The most compelling hero Hollywood’s given us so far this summer isn’t a hirsute superhero with adamantinum claws, or a headstrong starship captain (now revised with George Bush’s entitlement and daddy issues), or even the future leader of Earth’s resistance. It’s a square old man (physically, I mean) with a heavy heart and a floating house.

UP, the new film from Pixar, is possibly their most ambitious and complex work, and yet it offers a funny, accessible, and very sweet story. I don’t want to talk about that story in too much detail (it’s best to go into the movie as cold as possible). But the quest undertaken by the film’s two heroes - sullen 78-year-old Carl and rambunctious 8-year-old adventurer Russell - is a perfect balance between them. UP’s profound grasp of loss and longing makes it Pixar’s most adult feature yet (it comes by its PG rating honestly), but the whimsical and fantastic story is one that an eight-year-old would tell.

The movie’s subtlety extends to its effects. Technically, it’s gorgeous, and the 3-D effects are well-used to bring you into the world of the story, rather than wow you with stuff flying at the camera.

It’s definitely a film for everyone, grounded in emotional reality, aloft in the very heights of fantasy, and an adventure worthy of the spirits of its characters and its creators.

A discussion has been opened in our forums here - if and when you see the film, please stop back here to talk about it!

This entry was posted on Friday, May 22nd, 2009 at 1:41 pm and is filed under Cannes, David, Reviews, Bloggers, Films on Fire, Look! New!. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.