Astonishing is not a strong enough word for "Up"

Rating: 10/10 (22 July 2009)

After the brilliance of "Wall-E," Pixar had nowhere to go but down. Instead, they went "Up," way up! I defy even the most cynical viewer to watch the Carl-and-Ellie opening montage and not shed an honest tear. So emotionally overwhelming is this astonishing piece of animated film making that the viewer is completely sucked in to the rest of the story. The technical and artistic brilliance of this sequence is worth the price of admission, but, happily, there is much to come that is comparable.
There are characters, authentic in their realization, utterly believable in their execution, wonderfully written and voiced. There is spectacle, there is adventure and suspense and a great many out-loud laughs. There is poignancy and heartbreak, heroism and redemption -- all of the things that create a memorable movie-going experience.
A brief word about the 3-D work in the film: utterly flawless and free from the obtrusiveness that mars so many 3-D efforts. Pixar did not use 3-D as a trick to be exploited, but rather as an element that enhanced the wonder of the visuals and extend the story. This is a lesson in how to use a technology to actually advance a story. Well done!
I can only hope that with the Academy's expansion of Best Picture Nominees from five to ten this year that "Up" will at least get a nomination. If there is real justice, it will receive the award that "Wall-E" should have won. But "Up" is altogether deserving of the award on its own merits. This is a movie to be treasured, to be seen with someone you love.