Up (3D)

The animation powerhouse that is Pixar presents their first 3D movie - a visually stunning adventure full of laughs for the whole family.

It shot to the top of the box office on its US release, taking a staggering $68.2 million - the third biggest opener for the studio after Finding Nemo and The Incredibles.

It follows 78-year-old Carl Fredricksen, a loveable old grouch who decides to fulfill his lifelong dream of seeing South America’s Paradise Falls by tying thousands of balloons to his home and flying away. But after lift-off, he encounters an unwanted stowaway - bumbling eight-year-old wilderness explorer Russell.

A terrifying storm - which evokes the moment when Dorothy’s house is swept off to the land of Oz - causes them to crash-land but they make it to the rainforest and meet an exotic bird, a pack of talking dogs and adventurer Charles Muntz, Carl’s hero.

Director Pete Docter - the man behind Monster’s Inc - brings the tale to life using epic scenery and a palette of candy colours. The characters are beautifully drawn and the landscapes are some of the studio’s finest work yet - the detail in the jungle and ocean is breathtaking.

The 3D effects are impressive but minimal and the movie won’t lose any of its charm without them.

There are plenty of laughs plus a few tears, although unlike Toy Story or The Incredibles there are less in-jokes for adults.

Russell is a wonderfully comic character – innocent and full of endless chat and questions. Every parent will chuckle when Carl suggests the game “who can stay quiet the longest”.

The talking dogs offer most of the laughs, especially the friendly and loyal Dug, who befriends and helps our heroes. Cute touches include the hounds playing poker in a recreation of the famous painting.

But like Pixar’s best works, Up isn’t just belly laughs. The love story between Carl and his wife Ellie is beautifully told at the beginning and viewers share his devastation when she passes away. And you can’t help but feel sorry for loveable little Russell as he reveals how he never sees his estranged father.

Up is not as good as Toy Story or The Incredibles but it is crammed with rounded, loveable characters, fun, action and a sweet moral message. Incredibly imaginative, beautifully drawn and narratively captivating, big and little kids will adore it.