MissyGal, your true complaint is with the marketing, not the film. And I can agree with that complaint. Pixar's traliers are notoriously misleading. It is Disney's marketing department that does them. The marketing of a film has nothing to do with the actual film. I have hated nearly every Pixar trailer that has ever come out. I think the vast majority of them are exceedingly misleading about the films. Disney tries to drum up interest in kids with trailers. I think most of the trailers indicate Pixar's films to be silly kiddie comedies. In reality, the actual films are usually far more complex. I was convinced from the trailers that both The Incredibles and Ratatouille were going to be awful films. After those, I have mostly stopped paying attention to Pixar trailers. They say nothing about the film. Why bother paying attention?
Originally posted by LadyHathor25: MissyGal, your true complaint is with the marketing, not the film. And I can agree with that complaint. Pixar's traliers are notoriously misleading.
I don't really have a problem with the Pixar trailers. They arn't amazing but they've never turned me off and I have never found a film disappointing because of the trailer. I do love the Pixar teasers for the most part though.
Regardless of one's own thoughts on the marketing of Pixar films there is no denying the marketing is very sucesfull with all films having stellar box office, or at the very least it's not hurting. If I were at Pixar or Disney I wouldn't want to change the marketing strategy.
Congratulations West Wing, Emmys most honored drama. 27 Emmys including 4 best drama series "What's Next?"
Posts: 2455 | Location: Sydney, Australia | Registered: September 07, 2005
Yeah I have no problem with Pixar trailers. I remember I wasn't impressed at all with the Wall-E trailer, but it ended up being a masterpiece.
The reality is that you need to sell these films as "kid films" in order for families to show up. It's the reviews that gets everyone else to show up as well. I wouldn't call the trailers "misleading", but they just give you a tiny glimpse into the thought-provoking film you are going to see.
The "sad" stuff in "Up!" takes up very little of its running time. Most of it is a fun action/adventure picture...it's just that it's grounded in great humanity.
Grammy FYC: Kanye West, 808s & Heartbreak; Black Eyed Peas, The E.N.D.; John Legend, Evolver; Paolo Nutini, Sunny Side Up; David Guetta, One Love; Kelly Clarkson, "Already Gone"; Jordin Sparks, "Battlefield"; Kings Of Leon, "Use Somebody"; Maxwell, "Pretty Wings"
Pixar’s 10th film ranks with Toy Story 2 and Finding Nemo as its very best. This absolutely masterful film has a truly wacky story involving a house floating on balloons, an elusive technicolored bird in South America, and attack dogs with collars that verbalize their feelings. The result isn’t like the amusing, but hyperkinetic and juvenile output that Pixar’s competitors keep putting out (Madagascar, Ice Age, Happy Feet, Kung Fu Panda), but a remarkably deep, genuinely funny, carefully studied, and very affecting family film. The film begins in a very innocent time in the World War II era when two young, socially outcast, adventure loving kids meet and become friends. One of the most beautiful montages ever captured on film (animated or otherwise) depicts how they meet, marry, have their hopes of a family taken away from them, sacrifice their dreams to get by, grow old together, and are separated by death. At this point the movie’s plot gets into full gear with the rebellious crotchety old protagonist Mr. Frederickson (voiced perfectly by Ed Asner) setting off on his greatest journey, with a little boy hurt by a fractured family, unwittingly in tow. The animation rivals anything the geniuses at Pixar have ever done and there are countless moments exciting and hilarious. But what is most notable about Up is its deep, deep soul. This film touches on myriad issues of the tragedies of growing old, the pain of divorce, and ultimately the beauty that can come from letting go without ever feeling forced. I challenge Hollywood to produce a better film in 2009.
What an amazing phenominal film!! Wow! Just when you think that Pixar can't top themselves, they consistantly do. And UP did not let up. It was a fantastic film going experience. From beginning to end, there was never a boring moment. It was spellbinding to see the development of Ellie and Mr. Fredickson's relationship. Although, I found myself thinking that this is way more serious than I thought it was going to be but as the film progressed then the lighter side come to light.
I watched it in 3-D. I highly recommend watching it in this format.
I know this has probably been brought up before but I just can't help but think how much better Wall-E would have been served if it was released in 3-D.
This is a solid A+, Let's just hope UP garners lots of Oscar Love!
Posts: 5425 | Location: "Stay Classy San Diego!" | Registered: June 15, 2006
I just had to stop in here really quick and voice how much I absolutely LOVED this movie! I know that I've always worshipped Pixar on this board, but you have to understand, I always have doubts every time I see one of their trailers (which, by the way, does not ever do their films justice). The idea of a mature animated film with a grumpy old guy as the lead? No way, I thought. And I couldn't have been wrong-er!
I didn't even bother watching the film in 3-D, as the color palette is inevitably going to be set askew by those funky glasses. Instead, I enjoyed the art direction and the animation in its full power and glory. What a wonder it was.
Not only that, but it was hilarious. There was not a single gag that didn't succeed. Every joke hit its mark wonderfully.
Oh, and did I mention that the first ten minutes (ending with the montage) are so captivating and brilliant that you won't be able to look away? You thought that Wall*E was Pixar's Charlie Chaplin? Well try a montage that encompasses two lovers' lives, but without any assistance but visuals and the score (which, you guessed it, is amazing). It will knock your socks off.
I'm backing Up's Best Picture campaign. And though some may find it a little too fantastical for the Academy's taste, I don't think the voters will be able to ignore filmmaking and animation mastery that is on display here.
FYC:
Best Picture Best Director (it will happen someday) Best Original Screenplay (it should be a definite) Best Sound Best Sound Editing Best Score
Question: Was there an original song that I missed? I don't remember what played over the credits.
---- OSCAR FYC: Best Picture - "Up" Best Actor - Michael Stuhlbarg, "A Serious Man" Best Actress - Saoirse Ronan, "Lovely Bones" Best Supporting Actor - Christoph Waltz, "Basterds" Best Original Screenplay - "Up"
Posts: 1924 | Location: Right behind you. | Registered: December 07, 2007
Loved it. Right up there with Monsters, Inc. and Ratatouille. I was one of the few who didn't get the hype for Wall-E but now I see Pixar as right back on track.
I saw Up yesterday, and I don't know why I waited so long. I don't care if this is a bad pun, but I was elevated, uplifted by Up. It's the best film I've seen all year. I'm with everyone else who wants a best picture nomination for it! A+
Posts: 3382 | Location: at a hockey game | Registered: January 31, 2007
I had just read about that Bazooka Joe and I was literally in tears all through the article. I mean what a great story, Pixar deserves my money i'm going to see up again now.
This last weekend UP passed both of Pixar's last films, Ratatouille and Wall-E, at the box office. This is now on pace to become Pixar's 2nd highest grossing film. I have seen some projections that say it has a shot at hitting $300 million.
Looking at the film landscape, could this be the 2nd highest grossing film of the year? I say maybe.
"A movie is not good because it arrives at conclusions you share, or bad because it does not. A movie is not about what it is about. It is about how it is about it: about the way it considers its subject matter, and about how its real subject may be quite different from the one it seems to provide." - Roger Ebert, from the introduction to "Awake in the Dark" (2006)
I saw this movie last week but with the Emmys fallout consuming my time on the boards I did not post comments.
This film was nothing short of a masterpiece. Firstly it is a great fantasy adventure film with plenty of wonder and excitment. Then it is a great comedy with funny characters and great simple comedy routines that I thought harked back to the animation of the old Looney Tunes cartoons. For instance the scene where Kevin is stealing the chocolate from Russell and the Scene where Russel is climbing up the hose. But this film had something else at it's heart. It was one of the most touching films I have seen and one of the most profound love stories that has been presented on screen. Actually this is the closest I have ever come to crying in a cinema (when Carl is looking in the book). This film worked on so many levels and was able to move me in so many ways, from being on the edge of my seat, to fits of laughter, to on the verge of tears. All aspects of this film was executed brilliantly from acting to techincal. I really do think that this is my favourite Pixar film, and the best film I have seen in years.
With 10 nods now it seems like a nomination is on the cards for them but they need to win for it to mean anything. They are a longshot but they have great reviews, amazing box office, an appeal to the academy in subject matter and the momentum Pixar has coming off Ratatouille and WALL-E. It will depend on the field but they look like they could have a crack at it.
Congratulations West Wing, Emmys most honored drama. 27 Emmys including 4 best drama series "What's Next?"
Posts: 2455 | Location: Sydney, Australia | Registered: September 07, 2005
But for me, not anywhere close to the level of WALL-E, The Incredibles or Ratatouille. There are moments of brilliance - the first few minutes, the marriage-elapse montage in particular - but unfortunately the generic conventionality of much of the film counterbalanced the great moments. I thought this ran out of steam as it went along.
I don't know where this stands in the best picture race. It needs #1s for starters, and though it will get them, the barriers to animated getting in, mainly because of its own category, remain.
Again, better than most films out there. Likely better than several of the final BP nominees. But for me, a bit disappointing.
Originally posted by seanflynn: Caught up with this.
Clearly, superior to most films this year.
But for me, not anywhere close to the level of WALL-E, The Incredibles or Ratatouille. There are moments of brilliance - the first few minutes, the marriage-elapse montage in particular - but unfortunately the generic conventionality of much of the film counterbalanced the great moments. I thought this ran out of steam as it went along.
I don't know where this stands in the best picture race. It needs #1s for starters, and though it will get them, the barriers to animated getting in, mainly because of its own category, remain.
Again, better than most films out there. Likely better than several of the final BP nominees. But for me, a bit disappointing.
You found a film about a man tethered to a flying house on an adventure to find a mythical bird and beset upon by talking dogs to be conventional?
Posts: 27162 | Location: Phoenix, AZ | Registered: February 02, 2003
That explains it.