Là-haut

Viewed at the Festival de Cannes 2009

The opening film of this year's festival, and the first animated film ever to have this honour, Up is truly a film for all ages. The story of the adventures of an old man and a young boy, a flying house tethered to countless balloons, a long-lost (and mad) explorer, a giant bird called Kevin and assorted 'talking' dogs gets funnier and more exciting as it goes along.

This isn't slapstick humour, although there are some lovely visual gags, but deeper, more thoughtful. At times Up is even touching and poignant.

Visually, this is a treat and while I was sceptical about the use of 3D to begin with, it is built into the story so seamlessly that it really is worth the effort to seek it out. At the same time, I can't help feeling the 2D version could be even better because the 3D glasses had the effect of dimming the picture. The use of colour in the film is especially noteworthy, with various palettes used according to mood, character and phase of the story. Character voicing and music are also spot on.

I have no connection with Pixar, Disney or the film whatsoever, even if this review reads like a puff piece. The fact is, Up is an incredible piece of cinema, was a big hit with a very demanding press audience, and is worthy of your time and money.

Anyone who says animated films cannot amuse and entertain, while at the same time delivering any kind of emotion, does not know what they are talking about.

Up is so good I can now forgive Pixar for Cars!

I love Pixar and feel they have been pretty consistent. True I do prefer Toy Story over Cars and Finding Nemo over Ratatouille, but I find their films amazingly animated and thrilling. I thought that after the first two Toy Story films, that Pixar wouldn't be able to make a film to top them. WALL-E, yes I loved it, came pretty close, but in my opinion Up is Pixar's masterwork. And why do I say that? Because it is widely imaginative and astonishing in its emotional range.

First of all, the animation is stupendous, beautiful backgrounds, beautifully drawn characters and stunning colours. The scenery and sights are just fantastic, down to the colour and visual detail that went into the film. Michael Giacchino's music is stunning as well, simple yet melodious and sublime. And I do have to concur with the majority about the opening montage; Finding Nemo had some beautiful moments and WALL-E's haunting isolation moved me close to tears but this opening montage was so poignant and utterly heart-breaking. It is quite simply one of the most beautiful and effective beginnings ever to an animated film.

I have heard complaints that the story meanders when the talking dogs are introduced and that they were irritating. Can I respectfully disagree? What I loved about Up was how widely imaginative it was, in short why shouldn't a dog talk? It's an animated film, why does it have to COMPLETELY realistic? Elephants don't fly, look at what Disney did with Dumbo.The story, back on target was well written, thrilling and startling with a sense of adventure with enough action and high-flying escapism for kids and adults. The script had some truly hilarious and surreal moments, while Toy Story had wonderful sophisticated dialogue, the dialogue in Up made me laugh and it made me cry.

And finally the characters, I loved them all, grumpy old widower Carl, stowaway Russell, eccentric adventurer Charles Muntz, the big bird and the hilarious Doug. Russell may be a tad annoying at first, but he grows on you. The voice acting is exceptional- Carl is voiced with real demeanour and depth by Ed Asner and Christopher Plummer, the wonderful underrated actor he is, is superb as Charles Muntz. But I do have to give mention to Bob Peterson, he is simply brilliant as Doug, he is really funny when he needs to be and never overdoes it.

Overall, this is a wonderful film. There may be controversy over how Beauty and the Beast is no longer the only animated film to be nominated for best picture. Beauty and the Beast has been and always will be my favourite animated film and one of my favourite films of all time (The Lion King is a very close second), but Up is a great film and does deserve an award of some kind. 10/10 Bethany Cox

This lovely film tells the story of Carl Fredrickson, a little friendly widower who lives alone in a house restored along with his late wife, Ellie, whose memory he cherishes constantly. Forced to leave his home, threatened by real-estate interests, to live in a nursing home where he didn't want to go, Carl decides to go on a long journey that always wanted to do with his wife but that life never allowed... and departs with your home through a system that he created and that makes it fly. But the journey is bound to change radically when he meets the scout Russell, eight-year-old, grabbed on his porch, an unwitting passenger on that trip.

Directed by Pete Docter and Bob Peterson, two brilliant directors of Pixar Animation Studio behind hits like "Wall-e", "Monsters Inc." or "Finding Nemo", this film has a number of experienced voices and a touching soundtrack, which earned the Academy Award that year for Best Original Score. A curious fact: the place represented as a destination point for Carl's trip - the fictional Paradise Falls - exists on the real life, in the border between Venezuela and Brazil: its Mount Roraima.

The most touching on this film is to see the love of Carl and Ellie, alive even after her death and visible in the way he keeps her memory alive and ever present. Russell's goodness also move us, especially when he is confronted with the harsh ways of stubborn Carl, who sees in Russell a problem. Another deeply moving character is Dough, a friendly and affectionate dog who speaks through a device placed on his leash.

For all these things, "Up" is a film for the whole family, is a film that touches us, moves us and thrills. It proves that, if love cannot move mountains can still move homes, and that no one is too old to live an adventure or fulfill a dream.

This film is possibly one of the best animated films of all time as it tells an emotional moving story while being funny. As I said the emotion in this film is full of heart and even though I didn't cry it will make most people cry. The characters in this are perfect even if it is a small character like Ellie or big character like Carl everybody gets so much development even Charles Muntz the villain of the film is also given development, even more than some superhero films nowadays. Also this film has comedy some Pixar films now just want to make you cry but in the 2000s they had mix of sad and funny moments. So overall this film is as close to perfect as an animated film can get, it is has a mix of emotions it is funny and sad when it needs to be it has so much heart and the characters are perfect. This film in my opinion is the best Pixar film.

Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner) as a young quiet kid idolized explorer Charles Muntz (Christopher Plummer) and his discovery of Paradise Falls. Ellie is much more animated and also a great fan of Muntz. Together they would marry and live their lives together until the day she dies. Now Carl is hounded by a property developer and forced to go to a retirement home. Instead he ties a sea of helium balloons to his home and float away to Paradise Falls. Wilderness Explorer scout Russell who's trying to get an Assisting the Elderly badge gets dragged along on the adventure.

The first part of this movie is a real tear jerker. When Carl and Ellie's lives flash through the years, all the heart breaks and all the love just jump off the screen. Then there is comedy as the journey to Paradise Falls starts. The movie gets very surreal with dog translators, and a very colorful bird. The villain is a bit too villainy. The story gets too serious at times. But it ends almost as emotionally as it starts. It is one of the best of Pixar.