Having recently received free tickets to an AMC theater of my choice, I scoured the internet and probed the opinions of friends so that those free tickets would be put to good use. Over and over the response was the same “you must see UP!”. So after a delightful Indian meal at Ruchi’s in Overland Park, my friend Rachel and I made our way to the Town Center AMC to check out the new animated film, UP, produced by Pixar Animation Studios. It turns out that my friends did not disappoint.
To be perfectly clear it is an unusual circumstance when I choose to watch an animated film. Call me crazy but I prefer to see live action characters that I can actually identify with; animated characters tend to be too one-dimensional. Though they are fun for the kiddies,as a 29 year old woman, I would rather spend my money on something more… grown up. However, UP proved to be one-of-a-kind.
The film centers around it’s protagonist, Carl Fredricksen, who along with his sweetheart Ellie, dream of a plan to some day set their colorful Victorian home atop Paradise Falls in South America. At the tender age of 8, Carl and Ellie meet, fall in love and through a series of short clips we see them grow old together, yet still hold onto their dream of one day completing this ideal adventure. Yet by the time they are elderly, the two have drained their savings and Carl is never able to take this adventure with his beloved wifie. He is left alone to deal with an encroaching real estate tycoon who finds a perfect oppurtunity to snatch up Carl’s little home and ship Carl off to the nearest nursing home. But right before Carl is taken to meet his embittered end, the little house is lifted up into the air by a mass of colorful balloons and sails it’s way to South America.
What Carl doesn’t realize until shortly after take-off is that his bright, flying house-ship has been mistakingly boarded by Russell, a child “wilderness explorer” seeking his “assisting the elderly” merit badge. Together, Carl and Russell go on the adventure of a lifetime where they learn that love, friendship and family are even more of a an adventure than flying a house full of balloons to South America.
First, I would advise you that this film has many adult themes that might be slightly more intense than you would like your children to see. Subjects such as infertility, miscarriage, death, grief, childhood abandonment and divorce may arouse some conversations that you should be prepared for. This is not the typical gleeful animated film. In fact, I would also advise you to bring bulk quantities of tissue.
The film is not void of hysterical slants such as character Dug, the adorable, love-able, and very squeezable Labrador Retriever who can’t seem to do anything to please his evil master, Charles Muntz, the antagonist of the story. The dialogue is a wonderful combination of the dry wit of Carl and the childish humor of Russell whom Muntz’s evil dogs nickname “the small mailman”. One of the most memorable lines of the film takes place when Carl discovers Dug hiding on his house ship and after Carl reacts in a frustrating manner, Dug responds with sweet simplicity: “I was hiding under your porch because I love you.” Though Dug appears rather dull throughout the movie, his innocenct intuition turns him into a high-quality super hero.
I think it is safe to say that UP is a family-friendly film if you are prepared to answer some questions from your children. Overall I think it is very artful. The animation is superb as it usually is with Pixar and it has a good balance of tears and laughter as well as some added depth for the more philosphical crowd. I highly recommend this movie for ALL ages.
