WHAT IT'S ABOUT? Pixar makes it ten gems in a row with this enchanting animated story of 78-year-old Carl Fredricksen, a recent widower who decides to fulfill his (plus his late wife's) lifelong dream of tying thousands of balloons to their house and floating off to a mountaintop in South America. But he soon discovers a stowaway in the form of Russell, a precocious eight-year-old "Wilderness Explorer" who he reluctantly allows to accompany him on his journey. Together the unlikely pair embark on the adventure of a lifetime, encountering Kevin, a rare, 13-foot tall-flightless bird; Dug, an overly-friendly talking pooch; and Charles Muntz, a once-famous adventurer who now lives alone in a massive airship, surrounded by a pack of attack dogs. WHO'S IN IT? Sticking to their general custom of casting actors, not big stars, in key voice roles, Pixar assembled a superb cast for Up, led by veteran TV star Ed Asner (The Mary Tyler Moore Show) as the aged Carl, who takes flight in his house and finds there is a lot to learn about life even as you near death. Asner's grumpy delivery provides the perfect counterpoint to nine-year-old Jordan Nagai's Russell, a bright and optimistic kid who proves an invaluable assistant to Carl throughout their journey.

Christopher Plummer (The Sound of Music) is authoritative and intriguing as the obsessed Muntz and John Ratzenberger (Cheers) extends his streak of Pixar films to 10 as a construction engineer who tries to convince Carl to sell his house. Bob Peterson does delightful double duty as two of the key dog voices, lovable Dug and the menacing Alpha, head of the pack. WHAT'S GOOD? Like Pixar's previous Oscar-winning masterpiece Wall-E, Up is a 'toon that is not content to explore the same places we've seen in previous animated blockbusters. Centering an action comedy around a 78-year-old man isn't a strategy you'll find in the youth-obsessed Hollywood recipe book, but it pays great dividends here with a moral that life's greatest adventure is the one you share with someone you love. The non-humans — particularly Kevin and Dug — are hilarious and unique, and a silent sequence detailing the courtship and marriage of the Fredricksens is a sweet touch that could have come straight out of a Charlie Chaplin movie.

WHAT'S BAD? With a string of critically-acclaimed hits that includes Toy Story, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Wall-E and now Up, Pixar is ruining it for everyone else. There is simply no way they can be topped when it comes to pushing the boundaries of animated movies. Bad for other studios. Good for us. OSCAR WATCH? Could Up, which just became the first animated film to open the Cannes Film Festival, also become the first to be nominated for the Best Picture Oscar since Beauty and the Beast in 1991 (before the Animation category was even established)? At this point in the year, it's actually a good bet.

Whatever the case, expect Up to earn several nominations come Oscar time. FAVORITE SCENE? A swashbuckling swordfight across the skies between two near-octogenarians? It's the best action scene in a summer full of 'em. NETFLIX OR MULTIPLEX? Oh, pleeeeeease! Get to a theater fast. Up is also available in 3-D at select locations. Either way, it's a must-see.

Hollywood.com rated this film 4 stars.-Pete Hammond.