UPDATE: I was expecting Jeff Wells to come up with a slightly contrarian take on “Up,” and he doesn’t disappoint. Not that he doesn’t like the film — “peppy,” “delightful,” “visually luscious” and “touching” are some of the adjectives he tosses its way — but he does qualify his praise with concerns that the film compromises itself somewhat by trying to be all things to all men:
It’s not meant as a putdown to say that Up is too immersed in buoyant punchiness and mainstream movie-tude, which basically boils down to Pixar’s always-front-and-center task of giving the family audience stuff to laugh at and go “oooh” and “aahh” about, to finally matter all that much. It’s too entertaining, in put it another way, to sink in all that deeply.
So what am I saying, boiled down? That it’s really quite well made and has an almost stoner sensibility in portions but may be a little too good for the lowbrows and at the same time isn’t really deep and resonant enough to penetrate with quality-cinema buffs? Something like that.
Wells will no doubt have to fend off accusations of curmudgeonliness for that take, but whether I wind up agreeing with him or not, I understand what he’s getting at. At the very least, it’s healthy to hear a perspective that diverges from the unreserved praise doing the rounds: if Pixar movies are indeed the adult auteur works so many critics insist they are, then they merit more complicated critiques.
EARLIER: Kudos to Jeff Wells for this hilarious snap from this morning’s “Up” press screening at Cannes. Made me laugh, anyway.
Comments
2 responses to “All eyes on ‘Up’”
I like the word “curmudgeonliness “. I have to admit, I had the look it up :-)
“too good for the lowbrows and at the same time isn’t really deep and resonant enough to penetrate with quality-cinema buffs”
The Reader??
That seems like a film that Academy usually nominates, branded as elitists by low brows, and dismissed as not good enough by film snobs.
What he says is significant, atleast the 1st part, Pixar’s film are really too good to for the blockbuster crowd, though they can enjoy them too. Pixar makes some really clever & sophisticated films that you don’t expect the common crowd to fully appreciate.
And Wall-E was a true auteur piece, atleast the 1st part, and really got the film criticism it deserved. That film was discussed very seriously, not just in terms of ‘cute’ & ‘cuddly’ & the film was widely respected, not just loved.
Many people have claimed that ever year a new Pixar’s film’s status as the most acclaimed film of the year is somewhat misleading, but critics cant be said to be ‘lenient’ towards animation, no other animated films receive anywhere near the amount of acclaim Pixar ones do. Up remains to be seen, though obviously it does not match Wall-E in scope or ambition.