There's something about old people that's inherently funny. Be it their physical ailments, cranky demeanors, or time stamped wardrobes, there's always a cheap chuckle to be found. Equally as entertaining are dogs, whose behaviors have been mined for comedy gold to the point of species stereotyping.
And while any chump off the street can string together a scenario involving old people and dogs that caninduce laughter, leave it to Pixar (and their unrivaled sense of imagination) to tell a story with old people, dogs, a gender confusing bird, AND an overzealous boy scout that yields more than laughter. You'll laugh, you'll cheer, and you'll fight back tears.
The folks at Pixar are by no means strangers to material that's sniffle inducing. Be it Wall-e's incredible loneliness, the loss of Nemo's mother, or in Up's case, an old man losing his wife during their golden years.
Up starts off on a high note showing future geezer Carl, as an adventurous young lad who falls in love with the even more quest seeking tomboy, Ellie. A fantastic montage shows the pair in love throughout the decades dealing with all of the curve balls life throws at them, but never faltering in their affections. They plan to one day follow in the footsteps of their childhood hero, super adventurer Charles Muntz, who disappeared on a trek to Paradise Falls in South America.
Sadly, Ellie passes away and Charles is left to live his remaining years without his childhood sweetheart by his side. This turns the lovable Carl into the curmudgeonly Mr. Fredricksen.
You see all of this sweeping love story and feel the pain of loss and loneliness in the first ten minutes of the film. After this quick six hundred seconds (if you have a heard and/or soul) then like me you'll be immediately attached to these characters.
Without spoiling anymore than the trailer reveals, the rest of the plot involves Russell, a Wilderness Explorer trying to assist Carl and earn his elderly assistance badge. At the same time, Carl's home is taken away from him and he is forced to move to a retirement community. Wanting to fulfill his promise of adventure to Ellie, Carl (a balloon salesman) fills his house with... well... balloons and sets sail for Paradise Falls in South America.
As luck would have it Russell ends up joining the foray and the comedy gold ensues. Carl and Russell eventually team up with Dug, a dog equipped with a talking collar, in efforts to protect Kevin (a female exotic bird) from wayward adventurer turned bad guy Charles Muntz.
The writers of Up have done a phenomenal job of securing Carl, Russell, Kevin and Dug into the Pixar Walk of Fame. Each character's journey is both touching and enjoyable, all the while never feeling like a total downer. Even the tears evoked by Carl's love for Ellie are tears in the vein of sweetness rather than gut wrenching depression.
Every tiny detail, from the way Russell struggles with abandonment regarding his father, to the way the simple minded Dug immediately falls in love with anyone interesting (as only dogs can), just adds to the experience. Up's story is coherent, whimsical, charming, and above all entertaining. Add in the stunning (STUNNING) Disney Digital 3-D and you have what is arguably the most polished Pixar film and one of the most endearing animated films to date.
The Verdict:
If old folks make you laugh, go watch Up. If dogs make you laugh, go watch Up. If you hate movies altogether... go watch Up. I walked away with a laugh on my face and a sincere desire to spend some quality time with my loved ones. Pixar's known for their ability to target the wonders of childhood and imagination, and Up may be their highest benchmark yet.
(9.0/10)
Do yourself a favor and watch this movie.
The weekend box office numbers are in and they're not pretty. For gamers at least. Scott Pilgrim, the video game/comic book/nerdgasm hybrid, finished in 5th place behind 'The Expendables,' 'Eat, Pray, Love,' 'The Other Guys,' and 'Inception' pulling in a meager $10.5 million, with a rumored production cost of $60 million. :(
Don't f*ck with Julia Roberts.
