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DVD Review: "Up" brings Pixar to new heights.
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Anyone familiar with recent computer animated movies knows that there's one name that looms large over the increasingly crowded field: Pixar. With a nearly immaculate track record ("Cars" is seemingly the only movie that has some detractors), the animation studio has earned fame due to its consistently high quality output. Will that streak remain intact with their newest film "Up"?
Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner) is a retired balloon salesman who keeps to himself in his home. It turns out, his home is right in the middle of a massive construction endeavor that the city has planned. After an incident threatens his independence, Carl takes it upon himself to inflate all of the balloons he has stored in his home and fly his house to a place in South America that he has dreamed of since his childhood. The only snag with this already improbable scenario is that a young Wilderness Explorer named Russell (Jordan Nagai) is standing on his porch when the house takes off. Like it or not, Carl is stuck with this hyperactive eight year old who is hungry to earn a badge. Together, they find adventure and a world of sights beyond what they could have ever imagined.
For a seemingly light-hearted animated romp for the whole family, there is more sadness present here than expected. This can be a dangerous approach by filmmakers. Imagine a whole theater filled with crying children. See? It's unpleasant, isn't it? Happily, these moments are used sparingly. The tone is usually light and pleasant which is certainly for the best.
There are a bunch of very clever and funny bits involving dogs that can talk thanks to special collars. Another animal highlight is the aptly named Kevin, which is a tall, much sought-after bird. The silliness that makes up a lot of the humor makes some of the obvious leaps in logic forgivable. If the movie was overwhelmingly serious, then these aspects would warrant some scrutiny. It's a cartoon after all.
The story has an important message about never letting go of your dreams. It's also worth pointing out that while Carl is an old man, at the promise of adventure, he reverts back to the same childlike sense of wonderment that he has held onto his entire life. There's something meaningful in never letting go of one's ambitions.
The one disc edition of the film is as bare bones as it gets. There is no menu, no subtitles, no chapter selection and certainly no special features. One gets the feeling that the buyer/renter is lucky Disney deigned this edition worthy to even have the movie. The two disc Deluxe Edition features audio commentary, a featurette, alternate scene and a digital copy of the film. Clearly, if you want extras, you will have to pay for them.
It's hard to tell where "Up" will stand in Pixar's canon when all is said and done. Like most of their other films, it deservedly received rave reviews and was a hit at the box office. Ultimately, the film should be remembered for having an innovative, if extremely simplistic, plot and memorable characters that manage to involve the audience emotionally. All that's left is to do is wonder what Pixar will do next.
Rated PG 96 minutes 2009
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