Credible Credits
Year: 2008
Director: Andrew Stanton
Starring: Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin
Tagline: In Space, No One Can Hear You Clean
Synopsis: After 700 years of cleaning up Earth's trash, a little robot finds love and greater purpose.
Synopsis: After 700 years of cleaning up Earth's trash, a little robot finds love and greater purpose.
Review
My very first movie review on this blog was Raiders of the Lost Ark. At the time, I mentioned that it was my tied-for-favorite movie. Well, it is high time I got around to writing about the other tied-for-favorite movie. (That and there has been a severe dearth of interesting movies in theaters the last few weeks.) So, without further ado, I give you WALL-E.
WALL-E is one of those movies I simply never get tired of. It is a refreshing ray of light whenever I watch it. Just thinking about WALL-E and EVE puts a smile on my face. They may be robots, but they are two of my favorite characters and definitely one of my favorite cinematic couples.
Let's start with WALL-E himself. When we first meet the trash compacting robot, we learn a lot about him without him ever saying a word. He's insatiably curious, as seen by his ever-growing collection of human artifacts. He's ticklish: an excellent quality. He's sensitive; he likes musicals and is horrified at the thought he might have hurt his little cockroach pal. Once EVE comes to Earth, we learn even more about him. Watching him loyally and tirelessly try to reawaken or recharge EVE is both hilarious and heartbreaking. WALL-E is just so full of joie de vivre (the joy of living). It's endearing and contagious.
In literary terms, WALL-E is what's known as a catalyst hero: he doesn't change much himself during the story, but everyone he comes in contact with is changed. Seriously, everyone he bumps into -- whether it be Mary who then discovers the Axiom has a pool, or the data entry robot who learns to wave, or the malfunctioning robots who learn they can still have purpose, or M-O who decides following his passion for cleaning is better than mindlessly following orders -- they are all changed by their encounters with WALL-E. Even AUTO is changed, because once WALL-E and the plant are discovered, AUTO must choose between human orders and his directive.
Of course the changes WALL-E initiates are mostly unintentional. He doesn't set out to change the fate of humanity. His is the power of a good example, a light unafraid to shine. He lives his life, pursues his dreams, and follows his heart. And in the process, he opens the eyes of EVE, the Captain, John, and Mary to what life and living are all about.
The ship is called the Axiom, which is very fitting. The word "axiom" means something that is taken for granted or something seen as unquestionable. Over centuries of aimless, effortless existence, the humans take their very lives for granted. But finally, after years of never questioning, suddenly the Captain can't ask enough questions ("Computer, define 'dancing'"). More than just WALL-E's dirt rubbed off on the Captain.
I love a good character arc. There is something about watching a character grow and become something greater, something more than they originally thought possible. All the humans go through a very dramatic character arc, going from a nearly infantile state to literally standing on their own two feet. But the transformation that drives the heart and soul of the movie is EVE's. Because when all is said and done, WALL-E is a love story ... with robots.
When we first meet EVE, she is intently focused on her directive. But we also learn, once the shuttle leaves, that she has a yearning for freedom ... or at least enjoys flying very, very fast. Where WALL-E is fully "humanized," at this point EVE is only partially so. She remains focused on the task at hand, no matter how hard WALL-E tries to divert her attention. She behaves very robotically. But as each scan comes back negative, her more human-like qualities begin to surface as she gets increasingly frustrated (resulting in a terrific plasma-blast induced bonfire). At last, she allows herself to meet WALL-E, from which point there is no going back.
Unlike some of the other changes or transformations in the story, EVE's is much more slow. It takes time for her to see with new LED eyes. She catches the spark of WALL-E's joie de vivre, but her directive still remains primary. So much so, that EVE sees WALL-E as just a nuisance when the plant goes missing and she is viewed as defective. She blames him and tries to send him away. It isn't until, for a moment, she believes WALL-E has been killed in the exploding escape pod, that she starts to realize her priorities are messed up. But while she is relieved to discover WALL-E is alive, she is also relieved to discover he has the plant and she can still fulfill her directive and prove she isn't defective.
You could say EVE is a workaholic. At that point in the story she finally allows herself to care about something other than her directive, and takes time to share a moment -- a real moment -- with WALL-E. Yet even then, her directive is of great importance to her. Certainly her directive, her job, isn't bad. It's very good. But her focus and priorities still aren't quite in place. It isn't until she truly sees how much WALL-E cares, until he almost is killed, that EVE realizes what really matters. WALL-E matters. Love matters.
And then WALL-E rather unintentionally teaches EVE one more lesson. EVE tosses the plant (and thus her directive) aside so she can hold WALL-E's hand. He pushes her aside and retrieves the plant. Her directive does matter. It matters a lot. But now she needs to fulfill her directive for the right reasons. It's not about her being successful or proving she's not defective. It's about saving the robot she loves, going home, and tangentially saving humanity as a bonus.
Perhaps that understanding is what kept WALL-E alive for so long, when all the other robots shut down. WALL-E wasn't cleaning Earth just because it was his directive. He cleaned Earth because he loves Earth, or at least all the fascinating trinkets and memorabilia he finds. It is fitting then that EVE's love and new-found understanding should ultimately save WALL-E from not only the scrap heap, but from reverting to his own mindless directive.
As if the characters and story weren't enough, WALL-E is simply a beautiful film. From the brilliant sound work, to the perfectly suited score, to the amazing visuals, it is a cinematic masterpiece. The filmmakers at Pixar did so much to make the film look spectacular, especially in terms of the lighting. The film absolutely earned its Academy Award for Best Animated Feature as well as its nominations in five other categories. And it has absolutely earned its place in my heart.
I could easily write more about WALL-E, going scene by scene through all the little details and moments that I love. But I'll resist. I feel I've done justice to my tied-for-favorite movie. Now I'm tempted to go watch it again ...
WALL-E is one of those movies I simply never get tired of. It is a refreshing ray of light whenever I watch it. Just thinking about WALL-E and EVE puts a smile on my face. They may be robots, but they are two of my favorite characters and definitely one of my favorite cinematic couples.
Let's start with WALL-E himself. When we first meet the trash compacting robot, we learn a lot about him without him ever saying a word. He's insatiably curious, as seen by his ever-growing collection of human artifacts. He's ticklish: an excellent quality. He's sensitive; he likes musicals and is horrified at the thought he might have hurt his little cockroach pal. Once EVE comes to Earth, we learn even more about him. Watching him loyally and tirelessly try to reawaken or recharge EVE is both hilarious and heartbreaking. WALL-E is just so full of joie de vivre (the joy of living). It's endearing and contagious.
In literary terms, WALL-E is what's known as a catalyst hero: he doesn't change much himself during the story, but everyone he comes in contact with is changed. Seriously, everyone he bumps into -- whether it be Mary who then discovers the Axiom has a pool, or the data entry robot who learns to wave, or the malfunctioning robots who learn they can still have purpose, or M-O who decides following his passion for cleaning is better than mindlessly following orders -- they are all changed by their encounters with WALL-E. Even AUTO is changed, because once WALL-E and the plant are discovered, AUTO must choose between human orders and his directive.
Of course the changes WALL-E initiates are mostly unintentional. He doesn't set out to change the fate of humanity. His is the power of a good example, a light unafraid to shine. He lives his life, pursues his dreams, and follows his heart. And in the process, he opens the eyes of EVE, the Captain, John, and Mary to what life and living are all about.
The ship is called the Axiom, which is very fitting. The word "axiom" means something that is taken for granted or something seen as unquestionable. Over centuries of aimless, effortless existence, the humans take their very lives for granted. But finally, after years of never questioning, suddenly the Captain can't ask enough questions ("Computer, define 'dancing'"). More than just WALL-E's dirt rubbed off on the Captain.
I love a good character arc. There is something about watching a character grow and become something greater, something more than they originally thought possible. All the humans go through a very dramatic character arc, going from a nearly infantile state to literally standing on their own two feet. But the transformation that drives the heart and soul of the movie is EVE's. Because when all is said and done, WALL-E is a love story ... with robots.
When we first meet EVE, she is intently focused on her directive. But we also learn, once the shuttle leaves, that she has a yearning for freedom ... or at least enjoys flying very, very fast. Where WALL-E is fully "humanized," at this point EVE is only partially so. She remains focused on the task at hand, no matter how hard WALL-E tries to divert her attention. She behaves very robotically. But as each scan comes back negative, her more human-like qualities begin to surface as she gets increasingly frustrated (resulting in a terrific plasma-blast induced bonfire). At last, she allows herself to meet WALL-E, from which point there is no going back.
Unlike some of the other changes or transformations in the story, EVE's is much more slow. It takes time for her to see with new LED eyes. She catches the spark of WALL-E's joie de vivre, but her directive still remains primary. So much so, that EVE sees WALL-E as just a nuisance when the plant goes missing and she is viewed as defective. She blames him and tries to send him away. It isn't until, for a moment, she believes WALL-E has been killed in the exploding escape pod, that she starts to realize her priorities are messed up. But while she is relieved to discover WALL-E is alive, she is also relieved to discover he has the plant and she can still fulfill her directive and prove she isn't defective.
You could say EVE is a workaholic. At that point in the story she finally allows herself to care about something other than her directive, and takes time to share a moment -- a real moment -- with WALL-E. Yet even then, her directive is of great importance to her. Certainly her directive, her job, isn't bad. It's very good. But her focus and priorities still aren't quite in place. It isn't until she truly sees how much WALL-E cares, until he almost is killed, that EVE realizes what really matters. WALL-E matters. Love matters.
And then WALL-E rather unintentionally teaches EVE one more lesson. EVE tosses the plant (and thus her directive) aside so she can hold WALL-E's hand. He pushes her aside and retrieves the plant. Her directive does matter. It matters a lot. But now she needs to fulfill her directive for the right reasons. It's not about her being successful or proving she's not defective. It's about saving the robot she loves, going home, and tangentially saving humanity as a bonus.
Perhaps that understanding is what kept WALL-E alive for so long, when all the other robots shut down. WALL-E wasn't cleaning Earth just because it was his directive. He cleaned Earth because he loves Earth, or at least all the fascinating trinkets and memorabilia he finds. It is fitting then that EVE's love and new-found understanding should ultimately save WALL-E from not only the scrap heap, but from reverting to his own mindless directive.
As if the characters and story weren't enough, WALL-E is simply a beautiful film. From the brilliant sound work, to the perfectly suited score, to the amazing visuals, it is a cinematic masterpiece. The filmmakers at Pixar did so much to make the film look spectacular, especially in terms of the lighting. The film absolutely earned its Academy Award for Best Animated Feature as well as its nominations in five other categories. And it has absolutely earned its place in my heart.
I could easily write more about WALL-E, going scene by scene through all the little details and moments that I love. But I'll resist. I feel I've done justice to my tied-for-favorite movie. Now I'm tempted to go watch it again ...
Quotable Quotes
- "Ta-da!" -- WALL-E
- "Foreign contaminant." -- M-O
- "Computer, define 'dancing.'" -- The Captain
- "I don't want to survive. I want to live!" -- The Captain
ISFS
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