Up

• I thought this movie was an absolute work of art. It's deeply touching and so well made: from the voice acting right down to the special effects. The story is beautiful and I recommend it not only for kids, but also for 'grown-up kids' (that is, moms and dads). Curiously, I almost never cry during movies, and with this one I came very close. Everyone should go see it, you won't regret it, that's for sure.

• With Up, Pixar has once again delivered an enchanting animated film that by no means aims solely at a young audience, but offers adults just as much enjoyment and inspiration. Given the themes of aging and the many unfulfilled dreams one faces in the final chapter of life, this is truly a film that should speak to every viewer from 8 to 88 years old.

• With an old man as the main character—rare for a Disney title—the story told from a senior's perspective was refreshingly original. He struggles with handling the child and dog, but the way his stubborn nature softens through his bond with them and his love for his late wife is beautifully crafted. Of course, the scene of the house flying with balloons was simply breathtaking. Everyone has dreamed of floating away with balloons, and embracing such an outlandish idea was quintessential Pixar. A masterpiece whose grand journey brought tears to my eyes.

• A mini-masterpiece as near-silent as Carl was when he was smitten as a child by Ellie after the screening celebrating Muntz’s travels and banishment from the world, Up’s opening montage is a sentimental recounting of a lifelong love affair, a poetic rumination on the manner in which dreams are shared, and a bittersweet acknowledgement of how such desires can sour over time or are deferred by the demands of modern living.

• Carl's life with Ellie is shown in a gorgeous opening montage that is heartbreaking and will leave a tear hanging in anyone's eye. This sequence alone is worth the price of admission, such is its lyricism and surprisingly mature theme, even for a Pixar feature.

1 / 5