'Up' will make you feel down, but also up. What?

It's hard to tell people about a good film without giving away bits of it, and I'm not a movie reviewer by trade ("NO WAY" - the world) so this is going to be quite rubbish, but I need to tell you to watch Up at the cinema, because it's ace.

It's not just ace in the same way that other Disney Pixar films are ace. Yes, it looks nice: the animation of humans has come on leaps and bounds in just ten years, and the scenery might as well be live-action in parts. But it's the story that's really a cut above, and it's certainly the most mature offering Disney Pixar has given us.

In case you don't know, Up is a film about an elderly man, Carl, who attaches helium balloons to his house and floats away to explore South America. He unintentionally brings a small boy with him, and meets an exotic bird and a talking dog. As I say, it's properly mature (honestly, it is).

The fight scenes and elaborate set-pieces were obviously crowbarred in to keep the kids happy, and they're the weakest points of the film. The rest of it is incredible.

It was clearly made for grown-ups: Up is a film about getting old, about loneliness, love, companionship, death and letting go of the past. It's about "living the dream", but it's also about how life gets in the way of living the dream, and about how that doesn't necessarily matter - you should appreciate the dream you're living, not hanker after the one you missed out on. I know that sounds terribly corny the way I say it, but the film makes quite a subtle point of it, and doesn't drown itself in mawkishness.

Having said that, it's terribly sad. I was welling up from about ten minutes in, and cried on and off throughout the rest of the film. The way Carl is introduced and earns your sympathy is... well, it's done really really well. (This Film 2009 lark is tougher than it looks, okay?)

It's not just the opening scenes though. There are probably three or four desperately affecting moments throughout the rest of the film. I won't go into detail about these scenes because it would give too much away, but let's just say that if I ever get married there is no WAY I'm having a personalised post-box with handprints on it. NO WAY.

Anyway, you should go and see it. It's truly astounding, and you will cry, but you will also laugh a bit, and go "ah bless".

And the professional movie reviewers of the world sleep soundly in their beds yet again.