*** Official UP Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Stephen Orr]

Pixar films get watched infrequently at my house, as we don't have children at home (my son is married and in Texas!), but I still have every one, either on DVD or Bluray. Incredibles is at the top - TOP - of my list, and most of the rest vie for 2, 3, and 4. I haven't met a Pixar film that I have not thoroughly enjoyed.

So when is Incredibles coming to Blu?

 

[nolesrule]

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.

 

[Malcolm R]

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.

 

[Chris Will]

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.

 

[Robert Crawford]

This thread is now designated the Official Discussion Thread for "Up". Please, post all comments, links to outside reviews, film and box office discussion items to this thread.

All HTF member film reviews of "Up" should be posted to the Official Review Thread.

Thank you for your consideration in this matter.


Crawdaddy

 

[Stephen Orr]

I posted a review in the other thread and at my personal blog here Up is a terrific family movie, just be aware…. |. This was definitely an "adult" film with things that kids would enjoy, as opposed to the other way around.

 

[mattCR]

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.

 

[pitchman]

I saw it this afternoon and it is.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

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

 

[Quentin]

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.

 

[Ray H]

Good movie. Did anyone else think the young (30's-ish) Carl bore a resemblance to JJ Abrams?

 

[Tino]

I was disappointed. PIXARS weakest film....which isn't such a bad thing.
:star: :star: :star:

I'm bummed.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

The dog stuff is the major reason I gave this a 3.5 out of 4 instead of a 4 out of 4. I was totally on board with the collars that let dogs talk. The dogs flying planes and such was a little too broad for my tastes.

The human stuff was stellar, though. The miscarriage is essential to understanding the film, as mattCR mentioned, because it defines Carl's whole relationship with Russell. If Carl and Ellie had had kids, he would not have been left alone at the end of Ellie's funeral and would not have become the crotchedy old man who slowly retreated as the world boxed him in. The end montage of Carl's adventures with Russell counterbalances the opening montage of Carl's life with Ellie. The former documented his role as husband, the later documented his role as father. Russell completed Carl's story.

Still can't get over how complete of a performance Ed Asner managed to achieve with just his voice. The animated performance definitely led from Asner's vocals, instead of creating a performance from the vocals. If the picture cut out after the opening montage, the movie would still be a singularly entertaining journey.

 

[Quentin]

That's what I was thinking, Adam. The plane flying seemed to come out of nowhere.

And, yes, Asner was amazing. He sounds so tired early on and his voice gains a strength to it as the story progresses.

 

[TravisR]

To me, that fit in fine in a movie where dogs talk with special collars and a house can float thousands of miles when it has lots of balloons attached to it.

 

[Stephen Orr]

Not only could the dogs talk and fly planes, they could tie up people and prepare fine dinners and desserts! If you accepted dogs as chefs, you've gotta accept dogs as pilots.

 

[DaveF]

While UP is not my favorite Pixar movie -- the dogs were too broadly silly at times -- I really liked it. More than anything, it renews my respect for Pixar's skill at mature storytelling. The opening sequence rivals "Jessie's Song" for its sublime connection to adults' anxiety of aging and being left alone.

Unrelated...When will a Pixar movie star a female? I was reflecting on their movies and in typical Hollywood fashion, the stars are always male. Females do have significant roles (Elastigirl, Dory, Jessie), but men are always the central character. Pixar doesn't need to go "Disney Princess", but I think it would be interesting to have a female protagonist (and even antagonist).

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

I've seen a few feminist groups start complaining about this; which I take as a sign of our society's extraordinary sensitivity to identity political divisions; Disney's "Princess and the Frog" is already stirring up controversy as its first "black" animated feature.

It's also a reflection of Disney animation's careful balancing of target audiences; Snow White followed by Pinocchio, Alice in Wonderland followed by Peter Pan, Beauty and the Beast followed by Aladdin, Mulan followed by Tarzan. (Although there have been extended periods of mostly girl-targeted animated films and periods of mostly boy-targeted animated films.

I think the real reason is that Pixar perhaps the most auteur-driven animation studio in American cinema. All of the directors thus far have been men, and so it's natural that the stories they have to tell are male-centric. The first Pixar movie directed by a woman, the upcoming The Bear and the Bow, will have a female protagonist. Of course it's being criticized for being yet another princess movie.

 

[DaveF]

That was my assessment: Lasseter, Docter, Bird...the top people are men and Pixar is still driven by the art more than the $$$. I don't want to hate on Pixar -- love their stuff. But in a world half-filled with little girls watching Pixar movies, it's not unreasonable to give them a movie about a grumpy old lady.

 

[Abby_B]

Exactly! I didn't have a problem w/ any of that - kinda thought the use of the dogs was creative and pretty funny. The "cone of shame" was awesome too.