Up (2009)

User Rating:

8.5/10   

Directors:

Pete Docter
Bob Peterson (co-director)

Writers:

Bob Peterson (screenplay) and
Pete Docter (screenplay)

Release Date:

29 May 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

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)

Also Known As:

Helium (Philippines: English title) (review title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for some peril and action.

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital EX | DTS

Certification:

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 Vaud) | Switzerland:0 (canton of Geneva) | 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

Trivia:

The Fenton's Ice Creamery featured in the movie actually exists and has two locations. One is in Oakland, CA on Piedmont Avenue and the other is in Vacaville, CA, and that is on East Monte Vista Avenue. Both locations are close to Pixar's headquarters in Emeryville, CA. There is also an express version of the creamery in Oakland International Airport to eat while you wait to catch a plane or if you just flew in. Fenton's did not have to pay to have it in there; Disney and Pixar put it in the film for free.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When young Carl breaks his arm, the ambulance he rides in has a modern electronic siren rather than a mechanical siren which an emergency vehicle of the 1930s would have used.

Quotes:

Dug: Oh please, oh please, oh please be my prisoner!
Russell: Dug, stop bothering Kevin!
Dug: That man there says I should take the bird
Kevin: [squacks at Dug]
Dug: ...and I love that man there like he is my master.
Carl Fredricksen: I am not your master!
Dug: I am warning you once again, bird!
Russell: Hey! Quit it!
Dug: I am jumping on you now bird!
Carl Fredricksen: Russell, at this rate we'll never get to the falls!
[...]

Movie Connections:

References The Lost World (1925)

Soundtrack:

Habanera

Up "uped" the bar once again! Wonderful movie

Seriously, I'm convinced, Pixar is maybe the only movie studio that is providing the best movies around. Who said that animated films can't be considered real movies? Can't be considered an art form? Up is the latest creation from Disney and Pixar, after last year's smash hit WALL-E, I felt like they couldn't at all top themselves and they did it again with this incredibly charming story. Admittingly from the trailer, I wasn't sure this story was going to work as well, but I got the opportunity to see Up this week and was just totally blown away by it's story, animation and characters. The thing I adore about these movies that Disney and Pixar are creating is that they're not just for the kids, but the adults as well, this is something that I could even see an adult seeing by themselves. This story doesn't insult kid's intelligence and is extremely entertaining for anyone to enjoy, to go through this adventure with an old man who just wanted to make his wife happy.

Carl Fredricksen, a quiet young boy, meets Ellie in her clubhouse, discovering together they share the same interest in exploration as their hero, famed explorer Charles F. Muntz. Ellie expresses her desire to move her clubhouse to Paradise Falls in South America, a promise she makes Carl keep. Carl and Ellie fall in love, wed and grow old together in the old house where they first met. Ellie dies of old age before they can take their trip, leaving Carl living alone in their home. After a tussle with a construction worker over Carl's broken mailbox, the court orders Carl to move into a retirement home. Carl comes up with a scheme to keep his promise to Ellie, and creates a makeshift airship using thousands of helium balloons which lift his house off its foundation. Russell, a Wilderness Explorer trying to earn his "Assisting the Elderly" badge, has stowed away on the porch after being sent on a snipe hunt by Carl the day before. After a storm throws them around for a while, they find themselves across a large ravine facing Paradise Falls. With their body weight providing ballast allowing Carl and Russell to pull the floating house, the two begin to walk around the ravine. As they walk towards Paradise Falls, Russell finds a colorful tropical bird which he names Kevin, not realizing that the bird is actually female. They later run into a dog with a translating collar named Dug. They discover Dug's owner is Charles Muntz, who has remained in South America for several decades to find a bird like Kevin in order to restore his reputation after bringing back a skeleton and being called a fraud. Though Carl is initially thrilled to meet his hero, when he realizes that Muntz is after Kevin and will kill to obtain her, Carl takes steps to save the bird and escape from Muntz.

Up is seriously the best movie I have seen so far this year, it's actually one of my favorite movies of all time, I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this film. Wither it was the fun and charming story between Carl and Russell, the crazy bird Kevin, or the story that nearly killed me in laughter, the dogs that have collars that make them talk. I don't remember the last time a movie that made me laugh so hard that my stomach hurt, it also made me tear up and smile. If someone ever tells you that an animated film can't be considered a real movie, just show them Up. I absolutely adore this movie, can't wait for it to come out on DVD and watch it again. This is a perfect family film, actually scratch that, it's a perfect film, the animation is incredible, the characters are lovable and the story is magical. Up is going to be a film to be remembered for all time, great movie, go see it.

10/10