Two thumbs Up
by Inigo C. Pieraz
After exploring extraordinary worlds of talking toys, rats, bugs, fish, and superheroes, Pixar now takes audiences up–literally.
Up marks Pixar’s 10th feature film, and true to their winning form, Up does not disappoint. In fact, it easily ranks as one of their finest and most sublime efforts to date.
The movie begins with a montage of Carl and Ellie’s love story, beginning when they met as kids. Later, the young couple realizes they can’t have children.
Now, 78-year old Carl Fredricksen is a widower. Unable to move on from losing Ellie, he clings on to their old house even as contractors begin construction work around it. This is when he decides to travel to Paradise Falls in South America to honor the memory of Ellie, who had always wanted to live near a waterfall. To get there, he ties thousands of balloons to his house until it floats away like a blimp.
Unknown to him, Russell, a young wilderness explorer looking to get his badge for helping the elderly, has tagged along. Carl wants to be left alone to grieve, but Russell can’t stop talking, which annoys Carl to no end. Once the two get to Paradise Falls, they meet a slew of interesting characters, including a talking dog, a very rare South American bird, and an elderly explorer named Charles Muntz who stops at nothing to get what he wants.
As with each new film they release, Pixar pushes the boundaries of both storytelling and animation technology. The color palette is vivid and striking. The attention paid to every scene is impressive, like the detail in the number of colorful badges on Russell’s sash or the way they animate every leaf on every tree in the South American jungle. Each frame bursts with such creativity that the film is a work of art.
Yet what makes Up an amazing cinematic experience is in the way this simple story is powerfully told. The first ten minutes of Up, which chronicles the heartbreaking love story of Carl and Ellie, ranks as some of the most poignant scenes ever animated.
Unlike with last year’s Wall-E, where the second half failed to live up the film’s promising premise, Up’s story never wavers. The second half of the film, which takes place mostly in South America, is as exciting and exhilarating as the first half is touching.
It’s impossible not to root for Carl and Russell as they fight off attack dogs, fighter jets, and different forms of weaponry. Once they land in South America, the true adventure begins—and the film takes off into the stratosphere.
All good plots are driven by great characters, and Up is no exception. The characters of Carl and Russell are some of Pixar’s most memorable. Viewers get invested in these characters because they are developed so completely from the beginning of the film all the way to the end.
Pixar’s filmmakers are masters at creating characters that are totally complex but still very relatable. Such was the case with Carl. Although he does things that a normal senior citizen would never realistically do, his loneliness and anger are feelings anyone can relate with.
Much credit also goes to Ed Asner (The Mary Tyler Moore Show) and newcomer Jordan Nagai, the two lead voices of the film. Asner perfectly embodies the cranky yet lovable old Carl. Similarly, Nagai’s sweet and youthful voice coming from Russell stands in perfect contrast to that of Asner.
Major praise goes to director Pete Docter (Monsters Inc.), who co-wrote the script with Bob Peterson. The script is smartly and tightly written. Although the film tackles several subjects, not once does it veer away from its main theme involving Carl and his mission to honor the memory of Ellie. And despite the seriousness of this theme, the script manages to remain lighthearted and funny. This results in Pixar’s funniest and most clever film yet.
There is a magical, disarming quality to Up that is missing from most of today’s Hollywood films. It’s a wacky, whimsical adventure, but it never loses its emotional center. The animation is indeed superb, but it is the unforgettable story and characters that make Up a true animated masterpiece.
It isn’t just Carl’s house that flies—the entire film soars to amazing heights. And the audience is lucky enough to go for the ride.
By the way, UP opens AUGUST 10 in cinemas everywhere.
Actually, it comes out August 19, confirmed by Disney-Pixar Philippines.
Thanks anyway, Igoy!
Yeah, I was about to post that. Original date nga e was middle of July, tapon inusog ng inusog ng inusog.
Di ba nila alam na maraming fans dito ang Pixar? Hehe.
Thanks Anne.
Just reread this after seeing the film. I agree with your review – especially the part about the first 10 minutes! One of the most affecting montages I’ve seen. Great ending line, btw