Up is not my favorite

Rating: 6/10 (29 January 2014)

Up is not my favorite Pixar movie, but I welcome its arrival. I'd rather see dozens of movies like this than one more ugly sequel to Shrek or Madagascar or Ice Age. Pixar views their films as creative and artistic endeavors; Dreamworks and Fox see theirs as products. With Pixar, it's about the movie. With most other animated features, it's about the marketing. There are some great moments in Up, and it may be the funniest thing Pixar has done in a long time, but even the aspects of Up that lack greatness are not bad, and that's worth applauding
Up falls under the umbrella of a tried-and-true formula: the old man/young kid "buddy film." This may be, however, the first time this Hollywood staple has been translated effectively into an animated format. As with most movies of this sort, the old guy - 78-year old Carl Fredricksen (voice of Edward Asner) - is a grumpy sort: set in his ways and not welcoming of strangers. The young guy - cub scout Russell (Jordan Nagai) - is full of innocence and wide-eyed optimism. During the course of the film, the two bond and learn from one another although, as is often the case, Carl's schooling strikes a little deeper. The boy who is a nuisance at the beginning has become a valued companion by the end.