There is no animation studio as consistently good as Pixar. Period. Ten feature films, the likes of Toy Story, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Ratatouille and Wall-E all attest to that. And with the Blu-ray release of the studio’s latest feature film, Up, its parent company, Walt Disney Studios, continues what is becoming a trend of high-definition home video excellence.
The “4-Disc Combo Pack” includes two Blu-ray discs packed full of content, as well as a DVD which also contains the feature and all of the special features (sans BD Live) contained on the first Blu-ray disc. The collection is rounded out by a digital copy of the film for Windows or Mac.
Up tells the story of Carl Frederickson (Edward Asner), who takes off in his own home with the help of thousands of helium balloons after facing some hard times in his life. He is accompanied against his will by a wilderness scout, Russell (Jordan Nagai), who stows away on the crude airship. The film’s first 10-15 minutes are some of the most touching ever created in the animated realm, and everything that follows is a rousing adventure with some touching lessons and a great bond between youth and old age.
While the Blu-ray copy unfortunately does not offer the film’s theatrical 3D option, the high-definition video is stellar, bringing to light the expert quality of Pixar’s animation, as well as making the beautiful colors of the jungle adventure scenes pop. While the animation quality is universal, the difference is noticeable in the Blu-ray’s coloring, which is incredibly vibrant.
The special features contain absolutely everything Up fans could have hoped. The standard audio commentary is replaced by “Cine-Explore,” a commentary by co-directors Pete Docter and Bob Peterson that includes visual support in picture-in-picture boxes throughout the feature. Another Pixar tradition, the original theatrical short, “Partly Cloudy,” is present, but the first disc also includes “Dug’s Special Mission,” a new short that is entertaining but feels more like a deleted scene from the film, similar to the extra short included on the Wall-E Blu-ray.
The second disc is highlighted by eight documentaries, each offering unique behind-the-scenes looks into the film. “Adventure Is Out There” shows the real-life inspiration for Paradise Falls, and anecdotes about the trip members of the development team took to the exotic locale for inspiration. “Geriatric Hero” is another favorite, highlighting why Pixar went with a senior citizen protagonist in its latest adventure and examining that character, Carl Frederickson. Hi-def enthusiasts will also be happy that Disney and Pixar have offered every feature in high-definition. It is always nice to have consistent quality in the extras.
It is also worth noting that Pixar makes good use of the Blu-ray medium for what is usually a painful, throw-away feature on home video releases – the game. Instead of offering a poorly developed remote-controlled game, Pixar recognizes the limitations of games on home video and offers an interactive trivia experience in “Global Guardian Badge Game.” Gamers can choose between two difficulties and try to name states, countries and capitals around the world to collect badges. It encourages multiple playthroughs and actually serves as a fun education tool, while also playing into the film’s adventure. Brilliant!
Up was already a great film, highly recommended for anyone of any age, but with the Blu-ray release of Pixar’s latest getting the full Disney treatment, it becomes one of the best home video releases of 2009. Only the lack of a 3D version keeps it from perfection.
Special Features
-The Up Blu-ray disc is presented in 1080p high definition 1.78:1 aspect ratio video; English 5.1 and 2.0 DTS-HD, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital audio; with English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles
-Special features on the Blu-ray discs are all presented in 1080p 1.78:1 aspect ratio video; English 5.1 or 2.0 Dolby Digital, French and Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital; with English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles
-“Dug’s Special Mission” – All new short follows the misadventures of Dug
-“Partly Cloudy” – Theatrical Short
-Cine-Explore – The making of Up with Pete Docter and Bob Peterson
-The Many Endings of Muntz – Alternate Scenes
-Global Guardian Badge Games – A multilayered geography game
-Married Life – Expanded character back story
-8 All-New Documentaries – Including “Adventure Is Out There” – Travel to the real Paradise Falls
-DVD of feature with DVD bonus features
-Digital Copy
Title: Up (Blu-ray 4 Disc Set)Starring: Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson, John Ratzenberger
Directed by: Pete Docter, Bob Peterson
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, Pixar
Release Date: November 10, 2009
Rating: 9.5 / 10
About the Writer:
Bill Jones is editor-in-chief of padsandpanels.com, a site dedicated to coverage of comics and games.
Whoaaa! 9.5 from Bill? I may have to go out and buy this one right now. I’ve been meaning to check out Up anyway, but if we’re talking damn near perfect I’m going all in.
Seriously, 3d Not included is LOGICAL. The current generation of televisions and projectors cannot produce Real-D. So what’s the point ? It would just look like crap
when the new series of home 3d tv’s and projectors comes along. Then it would be more logical to release this movie and others in 3d.
Pixar is only getting better with age, it seems. I’m also kinda bummed that there’s no 3D version, but can’t wait for my copy to arrive in the mail this week!