I love Pixar (and I can see the ocean from wher I'm sitting)


Adam and I went to see Up! last weekend. I started to think back to all the Pixar films I have loved over the years. Here they are in chronological order:

Toy Story
Toy Story 2
Finding Nemo
Incredibles
Ratatouille
Wall-E

Up until Up!, Nemo was my favorite. It was Adam's favorite movie for a long time, and is currently Sophia's favorite. So, I have seen/heard it in the background of my life quite a few times, as it has been played over and over in our home.

I liked Nemo because there were several grand themes that were part of the story:
the quest of a father to be reconciled to his son, sending him on a Ulyssian journey
the wounded hero (Nemo has a small fin)
the gift of companionship to meet life's battles (Dory helps Marlin find Nemo)

There are many more grand life themes in this film. But Up! seems to go a bit further, in its challenge to carve out an adventure in the life we have been given, and that nothing in life need be wasted. The characters are great, the animation is great and the story is great. I have really not been so moved by a film in a long time.

I don't know how Pixar keeps doing it - they just keep churning out, not good, but GREAT films. They haven't made a lot of films, but the ones they do make are of the highest quality - pure entertainment without the need to be vulgar or violent.

In other news, the fam and I are currently staying at a resort on a beach in Parksville, on Vancouver Island. I think I mentioned that we have been in a vice of pressure for about the past 2 months, and just needed a break - this is a mini holiday in a beautiful spot. We walked on the beach and the kids discovered crabs, clams and shells. Tomorrow, Felicia and I are going for dinner at the resort - this place supplies baby-sitters which is pretty awesome.

Time to de-compress.

Comments

John Santic said…
Just took Anna and Nathaniel to the movie because of your review. It was awesome. I loved it, thanks for pointing us to it.
9:58 PM
Jessie Cherian said…
Yeah I agree, pixar movies rate pretty high on my list too. I went to a pixar exhibition in Melbourne and got to see some of the sketches from the movies you mentioned. Unfortunately, was not allowed to take pictures but it was pretty neat stuff!
11:46 PM
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