Pixar is getting better every year. After Toy Story 2, I’ve managed to lose interest in almost every Pixar film that has come out since none have come close to the amazing direction, pacing and humor of Toy Story 2. Finding Nemo, Incredibles, and Cars were mostly good but not great in my opinion so I decided to skip Ratatouille. I’ve seen Ratataouille on DVD, it was good but not as good as Pixar’s return to greatness which was Wall-E.

As much as I loved Wall-E, “Up” had more emotion and reality in it but actually still feels like a fantasy. Obviously, a bunch of balloons can never lift a house off the ground, but the whole situation that Carl is in has some heavy reality in it. The film touches on the whole idea of being lonely and thinking too much and not doing anything at all. By the time you actually do something, you tend to have forgotten all the other things in life worth living for.

UP as a film has a great story that every single person can relate to. As much as the exposition relied mostly on the sidestory of the main character, introducing the rest of the cast still didn’t seem like a chore but rather was an enjoyable experience. Unlike most films this year, UP manages to introduce characters at a steady pace even using the second act as a means of presenting more characters to the audience. Up’s first two acts were actually pretty much average mostly relying on telling a straightforward story.  But as the third act is presented, the film goes beyond borders of any animated film, making you cry your heart out.

The third act gives us everything we want in an animated film. The wackiness, epic scenes, and most of all the emotional impact. I won’t spoil the ending for you but all I can say is that it is the most satisfying experience ever in a Pixar film. Wall-E manages to have a great first two acts but somehow feels forced to make you sympathetic to the main character. Up on the other hand makes you feel uneasy about the main character but love him as the movie gets closer to its wonderful conclusion.

As for the visuals, Pixar of course, never disappoints. The animation and the art style used is very unique and instead of being too realistic, they managed to make the world of UP easy on the eyes. Cinematography is top-notch as the most intense moment in the film if in the wrong hands, could be shot in the wrong way. The show was so simple yet it had such a great impact that the other parts of the film really average.

Part of the visuals were enhanced due to the whole “3D” experience. I never went into a state of vertigo while watching the film so that means that the 3D glasses are very friendly to the eyes. The entire film was in 3D so the depth of the visuals worked even better. Although, some scenes especially those heavy on emotion seemed to lack depth than the other segments of the film. Although it seemed unnecessary, the film loses that 3D experience often since most scenes don’t really require that 3D experience. If it was probably Transformers or GI Joe, maybe that would be a better 3D experience. So, should you watch UP in 3d? If it’s the only 3D film available, yes. But if there’s another 3D film in town, Up is better seen in a regular theatre.

Overall, UP is a wonderful experience whether it be in 2D or3D. The film manages to win audiences through emotion rather than humor. Up isn’t just a great animated film, it’s a great film as a whole. If this film were made not to be animated and still used the same elements, this would still be a treat to watch. Up deserves best animated film in the Academy Awards.

[rating:4.5]

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