Disney/Pixar's Up - In Which We Discuss Everything but the Plot

Up is the latest offering from the good people at Disney/Pixar.  I'll tell you right now, if you're here for some snark and some hate and some throwing rocks at the kid on the pedestal, it ain't gonna happen.  It's too good.  And I like throwing rocks, especially at kids on pedestals, but mostly just kids.

I'm also not going to provide any spoilers because, and this is new, they SPOIL shit.  Who wants to be that guy?  Oh, and Darth Vader is Luke's dad.  Deal with it.

Pixar has once again achieved an animated work of genius.  It actually plays like two movies, the first consisting of silly things that the kids will love without resorting to gross humor or boring the parents.  They play silly smart. 

The second movie, if you will, consists of a romantic drama, complete with a montage that will make the Oscars weep.  Yes, those Oscars.  It's so damn sweet that I feel the need to make the fun, and yet I can't.  I could only listen to the sniffles around me and smile in my seat.  You see, I'm a crying on the inside kind of clown (possible exceptions: Rudy and The Dirty Dozen).  Also, Botox.

The two could easily play apart from each other.  Hell, they could probably stand on their own.  Pixar doesn't go for that.  They make them coexist and the result is wonderful.  Next for Pixar, the Gaza Strip.

Here's what I was thinking about 5 minutes into Up:  Everyone.  Else.  Sucks. 

Seriously.  I drop dime all over the place for my two kids and most of the stuff is just glorified Happy Meal commercials.   Those guys don't get it.  Sure, they make money, but what's the shelf life on Space Chimps?

The secret to Pixar's success isn't so secret.  Have a good story.  Make it funny, sweet and aesthetically stunning. Don't talk down to the audience, which includes the kids.  It's not rocket surgery.

Someday when our children are all grown they aren't going to have fond memories of farting jello monsters channeling their inner Seth Rogen, they're going to think of WALL-E, alone on a forgotten planet, dancing with his own robotic joy to the classic songs of Hello, Dolly.  Well, they may not remember Hello, Dolly, but they'll remember the moment.

Up is where it carries you.  Yes, I went there, and I'm not done. It floats between adventures had and those ahead and in between is the greatest of them all.  Sure, it sounds cliché, but how many clichés do you know that contain talking dogs and Ed Asner?  Four or five, tops? That's what I thought. 

It is a film about love and friendship and things so basic they've become forgotten, like kindness and respect.  Remember those?  It takes you Up and it holds you by countless balloons tethered upon so many heartstrings.

Seriously, those strings are made from Snipe heart.  It's gross, but highly effective.

Up is another feather in the cap and you'd have to be totally daft to call it macaroni.  Up is me fighting the temptation to make a Viagra reference.  Up is Chuck Norris in a 3-wolves t-shirt.  And I mean that.

There's no place to go but Up. Really, it's either that or Angels & Demons, and let's face it, Dan Brown is the Kenny G. of the literary world.

Pixar would be your Beatles. 

Ed Asner would still be Ed Asner.

I give it 5 unicorns:

Comments

[Maria M]

I'm so glad it doesn't suck. I weep over Pixar films. WEEP.

Do you think it's three-year-old appropriate?

[Whit]

As I had an actual 3-year-old with me during the screening I would say yes. He loved it.

[TwoBusy]

Rocket surgery.

(mind... blown.)

[Sarah]

I'm so glad it's good. I'm really looking forward to seeing this! (Of course we're mostly going because my younger step-sister wants to go...*cough* riiiight...)

[Angela]

Awesome! I can't wait to see it, and take my 3 year old.
There is something about disney/pixar that plain old disney just can't seem to do alone. And I likes me some old disney animation too. But pixar adds something extra to every film.

[SciFi Dad]

I was on the fence about this for my four year old because one site (common sense media) warned about a scene (can't say without spoiling, but it involved the old guy and his wife) that would be "disturbing" to young viewers.

But if your three year old was OK, I think my daughter should be good.

[Sweetney]

I love this review so much I want to marry it.

[Klue]

This made my day. Partly because Pixar! but mostly because...
"...let's face it, Dan Brown is the Kenny G. of the literary world."

[Whit]

Assuming we're talking about the same scene, and I'm pretty sure that we are, it happens as part of the montage and I doubt that most kids will spend more than a second on it. Adults, however, will probably cry.

[Mrs Chaos]

This was highly entertaining. Even sans Viagra reference.

Dan Brown and Kenny G...genius. Still makes me laugh.

[Palinode]

That is a lot of unicorns. I hope you've got someone to clean out their stables. Great Pixar movies = lots of unicorn shit.

[the fixer mamma]

we will take the kids first showing tomorrow. And BTW, I constantly say Rocket Surgey and people make fun of me for it. I feel vincidated!

[Tanis Miller]

Unicorn shit is pure gold.

I was going to pass on this movie but the idea of you wearing a three wolves tee shirt and giving Up a thumbs up, is too good to resist.

[Liana]

Fabulous review. I just might go see Up this weekend! :)

(And yes, I too am a huge fan of the Dan Brown/Kenny G. comparison. :)

[indycitygirl]

I have tickets for tomorrow and CAN.NOT.WAIT!!!!! I am taking my 8 year old and 3,yes 3 other 8 year olds and am all aglow with happiness

[Jen]

"...Dan Brown is the Kenny G. of the literary world."

This almost made me spit water all over my laptop. So. True.

[Katie Kat]

I took my 3 1/2 year old to this yesterday and I LOVED IT! She was scared by some of the scarier stuff with the D-O-G-S, but was mostly entertained. I was laughing, crying and beaming at the end of it all. SWEET SWEET story and wonderful animation, brilliantly bundled together. CLASSIC.

Oh, and the little short movie at the beginning is priceless as well!

[Andi]

I saw it on Saturday with a gaggle (that would be approximately TEN) eight-year-old Brownie Girl Scouts, and honestly, I was pretty much just looking forward to having a bit of peace and quiet in a darkened theater. Instead, I absolutely fell in love with this movie, and haven't been able to adequately explain to people why I loved it so much. Now all I have to do is point them to this eloquently written article. Thanks!

[Whit]

See! BTW, I believe you accidentally referred to my writing as eloquent when you obviously meant raw and manly. Thanks all the same.

[Whit]

Yes, the clouds in the opening short were incredible.