Pixar does it again! They deliver a wonderful movie in every way for audiences of all ages! I had the pleasure of taking my oldest daughter to see this (her first time seeing a movie in the theater), and seeing her facial expressions was priceless. This adorable story is one of the funniest Pixar films I've seen, about an old man who just lost his adventurous wife (in what, I may add, is one of the saddest Pixar montage scenes ever made). In order to fulfill his promise to her, and avoid submission to an "old folks home," Carl Fredricksen uses about a thousand or so balloons and takes off for South America where he will retire to live out the rest of his days at Paradise Falls -- the place his wife so desperately wanted to go before her death. Along the way, though, he is joined by Cub Scout Russell, the very depiction of youth that Carl both envies and at times despises. Along the way they befriend a rare bird, come across "talking" dogs and run into their nemesis -- Carl's childhood hero, Charles Muntz -- who's been trying to kidnap the bird and hence thwart their mission.
As usual, Pixar throws in so many slight "Easter Eggs" story lines that it would take more than just one viewing to pick up on all of them. One example of an "Easter egg" storyline plot is the fact that when Carl and Russell first meet, Russell, reading from his Cub Scout guide, asks Carl if he can help him cross the street, cross his lawn, cross anything -- anything so he can get his final badge of helping an senior citizen. Of course, most viewers will/should pick up that Russell helps Carl do another sort of "crossing" by near movie's end. It's a theme that's central to Carl's character and storyline: crossing his heart. Keeping that promise that's so important to those closest to us in life. And what results is one of the sweetest, most touching endings to a Pixar movie. Of course, this comes from a guy who teared up when first watching the ending of Monsters, Inc. (Two-Disc Collector's Edition), when Sully pops that final splinter into the door, steps through and hears Boo's voice, "Kitty!" Oh.
Now that I'm a father, those emotions and little cute moments in most of Pixar's movies appeals to me, and touches me, much more than it did before parenthood (although it was still good back then too). "Up" is one of my favorite movies of the year so far; I'll continue to entrust Pixar with the quality they produce. Get more detail about Up (4 Disc Combo Pack with Digital Copy and DVD) [Blu-ray].
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