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![]() PG,1hr 29min Released: May 29, 2009 Director: Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures Starring: DVD Review by Sean Axmaker, Special to MSN Movies Pixar's latest animated wonder is the fantastical adventure of a curmudgeonly senior citizen (voiced by Ed Asner), an overeager cub scout and a house lifted out of its urban foundation into a South American adventure by a gazillion toy balloons. It's a film of whimsy and wonder, mixing Jules Verne adventure with the bubble-gum colors of a children's picture book and Pixar's trademark bouncy humor, all stirred with memories of childhood dreams. Plus a playful prehistoric bird and an overenthusiastic talking dog to boot! But, for all the wonders of the imagery and adventure, director Pete Docter and his Pixar team are storytellers, and this is a lovely story about lonely outcasts who create their own family and start their own adventure. Both the DVD and Blu-ray editions feature commentary by Docter and co-director Bob Peterson, the featurette "Adventure Is Out There" (on the production crew's own trip to South America and the real-life tabletop mountains that become the film's destination), and two exclusive animated shorts: "Partly Cloudy," which preceded the film in theaters, and "Dug's Special Mission," an affectionate Looney Tunes-esque piece that turns into a delightful prequel of sorts. Exclusive to the Blu-ray is a collection of short but always interesting featurettes on the inspirations for the main characters and other animated elements. It's not just a glimpse into the research that the animators and producers have done, it illustrates how their discoveries translate into on-screen imagery and personality. | ||
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