Up (2009)

Soaraway success

It seems that hardly a year passes without an animated masterpiece from Pixar – following the wonderfully moving ecological fable Wall-E (2008), the ‘toon geniuses take us on a new journey into beauty…and this time, it’s in 3D.

To be fair, writer-directors Pete Docter (Monsters Inc (2001) and Bob Peterson (it’s his first feature) have taken something of a risk in their choice of ‘hero’ – Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Ed Asner) is a 78-year-old grumpy grandpa, seemingly left all alone in his dotage, and turning sour at the missed opportunities of his life.

Long having dreamed of travelling the world, Carl takes matters into his own hands with thousands of hot air balloons on his house that take him up, up and away into the great unknown. But what he hadn’t counted on was a seven-year-old stowaway, Russell (Jordan Nagai) – and there is much to be learned for both in the adventures ahead.

Quite aside from its credible, likeable characterizations, superb voice talents and very funny set-pieces, what sets Up (2009) apart from virtually all animated features is the simply breathtaking beauty of the vistas that open up, in stunning 3D, before our eyes.

It’s digital 3D, to boot, and not used in the film merely as a gadget – you live and feel the action, no question. Let us not blanche before hyperbole – rarely are films of such beauty seen.

The first Toy Story (1995) will always be a benchmark when it comes to discussion of Pixar’s best, but there is no doubt that Up is a dazzling visual adventure backed up with a crackling script, a film to appeal to the eternal child. Missing this would be just silly.

96 mins.

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