Day 7 - Up

Though I've seen almost all of the Disney-Pixar collaborations, not one has grabbed my attention like Up (2009) has. This family-oriented film is one of only two animated films ever nominated for a best picture Oscar; this achievement was only possible with this year's addition of five slots. Edward Asner's weathered voice was the only logical choice for the film and the grumpy yet lovable main character of Carl.

Up may follow many traditional conventions of orthodox animation, but its plot is unique to itself. It follows an unlikely main character past his prime on an extraordinary adventure of a lifetime. The beginning of the film starts like others with a young boy, Carl, imagining a life of adventure at Paradise Falls in South America. Yet within the next several minutes, you're whiplashed through his life stopping in his old age at a point after his wife has passed. Contractors are threatening to take his property, so after a lifetime of working in the balloon business, he takes the initiative to transform his home into a flying house and finally makes his way to Paradise Falls. However, an unlikely companion has made his way onto Carl's flying house, thus altering his straightforward plans.

The fact that Up's main character is an elderly man brings warmth and captivation to the film; it's not often that an elderly is portrayed in such a spotlight. In most modern blockbusters, the elderly are most often portrayed as cynical, obnoxious, or weak. Even as an animation and as a character with some extremely unrealistic feats, Carl is a breath of fresh air. The film demonstrates that life passes quickly, but you're never too old to do what you've always dreamed of accomplishing.