“Up” is the 10th Disney/Pixar film, it was one of the box office hits of this past summer and is one of the best films of 2009. And the DVD and Blu-ray editions were worth the wait.
Ed Asner voices Carl Fredrickson, a widower who’s being forced to leave the house that he’s lived-in for over 50-years and contains all the special memories of his wife. So he decides to finally go on that trip to South America that he always planned to take with his wife when they were younger, and he uses hundreds of balloons to take the house with him.
What he didn’t plan on is that a neighborhood scout, named Russell, was hiding under the house when it took off, and so now Russell is along for the ride as well. Together the old man and young boy embark on an exciting adventure, and learn a few things about each other and themselves along the way.
Watching “Up” is a very interesting experience. The film covers many emotions and genres. It’s both funny and serious. There are some big laughs and scenes that can bring you to tears.
While it’s a heart-warming and enjoyable movie, “Up” is not really a kids film. In fact, it’s the most “adult” of any of the Pixar movies. That doesn’t mean that kids shouldn’t see it or won’t like it, they will. But the story is clearly geared toward parents (and even grandparents).
The 3-D was outstanding in the theater. I can’t wait we can see true 3-D at home. The entire movie is full of bright colors – from the balloons to the exotic bird that the pair encounter in South America. And the voice work is solid, especially Asner and Christopher Plummer, who plays a famous adventurer.
“Up” is rated PG for scenes of peril. There’s a lot of “Indiana Jones” type action, and Russell gets into some dangerous situations, but there’s nothing that should scare kids of any age.
On The Official Kid Critic Report Card, “Up” gets a B+.
It’s not as funny and much more serious than I expected. But the bottom line is: it works! And it’s much better than “Wall-E”, last year’s Pixar film. Bonus features include this year’s Pixar short, “Partly Cloudy”, about storks and the babies they deliver. It’s not one of their best. However “Dug’s Special Mission”, starring the movie’s talking dog, is worth watching, along with plenty of commentary tracks, features and a geography game on the Blu-ray version.