On this date in 2009, the Pixar film Up was released. This is my favorite Pixar film. I love them all, but there is something about Up that I just can’t put my finger on. I can watch the movie over and over and I never get tired of it. Watching the beginning of how Carl and Ellie meet and then seeing their lives fast forward through everything they went through. How they are both always wanting to go on their “Adventure”, but never make it. Watching Carl lose his best friend and partner in life. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the theater and that happens in the first 10 minutes of the film.
We meet Russell and watch Carl decide that he is going to take his home on the adventure he always wanted to take with Ellie. He is going to fly his home to Paradise Falls and nothing will stop him this time. Of course this adventure leads to another one, a heroic save, a new friend that hides under the porch because he loves Carl, and a new friend in Russell that gives Carl new meaning to his life. From the Ellie badge to SQUIRREL, this film is just a classic from beginning to end.
In 2009, Up was the first animated and 3D film to ever open the Cannes Film Festival. The film was received with a great response from most critics and won some accolades. At the 82nd Academy Awards it won for both Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score. It was the second of three animated features to have been nominated for the Best Picture Award. The other’s being Beauty and the Beast and Toy Story 3. The film also won Best Original Score and Best Animated Feature Film at the 67th Golden Globe Awards. At the Annie Awards, Up was nominated in eight categories and won Best Animated Feature and Best Directing in a Feature Production. Rotten Tomatoes gave the Golden Tomato Award to Up for the highest rating feature in 2009 and best reviewed animated film, with over 98 percent from film critics. At the 2010 Kid’s Choice Awards, the film won Favorite Animated Movie. Jordan Nagai was awarded the Breakout Performance Award at the 44th East West Players 44th Anniversary Visionary Awards and Silent Auction for his role as Russell by the East West Players. The organization also awarded the film with the EWP Visionary Award for its progressive casting of an Asian American lead. Dug, the talking canine, was awarded the Palm Dog Award by the British film critics as the best canine performance at Cannes Film Festival, winning over the fox from Antichrist and the black poodle from Inglourious Basterds.
One more thing, when Up premiered in theaters, the first theatrical trailer for Toy Story 3 was shown with the film. Here is the trailer, from PixarMoviesOnDemand where you have the ability to rent and watch the entire film:
As co-owner and co-creator of The Main Street Mouse.Working in a technical support position for 18 years, it was time for a change.As the Webmaster and Project Planner, I spend most of my time researching everything from the latest Disney News, technology advances and of course keeping up on all the Marvel news that comes out.I never considered myself a writer but I’ve come to like blogging and sharing news with all.I feel blessed everyday that I get to spend my days working with my best friend and love of my life while we continue to grow and expand what started as a hobby all those years ago.
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