Up

Another weekend, another animation. This time Up by the Pixar studio. While it gets off to a great and unexpectedly moving start, the pacing is a little weak and the story less sure-footed than Pixar's usual high standards. For instance, after a relatively slow start in which Paradise Falls is carefully set up as Carl's ultimate destination, he practically gets there in a single hop. I'd expected more from his journey. Then the film follows with a succession of less convincing and overly "coincidentalised" events. Imagination is applied here well, the talking dogs being something of a neat idea, but the "zany" turn of events somewhat betrays the film's beginning, which is more heartfelt and grounded in real hopes and disappointments. Still, it's never less than charming, and is streets ahead of most of what's out there. As ever, Pixar's worst enemy is itself - by setting the bar so high, it can't always beat its "personal best".