Trailer Tuesday: Up

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Clearly 2009 is the year of the curmudgeonly old fart, because not only do we have Clint Eastwood snarling and grumbling his way through Gran Torino, but in Pixar's big release of the year, Up, the main character is a grumpy 78 year old who has seen life pass him by.

Fortunately though,Carl Fredricksen has decided it's time to realise his lifelong dream of travel and adventure, and takes to the skies - by attaching hundreds of balloons to his house. The only problem though is that an overly enthusiastic boyscout has stowed along for the ride.


I must say that this new trailer for Up is far more appealing than the original, almost cryptic teaser (which I'm sure most of you would have seen if you own the Wall-E DVD). Not only does Up look suitably whimsical, but it also seems to have a retro Indiana Jones sense of adventure. Then again, I've always been a sucker for zeppelins and bi-planes. Oh, and big dumb dogs with squirrel obsessions.

Anyway, I'll be very curious to see how the viewing public respond to Up, with its unusual premise and unusual hero. Currently much box office love seems to be heading the way of Dreamworks' Monsters vs. Aliens - which looks like great fun, but hardly seems subtle or gently amusing, both of which I'm expecting Up to be. Of course Up does come with the very powerful Pixar/Disney pedigree, which tends to trump any opposition, so I'm sure the film will connect with its intended audience, namely families and the young at heart.

Up is released in North America on 29 May. No clue yet when it will debut in South Africa but I expect it'll be around the same time. Oh, and like all CGI-animated films these days, Up will be released in both traditional format and 3-D.

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