UP

'UP' is a Disney Pixar original and a 3D computer animated film which incorporates very real issues alongside its brilliant, attractive visuals. The colour palettes in this film are exemplary, as in it's an absolute feast for your eyes and there's not one moment where it loses it's touch. Stylistically, the characters are very successfully done in the sense they have loud, original personalities and are very easy to distinguish.

'UP' also offers themes of loss, companionship and unity, which can be considered pretty mature issues for a child targeted audience. In the beginning of the film, there is a montage of young Carl and Ellie where in which the audience gets to observe their life together as newlyweds. We then see them, as what is implied, as having a miscarriage, which is a VERY serious topic for such a young audience. Though this is highly controversial, it brings a very high level of emotion to the content of the film and allows the audience to engage with the characters on screen and align with them, feel sympathy for them. Also because this sequence occurs in the first half of the film, it instantly sets up this connection between those on screen and off screen, and I think this is really special.

Because of these messages and values within the film, there then is the question of who is the audience? Naturally because it's producers are Disney Pixar, you instantly associate it to be a children's film, because that is their main target market. But then again considering the content and the cranky old protagonist who without the backstory would be hard to have allegiance with, suggests to me that this film could more so be a family film. Or to those old enough to understand serious topics, like a miscarriage. There is no obvious age of its audience and this doesn't necessarily mean the film is unsuccessful, in fact this opens a door for animation in the sense that it is not limiting it's viewer count. Anyone can watch it and anyone can feel emotional towards it.

Overall, I think this 3D animated film does very well at communicating taboo topics within the animation industry, whether or not this jeopardises who it's audience then is, does not mean it is any less of a film, because I think it is an absolute classic.