UP

A grumpy old man ties a lot of helium balloons to his house and pursues life-long dreams of adventure. Picks up along the way a fat, annoying child, a loud bird of unknown origins and a dumb dog obsessed with squirrels. Learns to let go of stuff.

Nominated for:
Best Picture
Writing Original Screenplay - Screenplay by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Story by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Tom McCarthy

Also nominated for:
Best Animated Feature
Music Original Score
Sound Editing

Some moments in this latest from Pixar are touching. Some are annoying. This is a good children’s picture that also deals with some adult themes. The comedy is mostly slapstick, and the writing is forced. Most of the movie I was thinking “ok I see why they have to make that obvious for children, but I’m not a child”. I think I would have enjoyed it more if the fat kid fell off the house mid-air, and the bird got eaten by the creepy dogs with voice boxes.

UP may be at the top of the kid flicks list, but I’ll be just fine if I never have to watch it again.

Best Picture? Certainly not, especially since its also nominated for Best Animated Feature. If any animated movie released last year should get a best feature nod its Fantastic Mr. Fox. Best writing? No way. Pixar has done better – this movie was sloppy.

This interviewer talks really frickin' fast.

Eli