Ever think about Pixar features as much more than family films imbued with morals? Although I've been impressed by most of the movies, I've never rolled them onto my "greatest films ever" roster. They've always just been the very best cartoons you could find in long form to me.
Now, bring on Wall-E. According to this article, you can now tack Wall-E onto your list of the most meaningful films ever.
Admittedly, I haven't seen the flick yet. Once I do, I'll weigh back in on this opinion. However, it seems like comparing the movie to Blade Runner and 2001: A Space Odyssey might be a push. If you've seen the film and been blown away (or not) like Reed Johnson -- the article's author -- has been, post a comment here.
It's a very curious commentary. I'm trying to figure out if it was just one big gag or if I'm truly missing a heavy cinematic experience. More to come on this...check back soon.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Serious Wall-E
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2 comments:
Wall-E totally looks like the robot from "Short Circuit"... minus the cheesy 80's style of course
Both as a parent and as a writer for teenagers, I can't help but think there is an artistic responsibility to suggest hope of some kind in a movie designed for a young audience (or at least allow for the possibility of hope in the tenor of the ending). They have to live in the world a lot longer than we do and it's not their fault it's f*@&ed. Kids lie awake at night worrying about global warming the way in the 70s and 80s we used to worry about americans and russians and 'the' bomb. Kids are beings of the present and future, far more so than adults are, who are often preoccupied with the ashes and dust and empty shells of the past.
I don't know if you ever saw Happy Feet (Depressing Feet more like it) but it spiralled downwards a long way and never really came up all that far (making the happy ending feel tacked on, a complete narrative stretch and completely insincere). So I'll be interested to see how Wall-E turns out. I like Pixar, because I do think they manage to subtly critique mainstream culture in the same way Sesame Street used to before Elmo wrecked it. However I also find the cheesy morality thing off-putting; it's hard to escape now in all children's storytelling forms.
New to your blog, it's a great resource, thanks!
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