DVD Review #28 UP

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Up (2009) Voices of: Edward Asner, Jordan Nagai Directed By Pete Doctor and Bob Peterson

So there are Ten Best Picture Nominations at this year’s Academy Awards (I was very much against this, but maybe I’ll get used to it) and despite my greatest efforts I have only seen half of these films (if they would just go by my top ten list of the year then we wouldn’t have this problem but alas), so let’s play our first game of catch up with a very surprising film that I never expected to get nominated…the very animated Up. I have listened to several people who outright yelled at me to see this film…but its animated so unless I’m dragged to it, it was unlikely I was going to get to it…but then it got nominated so for the sake of my blog I decided to give it a go. The verdict is out, this film is really good, and not only did I cry, but I never paused it and found myself liking just about every character. I think we have made Some Might Say history, (um that’s the name of my blog…jeez) by having an animated film in my top ten of the year.

Up is the awfully touching story of Carl Fredrickson (the very fitting voice of Edward Asner) who is old, slightly bitter, and alone. He is being forced out of his house by some greedy construction dudes, who have plans on the land it stands on. So after a mishap (and instead of going to an old folk’s home) he decides to move his house in a very clever way…um thousands of balloons. He has an adventure set in mind for him and his house, but it is thrown a loop when he finds a boy scout on his now floating front porch (the very cute voice of Jordan Nagai). The story is very adult in some moments, and incredibly sad. This film is as touching a movie as you’ll see this year, it has enough comedy to keep the young-ins interested and plenty of drama for adults who I guarantee will spend some time reflecting after this film. I really enjoyed Up and highly recommend it to anyone…seriously even if you don’t have kids, just go grab it and watch it by yourself, it’s better than most of the crap that’s out there now.

(The Shawshank Scale 1-10) Up may not be that rewatchable, but it is a moving tale that is touching and relatable…I am surprised to like it as much as I do, an equally surprised that it knocks Moon (2009) out of my top ten of the year and becomes my first animated film to be on the list…a very worthy Best picture nominee and a very strong 7.0 on the scale.