"Up" Movie Review

Pixar’s latest animated feature is the fantasy-adventure film, Up (PG-13). In the film senior citizen Carl Fredricksen attempts to fulfill his late wife's dream by flying their house to Paradise Falls in South America. His journey becomes more interesting when he discovers a stowaway on his porch, namely that of an eight-year old wilderness explorer. The movie stars the voicing talents of Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer and Jordan Nagai.

Ryan: Pixar has always put out quality animated films but in the past few years they’ve outdone themselves with such instant classics as Ratataouille and WALL-E. Add Up to that list. Up is a great film and the current leader for best movie of the summer. Up is a fun, warm and fulfilling movie. It's a fantasy film that's layered with genuine emotional resonance. When people say that they don’t make movies like they used too than it’s apparent that they haven’t been watching the latest films from Pixar, and that includes Up.

Andy: Up does not waste any time establishing itself as a cut above not only the other animated movies that have come out lately, but pretty much anything that has come out of Hollywood lately. The opening fifteen minutes of the film is just about perfect. Without giving too much away, it tells a complete story that is beautiful and tragic at the same time, taking the viewer from wonder, to joy, to sadness, all setting up the rest of the movie perfectly.

Ryan: It’s not like Pixar is reinventing the wheel when it comes to their movies. Most other animated features that get churned out of Hollywood are formulaic features. It’s like—hey we’re twenty minutes into the movie it’s time for a dance sequence. Or hey insert joke here for the adults in the audience. Or hey we’re almost to the climax so we need a flashback so our main character can make the right decision. But Pixar bucks that trend. They know a good story and more importantly they know how to tell it.

Andy: The bottom line is that Pixar films do not set out to be kids’ movies, they set out to be good movies. The fact that they happen to be cartoons and have characters kids can easily relate to makes it so they are marketed towards children. But last year’s WALL-E and now Up both deal with intriguing stories and touch on themes that are vital for people of any age. It is not easy to make a movie that covers so much critical ground while still captivating children, but Up quite clearly does it.

Ryan: There's been some degree of concern, not so much criticism, that Pixar's feature films are inching closer and closer to appealing more toward adults and not kids. I can see that argument but I don't really buy it. If anything Pixar's movies, and I believe that Up accomplishes this, appeal to moviegoers of all ages. The beauty of a movie like Up is that it has a timeless quality where it will always appeal to people of all ages. It's that rare film that crosses all boundaries. It truly is a fantastic movie.

Andy: Up succeeds on just about every level. It supplies lots of laughs for grown-ups and kids. It has several sub-plots that are well thought out and relevant to most audience members. It is meaningful and entertaining. Some moviegoers may be put off by some of the melding of the fantastic with the realistic, but the bottom line is that there really isn’t much to dislike about Up.

Up has clearly set the bar for the rest of the summer’s movies, earning a well deserved A-.