Review: Up

It just wouldn’t be summer without another great Pixar release. Thankfully, we have just that. Allow me to save you some time and cut straight to the point. Pixar’s Up is amazing. No, it’s more than amazing; it’s an instant classic. Is it better than Wall-E? I think only time will reveal that, but that’s hardly the point. Up is easily among the best animated films I have ever seen and you are crazy if you’re not going to check it out in theaters. If you’re still not convinced, then by all means, keep reading. But seriously, it’s great, go see it, I really don't need to say anymore.

Besides being Pixar’s yearly film (which is always a momentous occasion), Up is significant in a multitude of other ways and only continues the studio’s unbroken streak of top-notch films. Up debuted at Cannes as the first animated film ever to do so, and for good reason. Unlike many of its contemporaries, Pixar doesn’t rely on name-branding, celebrity voice talent, or flaccid pop culture references (I’m looking at you Dreamworks) to craft its films. What sets Up and other Pixar gems apart from their competitors is good old fashioned storytelling. Sure, the animation quality is, as always, impeccable, but the art always proves to serve or supplement the narrative, instead of filling in for a lack of it.

The film opens with a young Carl Fredricksen, the protagonist of this story, sitting in awe of a newsreel biopic of his hero, the prestigious adventurer Charles F. Muntz. He soon meets the soon-to-be love of his life, Ellie, with whom he finds he shares a common fascination of exploration. Ellie expresses her goal of one day traveling to Paradise Falls, an explorer’s heaven tucked away in South America, and makes Carl promise to one day take her. In one of the most beautiful animated sequences I have ever seen, we follow the pair as they fall in love, get married, and live out their life together. Sadly, their childhood dream is never met as life continues to throw a wrench into their plans. Finally, just as he is on the verge of fulfilling his promise to his wife, Carl Fredricksen finds himself alone. Old and embittered, we find Carl chained to his home by the inescapable memories of his late spouse and their unfulfilled dreams.

I think what struck me most early on in the film was the level of expertise Pixar demonstrates in telling a story through images and ideas, instead of dialogue. What results is a film that is not only emotional and endearing on a far deeper level than what could have been accomplished through words, but also one whose ideas and concepts are instantly recognizable by anyone. Up doesn’t cater to a specific age-group or demographic, it merely focuses on telling its story exactly the way it needs to be told. What results is a narrative that proves to be engrossing and highly entertaining for just about anyone. A fact that its competitors are only now just realizing, Pixar has once again proven the fertility and ability of animation to communicate in ways that live action simply cannot.

Honestly, I cannot say much more without spoiling the amazing richness present in the film. I’m not sure what else I can say to convince you to go see this film other than you will not regret it. Up will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest animated films ever made and it’s an experience you will not soon forget.