The Best Films of 2009: Up
June 9th, 2010 by Alex | Co-Editor
Up is one of the best films of 2009, having the perfect balance of humour, romance, and adventure: an instant classic. I am a reluctant watcher of animated films; I loved Toy Story and Finding Nemo, but am part of a minority that did not like Wall-E, so the fact that I loved Up so much is a testament to its pure and wonderful movie magic. After losing his lifelong partner and wife, Carl Frederickson (voiced by Ed Asner) decides to attach thousands of helium balloons to his house to achieve his and his wife’s lifelong dream of visiting Paradise Falls in South America and seek adventure. But the diligent Wilderness Explorer, Russell, unexpectedly goes with him, having camped out on Carl’s porch the night before in an attempt to catch a “snipe” and earn his “assisting the elderly badge”.
Up bears great resemblance to its predecessors – it’s no surprise that its writers were also on the writing team of the aforementioned films – but the writing in Up is much much richer; it is a masterpiece in “showing” the story rather than just “telling” it. There is a brilliant and touching montage at the beginning of the film as we watch Carl and his wife Ellie meet as children, get married, and build a life together. There is no dialogue but we watch as they fix up their new house, we watch as they save money for Paradise Falls, but inevitably have to use those savings to pay for various emergencies – a broken tire, medical bills, and a leaky roof – delaying the achievement of their dream. We also watch the rituals that they build together: picnicking and watching the clouds, and reading together in their chairs while holding hands. We see their love, their disappointments, their hardships, and their happiness. And I cannot watch this montage without weeping like a baby, because it is so sweet, so well-observed. We do not need to be told their hopes and dreams, we watch them and see the hope in their faces. Amazingly, the rest of the movie is as good as this first sequence.
Up is very rich in details of childhood, of old age, of dogs, and of friendship. The eager young Russell, likely 7 or 8, is innocent, chatty, full of curiosity, and ready for adventure; he is just like the young Carl Frederickson we met. Frederickson is world-wearied and somewhat grouchy but still full of life and seeking adventure, despite smelling like prunes, walking around with a walker with tennis balls covering its feet, and hearing aids that like to whistle loudly. Frederickson and Russell are both sorting through pain of losing a loved one; Frederickson lost his wife and Russell’s father largely abandoned him. Inevitably, they learn to like and love each other; the journey is touching and not ever forced.
Perhaps one of my favourite things about Up is that it is clearly written by dog lovers; as a dog owner myself, I greatly appreciate this. Upon landing in South America, Carl and Russell meet a dog, which has a device installed on it to allow it to talk. This is a recipe for side-splitting humour, especially if you are a dog owner. The dog, Dug, introduces himself and interacts with Carl and Russell, but is prone to stopping mid-sentence because of a “squirrel” (crying “squirrel!”). When Carl removes one of his tennis balls from his walker for the dog to fetch it, Dug happily says “Oh I want the ball! I will go fetch the ball now and bring it back to you!”. They also meet a large and friendly bird, who Dug is searching for to bring back to his master. Upon meeting her, Dug kindly asks the bird “oh please oh please will you be my prisoner?” And that’s just the beginning. There’s much more dog humour to come, so if you are a dog owner, expect you may leave the film with a sore side.
What ensues is a well put-together plot which basically follows the predictable adventure formula of Toy Story and the lot: Carl meets his lifelong hero who went to Paradise Falls, his hero is a disappointment and wants to hurt the big bird, Carl and Russell bond and save the day. But Up is much better crafted than its predecessors: there is more than adventure, more realistic interplay between the main characters, and great humour. Because it’s about dreaming and adventure, we can forgive the ridiculous displays of “physics”, often relating to the house and its flight; after all I was happy to accept talking dog. Carl and Russell are living a dream and we are delighted to go along for the ride. The result is the best family film, and undoubtedly the best animated film, to date since Toy Story, but don’t be fooled by the “PG” rating: it’s a fun time for all ages.
