One Amazing Journey
Yeah.. I guess he kind of does look like me..
I saw Up today, Pixars latest film epic (and epic definately describes this one) and I gotta say, Pixar still doesn't disappoint. But seriously, do they ever? There has yet to be a bad Pixar movie in my honest opinion, and my least favorite, Cars, is still a great movie in it's own right. There's this certain charm and warmness about them that just fills you up with that fuzzy feeling on the inside. I say these things like a Pixar fanboy, but if that's the case then I will wear it as a badge of honor. It's these films that blur the line between animated films and kids movies. Of course these movies are aimed at kids to a certain degree, but there is nothing childish about them. They appeal to such a wide audience, you could almost say they are for anyone. Having taken advertising classes you learn that your target audience is never "everyone", but Pixar definately get's close.
I feel kind of silly for this blantant Pixar love-fest, but I have such a huge appreciatation for them as films. Up is no exception. Up is about Carl Frederickson, an alone old cranky guy in his late 70s, who always had big dreams of adventure, but never quite got out there. But one day, he straps a ton of balloons to his house and sails off for adventure, and a particular location he and a special somone of his always dreamed of going. He is joined by a peculiar clone of myself, as well as a dog who has a collar that allows him to speak, and a big weird looking bird. They travel to find this location, which of course doesn't come easy. It's a pretty basic plot. Protagonists want to get from point A to B, but the emotional roller coaster this one takes you on in the process is very rewarding.
There's a lot that can be said about an old man who wants to see the world. We all have something we want to accomplish, and we all have that desire to go places we've never seen before. That sense of unpredictability is what makes life interesting.
We all have a Carl Frederickson in us.
I honestly can't recommend Up enough.