Viewed in
2009 (2)
Premise
An elderly man decides to leave the States for a South American vacation via house full of helium balloons. Except he takes on an unexpected stowaway in the form of a young cub scout.
Who should watch
Anyone who likes to laugh out loud and does not mind getting mushy inside at the same time.
Thoughts
A great film full of heart, laughter and lovable characters.
This might be the funniest of the first nine Pixar films. I love the blend of slapstick and unexpected humor. Just thinking about the Alpha dog with the messed up voice collar puts me into an uncontrollable fit of giggles.
In addition to the boy scout, the elderly man befriends a quirky bird and a talking dog. Thanks to the animation, story and voices, I instantly fell in love with these charming characters. The dynamics between the two humans was the centerpiece of the story.
I liked the message that the best part of life is the adventure, not the destination. This is something that a child or an adult (or an elderly 78 year old man) can take to heart.
By Pixar standards, the story was rather weak. For example, relying on a violent villain who uses a gun as a last resort felt like lazy writing. The premise and style of the film did not really need a villain make an excellent climax.
Also, the house was a key part in the beginning, but became somewhat underwhelming for the rest of the film. Maybe it felt underwhelming because I am subconsciously comparing to Howl's moving castle in 'Howl's Moving Castle' or the Going Merry from 'One Piece' anime, in which both masterfully created a character out of inanimate objects.
I am basically nit-picking at this point, since Pixar films are always held at such a high standard yet succeeds every time. It's like comparing home runs. The last point with the writing was the placement of Carl's back story, which was an amazing heartfelt story within a story. It was extremely risky to put that at the very beginning, when the audience was expecting a house full of balloons and they could have easily tuned out immediately.
Note how I had not mentioned much about the animation. This was not because it sucked. On the contrary I think I have reached a point in which I take their hard work for granted, but at the same time I know it is the story that matters. I did not see four computer generated cartoons looking at a computer generated waterfall; I saw Carl, Russell, Kevin, and Doug trying to reach their goals. Though I must say the flying scenes in 3D were breath-taking.
This was a fun film that should be enjoyable regardless of how many dimensions you choose to watch it in. The wonderful, funny characters will win you over, no matter how old you are.
What I would change
Add a few more gratuitous 3D shots. Clocking in at only an hour and 36 minutes, adding an extra minute's worth should not slow the pacing. Plus there was a TV commercial with a cute dog sticking his schnoz right in the audience's face, but disappointingly did not make the final cut.
Personal
I was hanging out with my family (who at the time had not seen the film), and I saw a squirrel from the corner of my eye. I instinctively turned and yelled 'SQUIRREL!'. My family thought I was crazy, and I was sad they did not get the joke.
