robo-love

Go see WALL-E! It is by far, the best flick I've seen this year (so far) and I'm not exaggerating one bit. It is simply THAT good.

Honestly I had no interest in watching this movie when I first saw the trailer. Hmm...a geeky robot love story? Seemed corny by all accounts. Wall-E was off my radar until with astonishment I discovered it receiving rare 90+% ratings on Metacritic and Rottentomatoes. So I felt compelled to see if it lived up to the critical acclaim. And it sure did.

I had no doubt that Pixar would create awesome imagery and the contrast of earth as a trash heap with the majestic scenery of outer space was a pure visual treat. In fact there is literally no dialog for the first 1/2 hour of the movie. Earth's abandonment and WALL-E's lonely situation as clean up bot is wonderfully communicated by physical action, expression and gesturing. Once EVE enters the picture, I was struck with how the creators crafted such a touching story about robots - specifically the relationship of WALL-E and EVE really tugs at your emotions. Unlike most "G" rated movies, the humor isn't too slapstick, juvenile or trite. There are few dumb one-liners and this complements a fairly sophisticated opening act chronicling their time on earth which climaxes to the discovery of the key to its revival. I wondered if kids would get bored with the buildup and general lack of goofiness (no panda or animals adopting obvious racial stereotypes here) but they get rewarded with an imaginative and fun journey through space.

Beyond the visuals, there is an underlying comment on how humans have mistreated the earth and how we have devolved into ignoring the environment around us. Thankfully, the writers don't lecture this point but it is incorporated within the framework of the story. Yes, this robot movie is emotionally moving, visually arresting, and socially conscious. A treat on all cinematic levels.