*** Official UP Review Thread (1 Viewer)

[Paul_Medenwaldt]

I saw a preview showing the other night and the theater we went to was not digital. Oh how it was painful to watch this movie on film. It was grainy and it killed me to know how much better this movie will look in digital and in 3D.

I really enjoyed the movie. It almost started out like Wall-E where there was very little dialog except for the young girl. It just laid out the story for you. I thought it went to quickly through his life at the start with his wife, seemed more of a montage, they could of expanded that story a little more to give a better emotional punch when it caught up to the present time frame.

Paul

 

[mattCR]

This exceeded every expectation I had. And my expectations were pretty high. I admit, a bit like Wall-E the first 40 minutes of this film are so incredible that the end can't really pay off like the beginning. But it ends incredibly well and the story is told in a very effective way. Within the first 10 minutes, you are completely sucked in..

A lot of times in relation to these films you talk about how incredible the animation is. And let's say, the animation is stunning and impressive. But I never thought about how "cool" it was because the story was done so well. It might as well have been stick figures.

As you watch the beginning, as we did (two of us and our two kids) the message for adults is poignant, touching, and enough that my wife commented it's the first film to make her outright cry since "Schindler's List" (in a different way, of course).

But this is a keeper. A+. Easily the best film I've seen this year, and it's not even close.

 

[Chris Will]

Saw Up this afternoon but, first a rant about 3D.

This was the first time I have gone to a digital 3D movie since they came on the scene. My only real exposure to 3D has been at theme park attractions (like Spider-Man at Universal). The 3D effect was amazing and a near perfect presentation. Unlike those theme park rides, you didn't get that double image effect so it was a whole lot easier on your eyes to watch. I was very impressed by the effect and depth it added to the film. My only problem with the presentation was that the Real D glasses weren't made good enough to fit over prescription glasses. I had to keep my head slightly tilted back so they wouldn't fall off my nose.

So that was the good side of 3D. The bad has nothing to do with the presentation but, the up charge to see the movie in 3D. Now I haven't been following the 3D revolution much but, I was under the impression that very minimal modifications were needed to digital projectors to make them 3D compatible. Does it really cost the theater that much more to run a 3D movie? IMO, while I really enjoyed it and thought the effect was great, it is not worth the up charge. So, this will most likely be the first and last 3D movie I see until they are priced the same. I can understand IMAX charging more because of the more complicated projectors, bigger film print and higher maintenance cost but, I doubt a 3D showing has a higher maintenance cost then that same projector showing 2D. Even though I went during a matinee, it end up costing more then an evening show of a regular movie. That voucher from "A Bugs Life" will not be enough to cover a 3D showing. Movies are already expensive enough, an additional $2.25 is not worth it, 2D will be fine with me. If I hadn't have had the movie cash and only had to pay the $1.25 difference, I probably would have just gone to a 2D showing.

Now I know why my theater has more UP in 3D screens and only one 2D screen, they get more money this way.


As far as the movie itself, I really , really enjoyed it. Pixar did it again and has provided a very touching story. I really don't know what else to say except that I highly recommend seeing it. As far as were it ranks among other Pixar films; well my top five are:
1 - Wall-E
2 - Toy Story 2
3 - The Incredibles
4 - Toy Story
5 - Ratatouille
I think I'd place Up in between Toy Story and Ratatouille. The short before the movie was okay and had some funny moments but, I don't think it was as good as the last three (Presto, Lifted and One Man Band).

 

[Patrick Sun]

"Up" is another solid Pixar film, though I thought it dragged a bit for me. I did enjoy the build-up of the relationship between the old man and Russell (the kid needing to help an elder to get a patch to be promoted to next Explorer class). Sometimes I notice the heartstrings being tugged on by the writing, so it wasn't as heartfelt as I'm accustomed to with a Pixar film, or perhaps I'm just more atuned to how they set up scenes to get the emotional payoff they are shooting for in the story.

Anyhow, kids and adults will enjoy the film on different levels. The 3D presentation is very engaging and doesn't call attention to itself, it simply adds to the immersive viewing experience.

I give it 3.5 stars, or a grade of B+.

 

[Robert Crawford]

This thread is now the Official Review Thread for "Up". Please post all HTF member reviews in this thread.

Any other comments, links to other reviews, or discussion items will be deleted from this thread without warning!

If you need to discuss those type of issues then I have designated an Official Discussion Thread.



Crawdaddy

 

[TravisR]

I thoroughly enjoyed Up. It took a little bit of time to get moving but the by end, I was completely engrossed in the movie. Like all Pixar movies, it's sweet and has something for nearly every viewer. And you can't go wrong with a movie where dogs fly biplanes.

The 3-D works well without saying "Look at our cool 3-D effects!"

This is the best movie I've seen this year so far (topping, in alphabetical order, Adventureland, Star Trek, Sunshine Cleaning and Watchmen).

 

[Joseph Bolus]

UP is a fantastically engaging and poignant comedy/adventure movie that will appeal to both adults and children. Unlike many "family movies" which falter in the human pathos aspect of the plot -- by either being almost devoid of this essential ingredient or overplaying it to the point where it comes across as treacle -- UP hits the "sweet spot" here in the first 15 minutes and never falters from there. My 12 year old daughter and I were both in tears at the end -- and for different reasons.

This is the best movie of the year so far.

Grade: A+

*** Edit ***
The 3D shows were all sold out so we saw it in 2D -- But that's OK since it gives us an excuse to go see it again!

 

[Stephen Orr]

My wife and I chose to see UP in 2D, which looked terrific at our theater. The movie was incredibly emotional and exciting, and extremely entertaining.

However, we really have a problem with the folks who say this is the "funniest" Pixar movies ever. While it had many funny, inventive creations (the dogs, all of them, were just hysterical - one scene at dinner comes to mind when Muntz uses a word in conversation that sent the dogs into a frenzy. My dogs go crazy at the same word. Also, listen closely when the biplane flying dog bites its steering mechanism. Priceless.), the heavy, and I mean HEAVY scenes (Carl and Ellie's montage, Russell's conversation about his father, the scene where Muntz suddenly becomes suspicious of Carl and Russell) took you to the other extreme emotionally. My wife, bless her heart, said she has never had her chain yanked in a Pixar movie like she did at this one.

Another thing for parents of younger kids - This is NOT a children's film, despite the fact it is animated and has a child as one of the main characters. Most previous Pixar films (with the exception of The Incredibles and Wall*E) were written with more of a kid's audience in minds. This movie is written at a more adult level with things in it kids will enjoy.

The adventure action in this puts most other family adventure movies to shame. And the bad guy puts the kid in REAL danger once things get going. There were several scenes that, even in 2D, really had us on the edge of our seats.

This is also the first Pixar movie, I think, that has focused on the blood associated with injuries (although the two instances are brief, but I think put there to make a point, like in the Incredibles when Mom tells the kids "These people will kill you.")

All-in-all a great movie experience. Pixar has come a LONGGG way since Toy Story, and it's great that they have the freedom to really UP the ante. I cannot WAIT to see what they are going to do with JOHN CARTER OF MARS!

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Seen UP with my 9 year old. We both loved it. Glorious.

Pixar's latest movie, UP, is simply stupendous.


Wolverine? Bah! A toothless tomcat. Terminator Salvation? Pshaw! A bunch of namby pamby wind up toys with broken main springs. Logan and Connor meet your better! Almost octogenarian – Carl. At 78 years of age and a product of cinema only, he kicks the collective butts of these so called tough guys. Even Kirk and Spock of the rebooted Star Trek movie could stand to learn a lesson or two from the Ed Asner voiced character.


Pixar has amassed an amazing pedigree of movies. UP may very likely end up as the new inheritor to their throne. This is a movie; no strike that: this is a piece of art, about life and living. UP flawlessly encapsulates a lifetime of shared experiences in the first ten minutes. UP is in all respects the closest thing you will ever see to a perfect movie. The first 10 minutes ARE perfection. Pure, story telling perfection.


The amazing thing is that the film continues from that high point with only a miniscule drop in the overall emotional power that the opening prologue generates. It goes without saying that the technical aspects of this film continue to push the edge as Pixar has done in every subsequent movie since they first started.


What makes UP so transcedent is the storytelling. Emotional touchstones set up at the beginning of the film are used to perfection for the payoffs that follow throughout the movie. Moments of sadness and regret become moments of joy and inspiration by film's end. The story arcs are woven with invisible seams. Never is there a moment or even an inkling of manipulation. This is a masterpiece of storytelling. Wonderfully wrought. Seemingly simple on the surface yet full of multiple layers of heart felt emotions.


It is no small measure of greatness that a film totally created in the digital realm generates more emotional reactions from its audience than its CGI enhanced brethren even seem capable of dreaming about.


This is a exciting and giddy tale of chasing one's dreams and exploring undiscovered places. Not just untouched places as in a geographical sense but also of the human heart. Mixed in are steady doses of humour that always plays honest and true. This is a tale that celebrates the joy of the human experience.


Pixar does not only create movies, they create treasures. Magical ones at that.

This is a PERFECT movie.


10 out of 10

 

[Brett_M]

I saw this today in 3-D with my 11 and 9 year old kids. We had to go to a later showing because the one we wanted was sold out. That hasn't happened to me in a long time. We all loved it. Very moving and one of the most enjoyable films I've ever seen. Gorgeous to look at. The effects were like a Viewmaster. (I think I read that in another thread or blog somewhere. That analogy is perfect.)

Something for everyone. Bring a hanky.

*****/*****

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

May 31, 2009
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']Review: Up[/FONT]
[FONT= 'Trebuchet MS']

Up, the tenth feature film by Pixar Animation Studios, is an impossible picture to pin down. It borrows liberally from our collective subconscious, not the least of which with its iconic image of the house floating through the air, carried by a massive swarm of balloons. It is a love story, a tragedy, a coming of age story and an adventure serial. It has talking animals, but it is not a talking animal picture. It is a children's film starting two old men (and a Wilderness Scout), told from an elderly perspective. It is joyous and melancholy, brazen yet at times incredibly subtle. Most of all, it is a celebration of living.

The film opens with a news reel about the great adventurer Charles F. Muntz, a heroic Charles Lindbergh-esque adventurer who returns to the jungles of Peru for proof of his disputed discovery. Inside a dilapidated old house on the way home with the name of Muntz's zeppelin scrawled on it, he meets Ellie. Another passionate Muntz fan, she is as talkative and outgoing as Carl is laconic and introverted. A beautifully rendered montage follows their life together, through all of the blissful small moments as well as a few cruel tragedies. It ends with Carl at Ellie's funeral, alone again.

[/FONT]Continue reading

 

[Southpaw]

Wow, I don't think I can put how I feel about this film any better than you did. I think it's probably one of the best films I've ever seen but I need some time for it all to sink in before being certain.
I'm a 35 year old male and I was crying like a baby at several moments of this brilliant presentation.

 

[Tino]

Hate to say it but I was disappointed.

It didn't connect with me like I hoped it would. Still a good movie, just not a great one.

PIXARS weakest film.
:star: :star: :star:

 

[Rhett_Y]

I thought the movie was ok. Better then Wall-E IMHO and Ratatouille.

I too felt the first act of the man growing old with the wife was rushed. I would of liked to have seen a little more there. I also wished they would of explained how Charles F. Muntz stayed so young looking. Our character was a kid when we first see Charles and then when we see him again he looks like he is in his 60's while are guy looks to be in his 80's. Just didn't sit well. Nit picking I know.

I really liked the dog's. Alot... The squirrel sequences were priceless.

One thing that also worked for me was the Kid. I really liked his character up until about the climax. Then he became kind of annoying. But once we get to the last photo montage I liked him again. Weird I know. Of course I am tired right now.....

Not one of the best films I have seen from them. To me Toy Story II and The Incredible's are the two best films by them.

I gave it a solid "B".

As others have said bring a hanky and/or some Kleenex.. There are a couple parts.....

 

[Sam Favate]

I thought it was terrific, really a great, great movie. I can barely think of another movie that puts as much emotional heft into the first 5 minutes as this one did. People in the theater were loudly sobbing by the end of the Ellie montage, which was probably the best few minutes of the movie. Really well done. The rest of the movie was a lot of fun; the sequences in the airship (and climbing on the airship) practically gave me vertigo.

Pixar is the rarest of movie studios, and they really deserve all the success they have. This was their 10th film and I have yet to see anything less than great from them.

 

[DaveF]

"Up" is my favorite sort of story, the great adventure to a strange and imagined land. It is backed by Pixar's great skill in integrating mature themes of friendship and aging into a "cartoon". The 3D enhances the experience throughout. It is a quiet film; perhaps not the "kiddie" movie parents expect. But for adults, certainly this is a great treat.

 

[Shad R]

I really liked this movie. As others have stated, those first 5-10 minutes were not only moving but felt genuine. The dogs were the highlight, especially when Alpha's voice collar malfunctions, and Doug had the funniest moments.
Wall-E and Toy Story 2 are my favorite Pixar movies so far, with The Incredibles at a close number 3. This one takes it's place at my 4th favorite Pixar movie of the ten. Very well done.
B+

Quick soapbox...
As for the extra charge for 3-D, theaters owners don't have a choice in the matter. EVERY 3-D movie will have the extra charge. And movie studios get most of the ticket sales, sometimes as high as 90% for the first week.
People like to complain about their high priced concessions but that's what pays for things like digital surround sound, replacing broken seats, projector upgrades, new bulbs, ext... These things are very expensive.
End of soapbox

 

[Todd Erwin]

Really enjoyed this film, saw it yesterday in Dolby Digital 3D, which was my first experience with this technology. All previous Digital 3D films I have seen used the RealD process.

I found that both RealD and Dolby 3D worked about the same for me, but I found the RealD glasses more comfortable than the much heavier Dolby glasses. I wear prescription glasses and have never had a problem with keeping the RealD glasses on my head. The Dolby glasses kept sliding off throughout the film, and I even had to have the usher clean them prior to the presentation.

However, the RealD equipped theatres in my area now charge upwards of $3 extra, while the Dolby equipped one charges only $2 (and their overall ticket prices are much, much lower, as well - $5 for matinee and $8 for evening shows). I wonder if RealD recently raised the price of the disposable glasses to theater owners, hence the recent hike in prices.

 

[Chris Atkins]

9.5/10

Another home run from Pixar. Just a great, great film. Saw it in RealD and thought it was very nice...never a distraction but added lots of nice depth to the film.

If Toy Story 3 and Cars 2 weren't coming out in the next 2 years, I would lodge another minor complaint about "kid friendliness" (the same complaint I lodged about Wall-E last summer). But with those films coming out, it's clear Pixar will continue to cater to adults and kids alike.