Movie Review: UP

I don't usually review movies, but last night I went to see Pixar's new one, UP, and I just have to tell you - I loved it. Pixar has done it again.

I'm sure you all have an idea what the movie is about, but I'll give you a brief overview, anyway. UP tells the story of Mr. Fredrickson, the man who decides to fly his house in search of adventure. Fly his house? Yes, indeed. He attaches thousands of helium balloons to his house and flys it away. He is accompanied by Russell, a Wilderness Explorer (like a Boy Scout) seeking to complete his "Assisting the Elderly" badge.

This movie was hilarious! I was laughing from pretty much the first second all the way to the end. But what really set this apart from Pixar's previous films was the story. Mr. Fredrickson didn't just wake up one morning and decide to fly his house away, he's trying to fulfill a promise he made to his deceased wife. The first 20 minutes or so of the movie is all about Fredrickson's life, from the time he met Ellie when they were children through to her death. While still being great for kids, this movie manages to be far more adult friendly than, say, Cars.

I'm having a hard time picking a favorite character. Russell was adorable, Fredrickson was crusty-riffic, there's a dog who can talk via a fancy collar that is absolutely hilarious... it's a tough call.

I took my almost four year old daughter to see this movie, but I think that was probably a mistake. While she was extremely taken with the idea of a flying house (she's begging me to get her some helium balloons), there were several parts of the movie that were a little too intense for her. Most notably, the film's villain has a pack of dogs that chase down intruders for him, and that part was pretty scary. We had to leave the theater a few minutes before the end of the movie. I think she would have been ok if we were watching on a TV screen, but the theater being so loud, she was seriously freaked out.

I have been a fan of Pixar movies since Toy Story, but I think I might have a new favorite. If you're looking for a movie to take your kids to this weekend, this would be a great one! If you don't have kids, borrow one so you have an excuse to go!