Up

Funny, I was thinking of a Peter Gabriel album:

 

Hey, Russell, you got a "Run Away in Terror" badge?

 

Alma,

You've seen it already? You must have pretty good connections.

 

I just came from seeing Up at the local theater (in 3D!) and I have to say that was one of the great movie experiences I've had. A brilliantly funny, emotional, colorful and exciting film. Ed Asner is terrific.

Go see it everybody, no matter the age.

 

I'm going to the 8:30 showing tonight. Night off (!!!) and I'm hoping to avoid the bulk of the screaming 3-year-olds.

 

I can't help but feel the "Best Animated Feature" category was created as something of a ghetto for animated films, or acts as a consolation prize for movies they're apparently unable to bring themselves to put up for Best Picture. IMO, Wall-E should've been a Best Picture contender. This has always been the case, but the quality of the stuff Pixar's putting out has highlighted it.

In any case, I'm totally seeing 'Up' this weekend. I haven't been to the theater in ages, and this and 'Star Trek' are prodding me out two weeks straight.

 

My almost-five-year-old niece has been asking me to take her ....those commercials are hitting their target audience! Might take her to see it tomorrow. Toy Story is one of my all-time favs so I'm anxious to see this one too.

 

Saw it tonight, was surprised of the ferocity with which an old man tries to gruesomely murder a young child in Up.

I have no problem with the movie and have no problem with playing with the reality of it, but I just find it so laughable in any movie when a villain's goal is to do horrible things to a child, especially when you know that the outcome is going to be OK.

In Up, the bad guy attempts to (minor spoilers ahead):





Have child eaten by dogs
Throw child from plane
Shoot child with rifle
Have child shot down by fighter planes (driven by dogs!)

I think that's it. It's silly, I know. But it just bothers me. Like in Home Alone, where Kevin is finally caught at the end and Marv and Harry are discussing about all the horrible things they're going to do to Kevin. Oh really? You're going to brutally murder a child? Slowly? Really?

I guess it's just a pet peeve of mine. Loved Up, though. Seriously. Absolutely great flick.

 

You know, I would have had a much, much more enjoyable time at Up had my delightful movie theater not put the movie Drag Me to Hell in the adjourning theater. EVERY TIME there was a quiet pause, you could hear people being brutally murdered next door.

Not so pleasant.

I was happy that the small children who were in the showing were quiet. The occasional question but no screaming, crying or loud noisemaking. Brilliant. Twas great.

And I totally teared up when he was looking at his wife's book towards the end of the movie. I won't spoil what all was in it or what it said, but dude. Made me cry.

 

I saw a matinee today with Mrs. Novelist and frankly, it didn't live up to expectations. It had its moments, and it was visually striking. But honestly, I found it pretty depressing. Spoiler ...






One exchange late in the movie struck me as a reflection of the times. Fredricksen's house floats away, and Russell says, "sorry about your house," and Fredricksen says, "well it's just a house." Ouch. Let's minimize the loss of a house.

And yes, it was pretty violent. There's even some blood.

 

WALL-E was way better than The Reader.
When the Academy didn't nominate WALL-E, it signaled that there will never be another animated film up for the top prize again. Shame.