Those Jerks at Pixar Made Me Cry Again

So…my sister and I went to see Inside Out. And as Pixar movies always seem to do, it tugged at my heart strings and got me all teary-eyed more than once. It’s so touching and sweet and emotional. Bing Bong, noooooo!

But it was the five-minute short, Lava, that played before the movie that got me good. I mean, reeeal good. I sobbed with the UGLIEST cry face in the history of cry faces. I thought maybe it hit me hard because I was PMS’ing, or that I, like the characters, am just helplessly sitting around waiting for someone to lava me.

Both of those things were definitely true at the time, ha. However, Lava is a touching and sob-worthy piece of art in its own right. Weeks later (whilst not PMS’ing), whenever I just hear the song, I am reduced to a waterfall of tears and snot. And I can say unequivocally now that it’s not just PMS and my own personal quest to find lava – it’s because Lava was a great short. Pure and simple.

The raw simplicity of the ukulele song…the depth of personified emotion somehow conveyed from a character made of molten rock…the sweetness of the story…it was animated perfection, in my book.

And I’m a huge fan of ukulele music. I’ve got a few tunes tucked into my own personal ukulele repertoire, and guess which adorable little tune I’m adding now?!

I can’t help but think the main character was inspired by beloved Hawaiian musician, Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, the guy who famously and brilliantly mashed up Somewhere Over The Rainbow and It’s a Wonderful World on the uke. The resemblance is adorable. Whatever the case…

Damn you, Pixar. You did it again.


Note: The above video is NOT the short. It’s just a bunch of video stills with the song lyrics. Lava (and Inside Out) will be released on November 3, 2015.

Leave a Comment