I’ve already written this week about the brilliance of Pixar and how there is no studio out there that can touch them, so I won’t get all long-winded here and repeat myself. However I’d like to add that as much as I admire Pixar, you should know that I am still waiting for that ‘miss.’ Every new film makes me wonder if they will not quite hit the mark. I’m not looking for them to mind you, but realistically how long can you deliver perfection? Trailers for the last three films have given me pause, yet the films ended up not only meeting my expectations but actually surpassing them. Even the newest one, “Up,” made me wonder how deep a story about a man who floats his house away using balloons could be. Having seen it let me tell you a little about the brilliance of “Up.”

The nutshell of the story involves Carl Fredericksen (Ed Asner), an aging widower who has become bitter at the hand that life has dealt him. He still lives in the house he shared with the love of his life and is now facing eviction at the hands of an unscrupulous real estate mogul. Having spent his whole life dreaming of being an adventurer, Carl opts to finally become one by attaching thousands of balloons to his house in an attempt to ‘fly’ it to a particular spot in South America. A spot where is wife and he had always wanted to live. His plan takes several twists and turns, starting with a stowaway cub scout and ending with a battle against a true life adventurer… with talking dogs.

Ok… my nutshell version of the story doesn’t say much, just like the trailer. But “Up” is a far cry from just a silly adventure about an old man and some balloons. It is a story about life and the silent desperation most of us live with every day. The desperation of dreams unlived and loves that are lost. The opening sequence, which introduces us to a very young Carl meeting the love of his life Ellie, is a combination of cute, funny, poignant and tragic. It is not what you would normally expect from a ‘kid’s movie’, but that’s the point… it’s not a kid’s movie; it’s a deep and moving family movie. I really would rather not tell you any more of the details because watching “Up” is an experience that is better the less you know going in.

Pixar is releasing “Up” in a massive 4-disc set this week, and it is undeniably going on my ‘Best of…’ list for 2009, in part because of the quality of the set but it has more to do with the quality of the movie. Spread out amongst the 4 discs you’ll find copies of the film on Bluray and DVD (which is a must if you have kids with their own DVD players) and a Digital Copy of the film (which is also a must if you want to sneakily watch it at work in your iPhone). Then of course, there are the many special features.

Starting off the list, there is the Cine-Explore Commentary which is a terrific picture-in-picture feature that allows director Pete Doctor and co-Director Bob Peterson the opportunity to talk extensively about the film. Complete with storyboards, art and video footage this feature is as good If not better) that any regular ‘Making of’ featurette. In “Adventure is Out There” several of the filmmakers take the time to discuss all of the pre-production that went into the making of the film. “The Many Endings of Muntz” allows the filmmakers to field some of the different ways they planned to do away with the film’s antagonist, while “Married Life” does the same with the opening sequence. Along with these wonderful supplements you’ll find seven documentaries focusing on various areas of the production of the film, from the music to character design.

This Bluray set also includes the short film “Partly Cloudy,” which played in theaters along with “Up” and “Dug’s Special Mission,” an all new short featuring the canine hero from the film. There is also a Global Guardian Badge Game for the kids, a montage or promotional spots and theatrical previews.

I can’t say enough about “Up.” It was a film that I thought might finally end the reign of Pixart as animation king and instead turned out to be one of the finest films of the year. This Bluray set offers exceptional audio and video, truly beautiful in every way.

Starring (the voices of): Ed Asner, Jordan Nagai, Christopher Plummer, Bob Peterson, Delroy Lindo, Jerome Ranft
Extras: “Dug’s Special Mission”; “Partly Cloudy”; Cine-Explore; The Many Endings of Muntz; Global Guardian Badge Game; Married Life; 8 All New Documentaries; ; Digital Copy
Specifications: Bluray - 1080p High Definition (1.85:1), English 5.1 DTS-HD MA; DVD – Widescreen (1.78:1), Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround EX
Studio: Disney
Release Date: 11/10/2009
MPAA Rating: G
http://www.DisneyBluray.com

We'll give Up (Bluray) an A+.