Partly Cloudy (For www.heyuguys.co.uk)

What with Up coming out this month, it also brings along the Pixar Short. They never usually get that much attention, but actually contain a lot of emotion, creativity and fun within them. Partly Cloudy is the latest creation from the Pixar team and is probably the best one yet. It’s a very original idea, and is extremely endearing.

It’s about the idea of a stalk bringing a baby to the front doorstep of someones house. How they get these babies is by flying to a cloud who puffs them up from their big fluffy hands. However, you see a poor, scraggy stalk flying to the only dark cloud who produces electric eels, crocodiles and all other aggressive looking animals. The story continues through showing their relationship progress.

It’s absolutely perfect for a child to watch. It’s colourful, beautiful and extremely friendly - In fact, if there was another certificate for a film that’s lower than a Uc it would be granted it. This short also holds the imagination that Pixar seem to capture in every one of their animations. The story itself couldn’t be made into a full feature length film, but as a short it’s perfect, much like its predecessors such as Geris’ Game, Lifted and of course Luxo Jr.

You can buy the Shorts on their own as a DVD and I’d definitely get it. You can see Pixar progress through their technology and ideas within the short cartoons, as well as feel happy after each and every one of them. Definitely pay attention to the little movie, it’s well worth a watch.

Requiem for a Dream *****

I'm not going to lie, this is probably up there in the most disturbing films ever made, but it's absolutely and utterly unmissable. The cinematography and the topics involved are very original and realistic. It's gritty and sometimes pretty disgusting, however it is probably the best film I've seen this year.

It was made in 2000 by Darren Aronofsky who's also directed The Wrestler. He clearly wants to show images that Hollywood movies would typically cut away from. He's not afraid to try something new in order to gain a reaction out of an audience that you can never normally grasp from a film.

In case you were wondering what the storyline involves, here's the few elements that really are shocking - A mother addicted to diet pills, a heroine addict, twisted sex scenes and some frankly grotesque images of the effects that drugs cause. If there's ever a reason not to take drugs, then this film provides that. Just show it to kids in the awareness campaign, they certainly will never want to talk about them again, let alone take them.

It's not a film that's preaching to you not to do these things, it's a film designed to open up your mind to the nitty gritty underworld that is often glamorised in cinema today. Even though Jared Leto and Jennifer Connelly are very gorgeous faces to have on the screen, they soon become a little less like eye candy, and more... Eye terror. We see their deterioration in a way that makes you connect with them; not necessarily a sense of sympathy, but more a feeling of helplessness towards them. And Marlon Wayans can actually act seriously! He offers a more sensible character (using the term loosely) by pointing out the effect that this life is having on their lives.

The editing in the film is also purely created to make you feel as tense as possible. It contains multiple collages of clips from pupils widening, injecting drugs to clips of a mother being electrocuted... It's not for the faint hearted. But it's a necessity to see this film if you're a film fan. It creates cinematography in a way that really inspires you to make a film. It's seems too real, you become wrapped in this world for the hour and a half, and once you're out of it you still find yourself flashing back to scenes in the film. It's mesmerising to watch.

So overall, as long as you prepare yourself to watch something that's going to shock you to your very core you will be fine... I hope. You MUST see this film. It's a cult and a good one at that.

Up ****

What a colourful Pixar film we have here! All the balloons, birds and forests are filled with these emotive, playful gestures which capture children's attention straightaway. And with every character involved just as endearing as the last makes it quite a fun film to watch... Apart from all the sadness involved!

It's probably the most depressing Disney film yet. That doesn't mean the whole way through you're crying your eyes out. It just means Disney has once again tapped into our emotions, made up connections with the characters, and evidently we cry our eyes out when something bad happens to them.

It's a great mesh of adult and child attraction as this film contains the typical nods towards an adults life so they find it entertaining to watch, as well as the slapstick comedy that the kids love.

The idea behind this film is brilliantly imaginative. And who thought that having a pensioner as the protagonist would be captivating for a young audience?! Carl (Voiced by Edward Asner) is the perfect grandfather figure. He's grumpy yet adventurous, and is definitely funny for an adult audience. His little glimpses of his life before are done so well you really feel for him as soon as you see his face on the screen. You may also be able to imagine yourself in certain situation, or at least imagine your grandparents.

It's probably not one of the best Pixar films in my opinion, but it's up there. Everything about it does ooze Disney though. It's soppy and childish, yet funny and interesting. The short is actually the best one though. It's a little story about clouds, and it just sums up everything that is good about these little Pixar Short films.

Definitely go and see this movie if you're a fan of the previous ones. It's perfect for any aged audience and really connects to you.