Up by Peter Docter and Bob Peterson (2009)
3 June 2009Not that I am surprised, but Pixar has done it again. Maybe not their best film, but certainly incredibly enjoyable, and especially that for dog lovers (I think my dad would really like this film [and I already know my mom liked it, because she saw it before me]). My biggest complaint is that after paying extra to see this film in 3D it wasn’t all that impressive. I think I was more impressed in Journey to the Center of the Earth (a much worse film) mostly in the live action 3D which I thought looked great, but here it was 3D, but there was still the annoying edges in the fast motion, and at times I actually felt like the 3D detracted from the story. I am starting to think that 24FPS is not a high enough frame rate for 3D, and I think James Cameron is actually shooting Avatar at a higher frame rate to combat that problem. This film, like all Pixar films has an amazing heart and great characters, and this really elevates the film, because the characters come to life, and have so much heart. And for the dog lover this film really delivers, because by having dogs that can talk they really capture the true spirit of animals, so all dog lovers should certainly see this film (really everyone should, but dog lovers will have much to appreciate). This is another top notch film from Pixar, sure it isn’t THE INCREDIBLES or WALL-E, but it is close, and well worth checking out. I am excited to see it again, next time not in 3D.
This film as usual with Pixar films starts with a short film, this is called Partly Cloudy and is directed by Peter Sohn. And as usual the whole story is told without dialogue, which always works so well. This is the story of clouds in the sky who make baby’s, puppies, kittens, and other creatures for storks to deliver to expectant parents, but their is one different cloud named Gus who is a gray cloud, and all his creations are dangerous, from crocodiles, bighorn sheep and a porcupine, which his poor delivery stork Peck must deliver, getting well thrashed along the way. Peck finally flies away to another nearby white cloud. This makes Gus sad, and he cries and thunderstorms, but then peck returns, and finds that the other cloud made him shoulder pads and a football helmet for protection. Gus is elated and gives Peck an electric eel which shocks him right through the protective gear, but he flies off happily to deliver it, if a bit harried.
UP starts almost like another short film by them, with the love story of a young boy named Carl Fredrickson (Ed Asner), and the woman he will marry, Ellie (Elizabeth Docter). Carl’s hero is the famed explorer Charles Muntz (Christopher Plummer) who pilots an airship, and who discovered a strange bird in a hidden South American locale named Paradise Falls, but his discovery was claimed to be faked, so Muntz headed off to get a live bird, and was not heard from again. Carl was a huge fan, dressing like him, and as an 8 year old he met the young tom boy Ellie who also loved Muntz, and they eventually married, always promising to go on an adventure, but life got in the way, and they never had enough money, especially working at a zoo with Carl selling balloons to children. They had a lovely life together, but Ellie never got to finish her adventure, where she wanted to move her clubhouse, and abandoned house, that they later bought and fixed up to Paradise Falls, and she died giving him the boom. Carl is then all alone in his house, and the city grows around him, with a big consruction going on around him. Their is one nice worker named Tom (John Ratzenberger who is in all Pixar films), but when Ellie’s mail box is crushed, Carl gets angry and hits a worker, and the developer is able to get the city to say he must give up his house and go to a retirement home. Carl is crushed, but he has an idea, and when the men come to take him away, he goes back in, and using all of his balloons, lifts his house into the air, planning on taking it to Paradise Falls. The one problem is that he has picked up an unsupecting passenger, a Wilderness Explorer named Russell (Jordan Nagai) who wanted to help the old man to get his last badge so he could become a full Wilderness Scout. Carl had sent the boy on a snipe hunt, and the boy had returned at the wrong time. Carl does not want to let him in, but they are up in the sky, and they must. Carl decides he must try and let the boy off, but that doesn’t work so well, an they end up going through a huge storm.
REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS…
The unlikely duo must tie everything down so it does not fall out, and Russell manages to steer the house with his GPS navigator, and has gotten him to the other cliff on the other of the falls. By this time the house has lost many balloons, so the duo are able to tie themselves to the house and pull it along behind them while they try to get to the falls, then Carl will send Russell home via bus (what a fair that will be).
Russell talks to Carl, and starts telling him about his father who has left, and he doesn’t see much, but he promised to come if he got all his merit badges, so Russell is working hard to do it. On the way Russell and his chocolate end up finding a huge bird, which he names Kevin (not realizing it is a female), and the bird starts following them, much to crusty Carl’s chagrin.
Later they run into a dog named Dug (Bob Peterson) who can talk with the help of a special collar. Dug is send out to find a special bird. He is the laughing stock of the pack, and they have sent him out to get him out of the way, but it turns out he is trying to find Kevin.
Dug ends up being owned by Muntz, who has been trying to find the bird all these years to prove himself, and when Carl and Russell go and meet him on his airship, they are initially happy, but Carl realizes that Muntz wants to kill and stuff Kevin, and immediately wants to get away from Muntz and his pack of talking dogs led by Alpha (also Bob Peterson) whose color is broken and he talks comically high pitched.
Carl and Russell leave quickly with Dug and Kevin, but Kevin is hurt by Alpha during the escape, and Muntz is able to track them with Dug’s collar.
Carl and Russell plan on getting Kevin to her chicks.
Muntz sets Carl’s houe on fire, and must chose his house or Kevin, and Muntz is able to take Kevin with his dogs. Carl is able to get his house to where Ellie wanted it, but Russell is now angry with him.
Carl finds Ellie’s adventure scrapbook, and instead of being empty it has their whole life together in it, and it encourages him to have an adventure of his own. Carl is invigorated and goes to find Russell, but he has gone off to find Muntz. Carl starts dumping stuff from his house to lighten it, so he can after Muntz along with Dug.
Russell manages to get in the airship, but is captured by Alpha and the dogs. He is tired up and left to fall out of the ship, but is saved by Carl and his house, though he is kept tired up., Carl and Dug go in to save Kevin.
Carl and Muntz end up dueling with a sword and cane, while DUg takes control of the dogs from Alpha. Russell frees himself, but is is hanging from a rope connected to the house, and being attacked by dogs in biplanes. Russell is saved when Carl yells squirrel, distracting the dogs, but he is now battling Muntz on top of the airship.
Muntz shoots some of the balloons and the house lands on the edge of the airship.
Carl tricks Muntz into the house, while getting Russell out of it, and Muntz falls to his death, and his house drifts away.
Carl takes Muntz’s airship and returns Kevin to her Chicks, and then brings Russell back to the city. When Russell’s father doesn’t show up at his ceremony, Carl presents Russell with his last badge, giving him the grape soda badge Ellie gave him when they first met.
Afterwards Carl acts like a father to Russell living in his new airship. And we see the house has landed exactly where Ellie wanted it at the falls.
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Such a fun and lovely film (though I was surprised to see Muntz getting killed, I though he would be saved). Ed Asner is perfect as Carl, and Nagai does a great job as Russell. This is one of this years must see films.
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