by Donald Lind

Created on: June 30, 2008   Last Updated: September 22, 2008

"WALL-E' May Very Well Be Pixar's Masterpiece"

Pixar Animation Studios is officially the most successful film studio in all of Hollywood. It has released eight films over more than a decade and all of them are certified critical and commercial successes. That streak continues in 2008 with their ninth film, "WALL-E." This time, though, Pixar has more than just another surefire hit. "WALL-E" is so flawlessly crafted that it may be hard for them to top this.

Pixar's films have worked so well generally because they have been films that literally work on any age level, with a humorous, exciting or dramatic bit that works no matter how old the audience. "WALL-E" is no different in that regard, but this film isn't just business as usual. This film takes quite a brave and mature leap that strays from the formula of brightly-colored action and funny sidekicks that entertain the kids and a slew of gags and inside jokes for the parents. The film possesses a message; it serves as a bit of warning to humanity and where our excessive lifestyles and disregard for life itself. Brilliantly, the message is in the subtext and actions of the characters. It is a positive message to, that shows the wreckage of our lifestyles through childlike eyes and proves that positive thinking and the will to set things right are the first steps to making change.

Immediately, the tone of the film is equally somber yet upbeat and enthusiastic. It opens on Planet Earth in the year 2700. The planet is a brown, congealing pile of rubbish because of humanity's excess. The planet is so overfilled with garbage that trash heaps extend higher in the sky than skyscrapers and the planet is orbited by useless satellites. Earth cannot sustain life and humanity has long since fled to safety in the Axiom, a space-traveling day spa, where it still awaits a possible return home.

The job of cleaning up our mess had been left to a group of robots, but after seven centuries, the humans never returned and all robots ceased functioning. . . all except one. He (it is most definitely a "he") is a Waste Allocation Load Lifter-Earth Class, or WALL-E. He spends every day bunching up and crushing the junk he finds into squares. But since he has been alone for a long time, he has developed an almost human personality with quirks, curiosity and a sense of humor and duty. He maintains himself with the spare parts of other robots and has taken to collecting a few items that really interest him. His favorite is a copy of the musical

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