Up (Single Disc Widescreen)
24. Jun, 2010 
10 Comments
Up (Single Disc Widescreen)
- ISBN13: 0786936786675
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios take moviegoers up, up and away on one of the funniest adventures of all time with their latest comedy-fantasy. Up follows the uplifting tale of 78-year-old balloon salesman Carl Fredricksen, who finally fulfills his lifelong dream of a great adventure when he ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to the wilds of South America. But he discovers all too late that his biggest nightmare has stowed away on the trip an overly optimisti
Rating: 
(out of 730 reviews)
List Price: $ 29.99
Price: $ 14.78
The Blind Side
Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) knows little about family. Less about football. What the homeless teen knows are the streets and projects of Memphis. Well-to-do Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock) knows little about his world. Yet when she and Michael meet, he’s found a home. And the Tuohys have found something just as life-changing: a beloved new son and brother. This real-life story of family and of Michael’s growth into a blue-chip football star will have you cheering with its mix of gridiron acti
Rating: (out of 363 reviews)
List Price: $ 28.98
Price: $ 10.87
Review by Steve Kuehl for Up (Single Disc Widescreen)
Rating:
I had no expectations of being disappointed with a Disney/Pixar BD, and being that it took me a whole dedicated day to get through everything, I now feel it was worth every penny. The film was enjoyable, funny, sad, and scary filled with some nice messages about life and loss. I can understand why the majority of my customers loved it.
The Blu clarity is outstanding, and the amount of reference points are extensive, but one that stands out the most for contrast lines would have to be when the house is entering the lair (balloons against the dark cavern). The sound is selectable between 5.1 DTS, 2.0 DTS and Descriptive English. The 5.1 was beautiful with tons of reference points, sometimes excruciating (that bird screeching) but thorough nonetheless. Now for the supplements (all times in minutes):
DISC 1: (BD)
* 5:46 Partly Cloudy short film. Was hilarious. A great depth test for your display with the clouds. Nice little message of tolerance no matter how difficult someone might be.
* 4:40 Dug’s Mission. An almost lo-def looking short take on our main dog dealing with the main three baddies on a chase.
* 22:17 Adventure Out There. A must see documentary about the crew taking the actual trip to the Tepui location in South America. A beautiful travel infomercial in itself. Loved how their guide only wore sandles for the ascent and hikes.
* 4:56 Alternate Scenes Ending of Muntz. Sketches and interviews regarding different endings for that bad guy that they had come up with.
* 1:00 How-to on using the Digital Copy.
* Cine Explore option while watching the film. The two directors give their commentary with multiple pop-up screens showing art, ideas, etc.
* Screen Saver. Allows you to set a time period for your screen saver to activate.
* Maximize Your Home Theater. The standard Pixar multi-step process for setting all of your theater capabilities.
DISC 2: (BD)
Documentaries
* 6:24 Geriatric Hero. History behind the creation of our old guy. All of these documentaries are interview oriented with sketches and film clips to supplement.
* 8:26 Canine Companions. In depth analysis on the breed choices, training and dog behavior studied to get the dogs in the film to be more – dog like.
* 9:00 Russel Wild Explorer. Covers the reasons for his character to have the loss and why he was “egg” shaped as opposed to other sketch ideas.
* 5:04 Kevin (bird). Nice reference to the Swiss Family Robinson ostrich; covered the hardest part of any of these animation films – the feathers.
* 4:38 Homemakers Pixar. Enjoyed the work that went into them studying sub-floors and lighting options in making this look so real in the house.
* 6:25 Balloons and Flight. Tells the now famous number of balloons used; some interesting dirigible history; shows the Pixar group using that local Bay Area air service I keep seeing fly around here (research stuff).
* 7:37 Composing for Characters. Have to be into the musical/scoring stuff for this one.
Extras
* Global Guardian Badge Game. After the initial setup of name, difficulty levels and tutorial material, the game has an extensive amount of country/geography material. Customers grouped around and we did fine for the United States section, but we randomly tried Africa and we bombed (some of the countries they were asking for I hadn’t heard of in years) – good learning tool though.
* 9:15 Alternate Scene – Married Life. Another sketch/interview piece about more material being removed/added into that section of the film. The scene itself would have been only a minute longer.
* 6:00 montage. A mix of characters doing funny things – will make the kids laugh.
* Screen Saver option.
DISC 3 (DVD)
* Film, plus special features from disc 1. WITH THE EXCEPTION of no Spanish subtitles/language; English only.
DISC 4 (Digital Copy).
* Code both unlocks the copy and gets you the usual points at the Disney site.
Overall, an excellent product no matter how you look at it. The case has that new single hinge, multi-page off center chassis that has proven to be less than durable, but it should suffice for low usage storage. Enjoy.
Review by Julie Neal for Up (Single Disc Widescreen)
Rating:
Here’s a movie for dog lovers, the elderly, children of divorce, FOBs (Friends of Birds), former Boy Scouts, people yearning for adventure, and anyone who has ever loved… and lost. Up is for everyone. It made me laugh out loud, and it made me cry.
I thought it would be tough for Up to match the emotional power of Wall-E. The two Pixar films are similar in their lack of dialogue in the first act, which helps deepen the emotional impact. Up begins with Carl, a shy young boy star-struck by a famous explorer; and kookie Ellie, who has a similar obsession. The two kids become fast friends, and vow to one day travel to Venezuela. After getting married, they buy their dream home and fix it up, hoping to fill it with children. Carl and Ellie’s life together from childhood through old age is depicted, silently, with delicacy and subtlety. These first 15 minutes is like a celebration of a happy marriage, and you truly feel Carl’s pain when he is left alone. He sits slumped in his chair, talking to the house as if it is the missing Ellie.
When developers close in on Carl’s beloved home, he decides to fulfill his promise to Ellie and travel to Paradise Falls. A former balloon vendor, Carl lifts his home with hundreds of colorful balloons. Stowing away on the porch is Russell, a plump, plucky kid trying to earn a scouting badge.
Later, man and boy are joined by a golden retriever who can talk with his collar, and a huge, colorful bird. Dug the dog is priceless: spot-on for every dog that ever lived, including his obsession with squirrels. Through a series of close calls and adventures, the quartet vanquishes a villain and saves the day. And Russell earns his scouting badge.
In the process, Carl learns to let go of his mourning for Ellie, and live life again. When this happens, a magical thing happens. Before, Carl’s craggy face is gray and monochromatic. At the moment of his transformation, Carl’s face is awash in color, and he is surrounded by beautiful hues. It reminded me of The Wizard of Oz, when Dorothy steps out of her gray world and into a candy-colored Munchkinland. Carl, too, enters a whole new world.
Up is an emotional movie, full of truth. It’s one of the year’s best films. Score another triumph for Pixar.
– By Julie Neal, author of The Complete Walt Disney World 2010.
Review by E. A Solinas for Up (Single Disc Widescreen)
Rating:
Someday, Pixar is going to do it — they’re going to create an emotionally uninspiring, lackluster animated movie. But in the meantime, they’re still putting out delightful animated movies like “Up,” which defies the usual kid-movie conventions by starring a crotchety old man. It’s a charming, fun little adventure story with flying dogs and balloon-powered houses, but underlying it is a bittersweet little story about loss and love.
As a child, the shy Carl Fredricksen bonded with the oddball Ellie over their shared love of adventure, the explorer Charles Muntz, and Paradise Falls. They later married, move into their “clubhouse” together, and lived a long, sadly childless life together. When Ellie died, she had never fulfilled her dream of going to Paradise Falls.
Now crotchety, alone and harassed by a real estate developer, Carl (Ed Asner) is finally ordered to a retirement home. But he isn’t going quietly — instead he attaches thousands of balloons to his house and floats it away toward South America. But he accidentally takes an enthusiastic, naive Wilderness Explorer (a thinly-veiled Boy Scout) named Russell (Jordan Nagai) along for the ride. Poor kid was just trying to earn an “assisting the elderly” badge.
And the jungle trek to Paradise Falls turns out to have some surprising obstacles: a big emulike bird that Russell names Kevin, a talking dog named Dug (“I am jumping on you, bird!”), and a mysterious old man who lives deep in the heart of the jungle. Turns out the old guy is very familiar to Carl — and to capture Kevin, he’s willing to sacrifice Carl and Russell.
Industry experts were babbling about how “Up” wouldn’t be as popular as the previous Pixar movies, because the protagonist is basically a crusty old coot. Well, shows what they know. It ended up becoming one of those classic movies that somehow appeals to all ages — while the humor and action appeal to children, adults can appreciate Carl’s love for his lost wife, and his slow realization that he’s clinging to the past.
In fact, the first ten minutes are some of the most heart-tugging, quietly bittersweet scenes I’ve seen in a long time. Without a word, they show all the ups and downs of a realistic marriage — joys, sorrows (Ellie’s inability to have children), growing old together, and finally loss.
But it’s not a depressing movie by any stretch — in fact, it’s like a childhood fantasy come to life, complete with a floating house suspended on hundreds of balloons, and biplanes piloted by a talking dog army.. Plenty of great dialogue (“Do you want to play a game? It’s called See Who Can Go the Longest Without Saying Anything.” “Cool! My mom loves that game!”) and an action-packed climax in an aged airship.
Ed Asner is absolutely perfect as ubergrouch Carl — crotchety, grumpy, and determined to fulfill his wife’s lifelong dream, but gradually realizing he’s clinging to the past. Nagai is equally perfect as Carl’s polar opposite: a naive, chattery Scout who is determined to reunite Kevin with her baby chicks. And the utterly adorable Dug and the other dogs deserve special notice. These creatures are utterly hilarious — they talk (“I hid under your porch because I love you”) and act the way dogs would if they talked. Three words: cone of shame.
The two-disc edition is going to have some very nice extras, but once again people with regular-def DVDs are going to get shafted because the Blu-ray edition will have a bunch of exclusive stuff. Grr. As for this one, there’s a digital copy, the director’s audio commentary, kinda-alternate-ending “The Many Endings of Muntz,” and the documentary “Adventure Is Out There” about the research for this movie.
There are also a pair of adorable animated shorts. “Partly Cloudy” has a much-abused stork having to deliver potentially harmful baby creatures from a kind but clueless cloud. And “Dug’s Special Mission” is a sort of backstory for the adorable Dug, explaining what the heck he was doing before he met up with Carl and Russell.
“Up” continues Pixar’s running tally of gloriously animated, emotionally layered movies that the entire family can enjoy. With that, I have only one more thing to say… SQUIRREL!
Review by F. J. Hoffknecht for Up (Single Disc Widescreen)
Rating:
Another commendable, 4-star outing from Pixar.
The DVD packaging is another matter. There have been many complaints about the computer-incompatibility, but my gripe is about the “pecking order” for those that want the single-disc DVD vs. the 4-disc Blu-ray and everything in-between.
Time was when you bought a 2-disc set of a Pixar film, you got hours worth of neat, entertaining and enlightening extras (example: the exhaustive Super Heroes guide with “The Incredibles”). By the time “Cars” came out, you could only get a single-disc version with very few extras. “Ratatouille”: same story. “Wall-E” somewhat rectified the situation with the available 3-disc version, which did have generous bonuses – if you shelled out the bucks, that is. “Up” has the most deceptive packaging of all: a bare-bones single-disc version (you just want the movie and a lot of promos? You got it!), the “deluxe” DVD version (which Amazon/Disney advertise as a “Two-Disc Deluxe Edition + Digital Copy”, which can imply there are three discs [there are not], and there are certainly NOT “hours of new bonus! [sic]“, as the slip-sleeve boasts), and a 4-disc Blu-ray version for those fortunate enough to own that format. Disney is obviously hard-balling the recession-weary public into buying Blu-ray players and their inflated-priced discs and punishing those who are scraping by with an archaic DVD.
What would have been nice is an extras-packed double-DVD w/o the digital copy (I don’t know anybody who really uses this), a better-valued single-DVD version and maybe even a single-Blu-ray.
The release date for a Pixar movie used to be an event. Now it’s a downer, waiting to see how Disney rips its faithful public off again.
Review by ElwoodsBrotherJake for Up (Single Disc Widescreen)
Rating:
It is a good movie, but my wife is Deaf and can not enjoy this movie yet again (since we saw it at the theater) Also our Deaf friends and their children are excluded. This is a real waste of money for us. The movie companies are getting greedier and greedier.. shame on you Disney.
**Today and email was in my box via the Disney store says “The box states that it has captions for the hearing impaired, spanish (etc) and closed caption.”
Well, the box SAYS IT it must be true!??
(Tested on several systems)
WELL THEY STILL AIN’T WORKING!!
Review by Chris Kennison for The Blind Side
Rating:
My wife and I just went to a double-feature. I picked AVATAR and she picked THE BLIND SIDE. Now, there couldn’t be two movies on a different plateau than AVATAR and BLIND SIDE, but I’m so glad that she brought me to see this movie. AVATAR, I gave 4 stars, BLIND SIDE, 5 stars. BLIND SIDE, for what it was, was flawless.
With BLIND SIDE, the story tells itself, because it’s the true story of 2009 Baltimore Ravens Right Tackle Michael Oher, or possibly Michael Williams, or maybe something else, and his improbable escape from oblivion with the love and care of a rich white family in Memphis, Tennessee. Michael Oher’s greatness, first showed up in his size and athletic potential and then in his courage to forget and go forward. Michael Oher, a kid who struggled at basic study skills and education, but scored a 98% in protective instincts. A tribute to his lifestyle and his ability to survive, homeless, with two shirts, a pain on his face that couldn’t be explained.
Sandra Bullock plays Leigh Anne Tuohy, and I haven’t seen a whole lot of nominated movies this year, but if she isn’t at least a runner up to the best actress of the year, I’ll be stunned. This was Sandra Bullock’s shining moment. She is strong and she is funny and she is exceedingly brilliant at hiding the tears she sheds throughout the movie as her personna won’t allow her to be seen crying. No scene was more poigniant than the one where she makes a bedroom for Michael in her beautiful home with a chipperness that you would expect from a spunky Tennessee mother. Michael says, “I’ve never had one of these before.” and she says, “What, a room?” “No, a bed.” he says. She looks at him, stoned faced, gives a quick nod and exits the room, enters the bathroom, locks the door and although we don’t see it, we know exactly what she’s doing.
THE BLIND SIDE is a testimant to what life is all about. The Tuohy families link to Michael Oher may have been a rare occurence, and that’s why there’s a movie about it, but if we all looked out for each other a little more, despite color boundaries, despite class boundaries and just showed a little love and extended a helping hand when we could, the world would be a better place.
The Tuohy’s didn’t just extend a hand, they extended their hearts and lives.
Review by L. Power for The Blind Side
Rating:
I go to see movies all the time while they are still in release.
At this time of year we have high profile movie offerings like A Christmas Story, New Moon (same vampires), and the world coming to an end with 2012. So. it’s easy for this movie to get lost in the shuffle.
It would have been so easy to miss this movie, and such a mistake to do so. For, this is one of the best movies of the year, and one of the few I recommend whole heartedly.
Sandra Bullock gives probably the best performance of her career, playing Leigh Anne Tuohy, a tough business like mom, who sees big Mike, a young oversized kid who never had a role model, and who never did well academically, because he had no reason to believe in himself. He is the underdog we love to root for.
The Tuohys take him in to their plush house, and we get drawn into the experience, perhaps sucked into this story might be a more apt description. Yet Mike has a hidden gift which others like the sports coach can identify, and other teachers start to have faith in him, so who knows what will happen.
If you’re like me it’s a movie about the importance of a mentor and believing in people, the more you believe in them the more they start to believe in themselves. If you like this one, I also recommend Akeelah and the Bee, another five star movie. In its first 14 days The Blind Side has done over $108 million at the box office, assuring that it will be one of the big hits of the year.
While the Academy does not typically reward comedies with awards, Sandra Bullock may get a nomination, and so might the writers for best adapted screenplay, and she might win a Golden Globe for her performance.
A point of interest in the movie is Lily Collins daughter of Phil Collins who plays Sandra Bullock’s daughter.
Update, Jan 29, 2010. As she has now won the Golden Globe, which is a dress rehearsal for the Oscars, I expect she will get the Oscar nomination, and it sets the stage for an interesting contest with Meryl Streep for her performance in Julie and Julia. Both actresses played real life characters, with an interesting mix of drama and humor. Although Oscars are not usually given for this type of performance, the exception is Marisa Tomei in My Cousin Vinny. I predict this will be the year of the exception. Streep has been nominated 15 times winning only twice. This would be Bullocks first nomination.
Update 2/3/2010. The Blind Side has been nominated for 2 Academy Awards, for Best Actress, and Best Picture. As of 2010 the Best Picture category has been expanded from 5 to 10 pictures, partly because of falling ratings, and partly because many popular movies have not historically received the same level of Oscar love, as movies such as The Blind Side has received from the public.
Blind Side has grossed over $238 million dollars domestically, making it the 8th highest grossing movie of 2009, and no 63 all time for domestic box office, and it’s still in release.
I hope this was helpful to you, and I think you will enjoy the movie.
Review by D. COLLIER for The Blind Side
Rating:
First, let me lay a couple of cards on the table. I don’t usually like Sandra Bullock. Also, I don’t like football, and therefore I don’t like football movies (with the exception of KNUTE ROCKNE: ALL AMERICAN). In fact, there are just a handful of sports movies that I do like.
But THE BLIND SIDE is not a sports movie. (Or if it is, then it’s the kind that’s not really about sports.) It’s a movie about family. And it boldly states that your family is not necessarily the people you’re biologically related to or share the same skin color with. Your family is the people you live with and cannot live without.
Michael Ohr is the quintessential – gigantic but timid and gentle – hero that everyone would love to have by their side. And so is his adopted mother, Leigh Anne (portrayed by Sandra Bullock in what is easily her best performance). One of the more important lessons Leigh Anne teaches Michael is to protect your family and loved ones both on and off the field. When one of his former acquaintances speaks disparagingly of Leigh Anne and her daughter and then threatens him he….Actually, I don’t quite remember what he did – it all happened so fast. But one guy was slammed into a wall, and I think one was thrown against another. And it seemed like he nearly caved in a stairwell. It was so fast, it made Jason Bourne look like The Nutcracker.
One of the many things I love about THE BLIND SIDE is that the family is a family of faith. Sean and Leigh Anne are Christian parents and extend Christ-like love to Michael.
I cannot conclude this review without stating my favorite line from the movie. Leigh Anne has been threatened by an inner city thug who also plans to harm Michael. She rips him a new one even in front of his hoodlum buddies and says, “I’m in a Bible study with the D.A., and I’m a card-carrying member of the NRA!”
While this movie is very much about family, it is definitely not a family movie. It earns its PG-13 rating quite well. It’s not for the younger kids. But it has a better message than probably any other film you’re likely to find.
Review by Fern Springs for The Blind Side
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I wasn’t certain about going to see this movie…thought it might be too much football. To the contrary, it was just enough of everything. Each character was so well cast, even the biological mom whose silent struggle and brief appearance sticks with you long after the movie is over.
You forget the actors are acting. Hats off to all involved – what a great gift from the movie industry to entertainment seekers this Christmas season. When people stand and movie goers applaud, it’s a winner!!!!
A story that certainly should be shared.
Review by Harold Wolf for The Blind Side
Rating:
Not superficial but it did avoid issues like Micheal’s prior lifestyle, NFL negatives, racial issues, continual violence (there is a bit), sex (there is one word), and the opportunistic feminist topic—IN FAVOR OF—FAMILY, COMMITMENT, PERSEVERANCE, AND ADOPTION. A very pleasant trade of options. Hallmark-like in a positive way.
This is a highly emotional presentation, emotional highs and lows. It’s not only the dramatic story of an underprivileged youth that causes it, but fantastic acting.
Yes, a true story of a Baltimore Ravens player. Sandra Bullock makes Mom, Leigh Anne, come alive, a mother every hero would want to have. That’s at the expense of Sean, Dad’s (Tim McGraw), contributions to the boy in real life. In this movie they are downplayed, unlike the book and actual truth. But with every book-to-film production, something must be minimized, something accentuated, to make it desirable for 90-something minutes. The story could have been done many ways, but the director/writer used the mother/child relationship at the forefront.
_____A favorite dialogue line, given by Sean, “who would have thought we’d have a black son before we knew a democrat?” Michael (Quinton Aron) delivers another tear-jerking line, at least it was at the moment and manner it was given, “Need a proper hug!”
A warming story, good for now, when there is enough strife and negative aspects to everyone’s real life. It’s nice to see a positive story coming up on the big screen. It will likely be even bigger as a DVD–I want one when they are ready.
Bullock was her usual awesome self, presenting a realistic and desirable southern Christian rich belle. Keeping up with her was her movie son, S.J. (Jae Head) who should get a supporting role award for his fantastic acting as the enthusiastic comedy role in the movie. He is a delight you’d like to take home and adopt.
Inspirational! See it!
UPDATE IN MARCH 2010
SANDRA BULLOCK WINS. She finally wins, and well deserved. This movie has been in our local theaters since November and continues on the big screen. Definitely one to own forever. Bullock’s first win, and over such fantastic competition, puts the icing on the cake, with a candle on top. Finally even Hollywood has seen the light. FAMILY FILMS ARE DESIRABLE. And Bullock is a ‘bully’ actress.