Celebrating Ten Years of UP

Ten summers ago Disney Pixar released UP. I was a fan of the film then and perhaps even more so now after watching it again this week. It’s one of those movies that seems to get better with age. Or maybe ten years of aging since first seeing the film just makes it seem that way. Regardless, all of us can relate to the life stages presented in the film. That’s part of its appeal. UP mixes the ordinary ups and downs of life with a spectacular adventure and reminds us once again to dream bigger, at any age. Today’s post celebrates ten years of UP.

My week could use a serious lift anyway. How about you?

Storyline

Let’s start with the film’s unique story line. Ten years have passed and UP still feels fresh and original. Perhaps even a tad more so this summer, due to the numerous remakes and sequels hitting the theaters.

The film is mostly about Carl Frederickson, a senior coming to terms with life after losing his wife Ellie. Ellie was the loud and adventurous counterweight to Carl’s quiet and cautious demeanor. We learn about their long term relationship through a beautiful montage that begins with their wedding day and ends with Ellie’s death. It’s perhaps one of the sweetest and saddest sequences in any Disney Pixar film. It’s also a healthy reminder of how fast life flies by.

After Ellie’s death, Carl battles a developer who wants to confiscate his home for a new project. Rather than heading to a retirement community, however, he decides to embrace his and Ellie’s dream and travel to Paradise Falls in South America.

Via balloon.

Balloons

Even if you haven’t seen UP for a while (or at all?!) I’m guessing you know about the balloon bit. Carl attaches thousands of the colorful, helium-filled party props to his fireplace to lift his home (and his spirits?) into the clouds.

There are hints of Carl’s infatuation with balloons before the big lift off. At the beginning of the film he’s carrying one as a tribute to his idol Charles Muntz, an explorer who travels by blimp. Ellie shares Carl’s interest in Muntz, which is part of the reason they first meet. Later Carl and Ellie sometimes communicate with each other by balloon, by attaching notes or objects to them. The couple even worked at a balloon cart together for decades too.

The morning of Carl’s departure we also catch a quick glimpse of empty helium containers scattered across his lawn.

Must have been quite a night.

The balloons are definitely the most memorable part of the film, which is why I love their double meaning. Carl uses balloons, a symbol of his childhood and a reminder of his life with Ellie, to set off on his first real adventure without her. They’re bright, colorful and full of cheer, which is kind of how Carl viewed Ellie and also what he needs to lift him up now that she’s gone. The balloons carry Carl, both literally and emotionally, into his new life.

It’s a lovely thought, don’t you think? To soar into your next adventure with the memory of the one you loved?

Russell

Speaking of lovely, another uplifting part of the film is young Russell. He’s a Wilderness Explorer seeking to earn his final badge for assisting the elderly. His first visit with Carl doesn’t go so well. Carl tricks him by sending him on a ficticious snipe hunt. Later, Carl discovers a young (terrified!) Russell hiding on his front porch as his house is floating through the sky. At that point Carl has no other choice but to include Russell on his journey.

Well, after imagining a not-so-pleasant-but-somewhat-humorous alternative.

Russell is an extremely likable kid. He’s so optimistic and eager to please he often misses the cynicism around him (“My mom loves the quiet game too!”) As the movie progresses, we learn that Russell has an estranged relationship with his father. Thus Russell, despite his happy temperament, can relate to Carl’s sense of loss and could really use an emotional lift too.

Kevin

After the unlikely duo arrive in South America, Russell encounters a large bird that he first identifies as a snipe. He gives the bird some chocolate (smart kid!) and the two become quick friends. Russell even names him Kevin. Kevin joins Russell and Carl on the rest of their journey.

Kevin also happens to be an example of the rare species Charles Muntz left civilization to discover years ago.

More about that in a minute.

Doug

As Carl, Russell and Kevin continue to move the house to Paradise Falls they encounter a dog named Doug. Doug, to the shock of Carl and Russell (shown above), can talk.

“I just met you and I love you!,” Doug enthusiastically declares the first time he sees Carl. Doesn’t that pretty much capture a dog’s thoughts when he enthusiastically greets a stranger?

Partner that with the occasional “Squirrel!” which captures Doug’s attention from whatever he’s doing, just for a moment, and you’ll see why it’s easy to like Doug. We use “squirrel!” quite a bit in our household whenever a conversation gets high-jacked unexpectedly.

Pretty sure we’re not alone on that one.

The silliness and loyalty of Doug adds a second optimistic and full-of-life character to help lift Carl out of his sadness.

Action

So just when you think the movie is a little TOO emotional, UP adds a ton of action. We learn that Carl’s childhood hero, Charles Muntz, is actually a villain. He attempts to kidnap Kevin in order to prove to the world that this mysterious bird really does exist.

Russell and Doug fight back immediately of course. Carl needs a little more convincing but eventually contributes too. The end of the film is a high-flying action sequence between the balloon house, a pack of talking dogs and an evil explorer’s blimp. (What!?!)

It’s over-the-top ridiculous and completely perfect at the same time. Carl achieves a crazy adventure beyond his dreams. He also bonds with Russel and Doug and finds purpose in caring for both of them.

Lessons

While the action certainly provides the film with a kick, it’s the overarching lessons that really make it memorable.

UP covers the highly relatable topics of facing your fears and overcoming life’s every day hurdles. It also explores the idea of living life to the fullest and seeking new adventures. There are subtle reminders to choose your mentors wisely and to still think for yourself while running with a pack. It also covers the weighty topics of loneliness, companionship and the grey areas in between.

Overall though, I think the movie is really about celebrating life and appreciating those on the journey with you. The very name of the film is so symbolic, since Carl needs nothing more than to feel “UP” at this point in his life stage. It can be a difficult film to watch at times, but a rewarding one too.

Easter Eggs

Moving on to lighter topics, another element of UP worth celebrating is the film’s hidden easter eggs. If you’re not familiar with the term you can read more about them here. Basically they are objects or characters discreetly added by the films’ creators as a tribute to a specific person or another piece of work.

For example, you can see the yellow Pizza Planet truck from Toy Story parked on the street in UP when Carl first begins his voyage. Close to this same scene, you can also spot the famous Pixar ball and a stuffed Lotso the bear in a child’s bedroom. Lotso is a particularly fun find because he appeared in UP in 2009 even though his character didn’t officially arrive until a year later in Toy Story 3.

Another example is the “A113” barely visible as the courtroom number shown above. A113 references a room number at CalArts where some of the Pixar artists learned their craft. Like the Pixar ball, it also appears in every Pixar film.

Finding UP at Disney World

Perhaps not quite as difficult as finding eggs in the film, it’s also possible to find tributes to UP at Disney World. Disney’s Animal Kingdom offers a few different nods to the film, perhaps even more than usual due to the film’s 10th birthday this year.

More specifically, you can watch a live bird show entitled UP! A Great Bird Adventure. Near the outdoor theater, you can also spot carvings of Russell, shown above, and Doug smiling nearby. You can even meet the “real” Russell and Doug for high-fives and hugs on Discovery Island. If you’re lucky, perhaps you’ll spot the elusive Kevin roaming around Animal Kingdom this summer too!

Or, if you want to follow in Russell’s footsteps you can become a Wilderness Explorer yourself and earn badges by completing 25 different activities around the park. These activities can offer a great break from the lines if you want to try something new.

Conclusion

So with that, I’ll wrap it UP. (Ha. Sorry!) I hope you enjoyed this celebration of UP, the quirky and inspiring Disney Pixar film that forever added the image of a floating balloon house to the pop culture landscape.

I love this image because it reminds us to live life to the fullest and keep dreaming at every age. Hopefully it had a similar positive effect on you too.

Soar high today my friends!

Add a little magic to your world!