Movie Chit-Chat: UP to the Top!

Until last night, I had been preparing a writing to post here soon. Then Up came along, and it floated like a house with balloons to the top of my priority list. It has been a long time since the last “movie chit-chat”, which should give you a clue to how good my movie reviews are. Let’s just say the quality is proportional to the frequency. To be honest, I feel like I’m the Paula Abdul of movie reviews, only less drunk and less clap-happy: I blindly praise almost all movies I’ve seen. My movie chit-chats weren’t as much a review as a personal opinion. So if a proper review is what you’re looking for, you’d better look somewhere else.

I’ve just watched Up Thursday night, a little late considering that it’s been around for a week or so. When its trailer started to show up months ago, I wanted to go see Up simply because it’s another Pixar product. It is too normal to be so eager as Pixar has given us Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and WALL-E, to name a few. Last weekend, Up was already playing everywhere and words start to circulate. What I got from my friend was that the movie is lovely and very touching. Some admitted that Up brought them to tears. They mentioned something about the opening scene and the flashback scenes. And I was like “whaat!?”. And then they said it was funny too. Those cutey-touchy comments could have cancelled my plan right away, yet I resisted. Even if it is that mellow, a Pixar movie must never be missed. I proudly confirm that Up is that amazing and is also a must-watch.

Sitting in the cinema, I braced myself for the said tear-jerking moments. However, I beg to differ even from the start. The movie started exceedingly beautiful, showing the main character Carl Fredricksen’s adventure-crazy childhood and how he met fellow explorer girl Ellie, who later became his wife. The story was accompanied by wonderful music that still echoes in my ears. The couple seemed to have a wonderful time, except for the fact that they were unable to have children. Then, the couple set their goal on visiting the Paradise Falls somewhere in South America, but life keeps getting in the way. When they almost realized that dream, Ellie passed away. Carl was then left alone bitter. I loved how they portray Carl’s life: childhood, wedding, married life, old age, and widower.

One day, after an assault to a construction worker in front of his house, Carl was ordered to move to Shady Oaks retirement home. In one night, Carl inflated thousands of balloons (Wikipedia said 10,000) and in the morning, surprised the caretakers when his house floated off its foundation and flew away. The house itself with the balloons is a festival of color, totally unforgettable. Mid-air, Carl was then joined by Wilderness Explorer kid Russell who was eager to get his “Assisting the Elderly” merit badge. From there, the wacky adventure started.

I cannot stress this enough: Up is a must-watch. It has a unique story, a good balance of emotions, the gorgeous Pixar graphics, and charming music. I would say that the movie is poetic.