Up

(Okay, saw this a few weeks ago but only just gotten around to commenting on it – however I’ve also seen it a seen it a second time which only confirmed my thoughts about it).

Up, commented on in two parts.

Part Two: The Film itself.
Pixar’s latest offering is their usual high standard offering – it isn’t quite as good as Wall-E was, but that’s sort of like saying The Godfather isn’t quite as good as The Godfather Part II – which pretty much demands a viewing just to see what they are capable of not only in technological terms (this film looks gorgeous, whether in 2D or 3D – although do attempt to see it in 3D if possible) but how far they are able to take risks with stories that other (major) studios would just show the door at concept stage.

“An old man decides to float his house down to South America to fulfil his wife’s dream”.

The doors the wooden thing in the wall – but somehow it works, really works. Mainly due to once again the story being king, characters that you really care about and a sense of humour that appeals to generations rather than just aimed at the kids. Everything seems to be given the same care and attention, the design is just stunning (especially the use of colour – pastels to begin with moving onto brighter primary colours as the film becomes more fantastical) and the music for once is memorable (Pixar moved away from the Disney show tune format, which means the music was occasionally lost – here it isn’t the case).

The second part of Up has everything to recommend it, even without taking into account…

Part One: The first Five Minutes.
Simply put, this is the finest five minutes that Pixar have produced – a simple ode to growing up, falling in love and life itself that is so wonderfully told (much of it without dialogue) that it will produce tears as it wrings every emotion possible from you. The entire film is constructed around the promise of these five minutes, so much so that a later scene brings back the entire experience of watching it again. Viewed a second time and the love with which they are produced becomes even more apparent.

Not convinced by Pixar? Go to see this if only for these five minutes – you won’t see a better introduction to a film for years.