Pixar Rising
I love film animation, but I have never been totally sold on the feature length films from Pixar. Yes, the computer animation is excellent, but I have failed to respond to the writing. Boy, have I failed to respond. Monsters Inc - hated the characters - and was totally unimpressed by the animation of the fur. Toy Story et seq. Another set of highly unlikeable characters plus hammering morality. Finding Nemo? Highly impressive animation - still, I think, the most impressive film in their ouvre in that respect - but more character dislike, and an example of that over prominent father/son bonding that is such a feature of many American movies.
I liked The Incredibles but it needed tauter scripting, and I can't help feeling that my liking owes a lot to my love of comic book superheroes (and the Fantastic Four.)
So we don't often see Pixar movies at the cinema - not since The Incredibles, in fact. However, we recently bought the DVDs of Wall-E and Up and have played both this week.
Wall-E was, well, okay. The cute robot thing was laid on with a trowel, but the beginning was exceedingly brave, and it was a gamble that really paid off, though later the film descended into a very ordinary comic-adventure. Its heart was in the right place, and I loved the cockroach...
Up, though, took me completely by surprise. For my money, this is the best thing that Pixar have ever done, particularly in the characterisation, which was so much more subtle than anything that had gone before. The opening made me cry - Ellie, despite being dead before the proper plot opens - is a wonderfully rounded and loveable character, as is Carl Fredricksen. Russell, on the other hand, is far less well drawn, and is pretty much a stereotype - but it does make a change to have substitute grandfather/substitute grandson bonding rather than real father/real son. (Russell's father never does show up.) Of course, it is pretty difficult to compete with the voices of Ed Asner and Chris Plummer (as the villain.) However, it really is the character of Carl that makes this movie.
The dogs reminded me of the animals that Disney used to do, with that accurate observation of real life pets. Lady and the Tramp, in particular, is perfectly observed, both of dogs and cats, and now so is Up.
Finally, the images are beautiful. The house being lifted by the balloons, and the reaction of people as it floats past them is heart-lifting, and Kevin is glorious..
And to add - I would have seen this movie in 3D. In fact, it is the first movie I have seen that I wish had been made in 3D. ETA: It was, apparently.
I liked The Incredibles but it needed tauter scripting, and I can't help feeling that my liking owes a lot to my love of comic book superheroes (and the Fantastic Four.)
So we don't often see Pixar movies at the cinema - not since The Incredibles, in fact. However, we recently bought the DVDs of Wall-E and Up and have played both this week.
Wall-E was, well, okay. The cute robot thing was laid on with a trowel, but the beginning was exceedingly brave, and it was a gamble that really paid off, though later the film descended into a very ordinary comic-adventure. Its heart was in the right place, and I loved the cockroach...
Up, though, took me completely by surprise. For my money, this is the best thing that Pixar have ever done, particularly in the characterisation, which was so much more subtle than anything that had gone before. The opening made me cry - Ellie, despite being dead before the proper plot opens - is a wonderfully rounded and loveable character, as is Carl Fredricksen. Russell, on the other hand, is far less well drawn, and is pretty much a stereotype - but it does make a change to have substitute grandfather/substitute grandson bonding rather than real father/real son. (Russell's father never does show up.) Of course, it is pretty difficult to compete with the voices of Ed Asner and Chris Plummer (as the villain.) However, it really is the character of Carl that makes this movie.
The dogs reminded me of the animals that Disney used to do, with that accurate observation of real life pets. Lady and the Tramp, in particular, is perfectly observed, both of dogs and cats, and now so is Up.
Finally, the images are beautiful. The house being lifted by the balloons, and the reaction of people as it floats past them is heart-lifting, and Kevin is glorious..
And to add - I would have seen this movie in 3D. In fact, it is the first movie I have seen that I wish had been made in 3D. ETA: It was, apparently.