Up is still in my top three films of the year. Even now with it’s release on Blu-ray, the gut-punch still gets me and it’s still a marvelous film to watch. The Blu-ray is also no slouch in it’s pristine presentation of the film, it also features a nice batch of extras that go into great detail about how and why the film was made. In honor of this release, I was able to participate in a virtual roundtable discussion with both Docter and Peterson. Aside from being dressed in obscure outfits (Docter in a bunny suit, Peterson as Amelia Earhart,) both seemed to be very proud of the work they did. They should be as the film is incredible.

Who came up with the idea to cast Ed Asner as Carl?

Bob Peterson: Once Pete and I had arrived at the idea of doing an Old Man movie, the thought of Ed Asner came fairly early on. Good casting at Pixar is an exercise of balance. Woody in “Toy Story” could have been perceived as unappealing when he was jealous of Buzz if we had the wrong voice for him, but Tom Hanks brings such a natural appeal that he balanced any of Woody’s negatives. The same with Ed Asner. Ed’s soulfullness balanced his curmudgeon side. When Ed saw the small statue of his character when he came in to read for us he said “It looks nothing like me!!!” In a cranky (tongue in cheek) way. We knew from that, that Ed was the perfect voice for Carl!!

Other than the trip to South America, what inspired the story of UP?

Bob Peterson: Various things – the lives of our grandparents. For example, I had a grandfather who always wanted to go West from Ohio, but never got the chance. I had the foresight to videotape my grandparent’s home after they had passed 20 years ago. There are the side by side chairs – one soft and one hard which absolutely paralleled who the were as people. Many of our life experiences with our wives and children were put into play in the script, and of course living with our dogs gave us great insight into dog behavior!

Who or what was the inspiration behind Charles Muntz?

Bob Peterson: Charles Muntz in story terms is “Carl Fredriksen at the end of the line.” In other words, if Carl had made it to Paradise Falls without accepting others into his life, then he would have gone crazy, wallowing in his unfinished quest. Carl is represented by a square shape. So as far as shape language, Muntz is a “collapsed square.” He end up having more diamond shapes as if a square has collapsed upon itself. From real reference, we looked at the grand adventurers of the last century including Lindbergh. We looked at Howard Hughes, being a sort of inventor/adventurer. We also looked at photos of Errol Flynn and even the dapper photos of Walt Disney in the 1930′s with his pencil thin mustache.

While Docter was on hand as well, he didn’t answer the questions we gave him. Nor did he answer the question my partner in crime Shane MacDonald of Eye Crave Network, but Bob Peterson was. Shane was gracious enough to let me use his question for this piece, so if you could, give him and his site a visit. I promise he won’t steal your girlfriend.

When you release the final film is it like watching your kids go off into the world? You’ve shaped it, guided along, then you have to let them go and see how they do.

Bob Peterson: Yes. It is interesting watching the movie for the first time at our Wrap Parties with our crew. We don’t ever get to see our movies like a regular audience member because we lived through the creation of the film and see the memories brought forward by each shot and movement we see. When I look at my 14 year old (who I don’t want to grow up and go to college!!!) I see her as a 3 year old at the pumpkin patch, the the 5th grader at the spelling bee.Those memories are there. When our movies leave us we hope we’ve given them enough love and sense to do great things in the world!!

Up is available now on Blu-ray and DVD, but quite honestly, grab the Blu-ray. Better deal, and it comes with a DVD of the film that has some nice extras.

Critics and audiences alike often get flack for championing Pixar’s films every time a new one is released. While everyone does go crazy with praise, just take a look at their catalog. Cars and A Bug’s Life may not be up to the standards of Toy Story 2, WALL-E, or Finding Nemo but they’re still better than half of the animated movies that are released over the years. If anything they’re probably the best studio around as they consistently churn out projects that above all put their story and characters first. One year ago, everyone crowned WALL-E as their finest achievement and was on many “best of” lists mine included. While Up is certainly going to be there this year, my question now is will it remain on top? That’s right, Pixar has crafted a film that is their finest to date and so far, is the best film of the year.

Up pretty much solidifies its greatness roughy ten minutes in with a montage that is one of the best scenes ever put to film. We’re given all we need to know about Carl and Ellie’s relationship in just four beautiful minutes. Had this been the short film following the feature, it would have easily won the Oscar. As it stands now, it’s the best sequence in a masterpiece which says nothing bad about the film it’s featured in. Ed Asner voices Carl Fredericksen, who is a man who dreams of being like his hero Charles Muntz, but never has the money to go on his adventure. His journey in life has led him to become a crabby ol’ cuss who seems to be waiting for the day he’s dead. He finally pushes himself into adventure after an altercation with some construction workers who want to take over his house. While most of the people seeing this film are nowhere near seventy, Carl is very much a character one can relate to, regardless of age. Up gets us on his side from the get go with that beautiful montage as well as showing him as a young, goofy child obsessed with his hero Charles Muntz.

Carl’s joined by eight year old Russell who’s a loud Wilderness Explorer with a heart of gold. His back story feels natural likely because Jordan Nagai handles him with the right amount of cuteness and sympathy. He could have easily been annoying but he never comes off as such. Russell’s a child who just wants to do right and discovers a surrogate father in Carl. Yes it falls back on the ‘reluctant friendship’ on Carl’s part but it feels natural and not forced. Neither does the cute character Dug that’s going to win girls and kids over alike. He too gets some good characterization as the noble yet dim-witted group of a pack of dogs led by talking Doberman Pinscher Alpha (who has the greatest villain voice ever.) Even the non-speaking bird Kevin is treated as more than just something to make the kids giggle. Like all of Pixar’s past films, writers Bob Peterson and Ronnie del Carmen get that the characters need to be essential to the story they’re telling. This is the essential reason the studio gets all of the accolades that they always do.

And what a story they have on display! Up is about finally saying the hell with it and following your dreams, at least that’s one way it could be interpreted. Another way is that our dreams happen to us when they’re meant to, and in their own way. It’s an adventure tale through and through that harkins back to the 1930s serials that inspired such films like Indiana Jones. Like the man in the hat’s first adventure, Up’s action isn’t used to keep things moving. Peter Docter has the exciting scenes happen because of the character’s actions rather than because Disney calls for it. Even the whiz-bang finale feels like it’s a result of everything that’s come beforehand. It also keeps one on the edge of their seat by building some great tension. The protagonists are always kept one step away from death and constantly in danger. It’s fun, exciting, and even on repeat viewings makes you feel something terrible is going to happen to one of the characters. The action and story are complimented well by Michael Giacchino’s score that captures the adventure, scope, and sympathy of the film perfectly.

Up is the first Pixar film in 3D which will give audiences the option of immersing themselves in that direction or see it the way they’ve checked out their nine other features. I was fortunate enough to see it in both formats and quite honestly, even though some scenes work in 3D, 2D is the way to go with this one. The colors are more vibrant and the details are sharper as opposed to 3D which really adds nothing. Unless you’re absolutely content on seeing the film in 3D, it’s not required like it was with Coraline in order to enjoy the picture. Before the film in both 2D and 3D is the short film Partly Cloudly which puts a new spin on where babies come from. It’s a cute little flick with a touching finish to it.

Going into Up I wasn’t sure if Pixar could outmatch what they did with WALL-E and I came out greatly wrong. Up is undoubtedly their best work to date with it’s colorful characters, touching story, and final act that doesn’t fall apart. The entire film has a sense of scope that feels unmatched by the rest of Pixar’s (and some Disney’s) films that adds to it’s sense of charm. Peter Docter has crafted a masterful work that is the dream of pure genius and is a grand adventure for all to behold.

Rating: ★★★★★