The Cannes Film Festival is underway and Pixar's latest effort Up, due in theaters in two weeks, makes history as the first animated feature screened on opening day. The movie is being shown in 3-D for the Cannes audience, although that will not be the norm for the wide release.
In the days leading up to today's screening, some reviews have already surfaced.
"Winsome, touching and arguably the funniest Pixar effort ever, the gorgeously rendered, high-flying adventure is a tidy 90-minute distillation of all the signature touches that came before it."
-- Michael Rechtshaffen, Hollywood Reporter
"And though it's not yet summer, we can declare that Up, like WALL-E, will prove to be one of the most satisfying movie experiences of its year."
-- Richard Corliss, Time
"A captivating odd-couple adventure that becomes funnier and more exciting as it flies along."
-- Todd McCarthy, Variety
Given that, it seems likely the Cannes response will be radically different from the last time an American movie opened the festival. In 2006, The Da Vinci Code resulted in the audience laughing in ridicule; it also prompted The New York Times' A.O. Scott to write one of his most ruthless and carping reviews of the year. It seems safe to say nothing like that will happen this time.