Up

The puppet masters (3D) prove why it is such a success for all audience ranges. For the first time, however, I feel like they’re being overly confident. There’s no willingness to take risks or deviate in any way from the popular trend. Life’s truths caress, while the overly mentoring tone grates on the nerves. I wasn't bored, but I didn't enjoy it, and that's worse. (02/11/2009)

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)

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 numerous 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)

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)

Gran Torino meets Indy in escapades à la Pixar. Some parts are great, but altogether it seems so inconsistent that it’s bothering. However, Carl is a really nice guy and his only blemish is that he’s not dubbed by Clint. The real “hero" and the dog do their CGI best to make this movie work. And they had to try hard, because this movie was moving alarmingly near to the shameful average (quite normal for Pixar). (22/08/2009)