Movie Review: Pixar's Up

If you've ever watched a Pixar film (and liked it), then you already know that they've set high standards for themselves. Up, their latest creation, is no exception. In fact, it may be their best yet.

The Plot

Up's deceptively simple plot concerns a man named Carl Fredricksen (Edward Asner) who, as a boy, meets an adventurous girl named Ellie (Elie Docter). The two share dreams of one day taking off on wild explorations together; specifically, they have in mind a place called Paradise Falls in South America. They also have a mutual admiration for explorer Charles Muntz (the excellent Christopher Plummer), who heads for South America in search of a rare bird as his prize. Eventually, Carl and Ellie get married, keeping a coin jar for the funds they plan to use for their trip. As they age, however, real life gets in the way, and it seems their dream is nothing more than fantasy.

One day, in a heartrending moment, Ellie dies, leaving Carl alone in their house with the same visions. In spite of the tragedy, Carl vows to fulfill his and Ellie's childhood dream. As you may have seen in the trailers, Carl's lifelong work selling balloons at the zoo leaves him with enough to carry his house away. While taking off, he ends up with an unlikely companion: namely Russell, a young "Wilderness Explorer" attempting to earn his "Assisting the Elderly" merit badge.

Without giving away too much of the story's remainder, Up is a fantastic film in every sense of the word. As you know if you've seen any of Pixar's previous work (e.g. The Incredibles, Toy Story, Monsters, Inc., etc.), the animation is breathtaking and lifelike, while still retaining some of the "cartoonish" fun that's made Disney films famous.

However, it isn't simply the animation, or the voice-overs, or the music that make Up stand out against other films of its kind. This film has heart. And that's a whole heck of a lot. More than once during the movie, it's likely that the entire audience will be wiping away tears. Of course, those moments of sadness open up to many of joy and humor as well.

Yet another character quirk that many will enjoy is the fact that despite their great difference in age, both Carl and Russell have the desire for adventure, and will seemingly stop at nothing to achieve it. In this way, the film holds much appeal for both adults and children. After all, haven't all of us dreamed of adventure at some point?

The Medium Is the Message

In a sense, Up is also educational; it does a wonderful job of conveying the feelings of growing up and having to rely on oneself. As a matter of fact, you could say that the idea of traveling up in the sky is also a metaphor for growing up. Granted, its setting is an extreme example of that, but as you may well know, fictional stories have a way of being applied to our own lives, fantastic or not.

For middle-aged and older folks, it is a reminder that there's still much to be discovered, even when you think you've seen it all. Those leaving the theater after seeing Up might think to themselves, "When was the last time I went on an adventure?"

At the same time, there are some revelations later in the story that remind us how, when we are children, things are not always what they seem. In other words, a child's imagination can shelter him from the harsh realities of life. Russell, being swept up into this adventure, learns those hardships firsthand.

As critics Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times and Peter Travers of Rolling Stone point out, the film shows the world as it is (albeit in animated form), with suffering and darkness. Many of us know, of course, that the bitter comes with the sweet.

Some of the film's most humorous moments come from its canine characters, particularly Dug (Bob Peterson), the not-so-adept hunting dog that ends up joining the heroes. Even Up's villains, who come into the picture a bit later, add a touch of hilarity to the spectacular adventure scenes.

Can I Take My Kids?

Absolutely! Up is a great film for the entire family, young and old alike. Like many of the greatest animated features (think Snow White and Beauty and the Beast), it has humor and references for both the children and adults in the audience. So, too, does it have main characters that elderly and middle-aged viewers will enjoy, in addition to youngsters.

While there are some mildly violent action sequences, it's no different than what you would expect from any other Pixar film. To boot, these scenes mix in some of the film's best jokes.

So without giving any more away, see Up for yourself, and let it take you to that place of adventure in your heart. You won't regret it!