Movie Review: Disney-Pixar’s “Up”

Lucas Hammerman ‘10
A&E Editor 

Photo courtesy of Disney-Pixar Movies.

Get up and go see Disney-Pixar’s newest film in 3D, “Up.”

The film hit theaters May 29 and topped the box office its opening weekend.

Do not be fooled into thinking that “Up” is only for elementary school students. “Up” is suitable for audiences of all ages; you can go see it with your girlfriend or boyfriend, friends, or parents too. The film follows 78-year-old Carl Fredrickson, a balloon salesmen, and 8-year old Russell, a ‘wilderness explorer’ (ie. boy scout). Carl, with the help of several thousands balloons, takes to the sky in his house to find a long lost paradise in South America. Along the way, he and Russell meet a strange bird, a talking dog named Doug, and a dangerous and senile explorer.

For anyone who owns a dog, Doug is by far one of the funniest characters. Instead of being the intelligent, human-like talking animal usually found in movies, Doug speaks and acts exactly as you would expect your pet to if he or she could speak.

 Don’t roll your eyes at the fact that it is in 3-D. Instead of being filled with annoying 3-D objects that come directly towards your face, the technology is used to enhance the viewing experience. Simply put, it makes the film seem more real instead of cheesy and hokey.

“Up”, while entertaining, is also meaningful. While the story is incredibly entertaining, it is also meant to teach the audience a multitude of lessons. Each character in “Up” conveys a different meaning. Carl communicates the lesson of letting go of those you cared about. Russell reminds the audience of that the moral choice is always the right one and that it is important to keep your promises.

These lessons are part of the characters, not so much in what they say, but in what they do. The film teaches the lessons through the old cliché “Monkey see, Monkey do.”

Through “Up,” Disney-Pixar has reached a new summit in animated adventures on the big screen.

Have you already seen “Up”? What are your opinions on the movie?