Random Move: Up (2009)

In an effort to distract my daughter from wanting to watch Curious George (and I must admit, I wanted to see it as well) I put the movie Up on. She has seen it many times, but I had never. I am normally not a fan of Disney movies, or animated movies in general (despite my affections for TV shows like Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Ren and Stimpy, Invader Zim and others), but having watched Wall-E with my daughter, I have since changed that. I have assumed it is because both these films are Pixar, and from what I understand, they have an excellent track record.

Up is the story of Carl Fredericksen, a 78 year old (voiced by Ed Asner), as he tries to make it to Paradise Falls, an adventure planned with his wife before she died, and ultimately having it's roots in his childhood. They were obsessed with exploring new places and with an explorer named Charles Muntz (voiced by Christopher Plummer). To accomplish this, he flies his house, which is where he met his late wife in childhood, powered by balloons, to South America. Much to his chagrin, Russell, a boy scout in uniform has accompanied him. He was looking for a non existent bird that Carl told him to find, so that he could earn his last merit badge for assisting and elderly person. They land on the wrong side of Paradise Falls and have to walk to it, lugging the house with them. The run across a bird (which Russell thinks is a "Snipe," the kind of bird he was originally looking for) and name her Kevin, and a dog named Doug that has a collar that translates what he is saying in to English (and other languages for that matter).

This film is really well done. First off, Ed Asner is great. He just delivers his lines with perfection as an old man trying to fulfill his promise to his late wife, Ellie. He lives in the only house left on a block that is being commercialized by a construction company and refuses to sell the house, as it is the home he met Ellie in, and also where they lived. Very often he is downtrodden and morose, but he can also delivier the comedic lines with no problem. Visually the movie is quite stunning as well, but honestly, it is really a fine film just by movie standards alone. The dialogue is quite clever. Carl: "...with no rap music or flashdancing." Doug: "I just met you and I love you." He also says, "Point!" when he is trying to get you to look at something. The film takes you on quite an emotional journey. In fact, so much so, that I question the target demoraphic. The montage that shows Carl growing up and going through life with Ellie and her ultimate passing, is actually quite heartbreaking. Throughout the movie, he often sits in his chair, and stares at hers, which is now empty. He crosses his heart, indicating that he will make it to Paradise Falls, as they often dreamed, and even had a jar full of money to help fund. I feel that this may be a tad too adult for a child my daughter's age, who may have questioned what happened when she first watched it (I was not there), and then resulted in a talk about death. Another thing that impressed me about it, is that the characters are pulling a house by a hose, that is floating in the sky. It's quite absurd. Yet you really do not think about that during the action of the film. It actually, is quite believeable in the context of the story, and very neccessary for the plot. I found myself laughing outloud a few times. Especially at Doug. He, and the other dogs, will stop what they are saying and yell, "Squirrel!" whenever they see one, consistent with a dog's short attention span. He speaks very matter of factly, "I will get it and bring it back to you!" as I imagine a dog would speak if it could. I also like how the "evil" dogs keep referring to Russell as the "small mailman." There are some issues with the movie that irk my OCD. When Carl is looking through pictures of He and Ellie, there are some that are in their house, or on a picninc, where they are completely in frame, and I assume by themselves. In the montage, there was never any one else in it except them (execpt at at the wedding or at the doctor's office when we learn Ellie cannot have children), so I question who would have taken those pictures. They did not seem to spend any time with friends or family. Also, I have major issues in any scene of any movie where there is a target in plain sight, unobscured, yet the team of people shooting at it for half an hour, cannot seem to hit it. This occured when Russell was hanging in the sky on the hose, and 3 dogs were flying planes (and apparently reciting dialogue from Star Wars, however calling themselves grey squadron rather than red squadron. dogs are colorblind) trying to shoot him. Yes, I know, it is a cartoon, and I should get over it. I did.

Up is just a really well put together film, animated or not. It is quite superior to many live action pieces of crap that are out there. In all aspects. And beginning to end. You bond and care for the characters, you may even find yourself on the edge of your seat once or twice, you may cry, and you surely will laugh. Definitely recommend seeing this movie, especially if you do not normally watch animated films.