Two of the most cinematic, powerful movie experiences I’ve had this year share a lot in common. Both are opening sequences, and both deal with marriage, loss and death practically wordlessly, with masterful use of sound, imagery and mise-en-scène. One opens Lars von Trier’s Antichrist (reviewed elsewhere in this issue) and the other, the more emotionally devastating of the pair, the one that invokes mortality, miscarriage and fading hope, is… the latest Disney/Pixar family flick?

Yes, Up is definitely something special. The opening, which shows a marriage from childhood meeting to widower-hood, hits on a gut level—it’s profoundly touching and sweet. And yet, this is still a kid’s movie, one with talking dogs, thousands of balloons, chocolate-eating wild birds and some of the prettiest visuals you’ll see this year. Carl (voiced by Ed Asner), after losing his wife and (nearly) his home, takes his house on a helium-powered trip to South America to fulfil their childhood dreams; naturally, it turns into a grand old adventure. Very few films can appeal to both kids and adults without lame pandering; Pixar has mastered the intelligent family film with universal appeal. Now out on Blu-Ray and DVD (in a single pack, in case you ever want to upgrade your system), this is really one of the finest films of the year.

I’m not sure I’d call it his best film, but North by Northwest has got to be Alfred Hitchcock’s most fun. A near-perfect blend of suspense, action, comedy and romance, it celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, and a beautiful new restoration has it looking as sumptuous as ever (especially those amazing Saul Bass opening titles). Special features include the Ernest Lehman commentary from the previous version, a new doc on Hitchcock’s “signature style,” and Cary Grant: A Class Apart, a feature-length doc that nimbly steps through the great performer’s long and varied career, and attempts, semi-successfully, to get beneath the surface of his legendary façade.