Up (Pixar)
Once the House Floats the Movie Soars
The people at Pixar know how to make films that amuse and entertain. They have proven that in the past with such movies as Finding Nemo, Toy Story and Monsters, Inc. With their latest effort Up they create a story that is deep in drama and light-hearted in amusement. The first third of the movie is particularly dark with sterility and death being the objects of concern. But once the house floats away on the power of balloons the movie soars.
The central character in the film is Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Ed Asner). We see him as a small boy when he first meets Ellie (Elie Doctor). They share a love of adventure and for the top world adventurer Charles Muntz (Christopher Plummer). Eventually they also share a love for each other.
Carl and Ellie plan to go on a great world adventure but they never get around to it. Their dream is sidetracked when they decide to have children but sadly they are never able to obtain that dream. Then Ellie dies and Carl is left all alone and bitter.
When he decides to take the trip to South America that he and Ellie had planned, he does it by hooking up hundreds of balloons to his house and floating away. An unexpected stowaway on this trip is Russell (Jordan Nagai), an Explorer Scout who is trying to earn a badge by helping g the elderly. Boy, does he ever earn that badge.
In the South America mountains Carl and Russell meet a dog named Dug (Bob Peterson) that can talk. He has a machine collar around his neck that has been invented by Muntz and it makes him able to speak. Muntz later shows up and tells Carl; and company about his pursuit of a rare bird in the jungle. Carl and Russell have already found this bird and named him Kevin. They swear to protect him from Muntz.
The animation for the film is richly colorful and the music of Michael Giacchino adds a dreamlike quality to the sweep of the adventure. All of the voice talent is first rate with Asner and Nagai being exceptional.
The film is rated PG for mild violence: the drama of the couple being unable to conceive children and later Ellies death. In a scene where Carl is sitting alone after the funeral a little boy seated behind me asked his mother what had happened. She said, Ellie died. So much for breaking it gently to him!
As an adventure story the movie is first rate. It could easily have started with the house lifting off and gone from there without all the drama and tragedy spelled out. At least I think the kids could have done without the Bambis mother scene.
Still you have to say the movie lifts the spirits and soars with enthusiasm. There are messages galore in the movie about what constitutes an adventure and what is the treasure we all seek. It is pure Disney in that sense.
Up is a marvelous ride with companionable characters. You can decide if your little ones should see it. At least you have been warned about some of the early specifics.
I scored Up a lifted 7 out of 10.
