5) Coral’s Death
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Doing something they would repeat again in Up, Pixar got us nice and teary in the first few minutes of Finding Nemo, as we see the origins of Marlin’s overprotectiveness and Nemo’s lucky fin.
When settling in to their new anemone home, Marlin’s wife Coral and nearly all of their eggs are eaten by a vicious barracuda. With just him and damaged egg Nemo left, Marlin promises to never let anything happen to him. Cue enough tears from the audience to fill the ocean.
With Thomas Newman’s tense music and the tragic outcome, the film briefly morphs into a horror movie rather than a wholesome Pixar flick. Disney’s The Little Mermaid said it was better under the sea, but this scene from Finding Nemo makes us think we’re safer up on land, thanks.