Up

I must admit that I was originally hesitant to watch "Up" given that it arrived with such universal acclaim, which often leads to disappointment. Thankfully, disappointment never arrived, though. Wonderment showed up instead.

Carl Fredrickson (voiced by Ed Asner) is a lonely, grumpy old man who isn't quite sure what to do with himself after the death of his adventure-loving wife Ellie. When he is forced out of his home by redevelopment in the neighborhood, he decides to pick his house up via balloon and move it to Paradise Falls - a trip he had always promised his wife, but never followed through on. Along the way he picks up an energetic but misguided boy scout named Russell and a loyal if challenged dog named Dug. Almost to his goal, Carl runs into the missing adventurer Charles Muntz (voiced by Christopher Plummer) who has grown a bit crazy in search of the elusive bird called the Snipe. Ultimately, Carl must choose between the past he built with his wife - quite literally his home - and the "family" he has acquired on his quest.

The first twenty minutes of this movie are some of the most emotionally charged scenes in any feature film I've seen - animated or live action. Directors Pete Docter and Bob Peterson use these waves emotion masterfully to help pace the story. Every moment of action is tinted with a moment of emotional reflection. The musical cues heighten this effect, reminding us of Carl's wife whenever he needs to make a difficult decision.

My only complaint about this film - and this is a minor gripe - is that it felt a little too chunky and episodic. The "person vs. person" conflict that gives the film its climactic moment felt too distant from the early "person vs. self" and "person vs. nature" conflicts. In fact, the whole final conflict between Carl and Charles felt a bit forced and unnecessary compared to the profound simplicity of Carl's personal conflicts.

Still, this movie is easily one of the best films of the last few years. It is humorous and entertaining while also containing an intense emotional poignancy. Although the "happy ending" may not have been Carl's first choice, it is ultimately the most fitting ending to such a strangely powerful movie.