UP
Carl is a grumpy widower and helium balloon vendor who was
deeply in love with his wife, Ellie. Ellie and Carl had two dreams: to
raise a child, and to travel to a place called Paradise Falls. Neither
came true, which was kind of fine while they were together, but
now that Ellie’s passed away, life’s really grinding Carl down. When
developers try to boot him out of the home he shared with the love
of his life, he comes up with a plan to float the house to Paradise
Falls with balloons (it’s probably a good time to mention thatUpis
animated). Unbeknownst to Carl, his airborne house is harbouring
a slightly annoying, over-enthusiastic, but ultimately good-hearted
kid named Russell. Chaos ensues; a Carl-Russell relationship
develops; and 90 minutes later we’ve almost recovered from the
trauma of watching Ellie die.The waterworks will start:Two
minutes into the montage of Carl and Ellie’s childless love story.HOLDING THE MAN
In 1970s Melbourne, two Catholic schoolboys fall in love. It’s a
classic teenage romance, full of public groping, secretive hand-
holding, and notes that get intercepted by the classroom teacher/
priest. “Tim for John forever and also sorry I tried to get weird with
you after school.” Inevitably, their parents find out and a series of
“You’ll not be seeing that young man again” lectures ensue. Tim
and John ignore their parents; go to university; learn some very
first-hand information about car sex and homophobia; and 10 years
later they’re still together. It’s all blissful ups and downs until they
discover they’re both HIV positive and their worlds fade into hospital
visits and awkward conversations about wills. Occasional jokes
punctuate the 20-minute stretch where we’re basically watching
Tim watch John die. If it were entirely bleak, it wouldn’t be so sad.
The waterworks will start:When Tim shares a slow dance with his
dad, a few hours after telling his parents he’s HIV positive.LION
In the mid-1980s, Saroo is five years old and living in India with
his mother, his sister, and his brother, Guddu. Because this film
is very sad, Saroo and Guddu have to spend a lot of their time
stealing coal from trains in order to survive. One night, Saroo
and Guddu get separated and, flash forward: Saroo’s wandering
around Calcutta with no way home. Flash forward even further
and he’s ended up in Tasmania, adopted by his new mum Nicole
Kidman! Anyway, this is all based on the true story of Saroo
Brierley, who used a nifty thing called Google Maps to track down
his hometown, find his mother, and return to India – 20-plus
years later – for a visit. You will cry many tears. Like, real, heaving
sobs. Keep tissues handy. The waterworks will start: When Saroo
reunites with his mother after decades apart, only to learn that
Guddu died the same night he disappeared.BEACHES
Beaches follows the longstanding friendship of two women who
drop in and out of each other’s lives over a 35-year period. If you’ve
recently moved to a faraway city and your best friend’s now sitting
somewhere on the other side of the world, approach this film with
caution and tissues. CC (Bette Midler) and Hillary (Barbara Hershey)
are kids when they meet by chance under a boardwalk. They’re
instant friends and, later, because it’s the ’60s, pen pals. As their
lives move in different directions, the pair slides through the five
stages of adult friendship: jealousy, resentment, forgiveness,
adoration, and eventually, genuine love. Because it’s a movie and
movies need drama, Hillary has a baby and then immediately
develops a heart condition. The prognosis isn’t good, so they pack
their bags and head to the beach to live out Hillary’s final weeks
together as a bickering couple. The waterworks will start: When
“Wind Beneath My Wings” begins playing in the background.Photo
Columbia Pictures
popcorn