Pixar continues its unprecedented winning streak of sorts with “Up,” the 10th straight sterling film from the CG animation house since it made its name with “Toy Story” in 1995.

“Up's” success comes in spite of some bold storytelling choices. I can't comment on the first of those choices - the film's presentation in 3-D - because the Fingerlakes Theatres doesn't show the movie as such.

“Up” nonetheless elevates itself over a few other self-imposed challenges. Like “WALL*E,” Pixar's last triumph, “Up” deals in some less-than-bubbly themes. Its brilliant opening montage presents the idyllic married life shared by Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner) and his wife, Ellie, who passes away at the sequence's end. Ten minutes in and the film's already coaxing tears.

Carl's lonely existence in the house he and Ellie spent countless hours renovating is aggravated by encroaching urban developers. When a builder accidentally knocks Carl and Ellie's hand-printed mailbox off its stand, Carl despondently bonks the builder over the head with his cane. The scene features the first human blood I can recall in a Pixar movie.

Before Carl can be carted off to a retirement home, he makes good on his and Ellie's shared promise to see Paradise Falls, a beatific spot in South America. Carl levitates their home with hundreds of helium balloons, but unwillingly brings Russell (Jordan Nagai), an overachieving but endearing Boy Scout, along for the ride.

The dynamic between the ornery Carl and the spirited Russell carries the film along until they meet a few too-cute non-human characters that safely avoid annoying the older audience members. Having not known much about “Up” prior to seeing it, the introduction of the plot elements beyond the whole “flying house” premise was slightly much to take in at first. But Pixar, like always, rose above it, and I was all too grateful to have gone for the ride.

1:30. PG for some peril and action

Fingerlakes Theatres: 7, 9 p.m.