Movie Review: Up

Movie Review: Up

First impression: Ooo.. another Pixar blockbuster. And a talking dog. SQUIRREL!

Why one would watch it: It’s Pixar. Nuf' said.

What to keep an eye out for: Tears. *sob sob*

Up

Spoiler alert:

I know that this movie is a winner in the box office in the US. It is the second highest grossing film for Pixar in the US, after Finding Nemo. I loved, love and will forever love Finding Nemo. Anyways, regardless of what others say the movie is about, the movie is what you want it to be.

For me it is a story about stepping out of your comfort zone to fulfil a promise to a lost love. Even though it is a little too late. This is when the phrase "it's the thought that counts" really comes to mind.

We follow Carl Fredricksen in his admiration of Charles Muntz, an adventurer who went to Paradise Fall in search of never-before-seen monster birds. After bringing back a specimen of bones, he was declared a fraud by scientists (in an era where Science was not even Science yet). Humiliated and adamant to clear his name, he vowed to go back to Paradise Falls and return with a live monster bird.

At the end of the film Carl was watching, Muntz who was a lover of dogs (which would explain why his name sounds like a dog's) set off in a blimp (that's a hot air oval balloon the size of planes for you youngsters) to Paradise Falls. Piqued, and in total awe of his hero's bravery, Carl makes his way home in full adventurer form. He stumbles upon a dilapidated home, hearing the voice of another fellow adventurer having his own adventure inside the house.

Inside he finds a nutty-looking adventurer. A girl. A fellow admirer of his hero Charles Muntz. A friend who is as talkative as he is silent.

He found Ellie.

After a slight incident and a scene where they officially became friends where Ellie gives Carl her most secret, prized possession "My Adventure Book", we were treated with a beautiful and heart-warming music montage of Carl, a balloonman and Ellie, a zookeeper growing up, getting married, buying and then living in the house they had first met in, and growing old together.

Fast forward to the future. Carl is 78 and living alone in a house that developers are dying to tear down for construction of new skyscrapers. After an accident, he is sentenced by a court to go live in a home for the elderly. Not a man to take this while lying down, Carl came up with a plan to avoid leaving his house and finally fulfilling his wife's dream to go to Paradise Falls as how their favourite hero Muntz did.

He tied balloons to his house and the house flew up, up into the sky... with a scout in tow.

Cue Russell.

Russell: May I be of some assistance?

Carl and Russell gets to Paradise Falls with Russell's GPS, meets some strange new friends, encounter new adventures together and was treated with a horrific surprise throughout the whole film. Expect plenty of laughs and suspense, as you would have when you were a child.

After the movie:

This is a Pixar movie. Some people would just love it, just because it is a Pixar movie. Me, I'm a little let down by it. The pace of the movie was too slow, Russell was not hyperactive enough as a kid and thus not so believable. Sure he is lovable, chatty and really one you would love to spend a weekend (not two) with. But... but... there's just something about him that I can't put my finger on.

Ooo.. what was really exciting was that, Russell was the first Asian lead character in a Pixar film. He is voiced by Jordan Nagai, a Japanese American who was cast in the role although his brother was the one who auditioned for it.

I loved the portrayal of Carl and Ellie's relationship and wished that there was more of Ellie to see.The kind of love Carl had for Ellie was the undying sort, meant to continue even when one half of the equation is already gone.

At the end of the movie, there was a dedication of the movie to the real Carl and Ellie Fredricksen. Until now, I have yet to find out who these two endearing people are. Perhaps it will pop out one day, when another Pixar film hits the screen.