Up

Not only proof that it is never too late for an adventure, but also confirmation that in the right hands of a director and animator, a pearl can be made even from an unusual combination of several favorite clichés. Until now, I am amazed that a drama about unfulfilled dreams does not contradict the adventurous spectacle, but perfectly adds a deeper dimension to it. (20/08/2009)

An animated flick that milks the emotions of the viewer with the same ease as the best live action dramas. In the moments when this happens, the simplicity and lack of originality of the story is a shame, it pops the balloons and brings down this bitter-funny gem, not in any drastic way, but enough to make it lose one star. Otherwise, I agree that the first 10 minutes are probably the best sequence I’ve ever seen in an animated film. (05/09/2009)

To begin with a brief thought: When did the movie theater turn into a canteen? Munch, gobble, slurp… Up is a multigenerational picture that will be enjoyed by everyone. Super action scenes, a romance of the highest caliber, and a breathtaking adventure that, in the style of old exploration films, throws one into an unknown, dangerous yet beautiful world. The storyline forms an incredible link between several lives. A pensioner who wants to complete his plan (to move) at any cost, a hunter (another pensioner) who is pursuing a trophy that constantly eludes him, a lonely boy who wants to help (pensioners) and mothers caring for their children. Add a flying house, talking dogs, a mischievous bird, and this merry-go-round of a movie becomes a whole lot of fun. (25/09/2009)

There is no point in expecting it: you will not find the great truths of life here again in a form other than those which are very trivial, but that is also not what Pixar is all about. This studio matures with every film and dazzles kids with narrative action and a great ability to bring timeless children's dreams to the screen. The story of Carl and his strange retinue is captivated by emotions in some places (particularly the introductory retrospective is divine) and sometimes the first signal amuses (it’s probably too infantile for some people, but so be it). There is no denying that this is once more a compilation of several shorts, the level of which is not exactly stable, but the overall impression is clearly "Up". (12/08/2009)

When I get bored of Pixar movies, you better shoot me as a precaution - I probably won't be okay, and who knows, it might even be contagious! Up is a near-perfect thing - near-perfect because I was missing two little things in it. Firstly, a scene, even a very short one, in which you could see how Carl prepared all those balloons, inflated them and so on, and then the building of the tent. Otherwise, it amounts to great satisfaction. The senior walker vs. sword fight brought me to tears :-) (26/08/2009)