Up (2009)

General Information:

• Director: Pete Docter
• Writers: Bob Peterson, Pete Docter
• Studio: Pixar Animation Studios
• Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures
• Runtime: 96 minutes
• Genre: Animation, Adventure, Family, Fantasy, Comedy
• Awards: Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Animated, and several other accolades.

Plot Overview:

Up is a heartwarming animated adventure film from Pixar that follows the journey of an elderly widower, Carl Fredricksen, who embarks on an exciting, yet emotionally charged adventure to fulfill a lifelong dream. Carl’s dream is to travel to Paradise Falls, the destination he and his late wife, Ellie, had always wanted to visit. However, in the process, Carl unwittingly becomes the guardian of an energetic young boy, Russell, a boy scout with a mission of his own. The two embark on an extraordinary journey in a house lifted by thousands of balloons, facing both the wonders of the world and the complications of their relationship.

Themes:

1. Adventure and Exploration:
   Up is not only about a physical journey but also a symbolic one. Carl’s adventure represents the idea of going after your dreams, even when life doesn’t go as planned. The film’s visual representation of Carl’s journey, with his house floating amidst a world of unimaginable beauty, highlights the theme of exploration and self-discovery.
2. Love and Loss:
   At its core, Up is about love, the loss of loved ones, and the emotional journey that follows. Carl’s relationship with his late wife, Ellie, serves as the heart of the story, with his devotion to her dreams and the grief he carries, portraying a deep, emotionally resonant narrative. The film gently explores themes of mourning and finding closure.
3. Friendship and Family:
   The unlikely duo of Carl and Russell brings the theme of friendship to the forefront. Initially, Carl is dismissive of Russell, but over the course of their adventure, they form an unexpected bond that showcases the importance of family—whether by blood or choice. Their connection symbolizes the power of opening up and finding kinship where least expected.
4. Growth and Redemption:
   Carl’s journey is not just physical, but emotional. Through his adventures with Russell, Carl learns to let go of the past and move forward, finding new ways to honor his memories with Ellie. Russell, in turn, grows from a clumsy, misunderstood boy into a more confident, responsible individual, completing his own journey of personal growth.

Characters:

1. Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Ed Asner):
   Carl is a grumpy, elderly man who has lived a long, isolated life. His determination to fulfill a promise to his late wife is what drives the story. Carl’s transformation from a reclusive and emotionally closed-off man to someone capable of bonding with others is one of the film’s most touching aspects.
2. Russell (voiced by Jordan Nagai):
   Russell is a young, energetic boy scout who is desperately trying to earn his final merit badge for ᴀssisting the elderly. His optimism and persistence balance Carl’s grumpy demeanor, and his role as Carl’s unlikely companion is central to the film’s emotional beats.
3. Dug (voiced by Bob Peterson):
   Dug is a golden retriever with a collar that allows him to speak. Dug’s loyalty and comical personality add both heart and humor to the film, especially in moments of tension. He symbolizes the theme of loyalty and the unexpected friendships that can change one’s life.
4. Charles Muntz (voiced by Christopher Plummer):
   Muntz is a famous adventurer who serves as the antagonist of the story. His obsession with capturing a rare bird, which Carl and Russell encounter during their journey, contrasts with Carl’s own emotional journey and obsession with his past. Muntz’s character serves as a reminder of the dangers of letting obsession cloud one’s sense of morality and the value of genuine connections.

Visuals and Animation:

Pixar’s animation in Up is nothing short of stunning, especially in depicting the vast, breathtaking landscapes of South America, the floating house, and the wild environments the characters explore. The use of color, light, and the highly imaginative design of the floating house and various fantastical creatures and settings give the film its signature charm and visual appeal.

The film’s animation also emphasizes the emotional weight of Carl’s story, with subtle yet powerful details like the opening sequence showing Carl and Ellie’s life together, which is silent and heart-wrenching, yet speaks volumes about the depth of their love.

Music:

The score, composed by Michael Giacchino, is one of the most memorable and poignant aspects of Up. The music perfectly complements the film’s emotional depth, particularly in the opening montage of Carl and Ellie’s life together, which uses no dialogue and relies entirely on Giacchino’s evocative score. The melody “Married Life” from this sequence has become iconic, encapsulating the bittersweet nature of the film’s themes of love and loss.

Reception:

Up received widespread critical acclaim for its storytelling, emotional depth, and animation. The film’s ability to blend humor, adventure, and emotional drama in such a seamless manner resonated with both children and adults, making it one of Pixar’s finest achievements. It holds a 98% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and remains one of the most beloved animated films of the 21st century.

The film was lauded for its mature themes, despite being aimed at a younger audience, and was praised for tackling complex emotions like grief and the pursuit of dreams in a way that felt relatable and profound. The opening sequence, in particular, is often cited as one of the most powerful and emotional moments in animated film history.

Legacy:

Up has remained a standout entry in Pixar’s filmography. The emotional weight of Carl and Ellie’s love story, combined with the joy of adventure and discovery, makes it a timeless classic. It also contributed significantly to the evolving narrative style of Pixar films, moving beyond simple family stories to tackle deeper, more universal themes. Up won several awards, including the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, and was nominated for four additional Oscars, including Best Picture.

Verdict:

Up (2009) is a cinematic masterpiece that manages to be both heartwarming and heartbreaking. With its stunning animation, memorable characters, and emotionally charged narrative, it’s a film that resonates with audiences of all ages. The film beautifully explores the themes of love, loss, adventure, and growth, making it one of the finest animated films ever made.

Rating: 10/10

Impact: Up remains one of Pixar’s most beloved films and continues to be a reference point for storytelling and animation, offering profound emotional experiences wrapped in an adventure-filled package.

A Farmer’s Misplaced Hammer Led to the Largest Roman Treasure in Britain

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November 16, 1992 was the day which changed Suffolk-resident Eric Lawes’ life in a huge way. What he thought would have been an innocent search for a hammer he had misplaced on his farm in Hoxne Village, Suffolk, England ended up bringing him much more than he had bargained for — namely, uncovering the hiding spot of a long-hidden treasure. Based on the Guardian’s coverage of the story, Eric Lawes had been previously gifted a metal detector upon his retirement as a parting token. He decided to put his retirement gift to good use in order to locate the hammer which he had had some trouble finding. According to a 2018 Smithsonian Magazine article, when the device started recording that there was a strong signal coming from the earth, he knew that he was about to discover something big. As he started digging, it soon became clear to him that he had unearthed a treasure trove.

The Guardian reports that, when Lawes saw that his preliminary digging had yielded a few gold coins and silver spoons, he immediately contacted both the local archaeological society and the police department. Archaeologists came to the property the following day and had the area of earth holding the treasure carefully sectioned-off and removed. Their hope was that at a later stage, in their laboratory, they could examined the items in order to identify both their age and how they were stored.

When all was said and done, close to 60 pounds of items made from silver and gold were found on the site. These included more than 15,000 Roman coins, 200 gold objects, and several silver spoons. For archaeologists, this find — which later became labeled as the Hoxne Hoard — was an incredible discovery. AP News reported that archaeologist Judith Plouviez was over-the-moon about the discovery, saying that it was “an incredibly exciting and amazing find.” What’s more, another archaeologist, Rachel Wilkinson, told Smithsonian Magazine that this discovery was “the largest and latest ever found in Britain.”

Ordinarily, archaeologists would use radiocarbon dating as a means of identifying the age of ancient relics. However, they couldn’t locate any suitable material from the haul. Consequently, they determined the age by examining writing on the coins, as well as the ruler carved into them, estimating that the treasure was probably buried in either 408 or 409 AD.

Roman-era archaeologist Peter Guest told Smithsonian Magazine that “if you look at them a little more carefully, then they should be dated to the period after the separation of Britain from the Roman Empire.” He offers as part of his evidence the fact that almost all of the coins found in the Hoxne Hoard were clipped – in other words, small chunks of their edges had been taken off. These clippings would have been used to create coins which were similar to the Roman coins of that era.

Guest has a logical reason for this, arguing that “The Roman Empire wasn’t supplying Britain with new gold and silver coins, and in light of that, the population tried to get over this sudden cutoff in the supply of their precious metals by making the existing supplies go further.”

Archaeologists also believe that the treasure belonged to a Romano-British family. During that time, considering that there was so much societal discord and upheaval, it was common for Romans who had settled in Britain to bury their most prized possessions.

That said, one archaeologist is of the belief that the hoard had a lot of sentimental value for the Romano-British family to whom it is believed to have belonged. In her book The Hoxne Late Roman Treasure: Gold Jewellery and Silver Plate, Catherine Johns claims that the manner in which the treasure was kept supported this claim. Some of the items which were recovered had been packaged in small, wooden boxes which were lined with leather. What’s more, pieces of wood, locks, and nails, among other things, surrounded the gold and silver pieces. This leads Catherine to assert that the package was carefully buried and not simply chucked away in a rush.

Interestingly enough, the items unearthed might shed some light on the identity of the family who owned them. They cite a gold bracelet bearing the inscription “UTERE FELIX DOMINA IULIANE,” which roughly translates to “use this happily Lady Juliane”. A second name “Aurelius Ursicinus” has also been discovered. This has consequently led some to believe that Juliane and Aurelius were the couple and the original owners of the treasure. That said, that has yet to be confirmed.

All in all, the discovery was a real treasure for archaeologists, and by extension, for Lawes. According to Smithsonian Magazine, in recognition of his discovery and willingness to contact authorities, the British government rewarded him with over £1.7 million, an amount which he shared with the farmer whose land was dug out in order to get the treasure. Funnily enough, apart from the treasure, Lawes also found his lost hammer — which now resides in the British Museum.