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By Martha Brockenbrough
MSN Cinemama
Learn more about kids'
entertainment on MSN's Mom & Pop Culture
It must be hard
at times to work at Pixar, the company behind some of the most brilliant,
beautiful animated movies in history.
What happens if you release something of a lead balloon?
Here's a two-letter answer: "Up."
It's the beautifully rendered and nicely voiced but ultimately disappointing animated tale of a retired balloon salesman in search of one last adventure. It's painful that a Disney/Pixar movie should fail to take off, particularly when it aims to be so uplifting. But, hey, even Tiger Woods has a bad day every so often.
It's not to say that "Up" is terrible, of course. It's beautiful to look at and the opening scenes, many of which unfold without words, depict a charming love story. And it's a perfectly fine movie to take your family to watch -- just don't expect to be bathed in the reflected glow of a newborn classic. In a nutshell, the premise of "Up" is too thin to take this movie to such heights, and the story takes some bizarre detours that detract from its otherwise uplifting message.
The movie begins with the story of two children, Carl (Ed Asner) and Ellie, who meet inside a tumbledown Victorian house and discover they share a love of adventure -- and one adventurer in particular, the indefatigable but shamed Charles Muntz (Christopher Plummer).
We fast forward through their childhoods. Carl and Ellie of course fall in love, marry, and plan to travel the world together. But life intervenes, sometimes in heartbreaking ways. And the house needs repairs (because of course they've moved into the Victorian where they first met).
Eventually, Ellie dies and leaves Carl all alone. Meanwhile, the world has grown up around him. His little house is surrounded by looming skyscrapers, and developers want him to move his wrinkled self along to a retirement home so they can complete their paradise-paving plans. So what's a former balloon seller to do? Other than fly his house to South America, fulfilling his late wife's dreams?
Up to this point, the movie is terrific. And there are some fine moments when Ed is aloft with his accidental sidekick, Russell (Jordan Nagai). The ending, too, could make even a crabby cynic tear up. The middle, though, veers into some truly strange territory that includes giant, chocolate-loving birds, talking dogs and a long-lost madman. It vacillates between being formulaic and almost completely random -- as though any comic interludes that can bring the obligatory chase scene/sense of impending doom will do.
It's rated PG for some peril and action. The scene where the house is buffeted by a "Wizard of Oz" like storm could be scary for some kids, and this movie wouldn't be a good choice for, say, the under 6-year-old set.
What's in It for Kids
The central message of the story -- that life's grandest adventures don't necessarily take us to the most exotic places -- will be lost on kids.
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