Wall-E (MiceChat Reviews)

[tcsnwhite]

Originally Posted by Rapunzel

I think that you make very valid and well-stated points. That being said, I have to disagree a little based on other information. There was not a direct intention to point out the "fat, lazy middle American." In a press conference, Stanton stated:

"So I was talking to John Hicks, who was an advisor to NASA about long term residency in space, he told me that people are still arguing about how to correctly set up space shuttles so that when a human travels to Mars and back they won’t start losing their bones. Disuse atrophy kicks in if you don’t simulate gravity just right the entire time. It’s a form of osteoporosis. You won’t get it back. They’ve had arguments where people have said, “If we don’t get this right, they’re just going to be a big blob!” And I said, “Oh my gosh. That’s perfect!”

I didn’t want it to be off-putting. In a very early version, I actually went so weird I made the humans big blobs of Jell-O. I thought Jell-O was funny. They would just kind of wiggle and stuff. It was sort of a Planet of the Apes conceit where they didn’t even know they were humans anymore and they found that out. It was so bizarre that I had to pull back. I needed more grounding. So as I pulled back, I thought that I didn’t want it to be offensive. But if you didn’t have any reason to do anything any more, if everything had been figured out, and technology made it that easy to never get up – which is kind of happening with my remote in my living room – then it would set in. So I thought I’d make them big babies."

I'm sure Stanton's intentions were not to have viewers question their lifestyles and priorities. I am familiar with the sort of people that are working at Disney and Pixar in their animation departments. These are people that are talented at have had little time to sleep since getting out of high school. (When Pixar's greats come to speak with us at CalArts they tell us to get used to minimal sleep under our desks) Many of my fellow animators have pointed out that animators are usually very thin, very buff, but most usually.. very large. During such a conversation, one of my friends used Stanton as an example of a "normal person animator." But Andrew Stanton hasn't gotten much slimmer since he worked on Finding Nemo. In fact, when my fellow animation classmates and I went to Disneyland and watched the Andrew Stanton interview in the Animation Academy, the same friend exclaimed "O my god. Andrew Stanton got fat!" I'm sure Stanton has little time to sleep himself. Look at what the man has accomplished! Two gorgeous films going down in animation history!

That being said... instead of the animators at Pixar pointing out that American's "lifestyles and priorities" should be less on the "slovenly" side, I believe they were just intending the message that our lives should be full of their own purpose.

Beautifully said.

What I find interesting is what people are taking away from the film...which is also a testament to how incredible it is. There are many who are focusing a lot on the post-apocalyptic aspect of it, with the whole "the world is doomed and all you need to do is see WALL-E to see that sort of thing"...
others really take away more from the character of WALL-E and his cuteness and innocence...
and then there's the love story, which is really what grabbed me.

The film is so brilliantly layered that there is so much to take away from it.

Spoiler

But I don't think the core of it is this dark, "the future is doomed" kind of story...in actuality, it's really an optimistic tale. Yes, the direction we as mankind are headed in is not a good one, but I find genius really in the fact that it is the robot love story that gives the "wake up call" to mankind to realize that there is more to existing...there's true living, and that the fate of anything lies in our hands and the choices we make. Once Wall-E literally knocked that couple off their rockers, they realized the beauty in touch, communication, and experience...as did the captain when he started to take the initiative to study earth and the power of mankind. And if you pay attention to the credits, you can see that mankind not only found a way to start over, they wanted to.

In the end, if anything, I think the film has layered elements of a more cautionary tale than "the future is doomed" kind of story...

[GothicManor]

Originally Posted by tcsnwhite

Beautifully said.

What I find interesting is what people are taking away from the film...which is also a testament to how incredible it is. There are many who are focusing a lot on the post-apocalyptic aspect of it, with the whole "the world is doomed and all you need to do is see WALL-E to see that sort of thing"...
others really take away more from the character of WALL-E and his cuteness and innocence...
and then there's the love story, which is really what grabbed me.

The film is so brilliantly layered that there is so much to take away from it.

Spoiler

But I don't think the core of it is this dark, "the future is doomed" kind of story...in actuality, it's really an optimistic tale. Yes, the direction we as mankind are headed in is not a good one, but I find genius really in the fact that it is the robot love story that gives the "wake up call" to mankind to realize that there is more to existing...there's true living, and that the fate of anything lies in our hands and the choices we make. Once Wall-E literally knocked that couple off their rockers, they realized the beauty in touch, communication, and experience...as did the captain when he started to take the initiative to study earth and the power of mankind. And if you pay attention to the credits, you can see that mankind not only found a way to start over, they wanted to.

In the end, if anything, I think the film has layered elements of a more cautionary tale than "the future is doomed" kind of story...

Well to get to the optimistic parts at the end the following things had to happen...

1. Humans had to completely deplete the earth of all resources and destroy the biosphere killing all plants and animals between now and 2100

2. Apparently all humans on earth (around 9.5 billion by 2100) perished save for the few that made it off the earth, the Axiom seemed to hold only about 10,000 or less people and even if there were more ships they could not have even carried as much as a million people and if there were any other ships they seem to not have survived.

So that means 9.49 billion had to die to achieve this positive optimistic ending?

I just wanted clarify that :-)

[Twist_of_Fate]

Originally Posted by Katella Gate

Do you happen to work for the Disney Stores? How is Wall-E being merchandised?

Cars was a natural money maker for toys, but I am awfully curious how they are going to do the merchandise line for a mobile trash compactor. Eve would make a swell egg-timer.

I've seen action figures and three different electronic versions of Wall-E (an interactive version, a transforming version, and a dancing version). I'm sure there's lots of other stuff as well.

[tcsnwhite]

^^The film didn't tell us what happened to the whole of human population...
if you want to see it as the vast majority dying, then go ahead. You very well may be right...or wrong. Stanton didn't necessarily state it. I think that's more so up for interpretation.

As for the scary "reality" that the film portrays and is necessary for the telling of the story, I don't think that is what it's all about. The whole of the story is so much more...I am not throwing out or ignoring those elements whatsoever, but I personally don't see that as the one and only thing this film is about.
I should say this...it's not completely an optimistic tale, but I don't see it as "mankind is forever and completely doomed" either. They eventually, after a whole lot of horrible stuff happened, woke up...that says something. It says that the future lies in our hands, in the choices we make...collectively and individually.
The robot love story, I believe, is still key and quite literally the core of film...it's not something people are saying should be cast aside as some sort of distraction. Those two robots embodied everything human beings forgot...love, touch, communication, wonderment, exploration, experience...everything that holds the key to a better present and future. And it's that undying need for touch, for love, that literally made those little robots knock a few of those humans off their rockers, literally, and make them "wake up." I don't think that can be cast aside.

But look, you get what you get out of the story.
I got what I got from it.
Nobody's completely right or wrong. That's the beauty of the art.

[Mr Wiggins]

Originally Posted by ah schucks

I guess I didn't get the invite to the press conference where John Lasserter got up on mic and claimed that this was the most inventive film ever and we stole nothing from previous sci-fi films.

That press conference was canceled -- John had to tape his glowing introduction to the Tinker Bell Movie clip.

[ah schucks]

Originally Posted by Mr Wiggins

That press conference was canceled -- John had to tape his glowing introduction to the Tinker Bell Movie clip.

LOL

[b236en]

I just saw the movie today and it was well done but I think the story could have been a little better, Maybe a little more funny, I'm not really sure what it was missing but it just seemed like it was missing something...

[aurora1729]

It was a heavy movie, But good and best viewed with an open mind. If you go into it thinking it will be a typical "cartoon" you will most likely hate the movie.

It had a "green" message and made me feel very fat, and I have now started working out more, not a bad thing. I Loved the Love story between Wall*E and EVE. My husband found himself comparing EVE's temper and mine, surprisingly similar, i don't see it. All in all, Not everyone will like it. I liked it. Not my favorite movie but it will be one of my favorites. (my favorite is Meet the Robinsons by the way) Hey, at least John Ratzenburger is in it! YAY!!!

[GuardianDragon_Mushu]

Originally Posted by Goin2DL

As a Mac computer fan, I loved that Wall E made the Mac starting up sound sound when his solar charge was complete. It made me giggle every time.

At the 6:05pm showing yesterday at the Bay Street AMC in Emeryville, nearly the entire audience exploded into laughter and applause the first time Wall-E made that Mac startup noise. Also, I noted a lot of people stayed through the credits and even applauded at times. And yeah...due to that plus the location of the theater, it kinda made me wonder if anyone in the audience were actually Pixar employees. ^^

All in all, to keep it short and sweet, I loved the film! Great animation, great plot. Honestly, I don't get people complaining about the Enviromental Message, I didn't think it was a problem in the least..."Happy Feet" threw it's Enviromental message in your face more than that (and this is coming from a non-political's standpoint!). xD

[Monorail Man]

Originally Posted by Top Chef Remy

Hey can someone tell me why Fred Willard was human and the humans were animated? That part kind of bugged me.

I have a feeling that it's more along the lines that Fred Willard just looks the part of the BnL CEO. With Fred, it's his total package that sells him (goofy yet serious), so having him in 3-D wouldn't do well.

[Katella Gate]

Originally Posted by Mr Wiggins

That press conference was canceled -- John had to tape his glowing introduction to the Tinker Bell Movie clip.

Really too funny. Thanks Mr. W.

[aurora1729]

Originally Posted by GuardianDragon_Mushu

"Happy Feet" threw it's Enviromental message in your face more than that (and this is coming from a non-political's standpoint!). xD

I SOOOOO agree! That is the main reason i didn't like happy feet. WALL*E= Good mesage, awsome Love story. Presto= best SHORT EVER!!!! both should and WILL win oscar.

[Rapunzel]

Originally Posted by Katella Gate

Does anybody know how this story was assembled?

Is it possible that the first half of the move that highlights Wall-E and Eve was contributed by Joe Ranft, and the remainder of the movie on board the Axiom was done after his death?

I know that Ranft was partially responsible for the idea. But if he did work on the script, he would have been given that specific credit in the credits. I my knowledge, Ranft was responsible for this portion of the filmmaking process. However, I believe, after a script is written the story is sent out to the storyboard department who would help in transforming the mostly written script into a visual on the screen. So if there is a different feeling there it may be due to what artists were assigned what scenes of the film... but ultimately Stanton would be overseeing them anyway.

[Coheteboy]

from the Art of Wall-E book...

"What if mankind were forced to evacuate Earth and someone forgot to turn the last robot off?"

That proposed question was the birth of WALL-E. That was it. Nothing more. Everything else was an open book. Later, several crucial elements formed - a machine finding life, a love story, a space adventure, humankind's displacement - but still, t here were so many blank pages left to fill. More than ever, art and story development would be essential in helping me to coalesce all these ideas that were floating out in the water.

Andrew Stanton, director/writer

I don't know how much Joe Ranft had to do with Wall-E since this film was pitched in the earliest days but not seriously worked on until much later. He might have been too deep into CARS (as a co-director) while WALL-E was in production. Imdb.com has Mater and the Ghostlight being the last film he worked on.

[Rex Dopey24]

Originally Posted by ChurroMan

The first first 40 minutes were amongst the most mind-blowing in cinema history. The movie simply began with no goofy introduction or 80s pop songs.

Somehow my mind went away during these 35 mins lol.