UP!
BY MELEK CANSU PETEK (ELIT/I)
Animations are not only for kids. We all agree on that, right? As a matter of fact, sometimes you need to be a "grownup" (whatever that means) to understand all the jokes and what is really going on. However, what if I were to say that some animations are among the deepest movies I've ever seen? I can almost hear some of you protesting against that: "No! That artsy French movie that taught me the secrets of life is absolutely much better than a stupid animation." Okay, grownup, calm down! It's not like I hate artsy and/or French movies. Actually, there are quite a few I've enjoyed seeing, and I'm sure they've had an influence on me. What I'm trying to say here is that if you take animations seriously and don't watch them "just for fun," you'll be amazed at how much you can learn.
Speaking of learning, I'd like to share what I've absorbed from these lovely, colorful, alive movies. You might have already noticed that I have a habit of making lists. I like lists. They come in really handy when you're trying to make a point. (Good thing this isn't an essay for ENG 101, though. I'd surely fail the course -- look at all the "I"s I just used.) Oh, and you also might have noticed that I like talking nonsense and can't cut it short. But stay with me, and I'll share the fountain of wisdom called "animations" with you!
1. First things first. True love DOES exist. Sometimes in the purest, cutest and the loveliest form that makes your heart ache, as in "Up." The love story of Carl and Ellie is one of the sweetest things I've ever seen. After watching the film, I started to wonder whether I'd ever have a love story like theirs. The answer came back as, "Sure I will!" Call me a romantic, but I do believe there's someone special for everyone. You might ask why that person is so hard to find then. Well, we take the wrong path most of the time. Dating random people is not the right way of doing this. And I don't want to sound all judgmental and sniffy, but dating someone just because you don't like being alone is simply being "needy." Mr. Emerson puts it quite right: "We must be our own before we can be another's."
2. Obstacles DO exist. Ah, wouldn't it be just great if they didn't? My answer is "Oh, YES," but also, "I don't know." There would be no victory or sweet taste of achieving something good if there were no obstacles. There would be no need to grow wiser or become a better person if you didn't face any problems. Remember the first "Ice Age" movie. Through the obstacles they faced together, Manny, Sid and Diego became best friends, to the point of being willing to sacrifice their lives -- well, Sid was still like the pet of the group, but you get the point.
3. Dream UP! Let's be clear, I'm not saying to tie thousands of helium balloons to your house and try to go to Paradise Falls (actually it's quite an appealing idea, but let's leave that aside). What we can "learn" from Mr. Fredricksen is that you're never too old to chase your dreams. Since you're most probably a student, you really aren't old anyway. I thought I was too old to take that university entrance exam again, especially when I had already spent four years studying to be a biologist. It took a lot of courage to start over, but that was the best decision I ever made. I admit it, being a 23-year-old freshman is a bit funny, and trying to explain to everyone why I'm still a university student is a bit tiring. But I wanted to study literature, and the fact that I'm doing it right now gives me a LOT of pleasure. I enjoy my classes, even with loads of assignments. I'd always dreamed of becoming a writer, and I'm one step closer now. I'm also planning to be a barista at some point in my life. In fact, if I were to write down my dreams, you'd have a good laugh, they all seem so irrelevant. I don't even know whether I can be everything I want, but I'll give it a try. That's the gist of life: Give it a try! If you fail, you'll fail while trying. It's still better than sitting, sulking and doing nothing.
This is almost the end, and I haven't even been able to share all the "wisdom" I've gained from animations. (I really need to learn how to cut it short.) But you already know what it is, right? Stop being a sniffy grownup and try to reach that daredevil kid inside who isn't afraid to dream. Life will be more fun, I promise. P.S.: Don't forget to watch "Paperman." It won the Oscar as the best animated short film!