When we are young, most of us think our best memories will be the BIG trips, dances, clothes, gadgets, or amazing gifts we have received or participated in throughout our time. We tend to believe the larger the adventure, the more meaning and purpose our lives have. We waste precious time planning and preparing. We convince ourselves that if we can only climb that next mountain, visit another country, or try a strange, new, exotic food combo (and post it on FB), we will be granted a lifetime achievement award. I can tell you from my older vantage point it is never the biggest or the best that is remembered.
Rather, it is always the littlest, most obscure seconds that are etched within our souls. These are the moments that declare to the world you have lived a life filled with adventures, joy, and the relationships you nurture along the way. The time you sat together with a loved one, sharing a bowl of ice cream while listening to music or a favorite TV show. Dancing in your living room with someone special. Laughing uncontrollably until there were tears and nasal snorts. Quietly sitting with someone at the end of their days. Running outside during a monsoon…just because. Holding someone’s hand. Walking your dog under a magnificent blue sky. Going on a ride to nowhere and singing out loud even if you are tone-deaf.
The list is endless because every day, we face encounters and choices to make…live our lives to the fullest, grabbing every bit of gusto and zest available or staying boxed up, afraid of change, never venturing or being open. Oh, there are so many glorious memories to make that will fill our adventure books with s’mores, counting red and blue cars, believing in the power of balloons, and a talking dog. It is possible to let go of the past, travel UP, and remember we all need more than helium to traverse our journeys.
UP is a warm-hearted animated film produced by Disney and Pixar studios that captured the world’s attention in 2009. It was different because the protagonist, Carl (Ed Asner), and the antagonist, Charles (Christopher Plummer), were both 78 years old. It was also the first time an Asian lead character was portrayed. Russell was played by Jordan Nagai, a twelve-year-old kid accompanying his brother to the audition and wouldn’t stop talking. The directors (Pete Doctor and Bob Peterson) realized they had found the “one” out of the 400 who had previously tried. A true Hollywood discovery story. Both directors participated in the cast, with Bob as Dug and Alpha and Pete voicing the strange, shrieking sounds echoing from the bird, Kevin. (Kevin was named after Kevin Spacy, but that’s another story.)
UP won the Oscar for Best Animated Film and for Best Original Score. Who could possibly forget the smooth, poignant tones that were heard throughout the movie and accompanied the most searing, unforgettable montage about Carl and Ellie’s life? I cannot get through those moments without releasing tears of happiness, sadness, and love for this couple. It is the bar we all hold UP when searching for our soulmates. Just sheer genius and perfection. Bravo.
At the core of UP is the relationship between Russell and Carl Fredrickson. The tenacity and innocence of the young boy just wanting to earn his last badge necessary to be a Senior Wilderness Explorer was mind-boggling. Assisting the elderly seems easy to achieve, but ultimately, it catalyzes growth and healing. I adored the gruffness of Carl. It reminded me of so many elderly I have known. Carl was drawn using mostly square configurations, as were all the house objects. This shows how trapped and stuck he was at the beginning. His blunt “no’s” cracked me UP every time.
The honesty of talking to Ellie even though she was gone also tore me up. It was honest and authentic. Most of us who have lost a loved one will “talk” to them in time of need. It was true to life. The conversations between the characters Carl and Russell displayed the lonely moments of a child coming from a divorce. It was subtle, heart-wrenching, and the first time Disney ever mentioned “divorce.” This was growth for the anime world.
Dug and the rest of the dog pact were the comic relief. I want a collar for my pup, so she and I can have better, more equal conversations. But I do fear hearing the word “squirrel” would have her strike a pose as well. The balls on the walking cane were brilliant and true to life. And what dog can resist throwing balls any time of day? Little, quick seconds of honoring other movies were also a hoot, such as the three “bad” dogs calling into their leader. as “red dog” vs “gray dog” in Star Wars. And we cannot forget the infamous “poker-playing dogs” and the “cone of shame.” I am still chuckling, just remembering.
When we watch UP, suspending all disbelief with the house floating away in the sky is necessary. The animators only drew approximately 12,000 balloons for those frames. It would take millions of helium-filled balloons to carry that structure anywhere. But who’s counting? In my wild imagination, I believe Ellie’s home still sits intact in Paradise Falls. It completes this heart-felt classic film that simply encapsulates how living and loving come in all sizes and shapes. The final photo book collection is a jewel of what infinite possibilities and moments are available to us. UP is a creative triumph of pure storytelling at its best. It tugs at our heartstrings in all the right places and lifts us UP, soaring for all time.
UP is available to stream on DISNEY+.
