Just saw Up. Wow. This movie doesn't quite reach the thematic consistency and emotional impact of Wall-E, but Pixar is definitely on a mean streak.
Both the funniest movie I've seen this year and the most brilliant exploration of the mundane vs the extraordinary I've seen, ever.
The movie is absurd, yet everything fits together so thoroughly and consistently in its own cartoon logic, like a Flannery O'Connor story or something. The smallest detail that's forgettable in 99% of movies turns out to have it's own unique place.
Not to mention the stunningly imaginative script.
Some of the best art I've seen all year, at least. It's really amazing someone's managed to create anything so objectively great across all audiences, and awesome to see that such gifted and creative artists are spending their time working on children's animated films. Actually, come to think of it, the reason Up was so perfect is that it's the exact opposite of Shrek. It always creeped me out when people would say that Shrek was "for both kids and adults" because they told some dick jokes and bits of adult humor that would go over kids' heads. Up speaks through symbols and metaphors, and really beautifully respects the intelligence of anyone watching the film, whether they're a kid or an adult. I think that's all too rare in "children's" settings. Anyway, it was a seriously great movie, and up there with Wall-E.
Huzzah for Up.