Up review. I know, that movie came out ages ago, but I haven't posted anything for a while.
Up
Director: Bob Peterson, Pete Docter
Studio: Pixar
Run Time: 93 mins
Genre: Adventure / animation
Rating: U
Adventure is out there, but what will it take to find it?
Carl Fredrickson, a rascally 78 year-old widower, is set to go to a retirement home in the morning. But this old man has unfinished business, so, in attempt to fulfil a promise he made to his wife when they first met, he ties thousands of helium balloons to his house and sets a course to Paradise Falls, the place where their childhood hero was last known to be. However, fate doesn’t make things simple, and badge hungry Wilderness Explorer Russell finds himself coming along for the ride, after being sent on a snipe hunt the day before (in an attempt to get his ‘Assisting the Elderly Badge’) and stowing away on Fredrickson’s porch.
This is another sure-to-be-classic from Pixar film studios. The animation can’t be described as anything other than fantastic - attention has really gone into the details. In one particularly notable scene Fredrickson’s house floats past a little girls room, with the balloons casting a myriad coloured shadows through the window. The effect is awe inspiring but heart warming, and this is just one instance of many.
Just by looking at each character you can tell a little bit about them - Fredrickson is square, a sour recluse. Russell is round, with an unorganised backpack, suggesting an open, bumbling personality. These visual clues continue throughout ‘Up’, telling much of the plot through actions. The story doesn’t rely too heavily on dialogue; in fact Mr. Fredrickson’s back-story, from meeting Ellie as a child over a love of the famous explorer Charles Muntz, right up to Ellie’s last moments on earth reading her Adventure Book, is backed only by the score.
And what a score it is. The main characters have their own theme, which changes to suit the mood of the movie. It’s a nice touch, and really ties the movie together - for instance, when you first see the house fly, you hear the same melody that was playing when we met Ellie, a gentle reminder of why Fredrickson wants to go travelling. This simple trick makes the film seem less gimmicky and more plot-based.
The characters are simple yet dripping with personality. Whether it’s the open emotions, script, or just the endearing stereotypes (grumpy old man, talking dog, eager scout…), you can’t help but fall in love with them. When Kevin, the colourful tropical bird Russell befriends with chocolate is taken, I was genuinely dismayed. The first time Doug, the talking dog, stands up to his pack, you feel oddly proud. The way the characters play with your emotions cleverly involves you in the movie. This effect is so pronounced that, hours after the movie was over, I was still smiling.
Yet this movie, this fantastical movie, somehow seems plausible. It captures your imagination with a flying house (what child hasn’t wondered how many balloons it would take to fly?) then lifts you with an element of realism. The balloons pop along the way, gradually deflating as days go by. The dogs can talk, but only because of collars designed by their owner. The house has a steering mechanism (even if it made up of curtains), and the way society treats an old man strikes an unfortunate cord.
Funny one-liners mixed with comical physical cues fill ‘Up’ with gentle, open humour, making it accessible to all ages. The superb animation and engaging plot make this an easy, rewarding watch, but one with a reminder; people make places.