What's next?

So it has been a while, my apologies to all my 2... possibly 3 followers so far. I have watched several movies of recent but choosing one to write about is whole new issue. I watched films such as Lost In Space the 1999 remake of the t.v series starring Matt Leblanc, however I didn't wish to write a completely negative blog. I also watched recently I'm Not There the Bob Dylan Biopic starring the likes of Heath Ledger, Cate Blanchett, Richard Gere and Christian Bale. I was planning on writing about this film as it was an amazing picture with an outstanding performance by Cate Blanchett, however I'm not even going to pretend that I was able to completely follow it.

So, as I did wish to write something and at a complete loss of what to write about I decided to write about a film I watched recently at the cinemas, and I choose it for no other reason really than the fact that I just watched it and like it.

Up in 3D animation!!!

Now I am aware that every girl between the age of 11 and 19 has most likely seen it and loved it because it made them cry and every guy refuses to see it has they dare not be deemed a pussy. However, as there were no other movies playing I decided to see it.

I was the first time I had seen a movie in 3D animation. I was pretty wary at first as I was expecting it to be the really obnoxious 3D where they throw flame throwers and punching gloves in the story for no other purpose than to scare the audience and make them look a trifle silly for trying to dodge it. But in the first five minutes I was blown away by the complexity of it. It simply gave a third dimension to the screen, almost to the sense of watching a live production....almost. So if you have the chance to see movie in 3D animation I would highly recommend it. But I digress...

Since the days of the Lion King and Aladdin, children's movies have progressively gone down hill. They lack so much as the large companies are trying so hard to pump out so many movies that they lose track of the fine art in story telling. That's why this movie was so refreshing to watch.

The story follows an elderly man (Carl Fredricksen), having just watched a short montage of his life, having to deal with the loss of his wife and society deeming him unfit to look after himself he is told he must relocate from the house he has lived in his entire life and enter, retirement. The theme of the montage in a nutshell is, his childhood friend and now wife share a dream of adventure and one day traveling to paradise falls in south america in search of finding adventure after years of worshipping their childhood adventure hero, Charles Muntz, adventure extroadinaire. As their life unfolds they never manage to make it, which in turn becomes Carls biggest regret. So with no where left to go but retirement, Carl straps hundreds of helium balloons to his home and lifts off in search of paradise falls. Aided by the boy scout Russell, the talking dog Dug and Kevin the fabled bird, Carl seeks to find his adventure as his last act of love for his wife.

Although it wasn't a long movie, the story line was fantastic. It was simple yet creative, relateable and yet still a crazy adventure. The scripting was easy enough for a young child to follow and still get a great sense of story, whilst adults could follow it and find complexities that children so often miss. 

Also the detail to characterisation was nothing to look past. From the first montage scene of Carl Fredricksens life, you can't help but shed a tear.  To the simple reaction shots of the characters, especially Russell. one other thing I noticed that i liked was just the fact that carls stubble gradually got thicker as they were lost in the jungle. It's the attention to detail that impresses me.

So all in All it is a great film for persons of absolutely any age wanting to watch a heart warming story suitable for the whole family.

I give it 4 and a half scout badges out of 5.

Until next time friends.

peace and love.

Ben