Simon Dillon reviews the film

Every time I see a Pixar film, I invariably leave the cinema afterwards on such a high that buoyed by sheer joy I am tempted to instantly pronounce it their best yet. Never has the temptation been greater than after watching Up, which if not their best film is probably their most poignant and certainly their funniest.

Carl Frederickson (brilliantly voiced by Edward Asner) is a grouchy old man under pressure from property developers who wish to demolish his home and turn it into a bland, soulless mall. When said developers find a reason to have him forcibly evicted and carted off to an old people's home, he ties hundreds of helium balloons to his house and escapes, intending to explore a remote part of South America which he and his wife always dreamed of exploring whilst she was alive. But Carl is not alone. Eight year old scout Russell (winningly voiced by Jordan Nagai) was on his doorstep when the house took off, intending to do a good deed by helping old people. Together this odd couple head into a thrilling - and hilarious - adventure.

It goes without saying that the quality of animation is beyond stunning. Bright, colourful and immensely detailed, the lush jungles, waterfalls and cliffs are beautifully rendered, as are the superb characters. On every other technical level this is a magnificent film - from the terrific sound effects to Michael Giacchino's wonderful music. The vocal cast, which also includes Christopher Plummer as the villain of the piece, are all outstanding.

Directors Pete Docter (Monsters Inc) and Bob Peterson have crafted an astonishing piece of work that truly stands alongside the likes of Mary Poppins in the pantheon of great family films that can be appreciated by adults on a completely different level to the way children appreciate them. For instance, a virtually wordless opening montage covering the details of Carl's life from childhood to senior citizenship is simultaneously laugh-out-loud funny and utterly heartbreaking. This lovely sequence brilliantly sets the scene for what follows, and makes the developing friendship between Carl and Russell all the more credible for reasons that I shan't spoil here.

Throughout the story there are occasional echoes of Jules Verne, Saturday matinee pictures of the 1930s, old newsreels, Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life and Albert Limorisse's classic 1956 short film The Red Balloon. Yet despite these neat little homages, Up is also a truly unique, one-of-a-kind experience.

There are various excellent and un-preachy moral/spiritual lessons involved too - from the value of people over property to keeping one's promises (even if it is 70 years later). But these are merely the icing on an absolutely delicious cinematic cake. Packed with excitement and laughs, Up is that rarest of things: an utterly delightful must-see for absolutely everyone and without doubt the most uplifting film of the year.