UP, Up and Away!

Pixar's newest flick UP is worth a post of its own, in my opinion. If you haven't seen this delightfully whimsical and heartwarming movie yet - go to your local (3-D supporting) theater! Chris and I saw this on Monday night, and I must say it's a great date movie.

I don't want to give too much away, but I will say a few things about the story. First off, Pixar continues its growth towards more mature material as it has been doing since THE INCREDIBLES, with each new picture becoming more and more sophisticated (especially the most recent, WALL-E). UP begins with the story of our main character as a boy, seeing his love of adventure and then how he meets his future wife. We're privy to a beautiful, romantic montage of their life together before we finally land in present day - maybe 20 minutes into the movie. Now we're prepping for our big adventure and get to know both main characters Mr. Fredericksen and Russell a bit. Once they take off in the house, as you've seen in all the trailers, get ready for a beautiful trip. Pixar's animation is just amazing - there's no other way to say it. These guys continue to top themselves and get better and better with texture and subtleties in the frame that make it feel so real. This is the first 3-D Pixar movie, and what's great about it is that they don't exploit the technology and have things jumping out at you. Instead, it simply enhances your experience and gives the picture an incredible depth and sense of motion.

I think that what makes this movie special is the sweetness that lies in its story and the very lyrical nature of the film. It's no wonder that the French loved this film at Cannes. It's feels a bit French in the way that it blends a sense of reality with the most fantastical elements you can imagine. The colors are brilliant and so inviting.



I don't know that this was my favorite Pixar movie, but I was very moved by it and cried about 3 times. I cannot imagine anyone not enjoying the movie and finding it a bit breathtaking.