June 3, 2009 -- The Disney animation division of Pixar has had a stranglehold on the Oscars and other annual film awards for several years now and that is bound to continue with its latest effort, “Up.” This is one of Pixar's better films, comparable to “The Incredibles” and somewhat better than last year's Academy Award-winning film “WALL·E.” This film combines comedy and pathos into a very smooth mix. It starts off with prologue that is mostly silent, explaining the background of its main character, Carl Fredricksen, a bitter old man with the dormant heart of a young explorer. In brilliant fashion we see the life of Carl flash by, especially his lifelong love for his late wife, Elie. Carl's early life was dominated by admiration for famous explorer Charles Muntz, who found a lost world in South America. Carl and Elie dreamed of moving to this South American paradise and exploring Muntz's lost world.

We flash forward to the present where Carl is under pressure to sell his house to make way for a new development. He is about to lose his home and be forced to live in a nursing home when he makes a daring escape in his house, using thousands of toy balloons to float away. Unbeknownst to him, a young boy, Russell, has stowed away aboard his flying house. Russell's youthful enthusiasm for adventure awakens Carl's own slumbering adventurous heart. Of course the house just happens to touch down in the very spot that Carl and Elie had dreamed of exploring, that lost South American world popularized by Charles Muntz. Many adventures lie ahead for Carl and Russell.

It turns out this movie is about more than just following your dreams. It is also about being able to adjust to different situations and do the right thing. Carl finally has to come to grips with his dreams and his memories and deal with the situation at hand. It involves a conflict with his old dreams and promises and the new friends he has made during his great adventure. In addition to the emotional scenes in the movie, there are also a lot of funny comic scenes. One of my favorites has to do with a certain well-known painting of dogs playing poker. Dogs play a key role in the movie. A number of dogs, equipped with mysterious “translator” collars which enable them to talk to humans are in some of the film's most important scenes. Both Carl and Russell are irritating at times and the relationship between them doesn't entirely work. There is a reconciliation between them at the end of the film that is very effective, however. The enthusiastic and loyal talking dog, Dug, is perhaps the most likeable of the characters, even when wearing the “cone of shame.” This is a movie for the whole family, one that both children and adults can follow. It rates a B+.

Click here for links to places to buy or rent this movie in digital formats, or to buy the soundtrack, posters, books, even used videos, games, electronics and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

Copyright © 2009 Robert Roten. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.

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