Walt Disney always counseled, "For every laugh, there must be a tear."
No modern movie exemplifies that more than Up, the latest triumph from CGI animation powerhouse Pixar. Now returning that philosophy to the company Disney founded, the Emeryville-based studio proved itself incapable of resting on its laurels. Audiences and critics worldwide rewarded Pixar's determination to push the boundaries of family-oriented animation by giving the movie near-universal plaudits and $617 million in worldwide box office.
Coming to Blu-Ray November 2nd, Up retains its magic on home video.
Pete Docter, Bob Peterson Direct Disney/Pixar's Up, Starring Ed Asner, Jordan Nagai and Christopher Plummer
There's no need to go into Up's plot (read this review to get the gist), but the big question is: does time and familiarity diminish the emotional impact of this film?
Not a chance. Even after 4 or 5 viewings, Up passes the test of any great film: it keeps its magic after multiple viewings. The jokes still bring a laugh and one struggles not to tear up at the dramatic parts. It's a compelling story with much wisdom about life, and how to live it.
Ed Asner and Christopher Plummer anchor the cast as hero and villain, respectively. It doesn't hurt that Docter and Peterson gave them such well-rounded characters to voice: you can see parts of Charles Muntz in Carl Fredericksen and vice versa. As for Jordan Nagai, his purely unaffected performance gives Russell a grounding in reality that most child actors – trained to give actorly performances from such a young age – can't deliver.
And then there's Dug. Voiced by co-director Peterson, he's one of the funniest sidekick characters in recent memory, mainly because the comedy flows naturally from what he is. To paraphrase Homer Simpson, he's funny because he's true. Anyone who has been around Yellow Labs knows that, if they could talk, they'd very easily say something like, "I have just met you, and I love you." It's that realism that makes Dug such a funny, and beloved character.
Blu-Ray Extras
Hold onto your seats because listing all the extras will take a while. In addition to 'Partly Cloudy,' the Peter Sohn-directed short that preceded the film in theatres, Up story supervisor Ronnie del Carmen directs a bonus short, 'Dug's Special Mission.' The plot – Dug's day before he meets up with Carl and Russell – is funny but not as memorable as previous Pixar shorts. That said, it's still worth checking out.
The 'Cine-Explore' feature is an audio commentary by the directors which adds 'picture-within-picture' images of storyboards and concept drawings to illustrate what Docter and Peterson are talking about. It's fascinating and informative.
Speaking of fascinating, the featurette "Adventure is Out There" follows the Pixar gang as they explore the tepuis of Venezuela (where much of Up is set). "The Many Endings of Muntz" shows the senior staff on the film discussing the many ways they found to give their villain his comeuppance.
Disc 2 has even more featurettes on the various characters of Up, plus the "Global Guardian Badge Game" geography quiz, plus alternate storyboards for the "Married Life" sequence. There's also a separate DVD disc if you haven't made the jump to Blu-Ray, and a Digital disc if you want Up on your mp3 player.
The Final Analysis
What can one say about the Up Blu-Ray that hasn't been said already? Only that this film is going into the permanent collection, and it ain't leaving. It gets a 10/10.
Dominic von Riedemann - Dominic is the Animated Film Feature Writer, and winner of 11 Suite 101 Editors' Choice Awards.
Join the Conversation