THE GENERAL IDEA

The synopsis for Up reads something like this: “By tying thousands of balloon to his home, 78-year-old Carl Fredricksen sets out to fulfill his lifelong dream to see the wilds of South America. Right after lifting off, however, he learns he isn’t alone on his journey, since Russell, a wilderness explorer 70 years his junior, has inadvertently become a stowaway on the trip.”

THE GOOD

The opening of this movie is nothing short of magical. It shows us Carl (the main character) as a young boy who loves and dreams of adventure. He meets a young girl who shares his imagination and the movie then, mostly without dialog, goes on to tell the story of how they fell in love, married and shared a wonderful life together, a life where the two always dreamed of going on an adventure, an adventure they never got to share due to his wife passing away. I just can not put into words how beautifully this entire part of the story was told. So touching, so real, so happy and so sad. You FELT the joy Carl felt, and the down in the deepest part of your soul you feel his loss. It was magical. I know I’ve used that word in this review already… well get used to it because it’s going to be used a lot more.

The film is HILARIOUS. Perhaps the funniest film Pixar has ever done, and every single character in the movie adds to the humor. Carl (voiced by Edward Asner) is more the straight man whose “grumpy old man” routine never shuts out his soft side, Dug the dog (voiced by the guy who actually wrote the screenplay co-directed the movie, Bob Peterson) is GOLD every single solitary time he talks. I’m not kidding. Whenever Dug had a line, it was sure to make you howl with laughter. Kevin the bird didn’t have a single line of dialog in the entire film… and yet was hysterical. Even the villains were side-splitting.

One of the most difficult things for an animated film to accomplish is to make the audience feel a sense of wonder because we know that with animation you can make anything… and it’s no big deal. But I’m telling you, when the house takes off and starts to float through the city you really feel it. On top of that you honestly buy into the adventure that Carl and Russell (the young boy scout who inadvertently ends up tagging along for the ride) embark on. It’s so much pure fun.

I don’t want to get into spoiler territory here, so I want to be careful with my words. The final act of the movie is triggered by Carl realizing a lesson that is departed wife Ellie left behind for him. The realization is so moving and touching, yet bold and jarring. It makes you want to break down and cry (which a lot of people in my theater did) and yet jump into action with Carl at the same time. I’m never much one for the “moral” of the story in movies… but this one was special. No, more than special… it was magical (there’s that word again).

Sweet heavens even the way the movie did its closing credits was the most creative and original way I’ve ever seen them done. Brilliant!

I’ve always made this assertion, and seeing up only reinforces it: Pixar does not make kid movies. They make movies that are kid friendly. There is a huge difference. I saw Up with an audience made entirely up of adults who laughed, cried, gasped, squealed and cheered together without a single child… but kids will love it too.

THE BAD

The movie ended. That’s about it.

OVERALL

Up is perfect. I have no other way to put it. Thoroughly entertaining, extremely touching, brilliantly animated, hilariously funny, excitingly adventurous and flawlessly told. Somehow Pixar has topped themselves again. This is (in my personal opinion) the best film they’ve ever made, easily the best film of the year so far, and perhaps the best film of the last 2-3 years altogether. So I have no choice here… for only the fourth time in my career as a film blogger (in my 7th year now) I’m going to give a movie a perfect score. Overall I give Up a perfect 10 out of 10.