posted
First off, the traditional short, Presto is as wonderful an homage as anyone's given to the work of Tex Avery, Chuck Jones, Friz Freleng, and the other comedic greats of the golden age of theatrical animation. It's good stuff.
WALL*E is not good stuff. WALL*E is -great- stuff.
In fact, it'll be a crime if it's not nominated for "best picture" instead of merely "best animated film".
The first third of the film puts us into a situation so bleak, so lonely, so desperately barren that every gag and bit of whimsy is completely necessary. Otherwise it'd be too depressing to watch. Pixar's not exactly avoided darker content before, but this definitely pushes their scope.
After WALL*E meets EVE, the film becomes several things. It becomes one of the sweetest, most heart-breaking romances of 2008. It becomes an SF adventure. It becomes an epic about the reawakening of what's good in humanity. It becomes the most perfect portrayal of funny robots ever.
One thing it never becomes, thankfully, is an anvilicious tract like certain lesser, non-Pixar films CGI "message" movies have been. The story is told so wonderfully that the message never clashes. Likewise, the message is an important enough one that it never seems tacked on to the story.
(unlike that film whose title rhymed with "snappy beat")
WALL*E is so good that it even made usage of footage from the 1969 "Hello Dolly" cinematic turkey enjoyable...and -that- takes some doing!
You will love this movie. If you don't, then you also don't love truth, beauty, and probably also lack a soul. I pity you. Posts: 6689 | Registered: Jan 2005
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posted
I've been so excited for WALL-E, so much so that I went and bought the Wii game with a gift card I had. It just looks to be so good, and it's a romance and SF adventure. How can that not draw in a romantic nerd like myself? My girlfriend and I are going to see it tomorrow as part of our five month anniversary thing. I'm looking forward to it. Posts: 1960 | Registered: May 2005
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ARGH! I've been waiting for eleven months for this movie but I can't see it today because I'm seeing Get Smart at someone's birthday party!
Posts: 1029 | Registered: Apr 2007
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posted
Ok then. Since Narnia doesn't seem to be playing (which means, not cute hot guy on the large screen) I'll just only see Wall-E instead of seeing two movies. I'll also have sushi. Maybe not this weekend though.
Posts: 9942 | Registered: Mar 2003
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I'm not going to see this movie until next weekend, probably. We want to see this as a whole family, because if we didn't someone would feel cheated on, and what with a business trip and a vacation to Acadia going on this and next week, we'll probably see it in Maine.
Posts: 1029 | Registered: Apr 2007
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Hey I just saw it. Per the subject I won't post any spoilers. But my eyes are still trying to take in all that eye candy. I was so impressed with the HUGE shots, so full of detail down to the glint of every robot. The character designs were so well conceived, especially the main robots. There are Pixar easter eggs everywhere, and some scenes I wouldn't change a thing about.
Those were also the best use of credits I've seen in a very long time, I remember thinking, "AWWW is that the conclusion?" It seems Pixar folks felt the same way.
There was alot more dialogue than I was lead to believe, but Pixar definitely tells great story without alot of words. There is no way it won't win the best sound editing oscar. Presto was hysterical, I loved the retro Silly Symphony look at the beginning.
edit: The previews on the other hand were absolutely terrible.
Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
Well, I must be without a soul, because I thought it was one of the worst movies of the year. The CGI wasn't any improvement over the original Toy Story and the lack of sufficient dialogue completely ruined the storytelling.
Ok, now that I am done lying, I loved Wall-E. Definitely my favorite of all the Pixar films, and I want to watch it a couple more times just to absorb the wonderful visuals and enjoy the characters again.
Wall-E himself had all of the character traits that I loved from ET and Short Circuit, but better. There wasn't anything about him that annoyed me or seemed inauthentic. He was also a great example of a genuine hero.
Despite the minimal dialogue (except perhaps near the last part of the film), my 5-year-old was enthralled. In fact, the visual storytelling was more meaningful to him than a lot of the speaking that a child his age would miss. It says a lot about a film that can tell a great visual story that reaches adults and little kids. When I asked my son what he liked most about the movie, he said, "Everything."
If you are picky about what you will pay to see in today's expensive theaters, definitely make this one of your must-sees of the year. The visual detail in this movie needs to be seen on the big screen.
Posts: 684 | Registered: Aug 2001
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quote:Originally posted by BlackBlade: Those were also the best use of credits I've seen in a very long time, I remember thinking, "AWWW is that the conclusion?" It seems Pixar folks felt the same way.
Oh, totally. I was saying to myself: "What, no coda?" Then the credits started... Posts: 6689 | Registered: Jan 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Marlozhan: Despite the minimal dialogue (except perhaps near the last part of the film), my 5-year-old was enthralled. In fact, the visual storytelling was more meaningful to him than a lot of the speaking that a child his age would miss.
Children are actually not very able to grasp most of the dialog. Many times, characters speak too fast, in funny voices, and the occasional big word or witty sentence, meant to make the adults chuckle, will leave a kid clueless. This is why many children have an insane passion to watch their favorite movies over and over again. It's really the visuals that tell the story for them. When it comes to being a kid, plot is thrown out the window until the movie has been seen enough to understand it. Kids are most likely to imitate the most clearly-spoken and enthusiastically-delivered short sentences, repeating them right after they're said in the movie, and sometimes when the are reminded of it at the supper table.
My suggestion is mostly to let kids be kids; they don't watch TV for the same reason adults do. But it would be cool if, in the digital video era, you could teach a kid to read by always turning on the subtitles. Think of how much attention kids give to the TV! It's like reading immersion camp. Of course, I don't have any kids directly under my responsibility to test this idea, it also helps the adults, because even they can't get everything the first time.
Posts: 1029 | Registered: Apr 2007
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posted
I feel sort of guilty about not mentioning the soundtrack. In addition to a couple of songs from Hello Dolly that tie into WALL*E's humanity and optimism, there's also 'La Vie En Rose' by the legendary Louis Armstrong, a great new song by Peter Gabriel, and a truly evocative score by Thomas Newman. An especial favorite is EVE's theme music. Like EVE herself it's beautiful, stirring, powerful...and strangely wistful. Posts: 6689 | Registered: Jan 2005
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posted
Okay, I managed to sneak a screening this afternoon, despite the hostilities that will inevitably arise, but it was SO worth it. I absolutely have a new all-time favorite movie. My biggest qualm with the movie is when WALL-E touches that planet's rings, and the dust swirls. WRONG! Such a pattern of movement requires air currents. And not to mention that a starship traveling at transplanetary speeds would be cruising so fast that if WALL-E touched those ring particles he'd have been blasted to smithereens.
But that's it. I'm willing to forgive the scientific inaccuracy in that one scene for the perfect combination of action, romance, and satire that makes the movie. The animations are so striking, the scenery so detailed, the sounds so emotional, the story so elegant, the... oh I'm getting carried away. This may well be the first time I walked away so stunned and satisfied with a movie that I had impossibly high expectations for.
EDIT: Did anyone stay long enough after the credits, even after the Pixar and Disney screens? The funniest thing happens.
Posts: 1029 | Registered: Apr 2007
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Heh, I did, hoping for outtakes or something. It was worth a chuckle:) I wonder if it was a nod/smirk to the (stupid, IMO) criticisms of hypocrisy in that movie re: marketing and stuff?
(If that was the only scientific inaccuracy you noted, there was one that was actually central to the story that you missed: the plant in the vacuum of space.)
Posts: 17164 | Registered: Jun 2001
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Yeah, the plant couldn't have survived in hard vacuum.
Then again, it's even more unlikely that a robot could develop a soul. Even one with expressive ViewMaster eyes. Posts: 6689 | Registered: Jan 2005
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We went this morning (you know, that's the best time to go on the opening weekend of a much anticipated movie? First showing on Saturday morning. There were only 12 of us in the whole theater. It was wonderful.) and I *loved* it. I want to go see it again. I was a little scared of the beginning because it seemed like the usual 'global destruction' guiltfest movies seem to love, but after the first couple of minutes, I really didn't get that. I got how lonely the place was and appreciated the ubiquitousness of BnL. It was taking Walmart to the far extreme and I thought it was funny in a sad sort of way.
I loved the messages about love it held. I also loved the way they illustrated the dead end life of the sole pursuit of pleasure and convenience. I didn't feel preached at and it was cartoonish enough to keep from feeling preachy. It was perfectly done. I think it's my new favorite!
Posts: 5948 | Registered: Jun 2001
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It was so...PRETTY! The detail is incredible. From the sweeping landscape down to every speck of dirt on Wall-E. I didn't know animators could do something like that. When I wasn't ooh-ing and aww-ing of the characters and story, I was wondering how long a particular background had taken to create.
We went to a 9:10pm showing and so it was a small crowd. Only one little kid who talked through the first five minutes. His parents tried to shush him and then lady snapped at them for trying to quiet him because "its a kid movie." Aside wanting to remind her that Pixar doesn't just make "kid-movies," I was tempted to remind her that it was probably well past the kid's bedtime and he probably shouldn't have been there at all.
Thankfully, he got quiet and stayed that way for most of the film (only speaking up at the end when we're all riveted to our seats because you know how kids are doing serious and nearly silent scenes.) Overall, it was an amazing atmosphere. His eyes were glued to the screen and the adult audience was laughing at every perfectly timed joke or visual gag. And I love how natural the humor was. No inappropriate jokes or unnecessary puns. It all just flowed beautifully.
And how could you not love Wall-E and Eve?! I wish we could get performances like that out of more than a few human actors.
On a completely random note, hordes of Barenaked Ladies fans are wondering if the animators at Pixar are tipping their hat to the band. Personally, I hope not since Buy-N-Large is like Walmart, Bush, and Donald Trump rolled into one and it scares me!
Posts: 1733 | Registered: Apr 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Rakeesh: Heh, I did, hoping for outtakes or something. It was worth a chuckle:) I wonder if it was a nod/smirk to the (stupid, IMO) criticisms of hypocrisy in that movie re: marketing and stuff?
(If that was the only scientific inaccuracy you noted, there was one that was actually central to the story that you missed: the plant in the vacuum of space.)
Well, no, I was thinking just that when WALL-E ejected with his fire extinguisher, but I decided that his compartment must be vacuum-sealed. Then he showed the plant to EVE, and then I think I closed my eyes...
I think I'm willing to forgive the trauma to the plant because it is important to the theme and plot to the movie, but the swirling rings do nothing but look cute. Which is why it's a very minor quibble. The movie is perfect, even with its flaws. Posts: 1029 | Registered: Apr 2007
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quote:Originally posted by C3PO the Dragon Slayer: The movie is perfect, even with its flaws.
Just recite the MST3K mantra: "Repeat to yourself it's just a show, I should really just relax." Pixar (as usual) was concerned with story and character first and foremost. Any contradictions to the laws of reality can be safely chalked up to the fantasy elements. Posts: 6689 | Registered: Jan 2005
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quote:Originally posted by rivka: There were several other major science holes. Like where did all the food come from?
The liquid food in a cup? Well, the captain referred to it as "self-regenerating", so I personally assumed BnL developed a super-batch of mold or something that the robots could grow on the ship, grind up into smoothies, and flavor as needed with tasty artificial ingredients.
I'm not bashing Hello Dolly, I'm bashing the 1969 movie version. I'm sorry, but Barbra Streisand was all wrong for Dolly Levi. It's true!
Posts: 6689 | Registered: Jan 2005
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If we are going to argue about the likelyhood of particular details, then shouldn't we find it unlikely that a thousand people who have never used their legs for walking in their entire lives would suddenly be able to walk around just because they decided to do so?
posted
Yeah, I thought of that too. But I assumed they must have taken turns jogging their newly discovered track on their way through hyperspace.
Posts: 1029 | Registered: Apr 2007
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I saw it yesterday and liked it a lot. I won't say loved, but darn near close. I think because Eve and Wall-E were robots, the depiction of their "emotions" were able to be much purer than what you get with real people. There's always that hint of acting with ... well, actors. But none of that with Eve and Wall-E.
Also, I loved how even though the movie was more or less centered around Wall-E, everyone had their own battles to fight. It wasn't just Wall-E doing things with everyone else watching, helping, or opposing. There were multiple conflicts centered around multiple characters, all of which the audience cared about.
I won't say it's the best movie I've seen, but it is by far the best I've seen this year.
Posts: 2827 | Registered: Jul 2005
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My girlfriend and I loved Wall-E when we saw it yesterday. In fact, her parents are supposed to come into town next weekend, so we're probably going to take them to see it as well. It was just such an awesome movie.
Posts: 1960 | Registered: May 2005
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quote:Originally posted by prolixshore: If we are going to argue about the likelyhood of particular details, then shouldn't we find it unlikely that a thousand people who have never used their legs for walking in their entire lives would suddenly be able to walk around just because they decided to do so?
--ApostleRadio
The human mind is a powerful thing .
Maybe the suits had some sort of muscle stimulation which kept them from atrophying completely. And maybe they had been taught how to walk when they were babies or even children (notice there were no children? Only adults and babies that I saw) but once they got into the chairs they simply never used it. In which case it might be like riding a bike after not thinking about it for 15 years - A little shaky, but possible.
Just saying, it's not as impossible as the plant in space.
Posts: 2827 | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
Actually, plants are fairly resilient and would likely survive a minute or two of vacuum. Humans do (according to NASA's best guess) and we have a bunch of important systems that make assumptions about pressure differentials, which aren't found in plants.
The inaccuracy that bugged me the most was when the Axiom threw out all that garbage. If they're supposed to have been doing this for 700 years, just where are they getting all their mass? And I must say that that episode doesn't exactly fill me with hope for the future of these humans as stewards of the new Earth. If 700 years in space can't teach them recycling, then it's just hopeless.
Posts: 10645 | Registered: Jul 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Dr Strangelove: I saw it yesterday and liked it a lot. I won't say loved, but darn near close.
Ditto this. It was cute and charming and good, but I'm not ready to hail this as the best movie of the year - or even my favorite Pixar film.
Posts: 3932 | Registered: Sep 1999
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quote:Originally posted by King of Men: The inaccuracy that bugged me the most was when the Axiom threw out all that garbage. If they're supposed to have been doing this for 700 years, just where are they getting all their mass?
According to the tie-in guidebooks, BnL had space-mining operations. The same ships that send out the EVE probes are also used to bring raw materials in for robot construction and the like.
One of the points of the Axiom scenes was, the people had known nothing but the mindless consumerism of BnL before WALL*E came along and started awakening various folk to being engaged and interested in things again. The coda scenes during the credits indicate they were able to deprogram themselves...they're showing re-using ship materials and restoring the ancient Earth buildings. Posts: 6689 | Registered: Jan 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Dr Strangelove: I saw it yesterday and liked it a lot. I won't say loved, but darn near close.
Ditto this. It was cute and charming and good, but I'm not ready to hail this as the best movie of the year - or even my favorite Pixar film.
What would you consider the best movie of the year (so far)? I'm not being argumentative, just curious. I keep on getting free passes to movie theaters and I have Netflix now, so I'd like to see more quality movies.
Posts: 2827 | Registered: Jul 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Carrie: [QUOTE]]Ditto this. It was cute and charming and good, but I'm not ready to hail this as the best movie of the year - or even my favorite Pixar film.
"It was only averagely awesome. Merely terrific. Sort of super. Ho-hum." (J/K)
But seriously, out of the first half of 2008, this is one of the few films that entertained me from start to finish -and- made me think.
Posts: 6689 | Registered: Jan 2005
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posted
It's the best movie of the year for me so far, but then I have a very poor memory for things like 'what movie I liked best'.
(KoM, plants may be resilient, but that plant was on Death's Doorstep. Had one root tendril in the grave, so to speak.)
I think that like all Pixar films, WALL-E was not supposed to be 'realistic storytelling'. I mean, obviously of course. But what I mean by that is that it tries to stay true in terms of emotions, relationships, motivations, etc. - the soft stuff - while not prioritizing the hard stuff as much.
For example, in The Incredibles, we're really good at detecting rocket launches into space. Syndrome's plan would never have worked on that basis alone. I can go on, it's easy. It's also not what any of their films is really about.
WALL-E was about motivations and emotions. It wasn't important that the fat, helpless, sluggy humans couldn't have walked when they did, much less fight off robots. What was important was the will to do so, which had been by that time made completely dormant by stagnation.
Posts: 17164 | Registered: Jun 2001
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posted
If Wall-E's inner chamber is airtight, the plant really wasn't exposed to vacuum for more than a few seconds. I imagine cell walls are a little more resilient than membranes.
It only occurred to me later, because Pixar is brilliant enough not to beat you over the head with such subtleties: On a fundamental level, Wall-E and Eve's directives are one and the same.
Posts: 3826 | Registered: May 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Puffy Treat: According to the tie-in guidebooks, BnL had space-mining operations. The same ships that send out the EVE probes are also used to bring raw materials in for robot construction and the like.
You could get metals that way, but where are they getting their organics?
Posts: 10645 | Registered: Jul 2004
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posted
Probably from within their vessel. I doubt they packed only floaty chairs and Big Gulp cups after all. Then they simply grew the stuff.
Posts: 17164 | Registered: Jun 2001
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Modern plants don't synthesise their amino acids from raw elements, though. That's why you need some fertiliser every so often for agriculture.
Posts: 10645 | Registered: Jul 2004
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It's teh future, folks. 100+ years from present in the future to be precise, if I'm not mistaken. I think we can assume a sufficient technological advance to fill the gray area without overly straining credulity, right?
Don't get me wrong, I know we're just chattin' here and all. But as for where they might have gotten fertilizer, they did have a bunch of poopin' humans, right?
Posts: 17164 | Registered: Jun 2001
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Oh come on, Rakeesh. You must know better than that. Recycling requires that you keep the amount of organic material constant. If you throw any out, there is less to go around the cycle.
Posts: 10645 | Registered: Jul 2004
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Rakeesh, regardless of the year, I'm guessing the laws of conservation of energy and matter will still apply. And using human output (or any non-herbivore's) as fertilizer tends to produce unacceptable levels of soil contaminants very quickly.
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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The Captain said the food was "self-regenerating", hence earlier my guess that BnL found a breakthrough we don't currently have.
How can they justify that? Recite the MST3K mantra again. If you can accept sentient, romantic robots, then self-regenerating artificial food can fit nicely into such a fantasy world. Posts: 6689 | Registered: Jan 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Rakeesh: WALL-E was about motivations and emotions. It wasn't important that the fat, helpless, sluggy humans couldn't have walked when they did, much less fight off robots. What was important was the will to do so, which had been by that time made completely dormant by stagnation.
I'm seeing a lot of symbolism in the humans. The way they're designed, even the adults look like overgrown toddlers wearing baby clothes. They're lead to their new home by a robot named after the First Mother, shaped like an egg, rejecting the clingy, smothering parent AUTO was...they're the rebirth of the human race. Posts: 6689 | Registered: Jan 2005
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posted
I agree that the movie is not the best example of scientific accuracy, but again--it's a Pixar movie. C'mon, it was preceded by a short featuring an anthropomorphic rabbit and hats with a dimensional doorway located inside.
Wall-E doesn't do the best science, but what it does do is a hell of a lot of emotional impact. From the bleak, barely-relieved depression of the first 40 minutes or so, to the humor and action of the last half of the movie, I never stopped caring about the movie, or feeling for the characters in it. I believe that movies, first and foremost, are meant to entertain, to move, and to inspire. Wall-E did that in spades.
Posts: 3658 | Registered: Jan 2002
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