Up
Got together with some local animators to see Up this last weekend…
Now I’ve never considered myself a Pixar fanboy — err, girl — and I go to see almost every animated film that is released despite the studio. Every studio has its up and downs in films and due to personal tastes, some we like better than others. That said, I have to say that Up caught me by surprise and may very well make it into my favorite animated films list.
*Now if you haven’t seen Up yet, quit reading and skip to the end. If you don’t, there may be potential spoilers, and it’s not my fault if you continue to keep reading. 
*
The first 15 minutes or so of the film are beautiful. That short part in itself could be a short film. It’s beautifully executed and shows in depth the relationship between Carl and Ellie. When she passes, it’s an ah-ha moment for the audience as to explain Carl’s current disposition. The film definitely wouldn’t have as much depth if they hadn’t explained why he was such a recluse old man.
The up beat, cheery attitude of Russell is a great contrast to the more negative Carl. His nonstop talking compliments Carl’s quietness. Their beginning treks in the jungle are a great back and forth. And they certainly captures the little kid essence well — complaining that he hurt himself, that he has to use the bathroom, and changing dispositions on a whim.
The film was simple and that’s one of the things that made it beautiful. It seemed to have a similar tie to Wall-E as it didn’t necessitate constant dialogue, but was able to tell the story by pure pantomime a lot of the time, thereby not overwhelming the audience. Even in that beginning fifteen minutes, there is so much emotion expressed, and a large story told, with very, very little dialogue. Driving a story with dialogue is one thing and can be beautiful as well, but there’s something special about driving a story by pantomime that shows a beautiful craft.
The little surprises through out the film had me laughing quite a bit. Alpha, the main evil dog, had me laughing when he first spoke. I did NOT expect that voice. And the discovery of Kevin’s “true” identity accompanied by Russell’s reaction was a great combination. The dogs’ short attention spans, and Dug’s way of talking…
Of course, there are places things could have been changed or tweaked, as with any film. Every person would approach the film differently, but I think Pete Doctor did a pretty dang great job at making such an obscure story believable, relatable, and lovable.
*End of spoilers.*
But above everything else, the biggest thing that hit me that night when I saw it wasn’t from the film itself, but from reactions of people in the audience. Right behind us there was a little boy, about five or six years old, who couldn’t help but bust a gut laughing. His attention was kept the entire film and during the credits even he was watching intently, pointing, and laughing hysterically. It was a big moment for me — THAT is why we do what we do. Seeing the reactions from people and making those little kids laugh hysterically and actually sit through a good hour and a half worth of a show.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:21 am
I agree wholeheartedly!
But UP took me to a new place I never thought possible with a “kid’s cartoon”.
I cried.
Now, I know it isn’t just a “kid’s cartoon”, because the themes running in this movie are DEEP. No child will ever truly understand Carl’s loss. But as a person that has loved and lost, it hit home.
Things like that have helped me realize that I’m not in this art of animation to make kids laugh alone. I want to make people of all ages laugh, cry, cheer, fear, and rejoice in the stories I plan on telling! This art is beyond just making kids laugh.