Sunday Afternoon at the Movies - Up

Although the trailers for Up looked pretty good, I wasn't planning to see it. But my daughter talked us into it and my youngest son also wanted to see it so we went to see it today. I'm glad I did. Pixar manages to put out quality movie after quality movie. Their last movie Wall E great. In many ways, Up is less ambitious than Wall E but since it's about human beings (and talking dogs) it's more accessible. The trailers for the film only show the main character Carl as a grouchy old man. But the movie actually starts when Carl is a shy boy who has adventure in his soul.

His entire life is captured in perhaps the first 10 minutes of the film, from, as that shy boy he meets tomboy Ellie, they marry, and grow old, she dies. This is accomplished mostly through pictures with virtually no words. It's very poignant. But when Carl loosens thousands of balloons from his roof which are tied down in his fireplace and the house lifts away we understand why he's doing it.

He and his unwitting traveling companion, an Wilderness Explorer (like a Cub Scout) Russel are off to South America to find Paradise Falls, a place that Carl and Ellie have dreamed about visiting since they were children.

If you've got kids I highly recommend you take them to see this. But even if you don't take yourself. There were adults all over the theater laughing out loud.

The talking dogs are great. SQUIRREL!