Up
4-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack
Directed by Pete Docter & Bob Peterson
Starring (voices): Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, Delroy Lindo
Walt Disney Pictures Home Entertainment
Release date: November 10, 2009

I never got to see the latest Disney/Pixar feature Up when it was out in theaters this summer, though I did get to view 20 minutes of the film at a convention early this year. What I saw at the time was what seemed like a cute little story about an elderly man named Carl (voiced by Ed Asner) who, in an effort to relocate his house, ties thousands of balloons to it. Strangely enough, the balloons do the trick, and away the man goes off on an adventure in his flying house. Along for the ride is Russell, a boy scout, who manages to get on Carl’s last nerve. At some point, talking dogs come into the picture and that’s where I lost my interest in Up.

I really should have known better, what with this being a Disney/Pixar effort, and let’s face it, with beloved films like Toy Story and Monsters Inc., you know anything from this studio is going to be good … real good.

From the preview, I could tell that Up would be a movie kids would love: there’s a little boy for them to relate to; a house that flies away on thousands of colorful balloons; and real-world dogs that somehow manage to speak. What I didn’t know was what a compelling story Up had, and how for the first 20 or so minutes of the film, I would be in tears.

Yes, tears.

You see, what the promos show of Carl is just of him as a curmudgeonly old man who doesn’t want to be bothered — not by the developers trying to buy his house, the aids that come to bring him to a nursing home, or from the young Wilderness Explorer who just wants to assist him. But the start of the film introduces you to Carl the young boy and proceeds to show you a montage of his life up until he decides to lift off. And what a life it was. I don’t want to spoil it by telling you anything about his life, but for those first 20 minutes of Up, your heart strings will be tugged and at some point, you will cry… real tears. I have to give the filmmakers credit for giving us this insight into Carl’s life in such a emotional way. This is what sets this studio apart from their competitors — this is Oscar material, and not just for art/visual, but for story.

After such a heart-wrenching opening I doubted I could get passed it to get to the bulk of the story, but luckily, I did. Carl sets off to South America to fulfill a life-long dream and a promise of going to Paradise Falls. Russell, who’s inadvertently along for the ride, starts out as a seemingly pesky kid, yet we learn more about his upbringing and discover that there’s more to him too. Eventually the unlikely duo encounters those talking dogs and find out what motivates — and controls — them. Oh, and there’s also a gigantic bird who’s an absolute scene-stealer.

What happens next is a heartfelt and clever adventure that children and parents alike will get enjoyment from. Up is a perfect addition to the Disney/Pixar roster.

Bonus Features

This 4-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack includes the Blu-ray, standard DVD, and digital versions of the film, so you basically can watch it every which way possible. The included DVD contains audio commentary, plus all the bonus features from Disc 1 of the Blu-ray version (this is exactly what comes with the 2-disc DVD edition).

DISC 1

• Cine-Explore Commentary
  This is the directors’ commentary that’s been enhanced for Blu-ray as a picture-in-picture video. Co-directors Pete Docter and Bob Peterson go into details on the story, as well as reveal all the alternate ideas for Up that they didn’t use and why. If you turn on this commentary, it will play the film on the main screen and then in one or sometimes two windows there will be storyboard art, initial animations, and photographs used for reference. If you’re a fan of Pixar movies, then you’ll love this commentary. Docter and Peterson are both so passionate about this film and their enthusiasm is contagious. The directors also appeared at a convention earlier this year and while the preview footage they showed didn’t entice me, Docter and Peterson’s appearance on the panel made me want to give the film a chance.
• Partly Cloudy Theatrical Short (5:46)
  This short was shown prior to the theatrical screenings of Up. In it, we see clouds providing the babies for storks to deliver to parents. One cloud in particular has a habit of giving its stork some very difficult deliveries to handle. Just over five minutes, this short is adorable and worth the watch.
• Dug’s Special Mission (4:40)
  This is an all-new short prequel of the dog Dug’s perspective showing the events leading up when Dug meets Carl and Russell for the first time. If you want some more insight into Dug’s world and enjoy a good prequel, this is a must-watch. Don’t be surprised if this under 5-minute video gets parlayed into a Dug-centered sequel.
• Adventure Is Out There (22:17)
  The scenery in the South America sequences is absolutely beautiful, and if you watch some of this bonus feature, you’ll know why. Besides how talented the Pixar animators are (nothing new there), the creators actually went to this remote area in South America, a place very few people have ever seen in person. Did the animators have to go there for research? Doubtful, as I’m sure the picture would have been acceptable without the first-hand knowledge. But what the filmmakers have given us is exceptional. This featurette documents the filmmakers’ once-in-a-lifetime research trip and will definitely enhance your subsequent viewing experiences.
• Alternate Scene: The Many Endings of Muntz (4:56)
  Co-directors Pete Docter and Bob Peterson, along with the other filmmakers, talk about their thoughts on the Muntz and their original ideas on how to bring his story to a close. Animated storyboards are used to show the alternate endings. Another great feature for a character I feel could have used more face time.

DISC 2

• Documentaries
  A collection of 7 all-new documentaries, four of which are pertaining to the characters (the elderly characters Carl and Muntz; Muntz’s dogs; Russell, the young Wilderness Explorer; and Kevin, the monster bird). The other docs are about creating Carl’s home; the concept of flight in the film; and finally composing the music for the characters. My two favorite were definitely “Homemakers of Pixar,” where we get to see a miniature model of Carl’s house, and “Composing For Characters,” about the music. As I was watching the film, I fell in love with the music, and was hoping there was a bonus feature specifically about the music, so I’m glad to have this doc.

  – Geriatric Hero (6:24)
  – Canine Companions (8:26)
  – Russell: Wilderness Explorer (9:00)
  – Our Giant Flightless Friend, Kevin (5:04)
  – Homemakers of Pixar (4:38)
  – Balloons and Flight (6:25)
  – Composing For Characters (7:37)

• Married Life: Alternate Scenes (9:15)
  This is storyboarding and idea discussions for the “Married Life” montage from the beginning of the movie that shows the story of Carl and Ellie’s life. The filmmakers initially had a different dynamic for Carl and Ellie and a whole different montage in mind with things happening that would tie into the events later in the movie. It’s understandable why the filmmakers didn’t go with this initial version, but it was interesting to see what their ideas were and how the story could have been done
• Up Promo Montage (6:00)
  A collection of all the promos that ran for the film. This is all original material, not scenes from the movie. We see stuff like Carl and Russell floating away on balloons; Carl dancing; Dug sniffing around; Russell making a snipe trap, and much more.
• Global Guardian Badge Game
  This is a geography game you can play to earn Wilderness Explorer badges, just like Russell has in the film.
• Worldwide Trailers
  Two trailers for the film, both around two minutes each.

DISC 3

This disc is the standard DVD copy of the film, along with the bonus features from Disc 1, excluding the Cine-Explore commentary. In place of Cine-Explore there’s a standard audio commentary.

DISC 4

This disc is the digital copy of the film.