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In a Nutshell: As with most recent Pixar films, I liked it a lot, but I didn't love it. Hopefully, as with most Pixar films, it will grow on me with repeat viewings. We did not see it in 3-D, so I can't speak to that aspect.

Quick Plot: As a child, Carl always wanted to be an adventurer. Now a widower, he keeps a promise to his wife to visit South America. The former balloon salesman takes his house up, up, and away, and he settles in for the ride. A knock at the door, in mid-air, reveals an unexpected passenger on his journey, a young Wilderness Explorer named Russell.

In Detail: I have been sitting on this review for 2 weeks now. We actually saw it opening day, but I still really don't know what to say about this movie. Even DH said to me as we were leaving, "I don't envy you having to write that review!" I think I am going to have a recurring problem with movies like this, though. I was so intent on watching it to see if it would be good for our son (now age 4.5) that it is hard for me to enjoy the film on its own merits. (I had the same problem with WALL-E last year.) It was a good movie, and we enjoyed it. I cried twice, so how bad could it be? It was very sweet, very touching in places, and just a feast for the eyes (as usual for Pixar). The sunlight coming through the balloons and casting colored shadows on the ground was just stunning. As far as characters go, Dug is priceless. (Squirrel!) We really did like it. But I can also tell you that we will not be taking our son. In general, I think it is fine for kids around his age, but he is *very* sensitive to animal violence. There is no blood or anything that I recall, but some dogs fighting each other and they were pretty menacing to the main characters. For my child in particular, even though it turns out okay with the dogs in the end, I think the dogs would scare him, especially in the theater on that huge screen. At home on a smaller screen and in a secure environment, I think he'll be okay, but we won't be taking him to the theater for this one. I do think that is a big reason why I am slightly disappointed with the movie, because I so wanted to take him to see it. That's not the movie's fault! It's just hard for me to separate the two. So, good movie, probably better than I think it is right now, and you should definitely see it. (No coda, BTW.)

Will I Buy It? Yes. It was good, and we love Pixar, and I'm sure it will grow on us like the others have.