Film #57 of The December Project

Everyone talks about how the opening montage of Up reduces them to tears. If you say you're an exception… I think you're lying. Becoming a blubbering mess because of a film is not exactly a novel experience for me, but tearing up during an animated film hasn't happened to me since I was a kid. Rarely does a sequence with so few words and such a common storyline pack such an emotional punch, but this one nails it. However, the point in the film when I REALLY lose it is when Carl finally turns past the "Things I'm going to do" page of Ellie's adventure book.

Despite all of the tears shed during this…

It's amazing just what animation can deliver that live action quite often simply can't. I don't remember ever watching a movie before that actually broke my heart in the first 15 minutes, but Up did. I freely admit, after watching one of the best montage sequences I've ever seen, I was openly crying. Pixar have outdone themselves with this; a truly heartwarming tale of friendship, adventure, loss and the power of the human spirit that ranks among some of the best storytelling you're ever likely to see.

It's a glorious picture. Given its Pixar, it just looks stunning in every way, a feast for the eyes - but more than that, it nails the whole package: characterisation, narrative, everything is…

De eerste beelden van Pixars jongste vat het credo van de filmstudio meteen samen. Op de klankband weerklinkt het gekraak van pellicule dat voorbij glijdt langs het oog van een projector. De jonge Carl Fredericksen kijkt gefascineerd naar een wit doek dat als een abstracte heilige boven het publiek uittoornt. Zijn mond valt open van verbazing terwijl hij naar de avonturen van zijn grote idool, de koene avonturier Charles Muntz gaapt, en op dat moment voelen we samen met Carl de magische betovering van het witte doek. 'Cinema moet betoveren' is wellicht het mantra dat boven de deur van de animatiestudio prijkt en met Up komen de dat credo weer mooi na. Hoe anders verklaar je dat we wederom een…

I liked the film... until about the time the balloons went up. Pixar doesn't make a bad film, but Up is one of their weaker ones, in large part because of an area they are usually masters of: characters. The movie starts out well. We meet our main character and his wife (Carl & Ellie) and they are very likable. We grow quite attached to them and feel for Carl. But aside from those two, there's not much to like. I didn't like the dogs at all (including Dug), I REALLY didn't like (or care about) the bird and that whole part of the plot, and didn't even really care for the kid (Russell). Actually, one other I did like was…