WALL·E

I just returned from an advanced benefit screening of WALL*E, and I want to be careful not to spill too much regarding the movie. I had the added privilege of watching the film at Pixar, which in and of itself, was amazing.

This picture is not a cartoon; it is a film. In fact, it even has the LOOK of film. One of my complaints of more recent 3-D/CG animated films (not from Pixar) is that they all seem to look the same... clean lines, crisp colors, and very "virtual", for lack of a better term. WALL*E transcends the typical look of CG animation, and has a true to life "grit." The creators at Pixar are true artists, and are indeed masters of their craft. Not only are they masters of the technology, they are masters of telling a story. WALL*E is no exception.

The best way to describe the film is as a science fiction, comedy, dramatic love story. WALL*E, as a character, has dimension, personality, and heart... pretty impressive given that he is essentially a trash compactor. It is true that there is little dialogue in this feature, but I personally did not feel it detracted from the story at all.

WALL*E is very much a different Pixar film from it's previous features. I will be curious to see how it is received by others, but in my opinion, I think Pixar has stayed true to itself, demonstrating a commitment to telling great stories and pushing the edge of technology to leave your jaw dropping! My most sincere compliments to Andrew Stanton, Jim Morris, John Lasseter, Ben Burtt, and all the creative forces at Pixar. Can't wait to see what the future brings...

Just got back from a special sneak peek/advance screening of this movie, and I must say, Pixar continues to amaze. They just can't seem to make a bad move. Heck, they can't even make a mediocre movie. Now, I will admit, there have been a couple that I would classify as my "least favorite" of theirs, but even they were actually very, very good. This one, though...it just may take the cake. Ranks up there with the absolute best they have produced. Hysterical, emotional, meaningful -- this movie succeeds on every front! I am not going to get into spoilers or specific plot aspects, but I will say that I am almost definitely going to see this one again in the theater..and it will be worth every dime. Come Friday, be in line to see Wall-E. You don't want to miss it!

Personal Rating: 10/10 (Outstanding)

I still remember just how impactful this movie was on me when I saw it as a child. The visuals, storytelling, how it made you think. And 12 years later it still stands as one of the best movies Pixar has ever made, and truly a hallmark of animated films.

The start of this movie. I could watch on an indefinite loop. The emotions you feel, the bond that grows between you and a robot in the introductory minutes, is storytelling at it's finest. No words have to be spoken and yet this movie world builds better than most 2-hour-long fantasy movies where the characters don't shut up.

The visuals. The visuals in this movie are stunning, the way they direct the eye, immerse you in the world, make you laugh and make you cry, a huge credit to the artists who worked on this film. And also interestingly enough, to Roger Deakins, who contributed to the first 20 minutes of the film and to the animating team, as he consulted on how to light scenes, he's quoted saying "the natural world that we live in just isn't as well-lit as your typical animated world." So by darkening scenes, adding shadow and cutting the number of lights used, they added a huge layer of realism to WALL-E.

The story, how you learn and feel about the characters (who the majority of are robots), the music, it's all superbly done. I can't think of anything I would change. But all this alone isn't what earns it the 10/10 rating, it's the themes, the tones, the way this "for children" movie makes you think, that earns my full respect.

For the most part, humans choose what's convenient, sacrificing privacy, health, well being, relationships and the like for that. WALL-E showed that exact point like never before. It takes effort to overcome the norm, to work towards a goal, even when it's not rainbows and peaches when one is determined they can do amazing things. Which is why the ending of this movie isn't bleak, it's inspiring. (spoilers) Humans come back to earth because of one lonesome plant. But it's enough to give them hope, and determination, to work on transforming the planet. And that was just one of the themes explored beautifully. I already know I'll be watching this movie again, and again.

Thanks for reading my review.

"I didn't know we had a pool!"

I can't say enough about how good this movie, that you probably haven't read, so I'm going to keep this short.

This is the best thing out there in theater's right now, and might just be the best animated film of all time, whether you believe that or not, is your own opinion, but what Pixar has done here, can put companies like Dreamworks, Sony, and Blue sky to shame.

Wall E also may go down as the most lovable character ever to grace the movie screen, I praise Ben Burtt and Andrew Stanton, and the people at Pixar for what they did, and will continue to do.

This is why Pixar is the top studio in the world.

10/10

To this day, this is still my favorite pixar film. The animation is stellar, its heartwarming, funny and proves that pixar movies are always bound to be great (except for cars 2 but thats a different story). This has a shot at the title "best movie of the century"