AMB Reviews

Up: 9.5/10 Stars

Release Date: May 29, 2009

Content Advisory: Rated PG for some peril and action. Several fight sequences, many of them though brushed over with humor to lessen its impact. Some shooting, hitting, chases, and several people are even killed, but it's mainly all implied with no real objectionable content.

Review:

"Up" is Pixar's 10th animated feature to date, and is, in my opinion, their best one yet.

In Short:

"Up" tells the tender yet comical story of Carl Frederickson, who, after his wife tragically dies, decides to go to their long dreamed of vacation spot: Paradise Falls, located in South America. But he's not planning on flying, driving, or walking. No, he intends to fly there in his house, lifted by thousands of balloons. But then comes a knock at the door. Surprise! He has company! A small 8-year-old boy who is a renowned "forest guide." It all adds up to one zany, original, and family-friendly adventure, as they face talking dogs, wild birds, and an explorer bent on stopping them. Pixar does it once again and provides us with a visually arresting masterpiece. This one even beats "Wall-E" and yes, "The Incredibles."

In Full:

Carl Frederickson is sort of grumpy. That's not saying that he's always been like that. Back when he was with his wife, Ellie, he was happier than ever. But when she tragically dies, he feels alone and depressed. His solution? Using thousands of balloons to lift up his house, he plans to fly all the way to South America to the spot his wife had always wanted to visit: Paradise Falls. Along the way, however, he befriends a young boy named Russell, a big rainbow bird named Kevin, and a talking dog named Doug. But danger lurks in the most unexpected of places. That's all I'm going to give away for this truly crazy adventure. The plot is original and a ton of fun to watch unfold. My eyes didn't stray from the screen once.

The voices of the characters were magnificent as well. Edward Asner voiced Carl, and he did a marvelous job. Whoever voiced him had to be able to come up with a grumpy side, as well as a tender and loving side. Asner did this perfectly. Jordan Nagai voices Russell, and for an 8-year-old kid, I thought he did a pretty good job. His character was absolutely hilarious, and that's not always easy to make it so. Fortunately, Nagai, along with every other voice in the film, was perfect. Just perfect.

And now to the most grand part of most any Pixar film... the visuals. From the splendor of "Finding Nemo" to the breathtaking scenery of "Wall-E" and the glory of "The Incredibles," "Up" continues in the same vein, producing a solid storyline with great voices, yet with stellar animation. Pixar has an animation style like I've never seen before... it's not quite cartoonish animation, but it's not live action either. It's a beautiful and uniquely incredible blend of the two.

Since I found no cons with the film, I will simply have to continue my praise for it. This movie, besides being an excellent and family friendly delight, also contained many thought-provoking morals and family values. One major point made in the film is that of unfulfilled dreams, and coming to accept that not all dreams are going to be fulfilled. Sometimes, life brings you disappointments, and rather than sitting and sulking, you make the best of it and try to see something good within it. [Spoiler Warning] A critical scene in this film, was when Carl looked through Ellie's journal and stops at a page marked "Stuff I'm Going To Do," and sulks, knowing she never got to visit Paradise Falls. He turns the page, however, and finds various pictures of Carl and Ellie. From vacations, to their wedding, to simple moments at home, Carl realizes that he gave her an adventure that, though wasn't what she wanted at the beginning, turned out to be better. This is the stuff contained is "Up." It's so much more than your normal, fluffy kids movie.

"Up" is what dreams are made of. I'm not kidding. Many may be saying that I'm going just a tad bit overboard and that I should skim down on the compliments. But I'm dead serious about everything I've said so far. No curse words or sex in sight, making it completely enjoyable for families of all ages, as well as leaving older viewers with something to think about. Something to chew on. Though enjoying a movie that leaves you simply with cotton candy to inhale is occasionally nice, I prefer the film that gives you a slab of beef jerky, that takes time to process. "Up" gives the younger viewers the time of their lives, with exotic lands, unique characters, and witty dialogue, while leaving older viewers with the same exact thing... and a piece of beef jerky. It truly is Pixar's best work yet.