Up, Up,...and Away?

Just got back from the movie ‘UP’. As the latest installment from the award winning group at Pixar, I had big hopes. This is the first movie at a theater that my wife and I took our two kids aged 5 and 4 to. And always, the animation was great and the storyline very complex for a cartoon. Oh and the opening short that has become a signature for Pixar films was cute. This is about where my adoration ends.

Let me add right now that the remainder of this post may spoil certain aspects of the film. Read on at your own risk. So the storyline contains some deep and controversial sub-plots for a children’s animated film. Pick your poison: miscarriage and sterility, death, depression, disappointment, loneliness, senility, child obesity, abandonment, absentee parenting, and murderous plotting. Not to mention that there is a part in the film where the main character gets a chance to meet his childhood idol. Only to find out that he has gone mad, killed many people that have ‘tried’ to outdo him, and then find himself under attack from the same man by trained killer dogs, sword, and finally a hunting rifle.

During the film, I was contemplating what I would say or how I would explain what happened as each of the above issues presented themselves. Thankfully, only a few questions came up. That is probably because the movie house had the soundtrack up as if we were there to watch the latest action packed blockbuster film rather than a family friendly movie that was geared towards young kids.

I was disappointed. I still love Pixar, but will not be checking out this one when it hits the Redbox.