WALL-E

Steve West: “It was ok.”

So I take the girls to the AMC Theater for the monthly showing of a movie specifically for autistic children. The movie itself is not for autistic children but the theater is adapted for the population. The lights are dimmed but not darkened. The sound is lower. There are no previews. The kids often display rocking behavior and are often noisy. This distracts patrons of regular showings when your kid is the only one doing it and, in fact, is what started these special showings in the first place. A woman and her autistic child were actually thrown out of a theater because her child was considered disruptive. This audience is full of these types of kids and the parents are obviously tolerant. Thank you AMC and its nationwide campaign to set aside these times for special shows.

As for the movie, Wall-E was a drag for me. Like watching a silent movie with no dialogue cards. The only voice coming from Fred Willard for the most part. I don’t get emotionally attached to cartoon robots regardless of how high they might rate in the cuteness factor. The love interest in the sleek Jolie-esque robot, Eve, kinda bummed me out when she turned out to be such a bitch. The Jabba humans were largely unlikable, hedonistic blobs of pudding and the concept of a ruined Earth incapable of sustaining life doesn’t fit with my own views of apocalyptic Earth. A roach survives! Hah! I get jokes. Not funny. This supposedly takes place 700 years after Earth abandonment yet we see only one roach! What has it been eating for 700 years? Where are all the other robots for that matter?

Suspension of belief for a cartoon, I understand. But there seems to be a serious ecological message attempting to be sent here. If you’re offering a serious point, you need to back it up with facts not just fantasy. Too harsh? Perhaps. But from my end of the aisle, the movie just didn’t deliver. My daughters will still want a copy and I’ll be sure to get it. But it’s destined to gather dust next to their copy of Fox and the Hound.

− November 15, 2008 • more by Steve • log in or create an account to reply

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Scott Hardie: “It ruled.”

The recent Pixar films are hit-or-miss depending on your personal tastes. WALL-E turned some people off with its lack of dialogue and unpromising premise, but I loved its sense of joy in the possibilities of animation. I watched this with a grin.

− April 7, 2009 • more by Scott • log in or create an account to reply

Justin Conner: I found the lack of dialogue the actually enhance my enjoyment of this film, it only makes you more aware of the characters individuality and kirks. I think I've watched it about three times now and I really get sucked into WALL-Es world, his yearning for affection and friendship from EVA. The PIXAR animation didn't hurt either. I found the whole movie beautiful. − July 24, 2009 • more by Justin

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