Squirrel

Rating: 10/10 (23 December 2013)

If there is one thing that could be said about life, without an argument is in its own chaotic way, it is an adventure. It is beautiful and horrid to experience. It shapes us in many fashions as we experience every moment, learning more and more about ourselves. Whatever goals we have in life are part of the self-developing construct that helps us better in choosing whichever direction that intrigues us. This adventure is wondrous in its mystery and just as frightening in the same respect that in the end of this journey there is death. What follows after, who's to say? Modeling their love for exploring after famous explorer Charles F. Muntz (Plummer), Carl Fredericksen (Asher) and his wife Ellie (Docter) have looked at the prospect of exploring with the same charisma of their idle, believing in simply the journey. Their hope to reach a place known as Paradise Falls has been their one and only dream in life. Sadly because of the many pressures life brings forth, dreams are often left on a shelf for many years before they can be opened and fully realized. Not long after a poetically musical montage of introduction, Ellie passes on to hopefully a better place, leaving Carl alone, and with little spirit left to move forward. The story picks up later with Carl, a little more cynical and bitter, with his house blocking a construction site. After a misunderstood accident with a worker, Carl is forced into a retirement home. Gratefully though, as many senior citizens are encouraged to by yours truly, Carl refutes such a notion of indifferent hospitality, as he turns his home into a makeshift airship, embarking towards Paradise Falls, in the hope for just one more adventure, for his sake and Ellie's.
Joining Carl on this journey comes a chubby, and overly talkative boy scout named Russell (Jordan), who in accompanying Carl, hopes to acquire his final merit badge from assisting the elderly. Russell being an Asian character, played by an Asian actor is both delightful and charming through his innocence and his good nature, and giving a more cultural relevance to his identity, rather than the typical stereotype. No matter how many times he refers to Carl, as "Mr. Fredericksen", the cynical look on his disgruntled face marks a comic humor that has never lost its touch within these soulful comedies. Along their journey, the duo, lets call them that because eventually through their adventure they become heroes in their own manner, encounter many hardships, and meet many new friends as they head for Paradise Falls. First comes a large and colorful bird, who Russell names Kevin, and then a talking dog. Yes a talking dog, as hard as it is to believe, but then again its Disney so logic is somewhat out the window. Speaking of which, that really what the filmmakers are intending really when exploring such a simple concept in Disney film no less.
In an existentialist perspective, UP is beautiful in the poetry it tries to convey when discussing the subject of life. Early in the beginning of the film, after his wife's death, Carl has lost his zeal for life. His passion to explore, resulting in his demeanor being more negative and antagonistic towards strangers. His journey to Paradise Falls within the film is in its own way more of a spiritual journey as Carl heads towards a destination he and his wife envisioned as the ultimate adventure. Now this is to say that in death, as we carry out the wishes of our lost loved ones we take on an essence of their desires, as they live on in us, thus ushering a sense of immortality within the memories we still treasure of them. So Carl's journey, whether successful or unsuccessful is not the key goal. It is really the spirit he embodies as he carries the wishes of his wife, out of love for her, and in this journey he discards the anger he holds as he experiences the very adventure that shaped his childhood and formed his character. If anything, Up is beautiful within the simplicity it draws strength from, giving the prospect of life a purpose within on our own nature, as we are pattern seekers, and as we pursue knowledge, be it in science, philosophy, literature, art, or even religion, it all amounts to the spirit in which we take it to ourselves to make this complex journey we call life, hopefully with no regrets and no desire to limit ourselves.