Brilliant!

Rating: 10/10 (29 September 2009)

After last year's 'Wall-E', which was brilliant despite virtually being a silent film, Pixar have outdone themselves with 'UP' (which, like 'Wall-E' was released in time for the school holidays).
The story is fairly simple. Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Ed Asner) is a old man mourning the loss of his wife, Ellie. After an accident sees him about to be shipped off to the dreaded retirement village, he ties a number of balloons to his chimney and uses his house to fly to Paradise Falls, a place Ellie dreamed of going. Coming along for the ride is young Asian-American boy Russell, an over-eager and slightly annoying Wilderness Society Scout desperate to get his last "assisting the elderly" badge. From there the pair's journey is sidetracked by a rare bird named Kevin, an adorable dog named Dug (one of an army who can talk through a special collar) and Carl's childhood hero Charles Muntz (voiced by Christopher Plummer), who will stop at nothing to capture Kevin for his collection.
As a story, 'UP' is fairly conventional; all the main characters overcome obstacles to reach their goals and experience events which change their life forever. Like most Pixar films, the real appeal is in the details and characterisation. The history of Carl and Ellie is outlined in a touching montage at the start of the movie which establishes Carl's motivations without hitting you over the head or cynically stringing out the emotional power. The characterisation of Russell is also well fleshed out; at first he seems like an annoying little nerd, but as the movie progresses, we see he's just a lonely little boy desperate for his father's approval, much like Carl is desperate to keep his memories of Ellie alive with his trip to Paradise Falls. For me, the standout character is Dug. Not only is he absolutely adorable, if a bit dim, but the talking doesn't detract from this. The dogs talk like you assume dogs would actually talk (they get excited at the sight of tennis balls or when they hear the word "treat" and get distracted by a passing squirrel). Along with Kevin, the dogs provide the majority of laughs.
There's also plenty of action, especially when Carl and Russell try to escape the clutches of Muntz. These action scenes, though, are probably a bit scary for really little kids.
Overall, UP is a brilliant film. While it was released in time for the school holidays, it is more than just another silly kids film. The plot, while conventional, isn't boring and there's plenty of humour, action and some touching moments. More importantly, UP has appeal across all ages and has something for everyone.