Pixar welcomes us back into the realm of lighter fare with "Up," the esteemed animation studio's tenth film, and, at an agreeable 90 minutes, arguably their most refined and well-paced feature to date. Last time out, Pixar explored futuristic and dystopian landscapes with "WALL•E," a cautionary tale about the dangers of polluting our planet. That film has a darker look than anything Pixar's yet done, replete with desolation and an opening passage of 20-plus minutes which contains no real dialogue. "WALL•E" is also the story of budding romance between two machines, and it earned much critical acclaim, even speculation about a Best Picture nomination (not animated mind you, overall picture). It's a good film, if an uneven one, with a questionable mid-picture shift that seems to abandon its more weighty themes for good ol' fashion fun.

In contrast, Pete Docter's "Up," the first film by the director since 2001's "Monsters, Inc.," is about a human man in the twilight of his life. It's probably the most heartfelt and emotional Pixar film yet (audiences, aged and grizzled, were seen crying behind their 3D goggle-things at this year's Cannes Film Festival, where it was selected as the first animated opening film since "Dumbo" way back when). And it’s above all else an optimistic film, buoyant and hopeful, and grounded in the here-and-now: an ode to adventure, with luminescent, multi-colored balloons by the thousand, pulling a quaint little house equipped with sails made from bed sheets through a clear blue sky. It's obvious from the get-go that we're light-years away from the futuristic machinations, spaceships and symbolic, pyramid-shaped trash heaps of "WALL•E."

Elderly Carl Frederickson is our adventurer, and he's voiced with a perfect blend of grump and good-heartedness by veteran Ed Asner, who deserves some kind of award for the emotional nuance he brings to the role. We first meet Carl during one of Pixar's finer moments: An opening passage that's at least as memorable as the one in "WALL•E," wherein a young Carl sits in awe before a glowing movie theater screen, newsreel footage of his hero, explorer Charles Muntz (voiced by Christopher Plummer), filling his head with dreams of adventure. As if by fate, his newfound passion leads him to the love of his life, Ellie, another young adventurer who inducts him into her special club. The rest of the intro is a montage depicting Ellie and Carl's life together, through marriage and heartache – much ado has been made about this film being the first in Pixar's canon to show blood onscreen, but I'm pretty certain it's also the first to allude to a miscarriage.

All this is set to the wonderfully bouncy, sometimes melancholy, but always spirited score by Michael Giacchino, which ranks pretty darn close to his superlative work on 2007's "Ratatouille" (still my favorite Pixar). The composer has said about his work on this film that he tried to channel opera, giving each major character a specific theme which then changes pitch and tempo depending on their emotional state.

"Up" really kicks into gear somewhere around the two-thirds point, giving us plenty of time to get to know our now elderly protagonist. Carl's wife has passed on; his house is being threatened by anxious bulldozers on all sides and by an appropriately devious, black-suited type who resembles Mr. Smith of the "The Matrix." All that remains for Carl is his long-unfulfilled dream: He and Ellie always promised each other they would one day visit Paradise Falls, the Peruvian locale which their shared hero, Muntz, made a name for himself exploring. Docter and crew effortlessly communicate in that great opening section how our plans have a way of getting brushed aside. A trip to the hospital, a tree fallen during a storm – things happen, and the money Carl and Ellie intended to save for their own little adventure never stayed in the glass jar they were saving it in for very long.

But now Carl is alone, and when he smacks one of the encroaching construction workers on the noggin for messing with his mailbox, the city demands he move to a retirement home. The time has come to fulfill his dream: Being a balloon salesman all his life, Carl unleashes his inventory – a myriad of luscious balloons float into the sky, lifting the tiny home into the early morning air and announcing the modest beginnings of a grand journey. It's one flight of fancy in a film of many, as "Up" is primarily about following your dreams by any means necessary, and though its characters are more realistic and grounded than just about any Pixar has given us, "Up" is still a soaring fantasy, one that explores the elevating powers of imagination.

"Up" is movie magic from first frame to last. Docter's storytelling talents are every bit as enviable here as in his last film, if not more so. Aided by Giacchino's full-blooded score, Docter tugs on the heartstrings with every well placed piano plunk and acoustic pluck, but the sentiment almost always seems sincere and earned. "Up" engages us through the uncommon bond of friendship that develops between Carl and his much younger travel companion, Jr. Wilderness Explorer Russell (voiced by Jordan Nagai). It taps into Walt Disney's known love of nature, and possesses an almost Herzogian curiosity towards the beguiling pleasure of exploring the great outdoors (there's even a nod to the great German filmmaker's "Fitzcarraldo," as Carl has to pull his house across a mountain).

Still, like most of Pixar's work, "Up" isn't perfect – there's a need to entertain the younger members of the audience which requires more action to manifest in the last act, somewhat forcefully, with everyone running around and fighting to create higher stakes and taking emphasis off these well-drawn characters and their development. Our heroes dangle limp from cliffs – or, in this case, the outside of a giant dirigible – their lives hanging in the balance, as audiences swoon. Of course this is nothing new, and at the end of it all, despite the flaws (there are talking dogs in this movie – just throwing that out there), there's an overwhelming sense that we've been to these exotic places with these memorable characters ourselves. We've braved stormy weather, trekked through jungles and encountered endangered species. We haven't, of course; we've just sat in a movie theater, gazing in awe up at the screen just as Carl did as a little boy.

Last Word:

"Up" is a buoyant film of hope and color following the drab, almost cynical worldview of "WALL•E." That was a good film, but "Up" is even better – myriad, luminescent balloons pull a quaint house equipped with bed sheet-sails through clear blue skies. It's obvious that we're light-years away from the spaceships and futuristic landscapes of “WALL•E” and into something much more optimistic.

==Written by Sam C. Mac==

==From: In Review Online (www.inreviewonline.com)==

(The following review contains spoilers)

The latest film from the animation wizards at Pixar is always an event to mark on your movie calendars. They stand head and shoulders above all other animation studios (some would argue above movie studios period, animated or otherwise), and this, their tenth offering, is right up there with their best.

What Up advances is Pixar's reputation for making animated movies that belie the expectations of the genre. From the majority of cinematic animated fare, we have come to expect bright colours, clichéd characters, and cheap laughs but nothing else. Not so with Pixar, and that continues with Up. It has everything you'd want from a movie of its type: slick, polished, sometimes jaw-dropping technical animation; extremely likable and relatable characters; genuine, effective humour for kids and adults alike; and maybe most importantly, a heavy dose of heart and emotional resonance.

In their nine previous outings, it may have seemed fairly out there to base their films around usually inanimate or plain unrealistic objects or people. They've done toys, fish, bugs, rats, cars, monsters, superheroes, and robots. But Up might be their ballsiest move yet — concentrating on an old man as their protagonist. Looking at the character of Carl Fredricksen - as wonderfully rendered as he is - you wouldn't exactly think he'd be an entertaining, desired hero for an animated adventure. And yet, strangely, it's rather perfect. For the kids who will beg their parents to take them to the movie, it puts their grandparents in a great light, one that they might not have seen them in before. And it sets the film apart with its leading character from any other animated film I can think of.

It seems fitting for us, the audience, sitting there in wonder of the animation that's in front of our eyes, that Up should start off with Carl as a young boy in a movie theatre, wide-eyed while watching the traveling escapades of adventurer Charles Muntz. Already dressed up in the appropriate outfit for flying, Carl makes his way home, imagining his journey there as being narrated as if he were already the adventurer he dreams of being. On his way there he meets future wife Ellie, an equally eager wannabe adventurer with a certain talkative nature that leaves Carl almost awe-struck.

We then move into a simply incredible 10-minute sequence that chronicles Carl and Ellie's life together, from their marriage to her sad death (if you don't feel sad at that point, you're dead inside), all done without a single word. We then catch up with Carl as the lovable old man we spend the majority of the movie following. He's being forced out of his home and into a retirement village, which of course he's not happy with. So what does he do? Well, of course he ties thousands of helium balloons to his house and literally lifts off the ground, up into the sky, and flies away on the adventure he and his wife always wanted to go on. Did I mention Carl used to be a balloon salesman?

That's all within the first 15 minutes or so, and what follows is one of the most fun, funniest, exciting, and memorable adventures in years, animated or otherwise. Flying in the air and landing in the jungle allows Pixar to show off all manner of visuals, from a rainstorm almost bursting Carl's balloons to the exotic jungle trees and animals he encounters.

So is it just Carl on this journey, I hear you ask? Well, unfortunately for Carl, no it's not. Not long after taking off in his balloon-powered house, he hears a knock at the door, only to find that a young, excitable wilderness scout by the name of Russell has unwittingly been stranded on his porch. Watching Carl have this boy 70 years his junior bugging him on his journey to get to the waterfall he and his late wife had always dreamed of going to is an utter joy. Russell complains, nags, relentlessly asks questions, and generally makes the journey an annoying misery for Carl. The script, written by Bob Peterson and Peter Docter (who both also direct), is so fully of witty, insightful, and often flat-out hilarious dialogue that it ends up being one of the best animated scripts in years.

Carl and Russell aren't our only characters. We also have Dug the dog (utter genius), who is given an edge over other animated dogs because he can talk (due to a special collar his master has made for him). As we've come to expect from Pixar, they get the mannerisms and body movements of a dog down to an absolute tee. Along with Dug, we have a rare, multi-coloured bird nicknamed Kevin by the ever eager Russell (even though the bird is female), as well as a host of other dogs that belong to the same master as Dug does. Mixing slapstick with witty and intelligent humour is the dog-talking collar, notably when one of them has a loose wire and causes an intimidating Doberman pinscher to sound like the Chipmunks.

Continuing on the brilliance of Up is the voice casting. As usual, Pixar absolutely nail it. Ed Asner voices our hero, Carl, who brings a certain believability to the role; first-timer Jordan Nagai voices Russell, bringing a youthful buoyancy to his character; co-writer/director, Bob Peterson, voices Dug; and the distinctive voice of Christopher Plummer is what we hear coming out of the villain's mouth (I'll leave who the villain is as a surprise). They're not obvious voice casting choices, but they play their parts perfectly.

I was wary going into Up, not because I feared it wouldn't live up to its already glowing reputation, but because it marks Pixar's first venture into the land of 3D. To me, the technology is a novelty that almost always gets misused by just having things pointlessly coming out of the screen at you for no other purpose than having things come out of the screen at you. But with Up, Pixar have utilized the technology properly, by using it to enhance the story in a subtle and effective way, with little to no instances of things popping out at you for no reason. Other studios take note.

I will be surprised if Up doesn't get an Oscar nomination, and possibly even win the top prize, when that time rolls around again next year. It really is that good. Everything from heart, soul, and resonance to pure excitement, laughs and silliness are all to be found here, wrapped up in one stunningly animated, expertly put together package. As overall movies and stories, I've in the past found Pixar to be a tad on the overrated side (I've never disliked one of their movies, but The Incredibles comes to mind as over-praised) but they're always head and shoulders above every other competitors on the pure technical animation side of things. But with Up, they've made what is arguably they're greatest film (although Toy Story is still my own personal favourite), one that delivers as much on pure enjoyment as it does on its technical aspects. For what it's supposed to be, Up is just about as good as this sort of thing gets.

==Written by Ross Miller==

==From: Movie World (www.movie-world.moonfruit.com)==

At a time when too many animated films consist of anthropomorphized animals cracking sitcom one-liners and flatulence jokes, the warmth, originality, humor, and unflagging imagination of Up feel as welcome as rain in a desert. Carl Fredericksen (voice by Ed Asner) ranks among the most unlikely heroes in recent animation history. A 78- year-old curmudgeon, he enjoyed his modest life as a balloon seller because he shared it with his adventurous wife Ellie (Ellie Docter). But she died, leaving him with memories and the awareness that they never made their dream journey to Paradise Falls in South America. When well-meaning officials consign Carl to Shady Oaks Retirement Home, he rigs thousands of helium balloons to his house and floats to South America. The journey's scarcely begun when he discovers a stowaway: Russell (Jordan Nagai), a chubby, maladroit Wilderness Explorer Scout who's out to earn his Elderly Assistance Badge. In the tropical jungle, Carl and Russell find more than they bargained for: Charles Muntz (Christopher Plummer), a crazed explorer whose newsreels once inspired Carl and Ellie; Kevin, an exotic bird with a weakness for chocolate; and Dug (Bob Peterson), an endearingly dim golden retriever fitted with a voice box. More importantly, the travelers discover they need each other: Russell needs a (grand)father figure; Carl needs someone to enliven his life without Ellie. Together, they learn that sharing ice-cream cones and counting the passing cars can be more meaningful than feats of daring-do and distant horizons. Pete Docter (Monsters, Inc. ) and Bob Peterson direct the film with consummate skill and taste, allowing the poignant moments to unfold without dialogue to Michael Giacchnio's vibrant score. Building on their work in The Incredibles and Ratatouille, the Pixar crew offers nuanced animation of the stylized characters. Even by Pixar's elevated standards, Up is an exceptional film that will appeal of audiences of all ages. Rated PG for some peril and action. --Charles Solomon

Stills from Up (Click for larger image)