Tuesday, June 2, 2009


It's Up And Away....
With Up!

I have to say right up front, that UP was one of the best Disney Pixar movies ever....right up there with Cars.

It starts out with Carl Fredricksen as a little boy full of adventure and dreams of exploring South America. He meets a young girl named Ellie who shares his dream.

The scenes fast forward through different stages of Carl and Ellie's lives together, getting married, never able to have children, and saving money in a jar for their dream of becoming explorers, like their idol Charles Muntz (voiced by Christopher Plummer). Carl, is a hard working balloon salesman, and they continue to save, but as it often does, life got in the way, and the two were never able to fulfill their dreams. When Ellie passes away, a devastated Carl grows increasingly annoyed when a greedy land- developer tries to have him carted off to a retirement community, in order to steal his land.



Carl decides to once and for all, fulfill his life long dream of exploring South America. With the help of 10,000 helium filled balloons, Carl is able to make his house into his own personal blimp, and soon takes to the skies. However, Carl has an unwanted passenger- a hyper-active, eight-year old “Wilderness Explorer” named Russell, who is intent on earning his “assisting the elderly” merit badge.






The two eventually land in Paradise Falls- located in South America, where they meet among other things, a talking dog named Dug, and the now elderly, Muntz.

Throughout their adventure in South America, and the perils they face, the never ending love for his dead wife Ellie is always what drives Carl to do the right thing. You will fall in love with Russell, the Wilderness Explorer as he reminds you of any eight year old boy, and as he tries so hard to live up to being a worthy real life exploring partner of Carl's.

This movie is funny, and at times will make you cry....but you will love it. I did.

I give this movie five out of five balloons.

17 comments:

Karen Deborah said...

I love all things PIXAR very good films and didn't even now anything about it! Think Saturday Kayla and I will go, since I did get the shed door painted today.

Pleasing Procrasinator said...

I have been waiting to see this. Now I really have to get there. Do you think Peepers (3 yr) would sit through it or should I just make the Diva go with?

Busy Bee Suz said...

So happy to hear you liked it...the fact that it can make you cry...not a good thing. I cry at BAD movies. If this one is good, I will need an entire box of tissues!
I think we are going tomorrow. I'll let you know how puffy my eyes get! :)

Anonymous said...

I am glad you liked it!

M said...

My Booger Pickers have been talking about this movie...I will have to rent it. I did see Mall Cop- I guess my own kids didn't read your review before going to the video store!
Happy Tuesday!

Unknown said...

Pleasing, I think the three year old will like it even though he won't get the whole lifelong love story part. It's full of action and dogs!

I apologize for the word verification, I had a few chinese comments last week, I'll remove the verifyer tonight. :)

Chesapeake Bay Woman said...

This is wonderful to know...I'll take my kids this week. It's also good to know about the crying potential. Practically every movie I've taken them to see I end up crying at one point or another, while they cringe and twist up their eyebrows/mouths in disbelief.

This way I'll know to stock up on Kleenex before we sit down.

RSMDianne said...

We saw it last weekend, and loved it, just loved it. It was definitely a several-kleenex movie, but oh, so well done, and the animation was outstanding.

M, you need to see it in the theater. The animation is *that* good that it needs to be seen in digital, on a full size movie screen.

My husband and 10 yo daughter saw it twice, once with me, and again with our 13 yo son, the 2nd time in 3d, and my husband said the 3d didn't make much of a difference.

mdvelazquez said...

Woo hoo! I'm glad you liked it. I checked back yesterday to hear about it, but I was obviously too early.

Pat Jenkins said...

you sold me grandma j! now i am pumped up to go see it!!!

Mental P Mama said...

I hope you took the tissues I told you to....I want to go back! So glad you loved it, too;)

Noe Noe Girl...A Queen of all Trades. said...

Thanks for the review! I cant wait to see it!

Jen said...

Oh excellent review! I will have to go - I'm due for a date night out. :)

Deb said...

I so trust your reviews. I plan on seeing this one.

mom x 2 said...

It sounds like a great movie! I love PIXAR :) I watched Monsters Inc this morning while waiting for the orthodontist to wire up Bud. I can't wait to see UP!

Auds at Barking Mad said...

We took the Little Imp (who is 3) to her first ever movie this weekend and saw this and it was wonderful, made even more awesome by the fact that she sat through the entire thing and behaved herself! Well OK, she slept for about 30 minutes, but the rest of the time she was a doll!

I loved the movie and can not wait until it comes out on DVD as we'll definitely be adding it to our collection!

Thought I would come by and say hello as I see you so often over at CBW's place and other homes around the blogosphere and I'll try not to be too much of an introvert this summer at Blogfest and come and say HELLO!

I Am Woody said...

I loved Dug!

Pita was in tears when Ellie died!