Pixar just keeps getting better and better

Today, in a moment of rain-induced impulse (I was on the bus already, might as well go across town), I took myself to see Up.

Now, I'm a sucker for well-made kids movies to begin with, and I adore Pixar. I think that Cars and A Bug's Life are cute and amusing, and also the only two movies to come from that studio which are not absolutely all-over wonderful. I have at least greatly enjoyed, if not absolutely loved, every film that Pixar has made, and with those two above exceptions, every Pixar movie has had at least a brief period as a favorite of the moment. With that said, I think Up is their finest work yet.

The beginning is, for a few moments, absolutely adorable, and then heartbreaking, as it walks you through a lifelong romance, right up to the end. Mr. Fredrickson is a wonderfuly flawed character who is completely and totally sympathetic; you automatically feel for him. The young intrepid Russell is adorable in his not-quite-adolescence; he took slightly longer to grow on me but you absolutely get there by the end. The other characters are absolutely spot-on, including and perhaps most so the dogs.

It goes without saying that the film is visually breathtaking. The nature scenes have just enough detail and just grab you in the right way. The cloud of balloons is also perfect. Pixar has done so well in avoiding trying to make their characters look real, so it's never creepy.

The story itself is pure Disney/Pixar: heartbreaking to just the right degree, able to unexpectedly summon both happy and sad tears but never too intense. At a few points I heard a mother sitting behind me needing to reassure her daughter (don't know the age) that whatever character was okay, so it's obviously a bit intense for some young kids, but none of the wee ones in the theater seemed totally overwhelmed. The end is poignant but again not too heavy, and overall the movie is remarkably sweet. The movie as a whole definitely works on different levels: I'm sure as an adult I got plenty more from it than the six year olds in the theater, and I'm sure that a parent or grandparent would get yet something more from it.

Overall, this is definitely Pixar's best movie yet, and that seems to be a popular opinion. It has something for all ages, and even if it didn't, it would still be worth watching just for the animation.