Up With Pixar

As soon as I saw the animated lamp making its familiar hop across the screen, my eyes started welling up with tears. The movie hadn't even started yet, but I was already overwhelmed with joy because I was about to experience the latest gift from Pixar.

"Gift" is the most appropriate word I can imagine for the magnificent string of miracles that have come in the world courtesy of Pixar. Each new film feels like a perfect little present that was made with love and soul and passion just for me. No one else in the whole world, aside from fellow animator Hayao Miyazaki (whose films are distributed in the U.S. under the supervision of Pixar chief John Lasseter), is making films that excite me more and satisfy me on as many levels. Pixar's films have everything I look for in a great work of art: fantastic writing, impeccable production values, wondrous images, inventive ideas, emotional resonance, innovative storytelling, complex themes, and a child-like feeling of exhilaration.

I circle the release dates of the new Pixar films on my calendars years in advance (save the following dates now: June 18, 2010; June 24, 2011; December 25, 2011) and you couldn't keep me away from the theater on opening day. Last year I was in Salvador, Brazil on the worldwide launch date of Wall·E and I took a break from my dream vacation in the name of Pixar (it ended up being the perfect ending to a perfect day). Two years ago, I spent the summer performing with the Ohio Light Opera and most of my time for three months was filled with rehearsals or performances, but fortunately I had the night off on the night that Ratatouille opened, even though most of the company was busy that night with a performance of Pirates of Penzance. I went to Ratatouille with one other friend from the company, and after the movie was over, the only thing I could think to do was to go over to the theater, gather all the pirates into the green room, and give a sermon about how everyone's quality of life would suffer unless they saw Ratatouille as soon as possible. The next night, I was back at the theater watching the movie again with a big group from the company, all of whom profoundly thanked me for convincing them to see the movie with my missionary-like zeal. (I went back to see Ratatouille two more times that summer.)

I came into Up today having read from various sources about the beautiful and emotional opening minutes of the film. Nevertheless, I was affected by the opening far more than I could have imagined and a quick glance around the theater confirmed that I was not the only one with tears streaming down my face. That opening sequence is the best thing that Pixar has ever done - even better than Anton Ego's meal/review in Ratatouille, the space ballet in Wall·E, or this heartbreaking scene from Toy Story 2:



I wrote this post because I determined that even though I have read dozens of articles, reviews, and interviews about Pixar and Up since seeing the film this afternoon, the internet needs even more Up content. Reading over what I've written, I feel like I don't know how to articulate just how much I love Pixar, so all I can say is that if you haven't seen Up yet, do yourself a favor and see it as soon as possible. I know I'll be returning soon.