*** Official UP Discussion Thread

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I'm looking forward to the 1st rotten review so I can read the comments it gets. Always good reading.

Heads UP ( ): Disney Movie Rewards is giving double points for movie tix bought online through Fandango.

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Jeez, just found out I have to wait five months(!!!) to be able to see this movie. I would think that after all the money Pixar made they would give their movies a worldwide release. I think it already would be released on Blu-Ray in the US in September.

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James Bs review

Reelviews Movie Reviews

He gives the film alot of praise.

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Jon: Thanks for sharing that.

That sounds like an animated film that is right up my alley! I love the fact that the reviewer focused in on Pixar's ability to play to adults and children in the same work.

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Notorious crank Armond White steps up to the plate: The Way of Pixarism

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The EW review is up, Grade A (Lisa Schwarzbaum).

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I grew up on / near Route66. When I first saw it, I thought about the towns I knew well on that route; at one point, some of the buildings looked so scary like downtown Galena & Riverton that it really killed me. About 3/4 through the film, I was so sold on it that I later went to see "Cars" play in the venue where it had to be seen.. in the Carthage, Missouri Route 66 drive in. 66 Drive-In ROCKS

Maybe it's just us rural-types, but Cars was a movie that hit me more then any other pixar film outside of Toy Story 2, because it seemed to epitomize everything I knew from childhood. Small towns become smaller because the kids quickly leave and go to the city. Rural communities dying. And, oddly, when the city attorney lobbied to save her town, I pictured so many family members and friends I knew well who worked hard to renovate and save the small town schools that had been their home.

Maybe it's not for everyone, but Cars is a pixar film that just "got it" for me. I love that damn film.

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I have a 5 year old son, and I watched Cars every day for a few months, it seemed. I have probably seen it more than every other Pixar movie, save maybe The Incredibles. Is it their best? Not in my opinion, but it *is* a capital-G Great movie. I make no bones about that. I love it as well.

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The Pixar films are simply intelligent, well-crafted films for adults and kids alike.

There are so many things that Pixar "gets right" that most other films are lucky to get half-right--and for a much smaller audience.

I am very much looking forward to Up!.

And, then, TS3!

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I'm assuming there's a teaser for Toy Story 3 on Up. I'm hoping it's in 3-D too.

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On Fresh Air (NPR) this week the director of UP was interviewed. It's a couple of days ago so I may not get what he said exactly right. He was asked about the 3-D aspect and he said that wasn't in the original plans, but they established a separate group to do the 3-D. He said he didn't delve into the 3-D too much but remained mostly concerned with the story and characters.

That last sentence is why Pixar keeps making great movies. They don't start with the technology, they start with the oldest part of telling a story: the story and the characters.

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That was Walt's simple formula for success.

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My least favorite Pixar film, A Bug's Life, is still better then 99% of the non-Pixar animated films. I don't understand why other studios like Dreamworks, and Sony, don't understand that it's the story that makes something great. Sometimes they nail, sometimes they don't but, Pixar hits it out of the park every time.

Pixar is Disney these days and is what Disney Animation lost with the last handful of traditionally animated films. Hopefully Lasseter will bring Disney back to there glory days with "The Princess and the Frog."

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I think the problem is that all too often, even here, we attach film being good to box office.

In that mold, a film like "Shrek" has made incredible, unstoppable box office. But I have almost no interest in going back and watching Shrek 1/2/3. They are all so laced with pop-culture and cutesy moments that the story as a whole is pretty weak, and it just goes through the motions.

Meanwhile, I can go back tomorrow and watch "Toy Story" and the story is so well told an universal that it is as fresh today as it was upon release.

I think Dreamworks, etc. sees nothing wrong in their method - Monsters V. Aliens made a ton of money. But in 3 years, which film am I likely to consider watching again?

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^^^^
Shrek was good. Just wasn't your cup of tea. I loved it! I loved the sequels even more!!! I think the haters are in the minority. No offense matt.

Looking forward to UP. I hope it's better than Wall*E, which had a phenom first 30 minutes then went from 10/10 to 7/10 in my book, and Cars which I just didn't care for. It looks as if the main character will be sort of Walter Matthau and that's a good thing.

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Do people ever complain about those dated pop culture references in old Bugs Bunny cartoons?

I liked Toy Story, but the plot was awfully similar to an old Jim Henson special called "The Christmas Toy". I think that was adapted from a book?

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Oh, I don't hate it. I enjoyed it with the kids. But it's not as re-watchable as other films in the libarary.

And by pop culture references, I mean real pop-culture minutia references. I thought Shrek 1 & 2 were good, I thought 3 was pretty much drek, but hey, we all have our opinions.

But when I go back and watch films, there are some films that stand the test of time and some that don't. It's just not one of those I'd que up often for a re-watch. And a film doesn't have to be successful for that. Hell, I've watched "Hoosiers" a million times, and could still re-watch it. There are just some films that have that. Shrek may be good, but it just isn't built in a way that I feel 30 years from now people will say "damn, that's a good film".

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Yes, that's what makes Pixar so genius! And I love how they portray the relationships between characters. I think Up is probably the best example of that as well. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing it this weekend!

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Shrek is my fav modern animated film. I like the 1st sequel about as much. I blind bought the 3rd one and couldn't believe how much better it was than I'd heard. But suspected as much. For me, just discussing them here makes me want to go watch them. I've seen the first one about a dozen times!

I know you're not alone in hating that 3rd movie. But as for the series as a whole, I dont' think it's a wide view. Those just make too much money. Sure, they are nothing mind expanding like a Spirited Away but I think for me personally a Shrek is easier to enjoy than a Spirited Away. Simple stories, and why not? It all goes back to stuff like Grimm. Those were always simple but intelligent stories. You'd never see anything like that bathhouse scene of SA in a Shrek!

As for pop culture refs, that's a common CON that people list. I'm definitely a member of the group who loves that kind of thing. I guess time progresses, and maybe 10-15 years from now I'll look at those Shreks and start to roll my eyes so much they spin around backwards in my head. But for now I can't get enough of Shrek. Really, can't wait for 4. I was very surprised that many people do groan at the thought of watching these.

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It's simple. There are two types of pop culture references. You can have the kind that are timeless (the Simpsons creative team has made an art out of doing that), or you can have the kind that are "that was so last week". A good example of "that was so last week" is in Robin Hood: Men In Tights where they do the Tomahawk Chop at the archery contest.

When I saw Shrek for the first time (when it came out on DVD, didn't catch it in theaters), my reaction to most of the movie was "That was so last last week."


Looking forward to Up, but I won't get to see it until its second Thursday. The problems of having a kid who's too young to go to the movies.

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For many theaters adding 3D, the digital projector itself is likely a big expense (for a lot of theaters, this is the first time they've ever had digital projection capability). And, while not an expert, it's my understanding that depending on the 3D "brand" (RealD or Dolby 3D), some also have to install a special silver screen. Then there's the special glasses. If they can get people to pay $9 for a bag of popcorn, $2.25 for a pair of glasses is a steal!

I'm also of the opposite thought with regard to IMAX vs. 3D. I've never been overly impressed with IMAX, but have no problem paying a premium for 3D.

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Well, I guess I am a little spoiled when it comes to digital projection. My local theater is a Rave Theater and every screen (all 16) has digital projection.

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I watched this film with the wife & fam yesterday, and praised it heavily. I still stand by that. I watched it today with a good friend who wanted to go. Near the beginning, there was a scene that I kind of noticed when I was with the family, but of course, when you're handing out drinks and things with kids, it doesn't hit you the same way.. As Ellie plans out her family, and then we cut to a scene of a miscarriage/stillbirth and news that she can have no more children, I just about threw up. I had kind of caught this the first time, but I guess it didn't click with me in the same way. Last Tuesday, a very good personal friend of ours lost her child (stillborn), and my wife & I experienced a miscarriage before our children.

When that scene happened, and it really "clicked" with me and I was kind of dumfounded. The whole rest of the film kind of changed. I had always felt, when I first watched the film, that this was about him accepting the loss of his wife and finding hope and friends in the world again. And I found that touching & moving stuff. But after I realized that opening sequence in a different way today, the whole movie seemed very different. The kid wasn't just a per-chance kid, he was a chance to be a father, the real adventure he missed. And Ellie had given him that adventure in the end.

I left the theater kind of sick this time. It's a beautiful film, an A+ in my book, but it now falls into that Schindler's List kind of category. I'm glad I saw it, it was really powerful, I have no desire to see it again.

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I saw it this afternoon and it is.

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I cannot think of one false moment with this film. It is a perfect movie.

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I looked hard for, and found, flaws in Wall-E and Ratatouille. They're both classic films - top notch - but, I hold Pixar to the highest possible standards and at least felt like their excellence needed to be tempered with some criticism.

I'm not sure I can criticize UP. It's that good. Such solid, perfect storytelling. Such memorable characters. Maybe the dog stuff is a little too silly? I dunno. Someone here want to take a shot? Because i just don't see anything wrong with this film.

Pixar is king.