[9.25/10] Up (2009)

Up (2009)

Pixar has found a home with Disney and, with apologies to Dreamworks and other animation studios, no one has come close in recent years to their fresh, inventive, and importantly, timeless spirit in computer animation. In "Up", a tale of loneliness and friendship is told in a simple, heartfelt way. This is one of the best films of the year and puts live action films to shame. The main strength of "Up" lies in the action and its characters. The film has plenty of exciting and perilous moments that keep you guessing how it's going to end. And then, there are the hilarious characters: Carl himself is likable, but doesn't provide as many laughs as Russell, and the eventual animals that are involved in their quest. Like previously stated though, "Up" is a very tough pill to swallow in terms of its dramedy. The first ten minutes of "Up" are among the most heart-wrenching in recent memory, and towards the climax we have another moment in which you can't help but feel that lump in your throat. Like all Pixar movies, the voice cast is spot on. All of "Up"'s characters are brought to life with well read lines, vocally emotional undertones, and an assortment of talents. Pixar's trademark CGI animation also breathes life into the characters, all of them are given convincing facial animations and gestures which could match any Hollywood A-lister's. All of the CGI is done beautifully. The scenery is breathtaking and the jungle sets sometimes look as if they were ripped from an issue of National Geographic. Pixar's signature animation is always cartoonish, yet photo-realistic and of course, ahead of their competition. Pixar has yet again raised their bar even higher. "Up" is a beautiful adventure film filled with rich characters, great animation and very real emotion.

• My Rating: 9.25/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 98% (8.6/10)
• IMDb: 8.5/10