Disney/Pixar's UP Takes You Up and Beyond

Disney Pixar's UP grossed over $68 million for its opening weekend. Millions of people watched as 78 year-old Carl Frederickson, voiced by Ed Asner, learned some valuable lessons in life from 8 year-old Russell, a rare giant bird named Kevin and a talking dog named Dug. UP is more about realizing what you have while you have it and not living your life for someday.

In UP, Carl met the love of his life, Ellie, as a kid. Sharing a love of adventure, they planned to go to South America and live at Paradise Falls, someday. Through flashbacks, we see Carl and Ellie's life played out through good times and bad. Not a dry eye will be found at the end of this montage. Never actually taking the trip of their dreams, Carl is left alone in the home they shared with an unfinished scrapbook of their life. A land developer wants to buy his home to put UP skyscrapers but Carl is clinging to the past and won't let go. Enter Russell.

Russell is an 8 year-old Wilderness Explorer working on his badge for assisting the elderly. Russell has troubles of his own and his chance meeting with Carl changes his life. When Carl decides to run away, house and all, by tying hundreds or thousands of helium-filled balloons to his house, Russell is inadvertently taken along for the ride.

Pixar's animation in UP is once again another character of the film. Scenes of the house as it travels through the city, passes through clouds and storms and drifts over oceans are spectacular.

They arrive in South America just short of the intended landing site and must drag the still-floating house by foot over the last stretch of the journey. This is where they meet their new animal friends and encounter danger in a surprising form.

Carl and Russell's friendship grows subtly through the story with each sharing tidbits of their emotional baggage with the other. Gradually Carl comes to realize the importance of appreciating the relationships in his life and that letting go of past dreams and souvenirs doesn't mean letting go of love.

The movie UP follows the traditional Disney formula - someone dies, we weep; a bad guy threatens the hero's happiness, the hero prevails. Yet in this film, it doesn't feel formulaic. You get caught UP in the story and find yourself weeping and cheering right along with the characters on the screen.

Up is preceded by an amazingly moving and funny short film about storks and the clouds who fashion the babies, human and animal, they deliver. Look for this one to be on the next Pixar Shorts release DVD as well as being a possible Oscar nominee in the short animated film category.

Moviegoers won't be disappointed by UP. It is a story with lots of heart that sends you home with a smile on your face, warmth in your heart and leaves you looking UP for the possibilities in life.