Up **1/2

Directed by Pete Docter & Bob Peterson.
Screen Play by Pete Docter & Bob Peterson.
Voices by Edward ASner, Christopopher Plumer, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson, Delroy Lindo, Jerome Ranft, John Ratzenberger and David Kaye.
Released 2009.
Seen in theater.

Yet another film from Pixar studios. There are some things that I really like about this film, but some things that bug me too.

It starts off with a wonderful "news reel" animated in black and white with film specks and all. It describes the travails of world adventurer Charles Muntz. Then there's a montage of the lead character, Carl Fredrickson, growing up, starting from when he was a toddler and meeting his future wife-to-be, Ellie. As very young children, they connect because they are big fans of the f0re mentioned adventurer Muntz. While this scene is of course animated, it is completely charming and has the feel of early 20th century America.

The couple grow up and eventually become married and it seems they have the perfect marriage. Again, a very heartwarming scene. Unreal, because there is no such thing as the harmonious marriage they have, but it makes one yearn to fall in love again and dream.

As their marriage matures, they both have the adventurers dream of going to and living in a paradise located in South America. But the dream never happens because life takes over, yet they continue happily along in their marriage. They try to have a baby but lose it and grow old together childless. Eventually, the wife dies and so does the dream.

When the old man, Carl, is about to be evicted he has a plan. He ties 1000's of balloons to his house and decides to follow his dream by flying his house to South America and escape eviction. What he doesn't realize is that there is a young, fairly stupid boy scout in his basement that got caught up in the lift off of his house. Eventually they land in their paradise and an adventure ensues.

The balloons really bothered me. I was not able to suspend belief, though I knew that was necessary. Not that the balloons were able to lift a whole house, but that the old man and the kid were able to drag the house along like it was a light as a balloon it's self. Here there is this octogenarian and a young boy with ropes tied around their waists dragging around hundreds of tons of house.

Another thing that bothered me was the last 20% of the film where it becomes an action packed rock 'em, sock 'em blockbuster adventure. First of all, this is too predictable, though it was well put together and choreographed as any other action scene I have seen. I doubt there is any other way a Pixar movie can end, so I guess I'm asking too much when I say I would like to see something a little different for a change.

Also, it bothered me that this ancient guy was involved in such an action packed adventure. Sure the film makers referenced one time during the fighting sequence that he was old (his adversary was also very old and it was kind of a joke) but in real life, the man would have had a heart attack. I know, suspension of belief etc, but sometimes films ask too much of their audience.

The dialogue was great and the characters were wonderful. Some of my favorite characters were the couple as youths, the gigantic bird and the young and dumb scout that came along for the ride.

If I had a rating scale for kid's movies, this would probably get a higher rating, like 3 or 3 1/2 stars. It is a really good film, but I don't use such a system. It must be rare, but I believe it is possible for a children's/family film to transcend it's genre.

Couldn't really find a trailer per se, but I found this, which concentrates on my favorite character the bird Kevin.