Up

At first glance this looks like a hard sell. The story of a 78 year old man who attaches thousands of balloons to his house and flies it to South America. Now replace the word “the” from the previous sentence with the word “Pixar’s” and things suddenly seem more promising. In fact, Pixar’s golden touch on nearly everything they do could even help out some of Alan Partridge’s crazy pitches. Pixar’s Monkey Tennis, anyone? Having said that, at times Up is so out there you wouldn’t be surprised to actually see some monkeys playing said game. Up was the first animated film to be chosen to open Cannes and it delivers in every aspect. Pixar’s MO has always been to match storyline with sightline, and the visual treats on display here are complimented by a touching and poignant screenplay. You really invest with the characters whether it’s a cantankerous elderly gent, an 8 year old boy, a talking dog or a giant flightless bird. Along with the tugging of the heart strings, this is also hilariously funny. One liners and visual gags come think and fast (the mannerisms of the giant bird (christened Kevin) alone could carry the film in itself). Pixar has also made the wise decision of not plucking the voice cast from the Hollywood A-list. This certainly helps you relate to the protagonists more. It all leads to the usual breathless Pixar finale, this time an edge of the seat battle thousands of feet up in the sky. Pixar’s greatest film? That’s an argument for another time. One thing you can be sure of though, this is greatness.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
Pixar triumph again with this perfect balance of drama and humour for adults and kids alike. Rating: 9/10.