Up (2009)

Ratare Uzant:

8.5/10   

Directors:

Pete Docter
Bob Peterson (co-director)

Writers:

Bob Peterson (screenplay) and
Pete Docter (screenplay)

Release Date:

29 MAI 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Adventure | Comedy | Family

Plot:

By tying thousands of balloon to his home, 78-year-old Carl Fredricksen sets out to fulfill his lifelong dream to see the wilds of South America. Right after lifting off, however, he learns he isn't alone on his journey, since Russell, a wilderness explorer 70 years his junior, has inadvertently become a stowaway on the trip.

Plot Keywords:

Stowaway | South America | Retirement Home | Talking Dog | Balloon

Awards:

2 wins

Comentarii uzant:

A great time at the movies!

Cast

Edward Asner	...	Carl Fredricksen (voice) (as Ed Asner)
Christopher Plummer	...	Charles Muntz (voice)
Jordan Nagai	...	Russell (voice)
Bob Peterson	...	Dug / Alpha (voice)
Delroy Lindo	...	Beta (voice)
Jerome Ranft	...	Gamma (voice)
John Ratzenberger	...	Construction Foreman Tom (voice)
David Kaye	...	Newsreel Announcer (voice)
Elie Docter	...	Young Ellie (voice)
Jeremy Leary	...	Young Carl (voice)
Mickie McGowan	...	Police Officer Edith (voice)
Danny Mann	...	Construction Worker Steve (voice)
Donald Fullilove	...	Nurse George (voice)
Jess Harnell	...	Nurse AJ (voice)
Josh Cooley	...	Omega (voice)

Cunoscut si ca:

Helium (Philippines: English title) (review title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for some peril and action.

Lungime Film:

96 min

Tara:

USA

Limba:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Mixaj Sunet:

SDDS | Dolby Digital EX | DTS

Certificare:

Iceland:L | USA:PG (certificate #45254) | South Korea:All | UK:U | Canada:G (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Singapore:PG | New Zealand:PG | Ireland:G | Mexico:AA | Argentina:Atp | Peru:PT | Finland:K-7 | Hong Kong:I | South Africa:PG | Japan:G | Switzerland:0 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:0 (canton of Vaud) | Portugal:M/4 (dubbed version) | Portugal:M/6 (subtitled version) | Norway:7 | Australia:PG | Philippines:G (MTRCB) | Taiwan:GP | Germany:o.Al. | Brazil:Livre | Sweden:7

Company:

Walt Disney Pictures

Stiati ca:

The first Pixar film since Finding Nemo (2003) not to be presented in the 2.35:1 aspect ratio.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: Mr. Fredricksen's cane always has four tennis balls on it even after he throws one or more of them to the dogs in multiple scenes. When Mr. Fredrickson throws the ball to Dug, Dug brings the ball back to him. However, when he throws it at the pack of dogs later on, he doesn't get it returned. Hence the reason why he only has three tennis balls in the following scenes.

Quotes:

Carl Fredricksen: This is crazy. I finally meet my childhood hero and he's trying to kill us. What a joke.
Dug: Hey, I know a joke! A squirrel walks up to a tree and says, "I forgot to store acorns for the winter and now I am dead." Ha! It is funny because the squirrel gets dead.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Simpsons: Coming to Homerica (#20.21)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Habanera

A great time at the movies!

"Up" continues the tradition of movies like "WALL*E," "Finding Nemo" and "Ratatouille": a Disney/Pixar collaboration released in the summer months, buoyed by excellent visuals and a story that leaves the audience in tears of joy. I'm not entirely sure how the people behind these flicks are always able to produce top-of-the-line quality at just about every time up at bat (the exception, I think, is "Cars" -- a meandering comedy that relies too heavily on Larry the Cable Guy's one-trick pony tendencies. Though even then when Disney and Pixar aren't at their most entertaining, they are still better than most of their competitors.), but I'm not complaining; as long as I'm leaving the theater in such a joyous mood, I'm good.

And boy, let me tell you this: I'd wager that even the most high-brow critic will be broken by "Up," even if they look at the trailers and think, "a movie about a guy taking a trip around the world with several balloons wrapped around portions of the guy's house? How can a movie be good whenever its plot is so unrealistic?" It doesn't feel silly. It doesn't feel like something only little kids would be impressed -- though it will certainly impress kids: all the visuals, the witty dialogue that won't go over the heads of children but won't seem too childish to the parents accompanying them, and the sweet, tender story behind all of this. Even the most stingy people that don't like the "Full House" morals hidden in movies (and may or may not have liked the not so subtle message of "clean up the Earth or this will happen" from last year's "WALL*E") won't feel preached to; "Up" is about escaping your duties for one last adventure. In Carl's case, he wants to go visit South America -- something he and his wife had long planned to do but the wife had died before she could go on the journey. Carl wants to go to honor her wishes, but also for something quite obvious: he wants to leave the monotonous environment he is currently trapped in.

If you've seen the movie trailers, you know Carl (voice of Ed Asner, whose voice acting here is invaluable at capturing the range needed in such a character: dark and tidy on the inside and tender when you break him down) isn't the only one going -- pardon the pun -- up. An eight year old boy scout trying to earn an "assist the elderly" badge from Carl accidentally gets stuck on the front porch as the balloons hoist the house up in the air (side note: pay close attention to the way the emphasis is on this portion of the movie. Obviously it's the defining portion of the plot, but the way the scene plays out with such a level of rushed urgency makes for what I can only assume is the reaction from the audience that is a "hey, take me too!" And really, who wouldn't want to just drop everything and go for a long trip?) and is the unintentional companion to Carl for this trip. Oh, and there's a dog that can talk. Hilarity ensues, but be warned: this is a three-tissue -- at least! -- flick, and it will make you weep tears of sadness without a bit of warning. If you can make it through the first ten minutes without getting choked up, you aren't human.

I could spoil as much as I feel like, because the film really isn't about plot twists or a surprising finale -- but instead it's the trip there. I can explain the sights of Paradise Falls in South America and it would do no good because I can't convey the amount of amazement in words. It's all about the experience, and the feeling you will get from "Up" is something that I can't prepare you for. Suffice it to say, prepare for a great time.

Note: This film was viewed in 2D, as opposed to the hyped digital 3D. My reasoning to stick with the old reliable goes beyond the adage of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." For me, the animation in "Up" is so top-notch as it is in the original 2D animation that I see no real reason to upgrade; certainly I have to wonder if such rich colors will hold up with such a limited -- albeit pretty spiffy -- gimmick of 3D, and I have to wonder if it's just a scheme by Disney to scam me out of an extra $3 that could be better spent by upgrading to a medium popcorn. I just think visually if everything's so perfect in 2D, why should I want to change it? (I guess this does go back to "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" thing -- so sue me.)

Rating: **** out of ****