Up

On November 28, 2009, I rented the Disney Pixar film Up. The film depicts an old man named Carl Frederickson and an over-eager young boy named Russell traveling to “Paradise Falls” in a floating house suspended by helium balloons. The story opens by introducing Carl as a shy young boy who falls in love with an energetic tomboy named Ellie who shares his passion for adventure and obsession with the famed explorer Charles Muntz. Carl is now old and lonely, living in a small house where he grew up, married, and shared his life with Ellie, before she passed away. Large construction companies threaten to demolish his house, and he is forced to move to a retirement community. Refusing to go, Carl devises a plan to go to “Paradise Falls” in South America to fulfill his dream of one day going with Ellie. While leaving, a boyscout named Russell turns out to have been on the front porch and Carl gets stuck with the eager, dorky kid for the whole adventure.
The first half of the movie depicts a dramatic, heart-wrenching story of a lonely old man getting close to his last days of solitude. However, when Russell enters the picture and they arrive in South America, a goofy talking dog named Doug and a hilariously strange, large bird that Russell named Kevin also adds comic relief to the sad story. Action ensues when Charles Muntz turns out to be hunting Kevin to regain his high regard in the public eye. Carl eventually realizes that his happiness is not dependent on reaching “Paradise Falls” or fulfilling his dream of adventure with Ellie, but by finding adventure in the fun and little things in life. Carl decides that Russell and Kevin’s safety is more important than his dream. After he reaches his destination, Carl finds that the adventure is just a dead end and he decides to save Kevin from Charles Muntz and to make sure Russell is safe.
The film excelled at evoking sorrow and pity for Carl and his story was very touching. The background story between Carl and Ellie effectively lays the ground for all the fun stuff to follow. It was arguably one of the funniest animated films I have ever seen. The film balanced the sentimental side of the storyline with a steady pace of ticklish laughs. I would definitely recommend seeing this to anyone who enjoys comedic, animated, or sentimental movies.

Surrogates

On October 2, 2009, I went to the local movie theatre to view the recently released movie called Surrogates starring Bruce Willis. The story takes place in 2017, in a world where humans can control their own remotely controlled robotic bodies, or ‘surrogates.’ Humans live in isolation, rarely leaving the safety and comfort of their homes as themselves, and interact with each other solely through their surrogates. Since people are safe all the time, and any damage taken by their surrogate does not affect the owner, the world is free from crime, pain, and discrimination.
However, an unknown weapon is discovered when the first murder occurs in years. The victim is killed by this weapon called the ‘overload device,’ through the use of his surrogate. FBI agent Greer, played by Bruce Willis, must investigate this murder and delves into a case much deeper than a simple crime. Greer discovers a plot to kill not only all surrogates, but all of the users as well, leaving behind only those who do not believe in using them. The movie ends with Greer having to ultimately save humankind while destroying the surrogates.
Although the movie was highly unrealistic and fictional, that is besides the purpose of the film. Surrogates presents a unique idea of a new world, free from hatred or discrimination. All humans are better-looking versions of themselves, creating a sort of paradise of equal and beautiful people. Since humans never leave the home as themselves, but only as their surrogate, they lose connection with each other. Agent Greer and his wife grow apart because they only interact through their surrogates and never as their real bodies. Greer eventually resents this once his surrogate is destroyed, and misses the flaws and imperfections that made his wife so beautiful and natural to him. This ultimately leads to his decision to destroy all surrogates, while saving all users when a virus is uploaded to the whole system. The movie presents themes that show the eventual lack of connection between humans that parallels the advancement of technology.
Surrogates is a basic and entertaining movie that has an interesting plot and simple themes. I would recommend seeing this movie if you enjoy science-fiction and action movies that entertain rather than contain depth. The acting and directing in the movie are par, but lack anything special. The effects used to display the surrogates and their world or paradise are average at best, and are definitely unique, but not necessarily in a good way. I would give this movie a C+ solely for its entertainment factor.

Role Models

On October 14, 2009, I rented the movie Role Models, starring Sean William Scott and Paul Rudd. The film begins by introducing Danny (Paul Rudd) and Wheeler (Sean William Scott); two salesmen who market energy drinks called Minotaur to schools. Wheeler is an immature hustler who loves the job and loves meeting women. Danny, however, hates the job and has an overall negative attitude towards life. Danny impulsively proposes to his longtime girlfriend who rejects him, and he later gets into misdemeanor trouble with Wheeler by crashing their company car after resisting a tow for illegal parking. The two are assigned to work 150 community service hours as mentors to two misfit kids at a charity organization called Sturdy Wings. Danny and Wheeler do not want to work with the kids, and contemplate going to jail for 30 days instead of working their hours. The movie progresses as Danny and Wheeler develop their relationships with their “littles” and spend valuable time with them, regardless how awkward the situations.
Although the movie is a comedy, it still presents real ideas about developing close relationships with others in situations outside your comfort zone. Danny’s “little” is named Augie, and is obsessed with a fantasy world called LAIRE where people dress up as elves, witches, warriors, trolls, and all other sorts of fantastical characters. Danny originally does not spend time with Augie other than to complete his hours, but eventually learns that it is more important to make Augie feel loved and welcome. Wheeler’s “little” is a loud-mouthed troublemaker named Ronnie who has no friends because he does not fit in. Wheeler connects to Ronnie by learning that both of their dads left them when they were young. Wheeler understands Ronnie because they are essentially one in the same person, and spends time with him by bonding with him and his mother.
The movie is very funny, in my own opinion, and I would recommend seeing it if you enjoy most modern, awkward comedies. The movie pokes fun at fantasy infatuated dorks, presents a satire of young black culture, but still offers a serious message behind a hilarious plot.