Up soars with adventure above the rest!

Rating: 9/10 (26 July 2010)

Saddened by the passing of his wife, Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner) misses the love of his life and only wants to fulfill her dreams of getting to Paradise Falls. Frustrated by the outside world moving in on their place Mr. Fredricksen takes matters into his own hands to escape being sent away to a retirement home. He meets an awkward Wilderness Explorer named Russell (Jordan Nagai) stuck on his porch of his floating house and the real adventure begins.
John Lasseter and the Pixar team have done what they do best by telling a a fantastic story in a way that everyone can relate to. UP shows that with imagination anything is possible even if only a dream. The dream of reaching Paradise Falls lasts all of Ellie, Mrs. Fredricksen's, life and her imagination kept her feeling young all the time. I believe that Ellie's youthful imagination is what kept Carl going so long. They both dreamed of a better place to live atop the falls of South America, somewhere far from where they lived in the growing city. The wish to be in another place for better things reminds me of the dreams and imagination of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. Dorothy dreamed of a better life in the far off land of OZ and she too traveled by house. Both stories show how dreams and imagination can keep people happy in tough times.
The use of the montage during the first scenes of the film are perfect to show the beautiful life that Carl and Ellie make for themselves. Without a single line of dialog used we get a very clear understanding of the love they have for each other,and it is beautiful. We, the audience, get a glimpse into the love they share and get to enjoy the good times of the life they build together. From the fixing up of the house, to the painting of the simple mailbox, we get to enjoy their love. The montage paints a beautiful picture of the passing time of their marriage.
I also love the use of lighting and color in the film. After Ellie passes from Carl's life things seem dull, gray, and very low key and the lighting reflects that. Carl's life feels empty and the colors and lighting make us feel sort of like how Carl is feeling. As the adventure begins we see more and more color. Carl feels that he is living Ellie's dream and he feels young again. The once colorful life they two of them shared is now presented to Carl and the audience to once again enjoy.
UP is a fantastic film with a story of hope, joy, and enlightenment that I really loved. The story, production, and characters grab your emotions and draw you in. This film is something everyone will enjoy.