WALL·E

We went to the San Francisco Film Institute's first public screening at their campus in Emeryville. Everyone's sworn to secrecy, but for a film with little dialog, it carries more of an emotional punch and has a richer story than any live-action movie this year. The tone and style of the film is completely different for Pixar, and Disney haven't tried to override the darker thematic elements at all, making the story surprisingly three-dimensional.

This will end up being the animated film of the year and I had the same 'wow' feeling as after seeing Ratatouille. Considering that animated films have always played second-fiddle to live-action, and have been aimed at kids, it's ironic that once again Pixar produces a film that rivals any live action on every level. Bravo!

I heard mixed reviews on WALL-E, there were those who said it was magical, and those who said it was one of the most overrated movies ever. I will say I loved this movie, it is a truly beautiful movie. It could have done with being a tad longer perhaps, but essentially this is more than a movie with A List vocal talents, WALL-E has genuine heart and will definitely enchant children and any Pixar fan. All I will say is that I am sorry it took me such a long time to see it, I will admit I was differing whether I should see it or not. But I am glad I did. The animation is simply incredible, the whole film is wonderful to look at. The whole movie is done in a very sophisticated visual style, and the bright colours and sublime backgrounds were a delight to the eyes. The music is stunning, the orchestral themes are gorgeous but the song from Hello Dolly! was great and fitted in with the story well. Speaking of the story, it may seem thin to some, but it is a very simple heart warming one all the same with depth and poignancy. There are some very imaginative moments, such as the zero-gravity dance and the ride through space. The voice cast that includes Fred Willard, Sigourney Weaver and Pixar regular John Ratzenburger did an exceptional job, and all the characters were endearing. What made the movie was WALL-E himself, he has to be one of the most lovable and in-depth Pixar characters ever, and the writers create a very haunting atmosphere in the early scenes to match our little hero's isolation. All in all, brilliant, quite possibly one of the best films of 2008. 9.5/10 Bethany Cox

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

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!"