UP (2009) *** The opening ten minutes is at once a wonderful animated children's tale, an early contemplation on mortality and values, and a beautiful tragic love story. Wow. No talking dogs appear during that time. But where can they possibly go, having played so many cards, so quickly? Back to the playground where we all come from, where it all began, back to one of those angular, linear plot lines that echoes of a group of clever children making it up as they go along, into the world of intellectual finesse, and the measure of dreams and antagonists, into flying houses and rare birds with long skinny legs and lots and lots of talking dogs. Things become murky, as they do, but the theme never disappears and the philosophical demands are legitimate and must be honored. They must love this one in France. In fact Les Triplettes de Belleville is as reasonable a point of reference as any; this one lacks that kind of spectacular animation but I like it better. And so it winds on in a way that you never want it stop, but you just know that at some point their moms are going to call them home for dinner.
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