Up -- Disney/Pixar (Now on DVD)

[Jared]

Another winner by Pixar. Not like anyone should be surprised at this point. The studio reinvents itself every year and annually forces me to rethink which of its 10 films is truly my favorite.

The montage at the beginning of "Up" rivals any segment of anything Pixar has ever done. When it ended, I knew there was no way it would be topped. To me, it was better than the famous Sarah McLaughlin montage from "Toy Story 2." I liked how this one was beautiful, sincere and gut-wrenching without overtly pulling on my heartstrings. In "Toy Story 2," I felt like John Lasseter was toying with me a little, trying too hard to make me cry. This one was perfect, somehow encapsulating a lifetime of love into a few minutes.

Carl, Ellie and Russell were quite engrossing -- another example of Pixar developing full-fledged characters, not animated caricatures. They were real people, and we felt their pain and joy throughout the movie.

The talking dogs threw me a little, I am surprised to admit. It's an animated film, and a Disney one no less. Why should anthropomorphic animals bother me? Pixar movies have always operated within the realm that they create. For example, in "Finding Nemo," the fish talk because this is an ocean with talking fish. WALL-E and EVE communicate with beeps and sounds. That's just the way it is. I accept it because it is established at the beginning. Somehow, I felt the general word of "Up" was meant to resemble reality. There was no indication animals could talk, let alone fly planes. It struck me as weird.

I saw it in 3D and wish I hadn't. I may go back to see it again in traditional 2D. I thought the 3D muted the otherwise beautiful color palette. When I took off my glasses, I felt like I was watching the movie the way it was supposed to be seen. The balloons and landscapes of Venezuela were so much more vibrant. With the glasses, I felt like I was watching in a haze, or with everything put through a 10 percent tint. I still think 3D is mostly a gimmick. The only movie I have ever seen that I found the effect to be somewhat effective was Henry Selick's "Coraline," which came out this year. And that may because it was created in stop-motion, not computer animation. Perhaps I'm old-fashioned, but I have not embraced this 3D revolution and believe "Up" would have been an even better experience in 2D.

Also, I was actually slightly disappointed by "Partly Cloudy." It wasn't bad at all. In fact, it was quite beautiful and funny. I personally liked most of the other shorts better, that's all, including last year's "Presto" and 2007's "Lifted." This one was my least favorite in a while. Not sure why. Just didn't do it for me.

Anyway, as of today, here is my newly reordered list of Pixar films, adjusted for "Up:"

1. Finding Nemo
2. Ratatouille
3. WALL-E
4. Toy Story
5. Toy Story 2
6. Up
7. Monsters, Inc.
8. The Incredibles
9. A Bug's Life
10. Cars

You know, in case anyone cared.

[Ian]

Just saw it today and all I have to say is WOW!! Quite an awesome film the boys at Pixar brought us, huh??

I LOVED IT!!!!!

I'll say one thing, though ... I think this movie was marketed horribly. I actually had little desire to see it, because I couldn't really figure out the storyline or who I'd be rooting for! They made Carl out to be some old grump (which he was, but with a reason) and the kid to be really annoying (which he was, but loveable at the same time). Honestly speaking, I think Disney's marketing department has been doing a very shabby job lately, because they really haven't made me need to go out and see one of their films in a long time. Glad I broke the mold on this one.

Show of hands ... how many people cried? How many times??

Oooh! Oooh!! I did!! At least three times ...

My updated list:

1. Cars
2. Up
3. Toy Story 2
4. Monsters, Inc.
5. Toy Story
6. Finding Nemo
7. The Incredibles
8. Ratatouille
9. WALL-E

Can't rank A Bug's Life because I still haven't seen it.

[Ian]

I noticed a dedication to the real Carl and Ellie Fredericksen placed at the end of the credits. Did anyone else see this and if so who where these people and how did they inspire this story?

I saw it, too (another geek who stayed until the screen went dark).

It went by to see exactly, but from what I could tell it appeared to be an homage to the parents of some of the Pixar folks. I saw some familiar last names in there.

[GoinGoofyPlanninThisTrip]

We saw it last week and thought it was great. I loved the non-gimmicky use of 3D, it reminded me of the old View-Master days with everything so sharp and crisp. We too, felt Pixar rebounded nicely with this one.

Will the DVD feature the 3D version?

[PirateLover]

Ian, I agree that the marketing left you with no clue as to what it was really about but at the same time it's hard to market without giving away some major storylines. I'm kinda glad I went into it not knowing much.

[tinkwest]

....I'll say one thing, though ... I think this movie was marketed horribly.....

I never saw much advertising for this movie in our area either. And what was shown did not make me want to go purchase a ticket. My son did a better job of selling it to me after attending a presentation at Comic Con last July.

[Ed]

But I laughed outloud more than I teared up...such a wonderful movie!

Saw Night at the Museum 2 with my DS 8 last week and did neither.

In my book, "Museum" was an absolute dud.

I watched UP and like a true geek I stayed until the very end of the credits. I noticed a dedication to the real Carl and Ellie Fredericksen placed at the end of the credits. Did anyone else see this and if so who where these people and how did they inspire this story?

I've been Googling the heck out of this and haven't found anything. Where's Mufasa ?? I'm confident he could find out for us.

[Aggie97]

We saw "Up" last night and absolutely loved it. Wow. What a wonderful movie!!!

Show of hands ... how many people cried? How many times??

Oooh! Oooh!! I did!! At least three times ...

Yeah, I also cried at three different points. And I never cry at movies.

[poeticeclipse]

For years I thought I would never find anything that topped "Monsters, Inc." Every other Pixar film was just good... never great. I tend to love the classics over Disney/Pixar.

Well, i'm happy to say that I think I now have a favorite Disney/Pixar film. UP! I have seen the movie 4 times now. Haha! Yeah, I know it's a bit extreme but that is how much I LOVE the movie!

I think it's perfect for everyone in so many ways. The story is simple even if it is out there. It's amazing that a film with talking dogs, a flying house, and an adventure hero that never ages can be so believeable. I can't recommend this movie enough!

[VolMickey]

Gotta say that I was skeptical about it. Didn't seem like much of a story line, as someone indicated above the trailer stunk. Also, Ed Asner ... really?!?

It turned out to be a great, funny and heart-warming film. The graphics were awesome and it was easy to warm up to "Carl" in the beginning of the movie, despite preconceptions about him from the trailer.

Our family recommends it!

Went last Friday and saw it again, this time in 3D. Loved it, again. Worth the bucks!

[DisneyCouture]

I loved this movie! It made me laugh and cry. I have seen it multiple times and I can't get enough of it. I am a Disney classics girl but this Pixar film had a great story and the characters were so lovable and real. I hope everyone goes out to see this movie. So worth it.

I even went out to the Disney store last week and got an UP shirt. So cute.

[Mufasa]

I've been Googling the heck out of this and haven't found anything. Where's Mufasa ?? I'm confident he could find out for us.

Next time I get a chance I'll ask around at Pixar.

My understanding is that Carl Fredericksen isn't based on any individual in particular (the last name I believe was taken from relatives of Pete Docter).

Ellie takes the name from Pete Docter's daughter (Elie) who also voiced the character and provided some wonderful drawings and the handwriting in the adventure book that appears in the film (which she did when she was about 9 and a half)

A lot of the characters- like Kevin the bird were inspired by the Muppets. One of the very early concepts I know of from Pete and Bob Peterson revolved around two brothers who lived in this floating city and they thought about the issue of isolation which turned to an escapist fantasy which led to this drawing in about April of 2004 of this really cranky old man selling the happiest balloons you could imagine.

There's also a student film that Pete Docter did at CalArts called "Next Door" (winner of a student academy award) which features a little girl represented as soft, colorful circle shapes that is the overly-perky neighbor to a grumpy old man, represented by very square edges with personalities that couldn't be any more different except for a shared connection between the two (sounds a lot like Up doesn't it?)

And here's a tidbit about the character Dug I thought was interesting:

"One of the inspirations for Dug was Chris Farley. We were looking at the Saturday Night Live routine with Patrick Swayze where they are auditioning for Chippendales. Dug thinks he's an Alpha Dog and thinks he belongs with the rest of the pack, just like Chris Farley thought he could be a Chippendales dancer next to Patrick Swayze. We wanted to think of Chris Farley as a dog"

-- Albert Lozano, character designer

[Ian]

I finally found what I was looking for ...

Here's the summary:

Director Pete Docter named Disney storyman and writer Joe Grant in the film’s dedication to the “real life Carl and Ellie Fredricksens who inspired us to create our own Adventure Books.” Grant was part of the 1937 team that created “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and wrote “Dumbo” and “Fantasia.” The mentor, friend and source of inspiration to Docter and countless others continued to work at the Walt Disney Animation Studios up until his death in 2005, one week shy of his 97th birthday.

[LauraleeH]

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. – Colby Curtin got her final wish.

The 10-year-old girl desperately wanted to see the new Disney-Pixar movie, "Up." But the cancer-stricken girl was too sick to go to a theater.

Thanks to a family friend who got in touch with the movie studio Pixar, an employee of the Emeryville-based company arrived at Colby's home with a DVD copy of the movie, The Orange County Register reported Friday. The girl died later that night.

Colby's mother, Lisa, said she had asked her daughter if she could hang on until the movie arrived.

"I'm ready (to die), but I'm going to wait for the movie," she said her daughter replied.

"Up" is the animated tale of a grumpy old man who, after his wife's death, tries to fulfill their joint dream of visiting South America by tying thousands of balloons to his house and floating away.

"When I watched it, I had really no idea about the content of the theme of the movie," Colby's mother told the Register. "I just know that word 'Up' and all of the balloons and I swear to you, for me it meant that (Colby) was going to go up. Up to heaven."

Colby, who was diagnosed with vascular cancer in 2005, saw previews for the film in April.

"It was from then on, she said, 'I have to see that movie. It is so cool,'" family friend Carole Lynch said.

But the girl's health began to deteriorate. On June 4, Curtin asked a hospice company to bring a wheelchair so that her daughter could go to a movie theater but the chair was not delivered over the weekend, Curtin said.

By June 9, Colby was too sick to go anywhere.

Another family friend, Terrell Orum, called both Pixar and Disney, which owns the animation studio. The message was received by Pixar officials, who agreed to send someone to Colby's house the next day with a copy of "Up" for a private screening, Orum said.

The employee arrived with the DVD, stuffed animals of characters and other movie memorabilia.

Colby was unable to open her eyes to see the movie so her mother described the scenes. When her mother asked if she enjoyed it, the girl nodded, Curtin said.

The Pixar employee left after the movie, taking the DVD, which has not been released. Lynch, who was with the family during the screening, said the employee's "eyes were just welled up."

A call to Pixar seeking comment was not immediately returned Friday.

Colby, with her parents nearby, died later that night.

Her mother said one of the memorabilia left by the Pixar employee was an "adventure book" based on a scrapbook that, in the movie, is kept by the wife of the main character.

"I'll have to fill those adventures in for her," Lisa Curtin said of her daughter.

[AdventurerKim]

I loved "UP"! It was fanastic! And we got pictures with the characters at Animation in DHS last week!

[Ian]

I hate the fact that I live in a world where 10 year old little girls still have to die from cancer.

That story really got to me ....

[Momof2boys]

We FINALLY got around to seeing it this weekend - I laughed. I cried. It was great.

The part with the book saying thank you now go make your own adventures . . . how touching !

LOVED IT !

[nicster]

We saw UP with some friends last night. DH & I usually wait for the animated shows to come out on blue ray and Netflix them. The kids are grown & gone & it just doesn't seem worth the $$ to go to many of these types of films. That said, we went to enjoy the company of some friends that we just hadn't gotten together with for a while & were very impressed with the 3D, the storyline... the whole thing! If you are thinking this is 'kid-stuff' think again. Don't get me wrong, the kids will love it too, but so will you!

[It'sWDW4me]

When the movie first came out, DS13 wanted to go see it. And then he remembered he's too "cool" for "kiddie" movies. Dragged him to it the other week. He loved it. I keep pointing out that a lot of "kiddie" movies are really for the whole family - the 4 yr old will love the characters and the obvious slap-stick; the 8 yr old will get a few of the jokes that fly over the 4yr old's head; the 13 yr old will get even more of the advanced/hidden jokes; etc, etc. We just won't tell his friends that he saw a "kiddie" movie!

[alphamommy]

We finally saw this on Saturday. While I agree that it was good, and the animation was fabulous, I was very sad for much of the movie.

The story of Carl and Ellie reminded me too much of my parents, who always had big plans of things that they wanted to do, but were never able to. The montage of their life together was very nice, but I cried through much of it. I was also really wishing that Russell's dad would have been at the badge ceremony.

DD9 love it, but DH sort of felt the same as me. He understood why it was a hard one for me to watch. I'm not sure how I'll deal with buying the DVD. I may have to let DD watch it only when I'm too busy to watch with her.