Today is one of those rare days when we get new Pixar releases on Blu-ray Disc, including their latest movie Up, released by Walt Disney Pictures Home Entertainment.

The story of Up started out as the simple musing - what would it be like if you could just float away from your problems?

The end result is a story with rich characters and a bounty of action and adventure as Carl Fredricksen floats his house, along with a stowaway named Russell, to South America.

Once they arrive Carl continues with his goal to move the house next to Paradise Falls, and the two meet up with a talking dog named Dug and a large exotic bird that Russell decides to call Kevin.

However the discovery of Carl’s adventurer hero Charles Muntz leads to strife for the team, causing Carl to question his goals and where his loyalties lie.

As with all Pixar movies, the characters and storyline are very strong in this film and the result is a delightful and beautiful film that is fun for the whole family.

I was particularly impressed with how well they captured the spirit of the elderly and encompassed this in the character of Carl.

As I understand it the film makers spent a great deal of time observing their own grandparents for ideas for the character, and this attention to detail certainly paid off.

The voice cast includes Ed Asner and Christopher Plummer, as well as Pixar favourite John Ratzenberger.

Up was directed by Pete Docter, who was also the man behind Monsters, Inc., which also saw Blu-ray release today.

The movie was very popular with critics - it earned a Rotten Tomatoes score of 98% and an IMDb score of 8.6/10.

Up was also a huge success at the cinema, garnering $292.9M at the US box office.

The video on the disc is an AVC 1080p encode at 24 Mbps, and is presented at 1.78:1 aspect ratio, filling the HDTV screen.

As per usual for Pixar, the image quality is excellent.

Check out the details page for Up to see full resolution PNG screen captures taken directly from the disc.

The main audio is lossless DTS-HD Master Audio with 5.1 channels - 24 bits resolution at 48 kHz.

The disc is a dual layer BD50, with 44.6 GB used and is coded for Region A.

Special features are numerous and include Bonus View Picture in Picture streams, BD Live Network features and a Digital Copy for both iTunes and Windows.

In fact this title as so many supplements, they spill over onto a second Blu-ray Disc.

The Cine-Explore feature The Making Of Up is a Picture in Picture commentary about the making of the movie presented by Pete Docter.

As with most Pixar releases, a new short with the film’s characters is present - this one is titled Dug’s Special Mission.

The original short Partly Cloudy that screened in the cinema before Up is also included.

In Adventure is Out There the hunt for locations to inspire those in the film is discussed.

A pair of alternate scenes are presented, titled The Many Endings Of Muntz and Married Life.

The supplement only disc includes a set of 8 behind the scenes documentaries chronicling the making of the film and covering all aspects of the movie from characters and story to technical aspects like set design and music.

On the interactivity side there is a BD Live Global Guardian Badge Game where viewers can fly around the world to answer questions and earn Wilderness badges.

A pair of theatrical trailers for the movie are also included, as is a DVD of the movie for legacy players.

Up is another excellent Pixar release from Walt Disney Pictures Home Entertainment, and while it is a little on the expensive side, this four disc release really is a complete package.

The retail price is $45.99, though right now at Amazon this title is only $19.99 saving 57%, making it an excellent time to grab this title!

Extras:

• Dug’s Special Mission Short
• Partly Cloudy Theatrical Short
• Cine-Explore: The Making Of Up
• Adventure is Out There
• The Many Endings Of Muntz: Alternate Scenes
• Global Guardian Badge Game
• Married Life
• 8 All-New Documentaries
• Trailers

Synopsis:

From the revolutionary minds of Pixar Animation Studios and the acclaimed director of Monsters, Inc. comes a hilariously uplifting adventure where the sky is no longer the limit. Carl Fredricksen, a retired balloon salesman, is part rascal, part dreamer who is ready for his last chance at high-flying excitement. Tying thousands of balloons to his house, Carl sets off to the lost world of his childhood dreams. Unbeknownst to Carl, Russell, an overeager 8-year-odl Wilderness Explorer who has never ventured beyond his backyard, is in the wrong place at the wrong time - Carl’s front porch! The world’s most unlikely duo reach new heights and meet fantastic friends like Dug, a dog with a special collar that allows him to speak, and Kevin, the rare 13-foot tall flightless bird. Stuck together in the wilds of the jungle, Carl realizes that sometimes life’s biggest adventures aren’t the ones you set out looking for.

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