Ah, thanks for the warm welcome. And I downsized my sig to just my website link (you should give it a look, it's animation-related ).
But, I got myself a nice little Coraline avatar to make up for it.
Back on on-topic, is it true about the rumours that the Toy Story 3 teaser will only be released on the 3D prints of Up? I was planning on seeing it in 3D anyway, but this makes me even more willing to see it in that format.
Just got back from seeing a midnight screening of Up. It's 3 AM local time, so I'll be brief:
This movie is packed. with. great. stuff!! Lots of BIG laughs, a couple of incredible chases, and plenty of poignant (sometimes heart-wrenching) moments, as well.
I'll definitely be seeing it again, this weekend.
Partly Cloudy is fun, too .. but is not among the 'strongest' of Pixar's shorts, IMO.
The Toy Story 3 teaser was attached to the 3-D screening I saw .. and it (the teaser) is in 3-D, as well. It's definitely great to see all those characters again --
even Slinky Dog! (though, he doesn't get a chance to talk).
So, would it be worth seeing in 3D? I sometimes get a little dizzy watching 3D movies, but I trust Pixar. I'm sure it's perfectly fine in 2D, but would I miss anything?
I would say so .. especially since one can't see it in 3-D anywhere but in a movie theater, ATM.
The 3-D effect is nicely-done in Up .. which is to say that it is mostly unobtrusive; never as 'over-the-top' with depth as, say, Monsters vs. Aliens .. but if the 3-D effect alone makes you 'dizzy', be warned that some shots within the climactic flying chase sequence are somewhat 'vertigo-inducing'; the 3-D does give a convincing feeling of being several thousand feet 'up'.
I saw Up earlier today and loved it. I think what struck me most about Up is its emotion. I had read the film was a tearjerker. Sure enough, there were two scenes where the audience suddenly became quiet. Even now, I still have a certain feeling I got at the end of an early, touching montage.
As some critics have pointed out, Up does require suspension of disbelief. For instance, there's how much the balloons can carry, as well as how quickly Carl prepares his house for flight.
Nonetheless, Up is amazing. I cannot wait to own the film on Blu-ray and feel Disney should start planning a Best Picture campaign.
A couple of side notes...
First of all, Pete Docter is a master at making sure his films end with a beautiful, heartwarming final image. I want a framed print of the one in Up.
Also, of all the Disney villains to suffer a particular fate, it only seems appropriate one of them is Charles Muntz, considering the movie's subject matter.
I know this is more to do with our site themes, but I figured some of you might not have seen my joke. Here's the first thing that came into my mind when I saw the first image of the house being pulled up by the balloons, and James' front page theme gave me the excuse I needed to flesh it out.
I just saw Up last night and both my wife and I loved it. I teared up at the two appropriate moments. Overall, it was an excellent movie and a heartwarming adventure story. The dog is really the comedic highlight of the movie and provided most of the laughs. The comedic timing of the gangs was perfect. As for the emotional center of the film, Docter has done another amazing job. He has become the master of adult/child relationships in the animated world. It was a beautiful film.
Up is a brilliant film. I loved Monsters Inc., but I still felt traces of Lasseter in it. With Up, I think Pete Docter is finding his own voice and style, and it's fascinating to watch it develop.
(Musical fluff to follow). Michael Giacchino once again proves amazing. He develops three major themes, each of them memorable and well-constructed. Carl's theme is the most prevalent and Giacchino plays with it and develops it in different settings to work with what's on screen. The second part of it does bear a resemblence to his main theme from Ratatouille. Russell's theme is catchy, and it's the tune that was stuck in my head when I left the theater. The "Adventure" theme, associated with Muntz, is the least used, but plays prominently in the opening titles and forms the basis for the "Spirit of Adventure" song. Both its construction and instrumentation invoke a sense of nostalgia. For me, it it brought up the image of walking down Main Street at Disneyland. It's a shame that the soundtrack is only available as a digital download, though.
The tracks "Married Life," "Stuff We Did," "It's Just a House," and "The Ellie Badge" are among the most tender and moving of Giacchino's canon. "Carl Goes Up" is a highlight track, giving a sense of flight that is more graceful and subdued compared to the bombastic fanfare heard in the trailer. It's like a more whimsical version of Jerry Goldsmith's fantastic music for the Soarin' Over California ride. "Escape from Muntz Mountain" and "Giving Muntz the Bird" are excellent action tracks--the latter even having a Bond/Incredibles-esque brass effect. "Memories Can Weigh You Down" is a rousing lead in to the climax of the film. The triple punch of "The Small Mailman Returns," "He's Got the Bird," and "Seizing the Spirit of Adventure" showcase incredible adventure music coming to its climax. (Interestingly, in "He's Got the Bird," there is a crashing piano effect that brings to mind James Horner in Apollo 13 mode.) The End Credits are not as exuberant as those for The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and Star Trek, but still provide an effective close to the score.
There are a few nitpicks with the film, but they are overshadowed by the excellent handling of the relationships between characters and the sheer sense of fun that pervades every frame. I loved the humor as well. As a side note, Lou Romano has posted some amazing design work for the film on his blog:
Damn damn damn. I'm already developing a dislike of Up without seeing it. Why? Cause I was strongly hoping that Disney would have a strong chance of taking home the Oscar for best Animated Feature for The Princess And The Frog, with the outstanding positive critical reception and the positive comments from the public, it looks like Disney has Buckley's chance of winning now.
I just hope that I will be able to enjoy Up and not walk out thinking 'What's so awesome about that?'
I think Princess and the Frog still has a chance. Would the Academy really award Pixar three years in a row?
Plus, if they love PatF as much as they did the early Disney animated films of the early 90s (which is what the filmmakers are thriving for), then there's a chance of them awarding it. I think this year will be extra-tough for Best Animated Film, even for Pixar. There's a traditionally-animated Disney fairy tale musical, a new Miyazaki film, a Wes Anderson, a Henry Selick film. I honestly don't see them putting any filler (ala Monsters vs. Aliens) in the category this year.
FWIW, Coraline is a deserving contender for the Best Animated Feature Oscar, as well.
IMHO, Coraline's story-telling is actually a bit stronger than Up's (though, both movies are excellent). I can't comment on The Princess and the Frog, since I haven't yet seen it .. but the trailer does look spectacular. Plus which, the movie itself will see release during the 'Oscar season,' so it will be fresh in Academy members' minds when it's time to vote.
What, exactly, would be wrong with the possibility of having three outstanding films -- each of them critically-acclaimed and with broad audience appeal -- in a three-way race for Oscar gold..? (not to mention the fact that, if it were those three films: one would be stop-motion, one CG, and one hand-drawn).
Isn't that actually a more exciting prospect than having one 'really good' film, one 'okay' film, and one 'outlier' that everyone knows has no chance? :idea:
droosan wrote:FWIW, Coraline is a deserving contender for the Best Animated Feature Oscar, as well.
IMHO, Coraline's story-telling is actually a bit stronger than Up's (though, both movies are excellent). I can't comment on The Princess and the Frog, since I haven't yet seen it .. but the trailer does look spectacular. Plus which, the movie itself will see release during the 'Oscar season,' so it will be fresh in Academy members' minds when it's time to vote.
If we're going to start guessing, I'm sure that Up will be nominated for the award. I don't think it has the same following as Wall-E, but it's pretty close. I agree that Coraline will be a big challenger. It also depends on how Miyazaki's film fares in the United States. His two previous films have been nominated, but he has won so there is no outcry to give him a second Oscar. Docter does deserve it though. He lost out the first time around to Shrek (which was a juggernaut). As for Princess and the Frog, there's no way to know if the film will be any good. I hope so! We just can't tell this far away.
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