Up with Pixar

To say that the animation was excellent in a Pixar movie is to be redundant right out of the box. They have pretty much set the standard for modern animated movies at this point. Their high point might very well have been the stupendous masterpiece "Wall*E" which came out last year. However, they are back now with a movie that is no less ambitious, if entirely different, and is truly magical for the entire family.

The film is called "Up" and it manages to be exciting, funny, touching, sweet and dazzling all together. It is also the first of the Pixar movies to be available in the new "Real 3D" format. I happened to see it in that format and I am still wondering: did it really do anything to enhance the film I saw? More on that in a moment.

At the heart of the movie is a love story. That love story is one of the most touching I have seen in any modern movie and it is told during the opening credits in a long, dazzling silent sequence. It is the story of a man named Carl and how he meets and falls in love with a firebrand named Ellie.

Carl and Ellie are a fan of an explorer named Charles Muntz who has dazzled the world by exploring South America and, in particular, a place called Paradise Falls. He has brought back bones of undiscovered creatures. However, scientists have declared him a fake and discredited him. Muntz leaves in his giant zeppelin and heads back to Paradise Falls, declaring that he will find live versions of the creatures he brought back and prove himself. He is never seen again.

Carl and Ellie meet as children and share their love of exploring and of Muntz's adventures. Eventually, as they get older, they fall in love. They vow that they will have many adventures and eventually get to Paradise Falls where Ellie dreams of putting their house right next to the giant waterfall seen in drawings.

The eventually marry and then start trying to save money to make that trip to South America. They keep their loose change in a large glass jar. The problem is that life keeps getting into the way. New tires are required for the car. Carl breaks his leg. A storm drops a tree on their beloved house. Each time the jar is broken and the changed use for something else.

We see their lives together in one very long, touching, amazing sequence right near the beginning of the film. It is entirely silent and yet conveys everything. They try to have children but receive terrible news. Then, as they age, more bad news comes. We learn that Carl has always been a balloon man, selling them daily via his cart that's always threatening to float away.

Soon, Carl is alone. Around him, the world has moved on and his tiny home is surrounded on all sides by high-rises extending their steel and glass into the sky. He refuses to move and when the retirement home comes to get him, Carl hatches his plan. He releases countless colorful balloons from the top of his house and the house itself rises into the sky. He is heading to South America.

Accompanying him is a young man named Russell, who is a Wilderness Adventure Scout trying to earn his "Assist the Elderly" badge. He is not a welcome passenger, however. Soon, the two of them run into an amazing bird and an even more amazing dog named Dug. Then, in the middle of the South American jungle the come across the huge zeppelin of Muntz and find out that the years have not been kind to the old man's mind.

All of this is a fable, of course. I guess there is no need to really tell you that. But the story is told with such earnestness, and such a tremendous sense of fun, that you buy into it immediately. To the rest of the world, Carl Frederickson is not a pleasant man, but you can't help but like him when you understand why he is as angry and grouchy and protective of his home as he is.

Ed Asner provides the voice of Carl. I cannot imagine a better person for this role. I tried to think of another actor who could convey the voice and emotions that Carl has to convey. I could think of no one else.

Christopher Plummer is the voice of Muntz. Once again, there is not a better actor out there for the role. Muntz must be near 100 years old in the movie, and yet the years in the jungle seem to have kept him hale and hearty and all-too menacing.

This is a movie full of color, full of life and full of adventure. It will likely be compared to the other Pixar movies, but I think it is at the very top of the list. It is a worthy companion to "Finding Nemo" and "Wall*E." It has a bit more sense of fun about itself than "Wall*E" which seemed so earnest in trying to get its message across I fear some of it went over little kid's heads. This time, there is enough to dazzle the little ones while also pleasing the parents.

As for the 3D, I cannot say it added anything to this movie for me. There were a few scenes where I appreciated the added depth and dimension, but I also felt that the movie would uphold its magic without the glasses. As someone who has to wear glasses to see, I felt I spent extra money on plastic lenses that I then spent the entire movie fiddling with and adjusting. In the end, I didn't see that they did much to make the movie any better than had I watched it in 2D.

So, without a doubt Pixar has shown again why it's the best when it comes to digital animation. Their next project is "Toy Story 3" and I hope they can bring that franchise back again with as much magic as they tell the story of Carl, his friends and his house of balloons. This will very likely be one of the best movies of the year.