WALL*E
Jun 30
As with many other people, I have been greatly anticipating the next Pixar movie. Well, I have seen it and it is great. In fact WALL*E is one of my favorite Pixar movies. As I make that statement I realize that I could say that about pretty much any Pixar movie. It is quite amazing that one studio has made nine (if I am counting correctly) movies that I can honestly say are all great. I would think that most people would agree. If only other movie studios would take note and take the time to make the majority of their movies great. Unfortunately, they tend to just throw junk out the door counting on the fact that the American public is used to the junk and will stomach it. It is rare to see a movie that seems to stand up out of the rabble, refusing to be average, and truly be outstanding. Pixar does this on a consistent basis and WALL*E is no exception.
To those of you who have heard that this movie preaches environmentalism I would ask you to read this interview with the writer/director. I have read several interviews that he has given and in every on he says that he did not write this movie to preach. In fact he came up with the idea in 1994 long before the green hype. What I took from it is something I already agreed with: God has given this world to us and we need to take care of it. Do yourself a favor and go see this movie whatever you may have heard.
One of the things that stands out in my mind about this movie is the lack of dialogue but the fantastic story telling through character interaction and visuals. It is a marvel to behold.
Pixar taught me a lesson with Cars. I remember seeing the trailers for it and wondering how it would be a good movie. When I did see it it was wonderful just like the movies that had come before. It is hard for me to doubt this animation studio.
(I suppose this is turning into as much of a review of Pixar as it is of WALL*E. I feel that if they made the movie I will see it.)
Not to be forgotten is the animated short that comes before the movie. Again, wonderful! I highly recommend this movie to you. Go see it!
Brian
The academic in me insists: they DID make “A Bug’s Life,” which while not horrible is pretty much a straightforward Disney movie, and was far inferior to the brilliant-if-diabolical “Antz.”
But they got better.
(And Toy Story was always good–though as a partisan of my own I blame that on Joss Whedon’s participation.)
I was, however, kinda hoping to read more of your reactions to the human elements of the story, which I found a bit problematic (and therefore interesting.)
I mean, the love story was just brilliant in conception and execution, moving from the initial poetry of the wastelands of earth (and WALL-E’s built-up culture) to the soaring dance in space.
But the human plotline seemed somehow less fulfilling. The more I think of it the less I can figure out how to do it better, but for all the keen satire there just wasn’t the same level of depth. I dunno…maybe I would feel better about it if there was just one more good line from that section–”I didn’t know we had a pool” worked great, but that’s about it.
I guess I didn’t write about the human element because I wasn’t as impressed with them as I was with the robot romance. There was definitely a discrepancy between the depths of the human story and the robot story.
One question that popped into my head was, if the humans only interacted in the way depicted, how did the babies that appear briefly come about?
I think they tried to parallel the love story of the robots with the love story of humans with earth or the need to think independently. I thought it was good but the robot end weighed more heavily than the human end.
Hmmm…I hadn’t thought about that with the babies…how…odd. I agree that the human element needed tweaking – but that was the secondary plot. And I really did like that moment when the Captain becomes curious about Earth and starts getting all the definitions.
And the short. was. FANTASTIC! I love that rabbit!