Up

OPENING: 05/29/2009

STUDIO: Disney / Pixar

RUN TIME: 96 min

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

SOUNDTRACK:

The Charge
The greatest adventure of our lives is often the one we don’t even know we’re experiencing.

Opening Statement
I don’t know what’s in the air or the water up in Emeryville, CA, but whatever it is inspires some of the greatest filmmaking the world has ever known. Pixar has once again tapped into the universal truth of the human experience and delivered an adventure in Up so sweeping and emotionally charged even WALL•E could shed a tear.

Facts of the Case
Meet Carl and Ellie, two kids whose imaginations and lust for life is larger than all outdoors. These two kindred spirits want nothing more than to venture forth into the deepest reaches of the unknown and make a life for themselves amongst the beauty and majesty of Mother Earth’s most magnificent creation — Paradise Falls. Of course, life often manages to get in the way of our dreams. But, as the saying goes, love conquers all and nowhere is that belief more evident than in the journey shared by Carl and Ellie. Unfortunately, all journeys must end, and this one leaves Carl heartsick and without purpose… that is until the modern world begins to close in around him. What’s a adventurer with nothing left to lose going to do? Why take to the sky and fulfill a promise to his true love. Only problem is, Russell, one of the neighbor kids, accidentally tags along for the ride — and a good thing too, since these mismatched travelers are going to need each other to survive the many trials and tribulations that await them.

The Evidence
I fully admit, I had my doubts going into this one. For as much as I adored WALL • E and pretty much everything else sprung forth from the hallowed halls of Pixar, a 90 minute adventure about a senior citizen and his flying house did not sound all that appealing. Several minutes in — via a brilliant sequence encapsulating Carl and Ellie’s life together — I realized how foolish it was of me to ever doubt John Lasseter and Ed Catmull’s team of gifted filmmakers.

Up is a film that hooks your emotions and never lets go. Unlike Hollywood’s hard-on for mind-blowing visual effects, Pixar leverages its technological prowess but always puts story and characters first. As WALL • E ran away with the hearts and minds of last summer’s movie audiences, Up will do same. Director Pete Docter (Monsters Inc.) and writer Bob Peterson (Finding Nemo) marshal their troops, guiding us on a journey to a world we didn’t even know existed, and one we will want, nay need to revisit again and again. It’s a world beyond space and time, where idyllic 1940s sensibilities run headlong into modern challenges, ultimately bringing out the best in us all, even when the biggest obstacle turns out to be a childhood hero who’s far less noble than you idealized him to be.

Carl (voiced with tremendous nuance by Ed Asner) is a member of the Greatest Generation, now past his prime and usefulness to society. He’s standing in the way of capitalistic “progress” and needs to be put on a shelf with the rest of the aged and infirm. Trouble is, he’s not going quietly, and rightly so. Why should any of us be forced to do what the masses feel is best, when we know in our heart of hearts there’s so much more of life left to explore? Thankfully, fate has paired him with Russell (perfectly captured by young Jordan Nagai), a boy much like Carl used to be, full of adventure and appreciation for all the world has to offer. Russell too has been touched by life’s complexities, but he’s not about to let that stop him from doing what’s right.

Along the way our heroes join forces with Dug, a talking dog, and Kevin, an exotic version of Sesame Street’s Big Bird. The bonds they form are critical, as their journey is laden with pitfalls which can only be overcome by utilizing their combined knowledge and talents. On the surface, it sounds simple enough — and I don’t want to give away too much of the story, so as to preserve the wonder that awaits you — but even the most basic of tales in the hands of Pixar are rich, all encompassing experiences, supercharged by another brilliant underscore from composer Michael Giacchino. The thematic elements will linger long after you leave the theater, and you’ll need a copy of the soundtrack to scratch the itch that’ll haunt your emotional core.

Okay, there are a couple of niggling plot holes, like how Russell was able to make it up to the front porch after take-off, and just how old is Charles Muntz when we meet him, but these are easily set aside by the scope of the overall experience. Up is a pitch perfect balance of heartfelt emotion, laugh out loud humor, and edge-of-your seat excitement.

I did not have the opportunity to see the film in Disney Digital 3D on first viewing, but for as awe-inspiring as the visuals are in 2D, I can only imagine the depth of splendor to be experienced in Pixar’s first extra-dimensional foray. Like WALL-E, there are moments you will swear you are seeing a live action film. From the environmental detail of the South American jungle, to the tactile design of our heroes — down to the fabrics of their costumes — the imagery is astoundingly lifelike, even centered around characters who harken back to the glory days of Rankin-Bass. The rendering achievements Pixar is making with each successive picture is remarkable, which makes me wonder just how much further they can push the envelope.

And speaking of envelope pushing, we are once again blessed with a beautiful Pixar short which precedes the feature. Partly Cloudy is a touching and inventive tale of how babies of all species are created and brought into the world. Writer/Director Peter Sohn (Ratatouille) gets the opportunity to spread his wings, painting a landscape lush with character, color, and effects. It may not be as memorable as Knick Knack or as hilarious as Jack-Jack Attack, but it proves once again how important these shorts are to the future of the company, expanding an already rich stable of writing and directorial talent.

Closing Statement
The Pixar clan are hands down the most impressive storytellers since Bill Shakespeare and the Grimm Brothers. Young or old, male or female, rich or poor, kind or cruel, anyone who enters the theater to see Up will find themselves stripped down to their innermost 6-year-old, freed from every care and concern they came with, and emotionally unshackled, so as to lose themselves in one of the finest human adventure stories ever put to film. And, if you’re lucky, it just might change your perspective on what’s most important in life.

The Verdict
11/10 (That’s right, I said 11. In the words of Nigel Tufnel, “Eleven. Exactly. It’s one louder.”)