Wow. All I can say is wow.
Well, I can say a bit more. Pixae's latest is easily their best and most original movie yet. Wal-E has more to say about love, loneliness, loss, and the simple necessity of touch than any film in the past couple iof decades. It's probably gonna take a spot in my top 10 movies of all time. Yeah, it's that good. With depth beyond a kiddie movie, a beautiful love story, a harsh sci fi story (the opening may be a bit much for tiny tots), and animation that I simply forgot was animation. I was so engrossed in the story - none of which is spelled right out for you, you have to piece much of it together - I totally forgot I was watching a damn cartoon. I even got teary eyed.
Earth has been destroyed by litter, and the president of the corporation that owns everything (a great hologram of Fred Willard) has ordered the world to be evacuated, leaving little robots who are supposed to clean up the litter so earthlings can return in 5 years. 700 years pass, and one lone robot remains, Wal-E, who continues with his directive through the day and plays with his treasures at night, especially an old VHS tape of HELLO DOLLY. He becomes fascinated with touching someone else, loving someone, holding a hand. But, no one remains, except a single cockroach who survives on the Twinkies that still remain. One day, Eve arrives on the planet, a female robot whose sole mission is unknown, but Wal-E falls head over heels. When the mission is discovered, and the two end up on a space station where people have all become fat and lazy, never seeing anyone, speaking only through digital devices, Eve's directive becomes clear, and the little robots end up running for their lives.
The story is incredibly Ray Bradbury-esque, or maybe Arthur C Clarke. It's complex, lovely, and it doesn't talk down to anyone. It rarely talks at all. The first half hour is a sublime nod to Charlie Chaplin's films, both funny and sweet, with no dialogue except a small part of HELLO DOLLY on a scratchy tape.
A truly perfect movie. I can't imagine a better one this year.
Bill
Well, I can say a bit more. Pixae's latest is easily their best and most original movie yet. Wal-E has more to say about love, loneliness, loss, and the simple necessity of touch than any film in the past couple iof decades. It's probably gonna take a spot in my top 10 movies of all time. Yeah, it's that good. With depth beyond a kiddie movie, a beautiful love story, a harsh sci fi story (the opening may be a bit much for tiny tots), and animation that I simply forgot was animation. I was so engrossed in the story - none of which is spelled right out for you, you have to piece much of it together - I totally forgot I was watching a damn cartoon. I even got teary eyed.
Earth has been destroyed by litter, and the president of the corporation that owns everything (a great hologram of Fred Willard) has ordered the world to be evacuated, leaving little robots who are supposed to clean up the litter so earthlings can return in 5 years. 700 years pass, and one lone robot remains, Wal-E, who continues with his directive through the day and plays with his treasures at night, especially an old VHS tape of HELLO DOLLY. He becomes fascinated with touching someone else, loving someone, holding a hand. But, no one remains, except a single cockroach who survives on the Twinkies that still remain. One day, Eve arrives on the planet, a female robot whose sole mission is unknown, but Wal-E falls head over heels. When the mission is discovered, and the two end up on a space station where people have all become fat and lazy, never seeing anyone, speaking only through digital devices, Eve's directive becomes clear, and the little robots end up running for their lives.
The story is incredibly Ray Bradbury-esque, or maybe Arthur C Clarke. It's complex, lovely, and it doesn't talk down to anyone. It rarely talks at all. The first half hour is a sublime nod to Charlie Chaplin's films, both funny and sweet, with no dialogue except a small part of HELLO DOLLY on a scratchy tape.
A truly perfect movie. I can't imagine a better one this year.
Bill
