It's become a cliché, but it appears that Up is yet another winner from the Disney/Pixar animation factory.
Everything about this film is looking good, and early reviews seem to bear this assessment out. While the writer/director team of Pete Docter and Bob Peterson – who collaborated on past Pixar hits like 1998's A Bug's Life and 2001's Monsters Inc. – aren't quite on the same level as Pixar co-founder John Lasseter (Toy Story), Brad Bird (Ratatouille) or Andrew Stanton (WALL-E), they are nonetheless an excellent team that has made great contributions to Pixar's back catalogue.
And it appears that Up will be no different. In fact, CHUD's Devin Faraci claims it could be the best film of 2009.
Pete Docter Hosts Up Preview
The good folks at Coming Soon scored a 90-second clip from the Disney Channel, where a rather stiff-looking Docter (don't worry, Pete: Pixar hired you for your animation acumen, not your onscreen personality) hosts a preview for the flick. The writer/director introduces the lead characters of Carl Fredericksen (voiced by Ed Asner) and Wilderness Explorer Russell (Jordan Nagai).
"Carl has dreamed his entire life of exploring the globe," says Docter, "and being a balloon salesman, what better way to travel than by house?"
Carl's solution is to attach thousands of balloons to his chimney, literally lifting his house into the air.
"Ah-hahahaha!" Carl yells as the balloons lift his house into the air, shocking a pair of construction workers who have come to tear the old bungalow down. "So long, boys! Pppppttttthhhhh!"
His sidekick Russell is an 8-year-old boy who accidentally joins Carl on his high-flying adventure. Russell is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic, but doesn't know a lot about the world.
"He's got every badge, he's read every book," Docter says, "he knows everything there is to know – in theory – about the wilderness, but he's never actually been there."
Carl and Russell end up in and adventure in South America, where they deal with talking dogs and birds and ultimately the villainous Muntz (possibly voiced by Christopher Plummer). John Ratzenberger (every other Pixar movie to date), Delroy Lindo (Domino) and Paul Eiding (Ben 10) are also voicing roles in the film.
Brilliant line: "I don't wanna walk anymore," Russell moans as he's bumping along behind Carl, face planted into the ground. "Can we stop? Uh! A bug!"
Up floats into theatres on May 29th. Suite 101 will be chatting with Disney to arrange a film review, plus possible interviews with some of the cast and crew. Stay tuned for further developments as they arise.
