Up

[Levin]

I didn't think the bird was extaneous. In fact, the bird's relationship with its young was no different than the old man's eventual relationship with the boy. The bird had the innate -- almost innocent -- attachment to its young and willingness to self-sacrifice for them. And the bird had no problem forming the same attachment to the boy. It took time for the old man to expand his emotional sphere, something the young and the animal kingdom do quite naturally.

I loved Up. Very touching, very effective, and very motivating. I'd take this movie over a general conference talk -- any day. Don't tell me to appreciate and cherish my loved ones; don't remind me how we should write letters to and visit the elderly; don't repeat, "Family: it's about time" --- SHOW ME. And Up did.

Also, I'm impressed Pixar was willing to have Scouts as a central part of the story considering they are evil, hate and discriminate against gays, and are a good-for-nothing right-wing homophobic organization.

[LA Ute]

I didn't think the bird was extaneous. In fact, the bird's relationship with its young was no different than the old man's eventual relationship with the boy. The bird had the innate -- almost innocent -- attachment to its young and willingness to self-sacrifice for them. And the bird had no problem forming the same attachment to the boy. It took time for the old man to expand his emotional sphere, something the young and the animal kingdom do quite naturally.

I loved Up. Very touching, very effective, and very motivating. I'd take this movie over a general conference talk -- any day. Don't tell me to appreciate and cherish my loved ones; don't remind me how we should write letters to and visit the elderly; don't repeat, "Family: it's about time" --- SHOW ME. And Up did.

Also, I'm impressed Pixar was willing to have Scouts as a central part of the story considering they are evil, hate and discriminate against gays, and are a good-for-nothing right-wing homophobic organization.

Yes.

[SeattleUte]

I saw this. I thought it was a good movie though I thought the explorer character was confused. I would have liked to have seen the hero play a role in vindicating the explorer, who had lived a tragic life in his own right. Are explorers pasee these days? Exploitative? If so, then that detracts from the magic of the main character's and his wife's shared dreams. As the protagonist intimated once, how sad that his childhood hero wrongly villified in which he continued to believe wound up, when they finally met, trying kill him.

My favorite part was the sequence showing the couple's life together. Great pacing. I wonder if a child, however intelligent, could appreciate all the subtle layers of characterization and plot. This is as much a film for adults as kids, like the other Pixars. There were plenty of moments to make a kid howl with laughter and joy.

[Indy Coug]

I saw this. I thought it was a good movie though I thought the explorer character was confused. I would have liked to have seen the hero play a role in vindicating the explorer, who had lived a tragic life in his own right. Are explorers pasee these days? Exploitative? If so, then that detracts from the magic of the main character's and his wife's shared dreams. As the protagonist intimated once, how sad that his childhood hero wrongly villified in which he continued to believe wound up, when they finally met, trying kill him.

My favorite part was the sequence showing the couple's life together. Great pacing. I wonder if a child, however intelligent, could appreciate all the subtle layers of characterization and plot. This is as much a film for adults as kids, like the other Pixars. There were plenty of moments to make a kid howl with laughter and joy.

Remember that part where they yelled "Squirrel!"? That was funny.

[Donuthole]

I saw this. I thought it was a good movie though I thought the explorer character was confused. I would have liked to have seen the hero play a role in vindicating the explorer, who had lived a tragic life in his own right. Are explorers pasee these days? Exploitative? If so, then that detracts from the magic of the main character's and his wife's shared dreams. As the protagonist intimated once, how sad that his childhood hero wrongly villified in which he continued to believe wound up, when they finally met, trying kill him.

That was my initial thought as well (though I left that out of my review). I realize every movie needs a villain, but why him? That just didn't quite click, for whatever reason.

[myboynoah]

I saw this. I thought it was a good movie though I thought the explorer character was confused. I would have liked to have seen the hero play a role in vindicating the explorer, who had lived a tragic life in his own right. Are explorers pasee these days? Exploitative? If so, then that detracts from the magic of the main character's and his wife's shared dreams. As the protagonist intimated once, how sad that his childhood hero wrongly villified in which he continued to believe wound up, when they finally met, trying kill him.

My favorite part was the sequence showing the couple's life together. Great pacing. I wonder if a child, however intelligent, could appreciate all the subtle layers of characterization and plot. This is as much a film for adults as kids, like the other Pixars. There were plenty of moments to make a kid howl with laughter and joy.

So, bottom line, a kid safe movie, correct? No underlying gay/lesbian rights agenda?

[creekster]

Remember that part where they yelled "Squirrel!"? That was funny.

That and the alpha dog's squeaky voice. Man, that had me laughing so hard . . .

I saw it in 3-d. I think I am tired of that effect already. THe glasses are annoying after a while.

[beefytee]

I saw it this weekend.

It might be my favorite Pixar film.

Technically, it has been a little while since a particular scene has stood out to me in a Pixar movie. In this movie, when the house first takes off and the light is transmitted through the balloons into the young girls apartment caught my attention. I'll be interested in seeing how they pulled that off. Diffuse transmission and reflection posts lots of challenges.

[SeattleUte]

So, bottom line, a kid safe movie, correct? No underlying gay/lesbian rights agenda?

If that is your standard I suggest you not let small children in your charge (I realize your kids are grown) get anywhere near "Frog and Toad."

As for Up, thinking back on it, there was a pack of dogs all of whom I recall as seeming male and living in a close community. There was even one very greek god like doberman with kind of a high pitched feminine voice. There could be some homoerotic undertones among the dogs. Just a heads up. Myself, I was alert to invidious characterizations of females that could affect my daughter's self-esteem. I detected none, I'm pleased to report.

[Indy Coug]

Myself, I was alert to invidious characterizations of females that could affect my daughter's self-esteem. I detected none, I'm pleased to report.

It was definitely a male-bashing film.

[Babs]

If that is your standard I suggest you not let small children in your charge (I realize your kids are grown) get anywhere near "Frog and Toad."

Well, you know MBN...all that time abroad in the hotbed of amoral secular humanism that is Europe has made him hypersensitive to the gay agenda.

[landpoke]

Well, you know MBN...all that time abroad in the hotbed of amoral secular humanism that is Europe has made him hypersensitive to the gay agenda.

And yet he's still going to Wicked. The dude needs to come out of the closet already.

[YOhio]

Myself, I was alert to invidious characterizations of females that could affect my daughter's self-esteem. I detected none, I'm pleased to report.

A while back I was reading somewhere on one of the Mormon blogs about these types of characterizations in modern films. The writer said that she had a two-part test to determine whether or not a film cast women in a sexist light.

The test was something like this. First, in the movie two females had to talk to each other. Second, about something other than men. It's surprising how few movies pass this simple test.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

I keep thinking about Up, and how my disappointment makes me reconsider the other Pixar films. Wall-E had similar problem. It starts off with a strong concept that deteriorates when they try to marry it to a story with broader commercial appeal. Ratatouille might be the strongest Pixar marriage of story and concept, but with Up I think we have seen Pixar's Achilles' heel.

Ratatouille, IMO, is the strongest Pixar movie. My 17 month-old daughter loves it and on the rare occasion when nothing else works to calm her down, we turn on Ratatouille on our DVR.

Finding Nemo is a very close second.

The Incredibles is the funniest and most exciting Pixar film. I consider those three to be the Pixar trinity at this point. I'm not as big of a fan of the Toy Story movies as others are.

Wall-E is outstanding all the way through the part where Wall-E escapes out of the pod with the plant and uses the fire extinguisher to fly around the space ship with Eve. That scene by itself is gorgeous. Unfortunately, the movie kind of falls apart after that.

[TripletDaddy]

A while back I was reading somewhere on one of the Mormon blogs about these types of characterizations in modern films. The writer said that she had a two-part test to determine whether or not a film cast women in a sexist light.

The test was something like this. First, in the movie two females had to talk to each other. Second, about something other than men. It's surprising how few movies pass this simple test.

That is a great test. Per that test, The Vagina Monologues is pejorative towards women and casts them in a sexist light. I am sure Eve Ensler would be interested to learn that about her play.