Up (Combi Pack - Blu-ray + DVD) [2009]

78-year-old Carl Fredricksen has always dreamed of seeing the rainforests of South America. To achieve this, Carl comes up with the spectacular scheme of tying thousands of balloons to his house and floating around the world. However, upon take-off he realises he has a stowaway; Russell, an 8-year-old who has the same intrepid instinct as Carl.

The film itself is outstanding, and only the second to snare a Best Picture nomination at the Academy Awards. Telling the story of 78-year old Carl Fredericksen as he embarks, along with boy scout Russell, on a journey he promised his late wife he’d always take, it’s a stunning piece of work. Most memorable is one of the most moving sequences ever committed to animation, which hits you in the film’s first ten minutes, but there’s still plenty to keep you enthralled after that.

One of the most striking features of Up is just how visually arresting it is. The visuals crackle with exceptional levels of detail here, with a broad palette of colours shining through on the stunning 1080p video transfer. This really is reference-quality work, and just from a home cinema demonstration point of view, Up is a flat-out must buy.

But it’s more than that. It’s also one of the most ambitious, at-times original and boldest films to come out of Hollywood in recent times. When most other animation studios are content to stuff their films with cute animals and star names, Pixar continues to take risks, and while Up isn’t a perfect ride, it’s not too far off. A wonderful film, brilliantly transferred to Blu-ray. --Simon Brew