Movies & TV
Going to see UP? Bring tissues.
by Maria Young

Up is the number one movie in America, by far, bringing in $68 million in it's first weekend alone. When I took my daughters to see it (the first time) I was expecting just another entertaining, lighthearted, there's-a-lesson-in-there-too, colorful and beautiful to look at Pixar film. I mean, there's a floating house, talking dogs, an adorably chubby little boy and an equally adorable elderly man, the Disney equivalent to Clint Eastwood's character in Gran Torino (minus the racism). I'm a huge Pixar fan, loving just about everything they've produced so far besides Cars, which I just don't get the hype about, and I knew from the previews that Up would be no different, but I had no idea that I'd be sitting there fighting back tears for the the first 1/2 an hour and biting my lip intermittently throughout the entire thing.

I can't remember the last time a movie took me on such an emotional roller coaster and I'm a tad bit ashamed that it was a children's film that did it. I was happy, sad, amused, encouraged, angered and almost every other emotion in between and I must admit that Marinka, from Motherhood in NYC was spot on when she said that kids movies are emotionally manipulative - this one especially was, but not necessarily in a bad way.

I'm not the only one who cried, no I'm in excellent company here - Ali from Cheaper Than Therapy wept like a baby even after the film was over, and Suzanne from C.U.S.S. cried her eyes out as well.

Something I've always loved about Pixar movies is that they deal with situations and show life realistically, no matter how fantastical the story. They produce films that you have to talk to your children about, that foster thought and discussion and embrace many different situations. There was Nemo, his disability and his single father in Finding Nemo. In The Incredibles there were Dash and Violet who were struggling with their issues at school and bickering parents. In Up we met Russell, the adorable little scout that accidentally accompanies Carl on his journey to Paradise Falls who dealing with a lot of pain stemming from his parent's divorce. and his father's subsequent absence in his life. As someone newly divorced it pulled on the wrong strings for me, but I was appreciative of the fact that instead of making him just another child from another perfect family they made him someone my daughter's in particular could relate to.

I adored the movie. It celebrates life and love and adventure. There was one thing in particular about the film, a piece of the silent vignette spanning the relationship of Carl (who's seen during the previews as the crotchety old man) and his love Ellie that made me go 'huh? in a kid's movie? who approved that?!' but it went over my children's heads as I'm sure it did most kids'. I wish we had been able to see more of Ellie because wow, was she kick ass! She was strong and adorable and funny and fearless and everything that a leading character should be, except maybe a male or a friggin' princess, but that's another post for another day. I'm almost sad that her character was wasted in this because she could have easily been the star of her own movie.

I think most people would like Up, whether they are parents or not. There's the universal underlying theme in it - to live life to it's fullest, and that it's never too late to make good on your promises and do what you always dreamed of.

(Oh, and see it in 3D. It's totally worth the extra few bucks.)

Submitted by Maria Young (view blog) on Thu, 06/04/2009 - 9:00am

Comments

 

Sniff

My husband and I went to see it and we both dissolved into big puddles of tears during the four-minute married life montage. As soon as I got home, I downloaded the lovely, lovely waltz that accompanied it -- titled "Married Life" oddly enough. Even when I listen to the waltz, I tear up. And the dogs? Hilarious!!

The Blog: Red Nose The Book: Girl Clown

Submitted by maryrwise on Thu, 06/04/2009 - 12:17
 

I may go see it tonight or this weekend.

Thank you, Maria, for this great write up. And if it makes people cry, I know I'll be in the number because I'm a softee at the movies.

Nordette Adams is a BlogHer CE & you can find her other stuff through Her 411.

Submitted by Nordette on Thu, 06/04/2009 - 13:41
 

I'll add it to my list

of movies to see soon.  Thanks for the recommendation.

 

 

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Submitted by Candelaria Silva on Thu, 06/04/2009 - 13:51
 

I ruined my 3D glasses!

I don't have kids, and as you already noted, I cried my eyes out. I thought it was an amazing movie - tender, tough, funny, adventurous. Just excellent.

Suzanne Reisman, Contributing Editor - Feminism & Gender
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Submitted by Suzanne Reisman on Thu, 06/04/2009 - 15:12
 

I saw it tonight.

It was beautiful. I don't think we have to even say we don't have children, Suzanne, because it was more a story of aging and finding fulfillment in life than anything...and it just happened to not be live action. I loved Russell but it was Carl and Ellie's story...and I totally agree with Maria that I wish we'd seen more of her.

There were moments of such extreme visual and emotional beauty that I was weeping for happy and sad reasons. I've not been watching Pixar films for years but this made me want to catch up - and since I didn't see it in 3d, to drag someone with me to do that very soon. 

Laurie

LaurieWrites

Submitted by lauriewrites on Thu, 06/04/2009 - 20:28
 

couldn't agree more!

 

Wondering, though, what you thought about the way it makes fun of the fat kid the whole time?  I was a little concerned about the message--I wrote more about it in my guest review for Momicillin: http://www.momicillin.com/2009/06/05/disney-pixars-up/

I totally cried though. Especially during the miscarriage part? Seriously, who greenlighted that? ;-)  

 

Laura

momtrolfreak.com

Submitted by momtrolfreak on Fri, 06/05/2009 - 04:18
 

"the fat kid"

HI Laura,

I don't actually think they were making fun of the "fat kid" at all.  I think they were trying to make a point of how different children are these days from the children of the past.  The club Russell was in was a take off of the boy scouts yet he had never even been camping-outside.  He was unable to keep up and whined that he was tired because that's how kids are these days (or at least how my 5 and 7 year old boys are).  I honestly think it was more of a commentary on how times have changed with regards to how kids grow up.  Thanks so much for opening up the conversation about this.

Jen

 

Submitted by jenben on Thu, 06/11/2009 - 10:30
 

Cry Baby

I didn't just cry throughout the beginning montage. I balled throughout probably 3/4 of the entire movie. And then, as my husband and I were walking out of the theater, I started crying again. And then, as we were driving to a friend's house, I started crying again. It was a tad bit embarrassing, but we both loved the movie. 

EASILY Pixar's best movie yet, better than both The Incredibles and Finding Nemo. We watched it in 3D, definitely worth the extra $3, and I loved that the entire film was 3D, not just certain parts. This movie will definitely be in our collection.

Jes Ferris
Find me at BlogHer.com and Chirky.com

Submitted by jes on Fri, 06/05/2009 - 06:32
 

Me Too

I thought is was very "DEEP" .. yikes, my husband and I looked at each other and just hugged as we were leaving!  

Submitted by banteringblonde on Sat, 06/06/2009 - 06:40
 

Love as an adventure

I also teared up at many parts of the movie (the montage of Ellie and Carl's life together, the part where he reads her book again) but was most touched by it's idea of adventure. I loved how the film transformed the outdated vision of adventure offered by Muntz's obsession with capturing the wild bird into the modern vision of adventure offered by Carl's determination to keep his promises to Ellie and Russell. Love, as a husband and a father, is its own adventure.

CJ

http://halflifecrisis.com

Submitted by halflifecrisis on Sat, 06/06/2009 - 14:07
 

Loved it.

I wasn't expecting this film to be so deep, and I loved the wordless montage of Ellie and Carl's life together.

I saw couples of all ages, sans kids, in the theater.

My test of a really good kid flick is if I can stay awake through it (i.e., it has a storyline that doesn't make me comatose).  I dozed a little on "UP", but that's only because I was tired.  Otherwise, it was a winner!

Co-Parenting 101

Submitted by FerociousKitty on Sun, 06/07/2009 - 15:59
 

"Love" is the right word

FeeFiFoto

I think one thing that makes Pixar films so touching and meaningful is that they deal unashamedly with real, legitimate LOVE.  Mr. and Mrs. Incredible bicker, but they love each other, and their kids, ferociously.  Woody and Buzz develop more than respect for each other -- they love and take care of each other like close, bickering brothers.  The love between Carl and Ellie is real, palpable and wrenching, and the love that Carl and Russell develop for each other is believable.  In contrast, the love in Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, even Pinocchio, is artificial, based on a brief meeting as opposed to a long lifetime of evolving emotion.  We may all want to get married like Cinderella and Prince Charming, but we all want to be in a long term relationship like Carl and Ellie's.

Submitted by FeeFiFoto on Wed, 06/10/2009 - 14:49
 

Yes, Up tore me UP!!

Ugh! It tore right at the heart of me, too.  We took our twins to see it for their kindergarten graduation celebration.  

Soooo....already a wreck, what with the babies growing up and flying from the nest in 12 more years and all that, and then this! Outright confronted with my failures, not living my life to the fullest, not taking those missed chances, still waiting to fulfill my dreams, still waiting for my next adventure to come knocking on my own front door.

It was waaay too much for a Thursday afternoon. 

The Adventures of Saia & Chago (http://saiaandchago.blogspot.com)

Submitted by Jo Anna Guerra on Wed, 06/10/2009 - 20:38
 

"fat kid"

Hey Jen,

Hmm, maybe you're right. I guess I wasn't thinking of Russell as an allegory as much as a literal character. It reminded me of the morbidly obese future-humans in Wall-E as well, aho roll around on the ship. Just thought it was weird and was not a fan of him eating chocolate the whole time since my three year old kept asking for chocolate bars after that (and since). Greeeeeat. ;-) It was a wonderful movie though, seriously, one of the best films I've seen in a long time, including grown-up films. Pixar rocks.  thanks for your comment, I'll keep those points in mind the next (four thousand) time(s) we watch it on DVD. :-)  Laura

 

 

Laura

momtrolfreak.com

Submitted by momtrolfreak on Thu, 06/11/2009 - 12:27