Up (I've Finally Seen It!)

Instead of calling this feature "Movies I've Missed", I will call it "I've Finally Seen It!" simply because there are classic films that were made before I was born, so I would hardly say I've "missed" them simply because it would've been tough to watch them from the womb, eh? So, here goes:

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For me, Finding Nemo is the gold standard for Pixar films. However, the first hour or so of Up really started to turn me. I ended up having some problems with the ending, but Up really proves that Pixar is the most consistent thing going in Hollywood right now.

The film follows Carl Fredrickson, an old man who has lived his entire life not doing everything he wanted to. When he was a child he idolized famed explorer Charles Muntz, who was accused of fabricating the skeleton of a gigantic bird he claims was found in the fictional Paradise Falls, South America. When he meets Ellie, a girl who appears to be the only other person with a comparable love of Muntz, he is entranced. Ellie eventually dreams of living in Paradise Falls, and she makes Carl promise to help her move there one day.

The film then flashes forward to their marriage, and thus begins perhaps the greatest montage I’ve ever seen. Set to the Oscar-winning score by Michael Giacchino, it takes us through their experience as a married couple, including the constant desire to go to Paradise Falls and the things that get in the way. It cannot be put in words how breathtaking and heartbreaking this montage is, so just watch it:



In a matter of four minutes the entirety of marriage is laid out in front of our eyes. The good, the bad, the mundane, the disappointing, and the ultimate tragedy is all there, and it is perhaps tied with the opening scene of “Inglourious Basterds” as the best single sequence of film in 2009. After this, we are brought to present day. Carl is now alone in his home which is being threatened by the construction projects all around him. He no longer sees his home as a house, but as Ellie. He calls it “Ellie” right up to the required personality shift in the third act. But I get ahead of myself.

Very good offers are made to Carl for the house, but it is far more valuable to him than money can buy. He acts as a grouch towards everyone around him, and wants nothing to do with the modern world. He is one of those movie characters that just cannot move on past a tragedy in their lives. He refuses to accept the world around him and lives in his bubble that reminds him of the 1950’s, when everything was alright with the world. When his house is finally going to be taken from him, he hatches a brilliant scheme: Tie a bunch of balloons to the house and fly the thing down to Paradise Falls! Exactly what I would do. In this era of endless Foreclosurepaloozas, I would be shocked not to see a few imitators try and fail. Gloriously. If you know of one, send me a link.

Anyway, there is a stowaway aboard his flying house, and it is young Russell. This child is the picture of innocence, but that doesn’t stop Carl from wanting nothing to do with him. Russell is on a mission to get his final merit badge which would make him a higher level Wilderness Explorer. He believes that if he helps Carl to Paradise Falls, he will earn his badge for assisting the elderly.

Once they get to Paradise Falls, Carl must carry the house as burden around his waist. The walk to the waterfall would be easier without it, but that is not the way he lives his life. Ellie may be already gone, but not to Carl. She still lives in that house, and if he loses it, he will have to come to terms with losing Ellie, and he is in no mood to cooperate. Eventually he meets his idol Charles Muntz, and he becomes a child again briefly, but he learns his childhood hero is not the angel he thought he was.

This brings us to the end, which I will not reveal in detail, but I had some problems with it. I was ready to give this movie four stars with a smile on my face and walk away, but I found it did not give Carl the transformation he deserved. It happened quickly and conveniently and led to a predictable climax which I found to be a bit of a dud. Not to mention it got a little TOO silly. Yes, I realize I’m talking about a movie with a flying house. Still, there must be line. All I’m going to say is it involves dogs and airplanes.

Nearly everything else works, though. The humor here is sharp, as usual. You buy every character as a real person, even with their flaws. Not to mention the animation, which is the best Pixar has given us. Early on, they avoided animating humans because, let’s face it, they looked creepy as death. Much better to focus on toys, bugs, and fish. Now, they gladly make humans the main characters, and they look convincing. Yes, cartoonish, but it’s better than going for blatant realism, which is where the creepiness can come from.

Up and Wall-E are Pixar’s most ambitious films, and both work with flying colors. Up next is Toy Story 3, which I am epically pumped for, thank you. They may walk away with the Best Animated Film Oscar every year, but I have no problem with that. If you deserve something, might as well get it. I’m just excited to see how they can possibly get better. We have to be in for a letdown soon, right?

Rating: (out of 4)