Pixar Does It Again!!!

Rating: 8/10 (31 May 2009)

When I first saw the trailers for Up, I was skeptical. How interesting can it be to watch an old, cranky man and an impossibly optimistic, chubby kid float around in a house held in the air by balloons? As it turns out, it can be very interesting. The latest film from Pixar, the tenth in their roughly decade-and-a-half history of success, is, in parts, a comedy, an adventure, a buddy movie and a romance. Each genre is blended with the others to create a funny, entertaining and emotional story.
One of the first things that helps make Up so compelling is the pitch-perfect voice casting, particularly of the two leads. As the movie's protagonist, Carl Fredrickson, Ed Asner is delightfully gloomy and cantankerous, delivering his lines with just the right balance of sarcasm and sincerity to make the audience genuinely care and root for a character that would be otherwise extremely unlikable. Newcomer Jordan Nagai provides his character, Russell, whose peppiness could easily have been irritating, with energy, enthusiasm and enough feeling to prevent Russell from becoming a caricature. Of course, a brief cameo by Pixar regular and "lucky charm" John Ratzenberger, who is the only person to have been part of the cast of all ten Pixar feature films, as a construction worker doesn't hurt. Though he usually has minor parts, it would be very odd to see a Pixar film without him and his very distinctive voice.
Even if it had not been available in 3-D, the visuals in Up would still be stunning. Vistas of a jungle and waterfalls act as an almost jaw-dropping backdrop without detracting from the story or characters. The attention to detail is phenomenal. Even though by now, computer-animation is considered the standard, one cannot help but be amazed at how realistic the film looks. Perhaps even more impressive is how Up uses 3-D technology to its advantage but never allows it to overwhelm the plot, relying on it to immerse the audience in the film instead of cheesy, pop-off-the-screen gags. The color palette, alternately bright and more neutral, really adds life to the film. In fact, the animation and visuals are so well-done that it seems as though Up would be just as entertaining if there was no sound at all, only images.
But, of course, as great as the technology utilized in Up is, it's the story and characters that really engage the audience in a tender, emotional experience. What has distinguished Pixar movies from other animated films in the past is the way that it focuses on getting across a story worth telling instead of using the story as a vehicle to tell the jokes. Also, from Toy Story to Wall-E and Up, Pixar movies have appealed to both kids and adults. This appears to be the one of the only studios that realizes that animation is just another medium and that it can be used to tell grown-up stories with mature themes as well as tales that please kids. Though it has its share of laughs and jokes that will make people of any age crack up, the themes and messages that Up explores are decidedly serious. Unlike many recent animated films whose messages usually consist of "Just be yourself" or some variation on that, Up focuses on death, loss and, ultimately, the importance of moving on and not letting grief keep you from realizing your dreams. In a world of cynicism and restlessness, its plea for people to recognize life as an adventure, that you don't have to travel to far-off places to experience excitement or grandeur, is especially relevant and crucial. Up is about ordinary people that do extraordinary things in equally extraordinary places before realizing that it is often the simple, boring things in life that bring the most joy.
The only major flaw is the presence of a villain. Voiced by Christopher Plummer, Charles Muntz has little role to play than to provide an excuse for lengthy (albeit admittedly thrilling) action sequences. He feels unnecessary and in fact hurts the movie by forcing it into the typical villain-trying-to-kill-hero-for-no-real-reason formula. Though Muntz's canine sidekicks are colorful characters and sources of humor throughout, it seems as though the movie would have been better off without a central antagonist and instead used the relationship between the two protagonists as the main conflict. Knowing Pixar, they could have made Up just as entertaining and more innovative if the formula was ditched in favor of a more character-driven story about self-discovery.
However, despite that flaw, Up was a thoroughly enjoyable and heartwarming movie with surprisingly likable characters. It had, not surprisingly, incredible animation that was used in support of a simple yet profound story and helped convey timeless messages of letting go and enjoying the ordinary and complex journey that is life.