Written by: Corey Wackel
“Thanks for the adventure. Now go have one of your own.” That’s the advice written to Carl, the main character in Pixar’s newest film. Throughout the entire film, Carl undoubtedly takes the advice, but as an audience we tend to do the same. What seems to be a simple kid’s film from the creative minds at Pixar turns out to be one of the most poignant and touching films of this, or any, year. On an interesting side note, “Up” was chosen to open the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world. In doing so, “Up” became the first animated film to ever open the festival. In my opinion there couldn’t have been a better film.
“Up” starts with a wonderful view of what it means to be a child. While most of us can’t remember everything that happened while we were growing up, we tend to remember that sense of adventure that hid inside us. We also remember our first love, and how that one love sent ripples throughout our entire life. Both ideas are captured wonderfully in the first few minutes, but what follows is truly some of the best images put on film. As viewers, we’re walked through 70 years, or so, in the life of Carl. The entire sequence takes no longer than 10 minutes, but in that ten minutes “Up” does what most films fail to do in two hours. We see everything from love to loss, and we’re left deeply moved by the images splashed across the screen. From then on, the adventure that follows helps craft one of the most unique films of 2009.
Everything in “Up” works to its advantage, from the carefully considered character placement to the flawless animation. It should come as no surprise how fully realized Pixar’s newest entry is, as their films have always been the very best in the genre. I only wish that Disney would allow Pixar to break away. It would seem the Disney reaps the benefits of all the hard work done by Pixar. Everything from “Toy Story” to “Ratatouille” has proven to be masterpieces, generally because Pixar, not Disney, has the ability to create films that don’t cut any corners simply because they make movies that are generally targeted towards kids.
“Up” also has a message, something that most movies lack today. Once you see the movie, it’s no mystery that what “Up” preaches is rather genuine: it teaches us to follow our hearts and to achieve what we've always wanted to in our lives. It helps us realize that as we age, our dreams follow us. It also makes us question how we can better our lives as we experience new things. Pixar’s movies are dealing with very human ideas and I find that “Up” is perhaps the most successful in dealing with its underlying theme.
In the end, “Up” proves to be many things. It’s certainly still a family movie, but more importantly it’s a film that should deeply affect everybody that watches it. It’s funny, it’s sad, and it’s all together brilliant. The script is smart and the voice acting is perfect. In fact, it’s safe to say that “Up” is the first perfect film of the year. It’s easily one of the best of the decade as well, and it rightfully finds a place in my Top 100. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recently announced that it would expand the number of Best Picture nominees from five to ten. I’m rather happy about this, as it provides for a wider range of the films to be acknowledged at the end of the year. Also, with this move, “Up” SHOULD be a safe bet. I say should in the hopes that the Academy will finally give recognition to animated films, and “Up” is the perfect place to start.
Final Comment: “Up” proves to be Pixar’s finest film to date, and is destined to be the crowning achievement of 2009. Pixar’s most realized film is easily one of the year’s funniest, most poignant movies. In full disclosure, I even cried for the first time at a movie since 2004’s “Finding Neverland.”
Rating: 10/10
“Thanks for the adventure. Now go have one of your own.” That’s the advice written to Carl, the main character in Pixar’s newest film. Throughout the entire film, Carl undoubtedly takes the advice, but as an audience we tend to do the same. What seems to be a simple kid’s film from the creative minds at Pixar turns out to be one of the most poignant and touching films of this, or any, year. On an interesting side note, “Up” was chosen to open the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world. In doing so, “Up” became the first animated film to ever open the festival. In my opinion there couldn’t have been a better film.
“Up” starts with a wonderful view of what it means to be a child. While most of us can’t remember everything that happened while we were growing up, we tend to remember that sense of adventure that hid inside us. We also remember our first love, and how that one love sent ripples throughout our entire life. Both ideas are captured wonderfully in the first few minutes, but what follows is truly some of the best images put on film. As viewers, we’re walked through 70 years, or so, in the life of Carl. The entire sequence takes no longer than 10 minutes, but in that ten minutes “Up” does what most films fail to do in two hours. We see everything from love to loss, and we’re left deeply moved by the images splashed across the screen. From then on, the adventure that follows helps craft one of the most unique films of 2009.
Everything in “Up” works to its advantage, from the carefully considered character placement to the flawless animation. It should come as no surprise how fully realized Pixar’s newest entry is, as their films have always been the very best in the genre. I only wish that Disney would allow Pixar to break away. It would seem the Disney reaps the benefits of all the hard work done by Pixar. Everything from “Toy Story” to “Ratatouille” has proven to be masterpieces, generally because Pixar, not Disney, has the ability to create films that don’t cut any corners simply because they make movies that are generally targeted towards kids.
“Up” also has a message, something that most movies lack today. Once you see the movie, it’s no mystery that what “Up” preaches is rather genuine: it teaches us to follow our hearts and to achieve what we've always wanted to in our lives. It helps us realize that as we age, our dreams follow us. It also makes us question how we can better our lives as we experience new things. Pixar’s movies are dealing with very human ideas and I find that “Up” is perhaps the most successful in dealing with its underlying theme.
In the end, “Up” proves to be many things. It’s certainly still a family movie, but more importantly it’s a film that should deeply affect everybody that watches it. It’s funny, it’s sad, and it’s all together brilliant. The script is smart and the voice acting is perfect. In fact, it’s safe to say that “Up” is the first perfect film of the year. It’s easily one of the best of the decade as well, and it rightfully finds a place in my Top 100. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recently announced that it would expand the number of Best Picture nominees from five to ten. I’m rather happy about this, as it provides for a wider range of the films to be acknowledged at the end of the year. Also, with this move, “Up” SHOULD be a safe bet. I say should in the hopes that the Academy will finally give recognition to animated films, and “Up” is the perfect place to start.
Final Comment: “Up” proves to be Pixar’s finest film to date, and is destined to be the crowning achievement of 2009. Pixar’s most realized film is easily one of the year’s funniest, most poignant movies. In full disclosure, I even cried for the first time at a movie since 2004’s “Finding Neverland.”
Rating: 10/10
Written by: Tim Luisi
With Toy Story, Pixar Animation Studios brought a stunning new technology to the forefront for the average cinemagoer, and also created a great film with instantly iconic characters in the process. With Toy Story 2 and Finding Nemo, the studio brought back emotions that had been missing from the animated genre for years, such as the fear of the unknown and the pain of loss, all the while composing two American classics. With Wall-E, the company aimed for something even higher, asking what we as human beings might become, thus creating the most ambitious animated film to date. With UP, Pixar’s newest masterpiece, all of these previous elements were combined. In addition to beautiful animation, great characters, and tremendous ambition, however, the film also makes an interesting companion to Wall-E’s question, asking not what we might become, but rather, what is that we should strive for today?
The film starts off showing the beautiful intricacies of a relationship between Carl Fredricksen and his wife Ellie, from the moment that they first meet as imaginative children until the time of Ellie’s death. The whole, wonderful montage, takes merely five minutes to showcase love, fun, sadness, and more mixed in a whirlwind of emotions. In this short sequence, the film gives more reasons to care about this couple than most films accomplish throughout their entire running times.
Once this has ended the films shifts its focus to Carl Fredricksen, no longer the dreamer that he was once, but rather an old man who is alone and isolated in a fast-moving world. Here the animators nailed the character, creating a tired old crank, reminiscent of Clint Eastwood’s Walt Kowalski from last year’s Gran Torino, if maybe a slightly more loveable version.
When an accident occurs that would force him to move away from his home and into a retirement home, he is thrown into despair, until he discovers his wife’s old adventure book, and begins with renewed purpose to accomplish her ultimate dream: to live right next to Paradise Falls in South America. With that goal in mind, he ties a multitude of balloons to his house and begins his journey, only to discover that Russel, a young wilderness adventurer has accidentally taken off with him. What follows is a jam packed adventure, filled with humor, drama, and many talking dogs.
Technically this film is as marvelous as its plot is outlandish, featuring a crisp sound design, exquisitely detailed animation, as well as a score that represents the absolute best work of Michael Giaccino’s career. Every note fits each scene perfectly, and without it, the film may not have worked quite as well. Also, none of the voice work seems forced, but rather represents believable characters throughout.
In addition to the design elements, the screenwriters of this film should also be commended for their work. The dialogue flows smoothly, whether in a somber discussion or in the many witty jokes that pop up throughout the film. To say that this is Pixar’s most accomplished and mature script to date would be an accurate statement indeed. Besides being one of the funniest films of the decade, it is also simultaneously one of the most touching and sincere.
To say that this is a great film would be an understatement. This is a film that packs a tremendous emotional punch, as well as subtlety that is rare in most films, especially an animated one. To relegate this to the animated genre, however, is not fair to the filmmakers, nay artists, involved. Yes, this has slapstick humor and some logic that would only work in a cartoon world, but, it also contains within it a story and characters that anyone can relate to. This is the first time that Pixar has focused on mainly human characters, and that pays off in a big way. Sure, it is entertaining to watch toys interact with each other and to see robots fall in love, but this, despite how unrealistic some of the events that occur are, still feels real because it contains genuine, human emotions.
In closing this review, it has to be stated that Pixar has consistently delivered impeccable work ever since their debut in 1995, when audiences across the country cheered with delight as Buzz Lightyear and Sheriff Woody were seen “falling with style”, and this group of passionate filmmakers deserve to be recognized for their constant ambition and dedication to their craft. If I could ask only one thing of the Academy Awards and movie-lovers across the country it would be to acknowledge that the films that Pixar produces are much more than simple children’s fare. Most studios are intermittent in the masterpieces that they put out, but with Pixar it seems like it happens every year. And as UP proves, they are only getting better.
Hopefully the Academy Awards does not treat this film like they have the rest of Pixar’s filmography. This is a film that screams best picture, and that is where it should deservedly find itself come January.
Rating: 10/10
With Toy Story, Pixar Animation Studios brought a stunning new technology to the forefront for the average cinemagoer, and also created a great film with instantly iconic characters in the process. With Toy Story 2 and Finding Nemo, the studio brought back emotions that had been missing from the animated genre for years, such as the fear of the unknown and the pain of loss, all the while composing two American classics. With Wall-E, the company aimed for something even higher, asking what we as human beings might become, thus creating the most ambitious animated film to date. With UP, Pixar’s newest masterpiece, all of these previous elements were combined. In addition to beautiful animation, great characters, and tremendous ambition, however, the film also makes an interesting companion to Wall-E’s question, asking not what we might become, but rather, what is that we should strive for today?
The film starts off showing the beautiful intricacies of a relationship between Carl Fredricksen and his wife Ellie, from the moment that they first meet as imaginative children until the time of Ellie’s death. The whole, wonderful montage, takes merely five minutes to showcase love, fun, sadness, and more mixed in a whirlwind of emotions. In this short sequence, the film gives more reasons to care about this couple than most films accomplish throughout their entire running times.
Once this has ended the films shifts its focus to Carl Fredricksen, no longer the dreamer that he was once, but rather an old man who is alone and isolated in a fast-moving world. Here the animators nailed the character, creating a tired old crank, reminiscent of Clint Eastwood’s Walt Kowalski from last year’s Gran Torino, if maybe a slightly more loveable version.
When an accident occurs that would force him to move away from his home and into a retirement home, he is thrown into despair, until he discovers his wife’s old adventure book, and begins with renewed purpose to accomplish her ultimate dream: to live right next to Paradise Falls in South America. With that goal in mind, he ties a multitude of balloons to his house and begins his journey, only to discover that Russel, a young wilderness adventurer has accidentally taken off with him. What follows is a jam packed adventure, filled with humor, drama, and many talking dogs.
Technically this film is as marvelous as its plot is outlandish, featuring a crisp sound design, exquisitely detailed animation, as well as a score that represents the absolute best work of Michael Giaccino’s career. Every note fits each scene perfectly, and without it, the film may not have worked quite as well. Also, none of the voice work seems forced, but rather represents believable characters throughout.
In addition to the design elements, the screenwriters of this film should also be commended for their work. The dialogue flows smoothly, whether in a somber discussion or in the many witty jokes that pop up throughout the film. To say that this is Pixar’s most accomplished and mature script to date would be an accurate statement indeed. Besides being one of the funniest films of the decade, it is also simultaneously one of the most touching and sincere.
To say that this is a great film would be an understatement. This is a film that packs a tremendous emotional punch, as well as subtlety that is rare in most films, especially an animated one. To relegate this to the animated genre, however, is not fair to the filmmakers, nay artists, involved. Yes, this has slapstick humor and some logic that would only work in a cartoon world, but, it also contains within it a story and characters that anyone can relate to. This is the first time that Pixar has focused on mainly human characters, and that pays off in a big way. Sure, it is entertaining to watch toys interact with each other and to see robots fall in love, but this, despite how unrealistic some of the events that occur are, still feels real because it contains genuine, human emotions.
In closing this review, it has to be stated that Pixar has consistently delivered impeccable work ever since their debut in 1995, when audiences across the country cheered with delight as Buzz Lightyear and Sheriff Woody were seen “falling with style”, and this group of passionate filmmakers deserve to be recognized for their constant ambition and dedication to their craft. If I could ask only one thing of the Academy Awards and movie-lovers across the country it would be to acknowledge that the films that Pixar produces are much more than simple children’s fare. Most studios are intermittent in the masterpieces that they put out, but with Pixar it seems like it happens every year. And as UP proves, they are only getting better.
Hopefully the Academy Awards does not treat this film like they have the rest of Pixar’s filmography. This is a film that screams best picture, and that is where it should deservedly find itself come January.
Rating: 10/10