Hello, Wall-E!

Yes, I know, the rest of the world saw this movie back last summer. I'm slow, okay?

Anyway, I've heard from various sources (movie critic sources, that is) that Wall-E should be a contender for Best Picture. Not best animated picture; Best Picture. As in, "Take that, Benjamin Button!" Best Picture. But, alas, since the (lousy) Academy came up with the animated feature category, Beauty and the Beast will probably forever remain as the only animated film ever nominated for Best Picture. Anyway, I have seen a grand total of zero of the movies up for Best Picture, but I agree with all the critics; Wall-E was robbed.

Firstly, it's hard not to like a movie that starts with the songs of Hello, Dolly! Chad had already watched the movie without me once, so I felt no guilt about singing along to "Put On Your Sunday Clothes." Chad objected anyway; he seemed to think I was distracting myself. I didn't care. That cute little robot loves Hello, Dolly!; I love Hello, Dolly! I was totally sold from the first frame. :) And then when we got back to the robot lair and saw a clip from the film, they were still singing and dancing in front of the railway station-- only to skip (rather quickly) to Cornelius singing to Irene in the park about how he fell in love with her in a moment. Brilliant.

Okay, so this post is actually about Wall-E. There were too many moments to love-- him following Eve around, building a duplicate Eve, giving her a Rubik's cube, protecting her from the storm--then accidentally waking up John & Mary, setting loose the defective robots, leaving a trail of dirt for M-O to clean up (how much do you love that little robot?)--the captain learning all about Earth, Mary's "Get ready to have some kids!", and Eve frantically trying to save Wall-E. Seriously, this may well be the first DVD I ever purchase.

Apparently there are some complaints about the social commentary-- some say it is too heavy-handed, others say Pixar wasn't blunt enough. But really, that's not Pixar's job, is it? It is a love story, and if they want to make some money off our rubbish-lined highways and expanding waistlines while producing a brilliant movie, I will not be among the complainers. Plus, my answer to both sides of the argument is Hellooooo! Take a look around you! Do we really need the movie makers to point out the obvious?

So, I loved the movie. Long may Pixar reign.