Up!

Pixar's Up has been the most hyped 3D animated movie of 2009. Billed as a children's movie, an Animated Adventure Comedy according to IMDB, I didn't really know what to expect except a film about a house with balloons on it. I honestly didn't think it would be that great. How much mileage could they get out of that one gimmick? But I was wrong. Very, very wrong.

Underlying the child-like elements (adventure, talking dogs, a house with balloons on it) lies a tragedy. A story of loss, eviction, fallen heroes and unfulfilled ambition. The opening montage had me tearing up, and the sadness underpinning the entire rest of the movie is well played and poignant. Though I laughed at the comedy, I felt a terrible heartache at the same time as I watched a widower, lonely and angry at the world, battle to make up for a life of disappointment, to finally do what he had always planned with his first love, his wife Ellie, who he still talks to even as the urban developers threaten his home and his life.

Of course, the comedy is excellent as can be expected from a studio like Pixar. From slapstick to in-jokes, from set pieces to subtle, knowing observations on life, this film has it all. As an action adventure, it works well, with the laws of physics suitably ignored to provide an entertaining romp across South America.

Kids will love this film for the jokes, the slapstick comedy and the action sequences. Adults will enjoy it too, but will appreciate the reality of the story, and the ultimate redemption of Carl Fredricksen as he finds his place in the modern world. And true to style, the sentimental ending, unseen by the characters but appreciated by the audience, ends the film on a high note.

This film deserves every accolade afforded it, and is definitely worth watching. 10 helium balloons out of 10.