Meet In The Lobby

by Norm Schrager, posted 12.05.09
4 / 5 stars

With an exception or two, every film produced by the wondrous, gloriously playful Pixar minds sets the bar so high for their next effort that improvement seems almost unattainable. Surpassing each previous film can be an awfully tall order — but the studio’s aggregate portfolio has a storytelling richness and technical accomplishment that’s unmatched. Up lives up to that short legacy. It lacks the full scope and vision of, say, WALL-E, but it certainly reconfirms Pixar as the dominant force in feature animated film. Again.

And it also reinforces Pixar staff as some of the finest screenwriters anywhere. Up is full of color and whimsy and detail, but co-writer/directors Pete Docter and Bob Peterson deliver a story first and foremost.

At the core of Up are two people at the opposite ends of life — a crusty, headstrong widower and a plucky schoolkid — both left alone by family, and eager for adventure. Whether they expect it or not.

The old man is Carl Fredericksen (voiced by Ed Asner), a square-faced dreamer who’s devoted his seven-odd decades to his beloved Ellie, whom he met as a child, married and watched pass away so many years later. The young boy is Russell (Jordan Nagai), a bright-eyed boy scout just one badge short of his next achievement as an adventurous scout: Assisting the elderly. And the relationship begins.

Even with that storytelling potential, the greatest moments of Up are in the opening sequence, before Russell even enters the picture. It’s a first act that is absolutely note-for-note perfect, an introduction that takes us through Carl’s life, from his first childhood meeting with his future wife to the moment of her passing. Most of it is told wordlessly, breathlessly. If extracted from the movie, it would be one of the greatest short films ever made, animated or otherwise.

The only drawback is that the rest of Up seems nearly basic in comparison. Yes, it is sweet and creative and carefully crafted, but it has the limits of a single, point A-to-point B expedition. On its own, that two-thirds of the film would have its own merits. As a follow-through to that brilliant introduction, it lacks a little magic.

The adventure is simple: Just moments before he’s to be taken to an old-folks home, Carl defiantly lifts his home off the ground, courtesy a huge collection of helium balloons, in an effort to navigate to a South American spot he and Ellie had always dreamed of going. The story catalyst, of course, is that young Russell becomes an unwitting stowaway.

While in South America, they encounter an odd creature, packs of a dogs, and a ruthless explorer with a link to Carl’s past. Up soon evolves into a fairly basic good vs. evil tale, one that’s wholly appropriate for the discovery-based theme, full of bravery, fast thinking and even faster getaways.

In total, Up is meaningful, sweet and sympathetic to two age groups that too often get overlooked. Small kids will probably be frightened by the film, so don’t be fooled by the cute balloon images in the promos; adults will find much to enjoy — but I can’t help but feel that Up loses a tiny bit of air as it flies along. Which, by Pixar standards, still makes it better than most.

DVD NOTES: The 2-disc Deluxe Edition DVD version of Up has tons of features, behind-the-scenes stuff and a digital version of the film. There’s also a mega Blu-ray 4 Disc Combo Pack including the short film “Partly Cloudy,” documentaries, an alternate scene, a DVD copy of the movie and a digital copy.

Check out the Up Deluxe Edition DVD
Check out the Up Blu-ray 4 Disc Combo Pack

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• The World of UP: From Storyboard to Screen
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• Tribeca Film Festival Report
• Disney Announces Animation Lineup Through 2012

December 5th, 2009
Categories: Reviews . Author: Norm Schrager

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