Up

Up – 2009

***½ Out of ****

I often ponder the notion of a time when a Pixar film is no longer one of the best films of the year. Will it become cliché to continue heaping (deserving) praise? Or will the animation powerhouse continue to find both commercial and critical success even with lesser efforts like cars? I certainly see no end it sight nor do I ever dream of such a day, for Up continues with the storytelling magic and earnest warmth that makes Pixar the pinnacle of mainstream filmmaking.

While perhaps not on par with the most recent Pixar offerings of The Incredibles, Ratatouille or Wall-E, Up could arguably be seen as the most ambitious and creative of their work. It is a true testament to the care and nimbly chosen talent at work when filmmakers can turn an utterly unmarketable story and make it work through and through. The bizarreness does impede at times but heart trumps all else and is something Up supplies in perfect proportion. Impressing further yet with the charm and personality exhibited by a number of mute protagonists in tandem with the colour, and the cinematography and the beauty and the uniqueness and all elements simply combine into a delightful and consistently funny film that more than fulfills the requirements of a true family film.

The simple but whimsical storyline only centers around a handful of main players, but what is lacking in volume is made up for in the fully rounded nature of the leads and their respective arcs. Of course younger viewers will be concerned with no such elements, but will be entranced by the scenery, and sucked in by the perfectly executed slap-stick humour. That too overshadows some uneven portions where the zaniness of the story becomes to apparent and overshadows the characters more than is warranted especially with the material at play.

Caught up in this fable is the ultimate curmudgeon, Carl (voiced by Ed Asner) who lost the vibrancy in his life along with his loving wife of many years (Tragically explored through an entrancing series of flashbacks over the couple’s life). Finally fed up with his life he forces himself to fulfill his and his windows dream of travelling to the wilds of South America. But there is no airplane in Carl’s future, as the former balloon salesman secures thousands of helium orbs to his quaint home and lifts off to begin his adventure. However much to his surprise a young wilderness explorer named Russell has unwillingly stowed away. With no choice but to press on, Russell and Carl travel off together and form an unlikely bond along the way.

The tropical paradise itself is not without its surprises as the duo encounters a number of odd and exotic characters such as a long forgetting explorer, and former idol of Carls, Charles Muntz (Christopher Plummer), Dug the talking Dog (Bob Peterson) and Kevin the bird. It is the latter two characters who provide the films most outward laughs, with Dug's blunt sentence pronunciation often bringing tears to the eyes and pains to the sides. The voice work is all-round outstanding, with Asner striking the perfect cord between grumpiness and reluctant warmth and with newcomer Jordan Nagai as Russell more than keeping pace. Like all of Pixar's work there is no need for nostalgia, as kids will enjoy it, love it as they grow, and love it when they show it to their own children. As far as crowd pleasing fairy tales go, Up is as uplifting as movies come.