Blu-ray Review: Up

[JessHorsley]

Disney/Pixar get it right once again in this instant favorite...

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Leave it to Disney and Pixar to create yet another amazing film that'll make you laugh out loud, cry, jump for joy, and even cheer out loud. Yup...that about does it. Up is one of those films that appeals to all, leaves out no one, and makes anyone who sees it remember what it's like to chase a dream, no matter how odd or impossible.

Thanks to Disney, Up hits home video in an amazing Blu-ray, DVD & Digital Copy 3-disc set that's sure to make the entire family smile. The film itself on Blu-ray is beautiful and features an amazing 1080p picture in its original 1.78:1 aspect ratio. The audio is delivered well through a English 5.1 DTS-HD track and there are even English, French and Spanish subtitles for those of us who are hard of hearing.

Like most of Disney's 3-disc sets, the special features deliver hard and Up is no different. Included here are a variety of features, including the fan-favorite Cine-Explore, which features an in-depth and touching "making of" commentary with the film directors Pete Docter and Bob Peterson, the 20+ minute "Adventures Is Out There" featurette with Docter about pre-production, the development of the film, production design, and more. Other special features include the theatrically released and funny short "Partly Cloudy," a hilarious new short featuring everyone's favorite talking dog entitled "Dug's Special Mission," and 5 minutes of "The Many Endings of Muntz," which examines different ways in which the film's antagonist dies.

There are seven documentaries which examine the film in total, including "Geriatric Hero," which focuses on Carl, the film's elderly main character; "Canine Companions," which focuses on Muntz's talking dogs, "Wilderness Explorer," which focuses on the 7 year old Russell; "Our Giant Flightless Friend," which focuses on the hilarious bird and his traits; "Homemakers of Pixar," which focuses on Carl's house; "Balloons and Flight," which focuses on the house and Muntz's ship; and "Composing for Characters," which focuses on composer Michael Giacchino's score.

Additional special features include "Married Life," which features a variety of alternate scenes from Carl and Ellie's lives. Likewise, a 2-minute interactive BD-Live feature, "Global Guardian Badge Game," allows fans of all ages the chance to hunt and find game on two difficulty levels. A variety of promotional features are available as well, including world-wide trailers, video and audio calibration tools, and BD-Live functions.

Overall, Up is one of the most amazing films to hit home video in 2009. Not only worth owning, but worth watching as often as possible, this is one film that not only ranks with the best films of the year, but with the best films of all time. If you haven't seen Up yet, go rent it now. If you don't decide to buy it afterwards, there's something wrong...

Up is rated PG for some peril and action and is available now wherever fine home video is sold.

- Jess C. Horsley

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