Review of Up (2009) by Jean L — 05 Oct 2013

If you look at the list of Pixar's incredible library, my favorite Pixar film would be The Incredibles. But at a close second, my 2nd favorite Pixar feature is Up, a film filled with incredible adventure and heart from an excellent studio who made us cheer for talking toys and monsters living in their own little world.

Ever since he was a boy, Carl Fredricksen dreams of going to the South American wilderness of Paradise Falls, along with hid future wife Ellie. Much later, as an elderly balloon salesman, Carl is bitter, depressed, and lonely, sad over the death of his wife. When he's forced to go into a retirement community, Carl ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies it down to the falls. But Carl isn't alone, because Russell, a child wilderness explorer stows away at the last second. Together, the two go on an adventure to Paradise Falls, but soon realize that the adventure is just beginning.

Pixar is always good at making great storytelling, and Up is one of Pixar's all-time best. Up is filled with emotional depth in a wonderful ten-minute opening sequence showing the relationship between Carl and Ellie over the years (my band teacher believed that Pixar told a better love story in ten minutes than what Stephanie Meyer attempted to do in four books; it's that excellent), while also featuring adventure and excitement, humor, and wonder. A story about an old man who flies a house to a dream location is one of Pixar's most original ideas in their entire career. People might complain that the story is far-fetched, with moments of dogs flying planes and talking, and an even more elderly explorer, but the film is never dull and stupid, but rather a true Pixar masterpiece. This is the reason why I watch Pixar films, cause Pixar is a wonderful studio filled with wonderful heart.

The animation is simply beautiful to look at. Shots of the falls are jaw-dropping, human characters look excellent, and the creatures were made so well that you'd think this was a live-action film. With The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, and the three Toy Story films, Up features some of Pixar's best CG animation, and remind me that Pixar's CG animation is without a doubt the best in the business.

Making the film truly worthwhile is the phenomenal Oscar-winning score from Michael Giacchino. The opening Carl/Ellie theme is emotionally beautiful (and tear-inducing, depending on who you are), there's music of excellent excitement, and while I wouldn't say it tops his excellent score in The Incredibles, like with this film itself, this comes really, really close.

Up also has some of the most memorable and entertaining Pixar characters that I've ever rooted for in my life. While the old man Carl is a bit of a stinker, when voiced by Ed Asner, Carl is funny, moving, and full of pure Pixar magic. The boy Russell is great as well, and is never annoying. The even older explorer, Charles Muntz, a hunter after a "mysterious beast", voiced by Christopher Plummer, is sinister, vicious, and purely evil, especially when we find out what the beast is. There's also a cute, tall, and adorable bird named Kevin and a very funny talking dog named Dug, who always pauses when he smells a squirrel.

Roger Ebert once said that Up is a "wonderful film", and in the opinion of The Movie King, the "king of film criticism" is right. Up is filled with stunning animation, an exciting and heartfelt story, a ton of "pure imagination", and filled with so much heart that it can be enjoyed by the tough-minded. Pixar, you deserve a standing ovation with this film! Keep on making films like this, not dull junk as WALL-E or the creepiness that was Brave.