Wall*E is the best movie of 2008

[Monterey Jack]

I cannot say enough complimentary things about this gorgeous, funny, bleakly dystopian masterpiece. Far from just a good "kid's movie", it's an all-ages gem that adults will treasure. Just wonderful.

[AndyDursin]

I LOVED the character and I thought it was excellent as well -- though I confess that I wasn't so crazy about the second half of it. It started beautifully and then turned into something much more routine -- and I became a bit exhausted by the chase scenes. I also found some of the social commentary a little much (it's fine to portray humans as fat, bloated consumerists, but coming from a company that has thrived on its success through audience-driven box-office and Walmart and big-chain DVD sales, it's like biting the hand that feeds you IMO).

That aside, it's certainly well worth the trip to see and it's easily Pixar's best effort since NEMO, though I wish the second half of it had held up its end of the bargain, and they had lightened up a little on the preachy, Politically Correct tone.

[Eric W.]

The reviews I've seen have really been glowing across the boards. I can't wait to see it and it wouldn't surprise me at all if it ends up being the best film of 2008, at least.

[AndyDursin]

The reviews I've seen have really been glowing across the boards. I can't wait to see it and it wouldn't surprise me at all if it ends up being the best film of 2008, at least.

EVERY Pixar movie gets glowing reviews across the board. Not saying WALL-E isn't entitled, but RATATOUILLE and CARS weren't four or five star movies for me anyway, yet they were also ravished with endless, gushing praise from a lot of critics. WALL-E is certainly a very, very good movie but some of the reviews ("it's beyond perfection") are extreme to the point of being laughable, at least from my perspective, because the film has a few things in it that prevent it from being a classic -- especially in the second half. If you are also sensitive to Political Correctness as I am you will also be annoyed by a few things in it, at least to a small degree.

That said it's still a terrific entertainment, but I'd hesitate to call it a classic. But to each his own. There are obviously loads of folks who think it is.

[Eric W.]

The reviews I've seen have really been glowing across the boards. I can't wait to see it and it wouldn't surprise me at all if it ends up being the best film of 2008, at least.

EVERY Pixar movie gets glowing reviews across the board. Not saying WALL-E isn't entitled, but RATATOUILLE and CARS weren't four or five star movies for me anyway, yet they were also ravished with endless, gushing praise from a lot of critics. WALL-E is certainly a very, very good movie but some of the reviews ("it's beyond perfection") are extreme to the point of being laughable, at least from my perspective, because the film has a few things in it that prevent it from being a classic -- especially in the second half.

Certainly that kind of praise shouldn't be doled out lightly.

If you are also sensitive to Political Correctness as I am you will also be annoyed by a few things in it, at least to a small degree.

Good points. I have seen most of the reviews mention the preachy tone and political correctness, especially in the second half. That will probably annoy me for a moment but overall I expect to enjoy myself when I see this.

It's too bad so much stuff out of Hollywood just has to be riddled with unsubtle agendas and increasingly shoved down our throats.

That said it's still a terrific entertainment, but I'd hesitate to call it a classic. But to each his own. There are obviously loads of folks who think it is.

We shall see...

[JSWalsh]

Thomas Newman really is becoming the replacement for Jerry, for me--he writes scores I buy without bothering to put myself through the movie.

I used to have many composers I trusted enough to buy without a listen. Now it's just a handful.

[mkaroly]

Thomas Newman really is becoming the replacement for Jerry, for me--he writes scores I buy without bothering to put myself through the movie.

I used to have many composers I trusted enough to buy without a listen. Now it's just a handful.

He is one of my favorites as well. I will buy any score of his without question- he's very unique and I think he has left an indelible, positive mark on film scoring (unlike some composers).[/b]

[scorehead]

I LOVED the character and I thought it was excellent as well -- though I confess that I wasn't so crazy about the second half of it. It started beautifully and then turned into something much more routine -- and I became a bit exhausted by the chase scenes. I also found some of the social commentary a little much (it's fine to portray humans as fat, bloated consumerists, but coming from a company that has thrived on its success through audience-driven box-office and Walmart and big-chain DVD sales, it's like biting the hand that feeds you IMO).

That aside, it's certainly well worth the trip to see and it's easily Pixar's best effort since NEMO, though I wish the second half of it had held up its end of the bargain, and they had lightened up a little on the preachy, Politically Correct tone.

I'll have to agree with Andy's assertion about the film starting out good then losing some of it's steam half way through, eventually giving into some of the same ol' clichés. Maybe I'm just judging these films a little harder these days because I use to work on them, but for me it felt more like an extended PIXAR short than a full fledged theatrical film. Perhaps it feels that way to me mostly because of Thomas Newman's, as usual, restrained score. That's not to say that I didn't enjoy his music, as it is very appropriate during the quieter more subdued scenes. But I truly feel that the film could have benefited further, especially during the moments of action, from the bombastic musical kick that we usually get from the likes of, say, John Powell of John Debney. As is, the film just seems "ok" to me, but not one worthy of major praise. However, if push came to shove, I definitely would love to see more films coming out that meets the standards that WALL-E presides on. These days it just seems like there is more to moan about than to cheer.

BTW - did anyone else feel that there was a lot of subliminal advertising present in this film that was unconsciously, or consciously, supporting APPLE COMPUTER? The production design was great, but the character of "Eve" favorably looked like a supped up imac to me.

Happy 5th of July!

SH

[Eric W.]

BTW - did anyone else feel that there was a lot of subliminal advertising present in this film that was unconsciously, or consciously, supporting APPLE COMPUTER? The production design was great, but the character of "Eve" favorably looked like a supped up imac to me.

I've seen this mentioned around and about, including in a few reviews.

You're definitely not the only person to notice that, among other things.

[AndyDursin]

That's not to say that I didn't enjoy his music, as it is very appropriate during the quieter more subdued scenes. But I truly feel that the film could have benefited further, especially during the moments of action, from the bombastic musical kick that we usually get from the likes of, say, John Powell of John Debney.

I just didn't feel there was enough emotion in Newman's score. It's quirky and "off kilter" the way a lot of his scores are, but I just felt something was missing from this work. The Peter Gabriel song is terrible, and I usually like popish movie tunes.

[JSWalsh]

That's not to say that I didn't enjoy his music, as it is very appropriate during the quieter more subdued scenes. But I truly feel that the film could have benefited further, especially during the moments of action, from the bombastic musical kick that we usually get from the likes of, say, John Powell of John Debney.

I just didn't feel there was enough emotion in Newman's score. It's quirky and "off kilter" the way a lot of his scores are, but I just felt something was missing from this work. The Peter Gabriel song is terrible, and I usually like popish movie tunes.

I've had a chanceto listen to the CD twice now, and although Newman's musical variety is, as always, really amazing, there wasn't a lot of melody here. His CDs are listenable for the sheer creativity on display, but this one just didn't have a lot of pleasurable MUSIC in the music. The Gabriel song I shut off, awful lyrics.

I'm gonna mark this one a "miss" but it may be one of those hundreds of scores I don't like on initial listen but come to enjoy over time.