MANILA - Pixar's latest film release "UP" is a heartwarming tale that packs a lot of moral punch.

The story is about Carl and Ellie Frederiksen, childhood playmates-turned-lovers, who grew up dreaming of embarking on an adventure just like their hero, Charles Muntz, a jet-setting explorer. 

As they grow old, things seem to get in the way of their dream of building a house atop Paradise Falls in South America like financial setbacks, domestic routines, and later, Ellie's death. 

Carl, now 78, is bent on seclusion until Russell, a boisterous junior scout, knocks on his door and insists on giving him assistance.

Evading mandatory transfer to a retirement home in order to fulfill Ellie's dream, Carl ties thousands of balloons to his house and "sets sail" (with Russell) for Paradise Falls, where fun and perilous adventures await.

Here is a list of noteworthy things about Pixar's animated film "UP", directed by Bob Peterson and Pete Docter, co-directed by Peter Sohn.

1. The feel-good factor: comedy with heart. The film is packed with humor mixed in with some tear-jerking scenes. Most of the film's moral lessons can be found in these touching scenes.

The most touching include Carl and Ellie's montage, showing their journey from freckled kids to wrinkly senior citizens and how they still love each other through it all, as well as Russell's Wilderness Explorer pinning ceremony, where Carl awards him the grape soda badge that Ellie gave him.

Even the final credits, splashed with photos of Carl and Russell having their own adventures in the city, is cute and heartwarming.

2. Asian represents! As many movie critics have noted, this is the first time that an Asian character, voiced by an Asian (Japanese-American Jordan Nagai), was put in a lead role in a Pixar movie.

Cast when he was 7, Nagai lends his voice to 8-year-old Russell, a cute, chubby, and energetic Junior Wilderness Explorer who inadvertently becomes cranky widower Carl Frederiksen's partner in adventure. 

A reference to childhood obesity notwithstanding, Russell's almond-eyed, button-nosed character is irresistible because of his huggable exterior and positive attitude despite his personal troubles.

Russell doesn't follow typical Asian-American stereotypes in movies since he seems to have fully assimilated to upper middle-class American culture based on his accent and hints of his family's background.

3. The importance of family and friends. While Russell may seem carefree and naive, he is inwardly lonely because of his absentee father.

In one of two heart-to-heart talks with Mr. Frederiksen, Russell clues in that his parents are separated and reveals that he wants to win the "Assistance to the Elderly" badge in the hope that he would see his father attend his pinning ceremony. 

In the same way, while Carl may seem like an ill-humored man in his later years, this is only because he is lonely and struggling to hold on to dreams of adventure that he shared with his dead wife Ellie.

These aspects of the movie highlight the importance of family and friendship, as Russell eventually finds a father figure in Carl, and Carl finds a son in Russell. 

Even the animals of the movie show the importance of family and friends.

Dug, the goofy-talking Golden Retriever, turns back on his pack of rabid talking dogs and sides with his new "masters" after he is shunned by his more evil-looking peers. Even the topical bird, which Russell names "Kevin", spends most of the movie trying to return to her children.

4. The exoticism of South America. "It's like America... but South!" says an awed Ellie in the beginning of the movie, as she shows her future husband Carl her "Adventure Book."

In various references, the country (specifically the mythical location Paradise Falls) is referenced as "place lost in time" and an exotic locale where chocolate-loving rainbow-feathered birds and other mythical creatures abound.

The contrast is clear: while North America is already at the stage where 8-year-olds have GPS systems and high-rise buildings are enroaching upon suburban households with idyllic front yards, South America is seemingly "frozen in time." 

This type of framing echoes colonial mindsets of "primitive and wild" locales left behind by "more advanced" Western countries. Conversely, these exotic locations become archaeological playgrounds for adventurers like Charles Muntz, who is the main villain in the movie.

Muntz disappears into the jungle surrounding Paradise Falls, relentlessly collecting animal specimens for his collection and in a way, exploiting and destroying the area's natural resources. 

However, the film redeems itself somehow when Carl, Russell, and yes, Dug, save "Kevin" the tropical bird and returns it to its natural habitat. In the process, they rid the area of Muntz and his legion of talking dogs, leaving South America's jungle in peace.

5. Worth watching in 3D? For the previews, yes. Watching in 3D will cost you about P100 to P150 more than if you watch the film without 3D glasses.

Is it worth the extra money? Yes, if you want to experience some of the great previews and a Pixar shortie in 3D (it's exciting to see graphics moving toward you) or if you feel like watching in a less-cramped, half-empty theater. 

By watching "UP" in 3D, you get the added bonus of seeing the characters slightly popping out from the screen, but beyond that, you'll get the same warm and fuzzy feeling if you watch without 3D glasses (that you don't get to keep anyway).

6. There's a Pinoy in the production team. 'Nuff said. Read related story here.

7. The dichotomy of boring vs. exciting. The film's plot centers largely on how Carl negotiates between what he believes is a boring existence, as opposed to an exciting one. While Carl's character equates adventure with excitement, and routine with boredom; the film actually proves that these concepts are relative. 

Russell, who opens up to Carl about his broken family, recalls a time when he and his father would eat ice cream, sit on a curb, and count the red and blue cars that pass by. "It may sound boring, but it's the boring parts that I remember the most," Russell says sadly. 

Guilty that Ellie was disappointed that they did not fulfill their grand adventure, Carl half-flies, half-pulls his floating house to Paradise Falls "even if it kills him." Later, Carl finds out that Ellie pasted photos from their married life on her "Adventure Book", meaning that she had thought of life with him as an adventure in itself. 

This way, the film implies that adventures can happen anywhere and with anyone. The ones that count are things that give your life meaning.

8. Go out and have your own adventure. The film's theme is adventure and imagination, much like many Pixar films. This one, however, puts those themes everywhere - in the "Spirit of Adventure" blimp, the "Adventure Book", or the "Wilderness Explorer" concept.

Through Russell's character, the film may be highlighting the benefits of going outdoors instead of staying inside with electronics. As the film shows, "Wilderness Explorers" may be explorers by name and uniform, but Russell confesses that he and his fellow scouts don't really go camping outside and aren't exposed to wilderness environments.

Conversely, sheltered individuals are also encouraged to step out of their comfort zones and realize their dreams, like Carl Frederiksen did. As Russell and Carl prove, it's never too late (or too early) to have an adventure. Report by Kristine Servando, abs-cbnNEWS.com. Photo by Ronnie del Carmen.