Up

Up (2009)
Walt Disney Pictures / Pixar Animation
Directed by Pete Doctor
Starring Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai

Pixar Animation has created another masterpiece with its newest film, Up. Starring Edward Asner as widower Carl Fredricksen, the film follows Carl and Russell (Nagai), a young Wilderness Explorer, on their wild adventure to South America in Carl’s house suspended by balloons. The plot doesn’t seem like much, but Pixar uses their creative imaginations and magic to make Up a wild story full of emotion, humor, and action. The animation from Pixar is top notch and ranks with WALL-E and The Incredibles. As with all of their films, it is incredible how much emotion can be shown using three-dimensional characters. In every Pixar film, you immediately fall in love with the characters and feel for them. Up is no different. When Carl’s life is shown with his wife, it is heartwarming and very sad. It is hard not to shed a tear when the montage ends with her passing away. You pity Carl for losing his wife, and now his home is trying to be taken away. Carl has no option but to move away to Paradise Falls; the fantasy location where the couple has always wanted to move to. Russell, who is trying to get a merit badge, get stuck on the house as it flies away, and joins Carl on the ride of a lifetime.

Up is a heartwarming tale about loss and grief. It is also about realizing that even though your dreams don’t always come true, it is important to look back on your life and realize what you have accomplished. Carl always thought that he failed his wife by never going to Paradise Falls, but in reality, he made her proud. The couple keeps an “Adventure Book” with all of their plans. Carl opens it after her death and finds that she continued the adventure by placing pictures of their life together. Carl realizes that he has had a rewarding life with her.

The film works on every level; from the animation to the voice acting. Carl is the grumpy, yet lovable old man, and Asner brings the character to life. Newcomer Jordan Nagai voices Russell, who is both pitiful and charming. He is a great Pixar character like the chef from Ratatouille. Pixar has always created funny and pitiful characters in all of their films.

Up is an amazing film from Pixar that shows that they are the powerhouse of animated films. They have only had one bad film (Cars), and the rest have been masterpieces that appeal to children as well as adults. Up is a sad film with tons of raw emotion and lovable characters. There is nothing wrong with this film. It is near perfect. It has the right amount of humor mixed with adventure and action, and a strong message and motion looming above this basic concept that created a masterpiece.

Rating: A


June 25, 2010