However they do it, whether it is by steroids, stem cell, Egyptian secrets, Babylonian water, or selling their soul to some monster, Pixar has been providing hit after hit, success story after success story since 1995. Surely they don't profit as much as their rival Dreamworks, but Pixar's films have lasting appeal that can and will span decades and generations to come. I severely doubt a century from now we'll remember Shrek or Madagascar the same way. Pixar's strategy has always been top provide tugs at the heartstrings for every time they deliver a laugh. This mix of comedy and drama has served them well in the past, with Finding Nemo and the Toy Story films being the absolute best examples. Up on the other hand, has overwhelmingly more drama and sad moments than laughs. If you can survive this little shift of film-making from Pixar, then you are in for a treat. Up is yet another grand film from the company that seems to do no wrong and it has great appeal for moviegoers of all-ages.
Up is about Carl Fredrickson, a retired bitter old man whom is still reeling from the loss of his wife. Since children, they had a dream about going to Paradise Falls, a secluded location in South America. In her honor, Carl heads out on a quest to South America using his house, and thousands of balloons. Accidentally accompanying him is Russell, a trusty boy scout. Along the way, they'll meet all sorts of characters and more adventure than they could have ever imagined. Written by Bob Peterson (Responsible for Finding Nemo, need I say more?), the film explores themes of loneliness, letting go, life and friendship. The script excels with plenty of adventure, funny moments, and sentimental moments that will make you sniffle a bit.
Forget 3-D. It's a stupid trend that will soon go away. The movie looks absolutely beautiful in 2-D and does not need any special effects for it to be appreciated. The people and animals themselves are composed of different shapes, representing their personality. Unlike in other non-Pixar efforts, realism (in terms of people) wasn't attempted, instead focus was on detail. The movie is amazingly detailed, but the production didn't demand as much complicated animation like in Wall-E and Ratatouille. Nonetheless, the film looks great, and yet again proves that Pixar is on top of the animation heap.
The main strength of Up lies in the action and its characters. The film has plenty of exciting and perilous moments that keep you guessing how it's going to end. And then, there are the hilarious characters. Carl himself is likable, but doesn't provide as many laughs as Russell, and the eventual animals that are involved in their quest (especially the hilarious dog Dug with the special collar). Up falls more into the category of The Incredibles rather than Wall-E or Ratatouille because of its immense amount of peril. There's nothing wrong with that, just telling you it's not the Pixar fare you've seen in recent years.
Like previously stated though, Up is a very tough pill to swallow in terms of its dramedy. The first ten minutes of Up are among the most heart-wrenching in recent memory, and towards the climax we have another moment in which you can't help but feel that lump in your throat. This sort of heavy sentiment has not been present in any non-Pixar animated film this decade, not even Shrek. It is hard to make a cranky selfish old man likable or sympathetic, but like in Finding Nemo with Marlin, knowing the past definitely clears all confusion and answers all the questions we would ask about their challenging personality.
Bottom Line: Pixar strikes gold yet again, and in the form of a very creative story about an old man searching for adventure. All the elements that worked in all the Pixar films of the past are present here, and associated with a superb musical score by Michael Giacchino. The only reason you wouldn't like this film is if you don't like Pixar at all---in which afterwards it will be followed by questions concerning your taste in film. Ranking this film, I'd place it somewhere between The Incredibles and the original Toy Story as one of the 5 best they've ever released. How do they do it? It has to be steroids, there's no other explanation.
When you're with Pixar, the quality of film has nowhere to go but Up.
Highly recommend.
