradise Falls. The curmudgeonly Carl, a 78-year-old widower (complete with a walker with tennis balls and a hearing aid that screeches), is deeply bereft of his childhood sweetheart Ellie. His lonesome life collides with an irritating, eager beaver Wilderness Explorer named Russell, age 8, who's intent on earning his merit badge for helping an old person. One day when Carl is reminiscing over his wife's scrapbook of "Stuff I'm Going To Do," he sees a note scribbled by his deceased wife: "Thanks for the adventures, now you go have a new one." And that's just what he does by fastening thousands of balloons to his house and floating to Paradise Falls, an enchanted land of colorful birds, talking dogs — and one mean man. Rescue is in order, the old and the young bond as buddies, and merit badge glory awaits. Up shows once again that animated films are no longer only for kids; it won the 2009 Academy Award for best animated feature film.