Up

Release Date: May 29, 2009 

Runtime: 1 hr. 36 min. 

Director: Pete Docter 

Cast: Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer, John Ratzenberger, Bob Peterson, Jordan Nagai.

Take an old man as a protagonist, a chubby Asian kid as a sidekick, a house as a makeshift blimp and you get yet another Pixar success. The story may look and sound absurd, but the film is far from being irrelevant. The main character's back story delves deep into human nature and how we cope with life's struggles and ends. There is a mixture of emotion in every scene, tearing at the heartstrings or even making a grown man giggle (I heard him behind me). The path of rediscovery with an unlikely duo keeps a level of excitement throughout despite some pitfalls. The talking dogs as the villains and the gazillion balloons that never seem to diminish appear implausible, but animation allows for such exaggeration. In the end, you're left with a feeling of hope that maybe someday you can have what Carl Fredricksen had: love, adventure, and...squirrel! 

Rating: 4½ stars