FILM REVIEWS: Wall-E, The Animation War

WALL-E (2008) Disney/Pixar

The whole story of Wall-E was sparked by one question: "What if mankind had to leave Earth and somebody forgot to turn off the last robot?"

That last robot goes by the name Wall-E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class) and is the new lovable hero from the world of Pixar. The story is set in a very probable future. The humans have left the lifeless and desolate planet because of an overload of waste. They left behind the Wall-E robots to clean it all up for when they return. Our Wall-E is the only one left and continues with his job day after day, and along the way develops a personality.

I can't put into words how cute this little robot is. When I was in the theatre, I wanted to get off my seat and hug the screen everytime Wall-E was on it. He is seriously that cute.

The first half of the film was just outstanding. There is very little dialogue used because a) Wall-E can't talk (but he can make the cutest noises) and b) he's all alone. The result is a very exquisite piece of modern filmmaking with a Chaplin-esque, classic movie vibe. I was ecstatic after the first half hour. The level of craftmanship was so high I can only describe it as a visual, cinematic orgasm. It's artistry doesn't get in the way of its main purpose: entertain the kids (and their parents) and it does it well. Some people think that kids are just going to get bored with this movie as their isn't a lot of action, with very few dialogue. But those people seem to underestimate kids these days because the children in the theatre that I was in were in absolute awe. I've never been in a movie theatre, packed with kids that had been that quiet. They were glued to the screen and they were with Wall-E the whole way through.

This will easily fit on my list for top ten films of last year and I find it unbelievable that it wasn't considered for the Best Picture in the Oscars (although it did win Best Animation, but that was already a given anyway). I will recommend this movie to anyone. It's universal and timeless appeal will make sure that it's one of the most beloved films of our time.

Rating: 10/10

So Pixar wins!

1st: PIXAR: Artistic Value: 100% Entertainment Value: 100%

2nd: STUDIO GHIBLI: Artistic Value: 100% Entertainment Value: 80%

3rd: DREAMWORKs: Artistic Value: 50% Entertainment Value: 100%

Poster link here