“Up” DVD Review

I grew up watching Disney movies and to this day still love to watch them.  I really enjoyed Disney’s and Pixar’s newest addition to DVD, “Up.”  It was a heartfelt story and a couple of parts even had me close to tears, because I could identify with characters’ circumstances.  While I received a message from it as an adult, I think my kids liked it mostly because it was a flying house and had balloons and a little boy.  I don’t think they got the same message from it as I did.  I also think there were a few parts that were not appropriate for a child to be watching.  If you’ve seen the movie, you know what parts I’m referring to.  They were dark and scary.  Overall, however, I really enjoyed the movie!

My boys really enjoyed the Special Features on the DVD though.  Even I was laughing at the short clips in the Special Features Section.  I thought it was neat that the directors explored the geographical area that inspired them for the movie, “Up.”  And of course the trailers are always fun to watch, writing down titles on my Wish List as I go along.

Disney Pixar’s “Up” was released on November 10th on Blu-ray Hi-Def and DVD from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.  “Up” is available in a four-disc Blu-ray Combo Pack, including a Blu-Ray copy of the movie, a Blu-ray copy of the Special Features, a DVD copy of the movie, and a Digital copy of the movie.  Academy Award®-nominee Pete Docter (2008, Best Original Screenplay, WALL•E; 2001, Best Animated Feature Film, Monsters, Inc.) directs one of the funniest fantasy- adventures of all time featuring a gifted voice cast that includes Ed Asner (Elf), Christopher Plummer (Inside Man), Up co-director and writer Bob Peterson (Monsters, Inc.), Delroy Lindo (This Christmas) and John Ratzenberger (who has lent his voice to every Disney•Pixar feature film).  
 
Up is the tenth in an unprecedented streak of critical and box office triumphs for Disney•Pixar that includes four Academy Award® winners for Best Animated Feature— WALL•E (2008), Ratatouille (2007), The Incredibles (2004) and Finding Nemo (2003)— as well as Cars, Monsters, Inc., Toy Story 2, A Bug’s Life and Toy Story. Up joined each
of its predecessors in ranking #1 at the box office on its opening weekend.

BONUS FEATURES

• Commentary by director Pete Docter and co-director Bob Peterson.
• Dug’s Special Mission – An all new original short film that follows the misadventures of Dug as he attempts to complete his “special mission.” The short is directed by Up Story Supervisor, Ronnie Del Carmen.
• The Many Endings of Muntz – Many ideas were hatched about how to dispose of the film’s arch villain, Muntz, and now viewers can see the many alternate endings proposed during story development.
• Partly Cloudy –The hilarious short film that preceded screenings of Up. Everyone knows that the stork delivers babies, but where do the storks get the babies? The answer lies up in the stratosphere where the cloud Gus is a master at creating “dangerous” babies, which prove to be more than a handful for his
loval delivery stork Peck. Directed by Pixar story artist, animator and voice actor Peter Sohn.
• Adventure is Out There – This action-packed documentary tells the story of the filmmakers’ own trek to the tepuis mountains of South America to research the design and story of the film. 
 
And, only on Blu-ray Hi-Def, hours of features, and behind-the scenes bonus features,
including:  

• Cine-Explore – A visual montage of concept art, clips and documentary coverage that illustrates the directors’ commentary.
• Geriatric Hero – A character study of Carl, from research to realization including art and design, rigging, animation and story. It focuses on the issues of aging, “simplexity”, shape-language and compelling character arcs.
• Canine Companions – For anyone who ever wondered where CG puppies come from, an introduction to the design, behavior and language of dogs. 
• Russell: Wilderness Explorer – A character study of Russell from inspiration and design to finding the character arc and authentic voice for this wilderness ranger. 
• Our Giant Flightless Friend, Kevin – Find out how avian research and development at Pixar helped bring a mythical, 13-foot tall iridescent bird to life.
• Homemakers of Pixar – Carl and Ellie’s house is an important “character” in the film. Fans follow the development of the house from story to art to its ultimate realization in the computer.
• Balloons and Flight – Carl’s house and Muntz’s dirigible presented the filmmakers with two different problems—how could they make a physical impossibility possible? And, in the case of the dirigible, how would they unearth a fallen giant and let it soar?
• Composing for Characters – Composer Michael Giacchino returns to score his third Disney•Pixar feature film. See how the Up filmmakers collaborated with Giacchino to create the memorable score and compelling musical themes.
• Married Life – The original story concept that became the powerful “Married Life” scene, showing Carl and Ellie’s love story.
• Global Guardian Badge Game – Players try to locate countries, states and capitals around the globe in a multi-layered BD-Exclusive geography game enhanced by BD-Live.
 
Synopsis:

Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios take moviegoers up, up and away on one of the funniest adventures of all time with their latest comedy-fantasy. Up follows the uplifting tale of 78-year-old balloon salesman Carl Fredricksen, who finally fulfills his lifelong dream of a great adventure when he ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to the wilds of South America. But he discovers all too late that his biggest nightmare has stowed away on the trip: an overly optimistic 8-year-old Wilderness Explorer named Russell. Their journey to a lost world, where they encounter some strange, exotic and surprising characters, is filled with hilarity, emotion and wildly imaginative adventure.
 
Up has a suggested retail price of $39.99 SRP (US) or $44.99 SRP (Canada) for the 2-
Disc DVD, and $45.99 SRP (US) or $52.99 SRP (Canada) for the 4-Disc Blu-ray Combo
pack.  A 1-Disc DVD is also available at SRP $29.99 (US), $35.99 (Canada)

STREET DATE: 11/10
Pricing: 2-Disc DVD:  $39.99, 4-Disc Combo: $45.99  
Feature run time: 96 minutes    
Rated: PG    
Bonus Materials Not Rated in US
Technical specifications may only apply to feature.
Aspect ratio: DVD: Widescreen 16×9   
Sound: SD: 5.1 Dolby Digital, BD: Dolby Digital EX 1080P 
Languages: English, Canadian French, Spanish

From the Home Entertainment Exclusive Short: Dug’s Special Mission
Dug in the Hole (Bonus)
http://www.totaleclips.com/player/Splash.aspx?custid=907&playerid=69&bitrateid=314&formatid=10&clipid=e58629&affiliateid=-1

Talking Dogs (Bonus)
http://www.totaleclips.com/player/Splash.aspx?custid=907&playerid=69&bitrateid=314&formatid=10&clipid=e56120&affiliateid=-1

Voice of Russell (Bonus)
http://www.totaleclips.com/player/Splash.aspx?custid=907&playerid=69&bitrateid=314&formatid=10&clipid=e56116&affiliateid=-1

I received a copy of “Up” on DVD from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment so that I could write this review.  All opinons expressed above are my own.