October 6, 2009
Up is Pixar’s 10th film and one of its best. A touching adventure about an old man and a chubby boy, Up reaches for the sky and succeeds.
It’s a bold move from a studio better known for animating kid-friendly creatures like monsters, toys, rats and cars. With Up, the animated movie has grown up – and proves that family films can still be funny, fast and feel-good even when the heroes are human.
Curmudgeonly Carl Fredrickson is a widower for whom life’s lost its meaning since his wife Ellie passed away. Skyscrapers crowd his life-long home and developers are out to oust him. But they’ve reckoned without Carl’s spirit of adventure – and the promise he made to Ellie, that one day they’d have a home in Paradise Falls in deepest South America.
Putting his balloon-salesman past to good use, Carl’s about to move house in a big way – up, up and away. But even he’s reckoned without ultra-keen Wilderness Explorer, 8 year old Russell who’s stowed away on his porch. The two form an unlikely bond and face a series of adventures involving long lost heroes, a flightless bird and a pack of talking dogs.
Directed by Pixar veteran and Monsters Inc. helmer Pete Docter, Up is a breath of fresh air. Known for taking time with stunning visuals, Pixar – now teamed with Disney – have done it again, with some ravishing animation. The balloon-flight is brilliant, multi-coloured shadows washing over the city. And the opening 1930s scene-setter is stunning.
Better still, Docter’s also taken time with the characters. Russell’s an overweight kid from a broken family. And touching its toe in Bridge to Terabithia territory, Up features a fabulous montage as young Carl and tomboy Ellie meet as kids and grow up together through marriage, childlessness and bereavement.
It’s a spirited, eye-watering achievement – audacious and key to establishing Carl as not just a comedy codger for kids to laugh at, but a credible old man who’s lived, loved and lost. Any kids watching it with parents or grandparents will get the gist in a featherlight way, sweetened with Michael Giacchino’s emotive score.
Then come the antics. It’s a crash-landing jolt from which the film struggles to recover or finds its feet, depending on your view. Once Dug the dog turns up, with a hi-tech collar that turns his thoughts into words, we’re into offbeat but safer territory. And Kevin the rare flightless bird hunted by long-lost explorer – and Carl’s hero – Charles Muntz (Christopher Plummer), is reminiscent of Big Bird and Roadrunner.
But Up is high on humour and adventure. Dog-pack chases and deadpan sight-gags vie for attention. A biplane dog-fight – literally – and a zeppelin attack on a floating house is brilliantly brought to life.
With voices from Ed Asner (Lou Grant) as Carl, and a nine-year old Jordan Nagai as Russell, Up also eschews Pixar’s usual big-name casting choices. Nothing gets in the way of the story or the humour.
“What makes a film worth watching”, says the director, “is when you go home and you’re still thinking about it”. All ages should say the same about Up: a family film that might even bring families closer together. A cracking adventure with genuine heart. Thumbs up.
It’s a bold move from a studio better known for animating kid-friendly creatures like monsters, toys, rats and cars. With Up, the animated movie has grown up – and proves that family films can still be funny, fast and feel-good even when the heroes are human.
Curmudgeonly Carl Fredrickson is a widower for whom life’s lost its meaning since his wife Ellie passed away. Skyscrapers crowd his life-long home and developers are out to oust him. But they’ve reckoned without Carl’s spirit of adventure – and the promise he made to Ellie, that one day they’d have a home in Paradise Falls in deepest South America.
Putting his balloon-salesman past to good use, Carl’s about to move house in a big way – up, up and away. But even he’s reckoned without ultra-keen Wilderness Explorer, 8 year old Russell who’s stowed away on his porch. The two form an unlikely bond and face a series of adventures involving long lost heroes, a flightless bird and a pack of talking dogs.
Directed by Pixar veteran and Monsters Inc. helmer Pete Docter, Up is a breath of fresh air. Known for taking time with stunning visuals, Pixar – now teamed with Disney – have done it again, with some ravishing animation. The balloon-flight is brilliant, multi-coloured shadows washing over the city. And the opening 1930s scene-setter is stunning.
Better still, Docter’s also taken time with the characters. Russell’s an overweight kid from a broken family. And touching its toe in Bridge to Terabithia territory, Up features a fabulous montage as young Carl and tomboy Ellie meet as kids and grow up together through marriage, childlessness and bereavement.
It’s a spirited, eye-watering achievement – audacious and key to establishing Carl as not just a comedy codger for kids to laugh at, but a credible old man who’s lived, loved and lost. Any kids watching it with parents or grandparents will get the gist in a featherlight way, sweetened with Michael Giacchino’s emotive score.
Then come the antics. It’s a crash-landing jolt from which the film struggles to recover or finds its feet, depending on your view. Once Dug the dog turns up, with a hi-tech collar that turns his thoughts into words, we’re into offbeat but safer territory. And Kevin the rare flightless bird hunted by long-lost explorer – and Carl’s hero – Charles Muntz (Christopher Plummer), is reminiscent of Big Bird and Roadrunner.
But Up is high on humour and adventure. Dog-pack chases and deadpan sight-gags vie for attention. A biplane dog-fight – literally – and a zeppelin attack on a floating house is brilliantly brought to life.
With voices from Ed Asner (Lou Grant) as Carl, and a nine-year old Jordan Nagai as Russell, Up also eschews Pixar’s usual big-name casting choices. Nothing gets in the way of the story or the humour.
“What makes a film worth watching”, says the director, “is when you go home and you’re still thinking about it”. All ages should say the same about Up: a family film that might even bring families closer together. A cracking adventure with genuine heart. Thumbs up.