by Sarah Huth

Created on: July 05, 2008   Last Updated: July 11, 2008

The combined team of Disney and Pixar have been giving us memorable characters capable of stealing our hearts since 1995. "Toy Story" introduced the world to Buzz and Woody, a classic clash of old and new that we couldn't help but giggle at. Years later we met Nemo, an ambitious little clown fish trying to find his way home. Finally, a few weeks ago, they gave us yet another character to treasure and adore; WALL-E. This rusty little robot with his droopy eyes, tendency for trouble, and heartbreaking desire to hold hands has stolen the box office, bringing in 32.5 million dollars to date. Everyone's been buzzing about this film; Entertainment Weekly has even gone as far as discussing the possibility of a Best Picture Oscar. So what makes "WALL-E" so special? Simply put, it's a film that reminds people why we started going to movies in the first place; it captivates you from the moment it begins and engages you until the very end. It's hilarious and touching, somewhat serious yet easy enough for a child to understand, and beautifully done. I had heard good things about this film, but "WALL-E" surpassed all of my expectations and has certainly set the bar for both CGI-animated films and children's movies in general.

The movie starts out by introducing us to WALL-E, an adorable little trash compacting robot that enjoys collecting knick-knacks, watching "Hello Dolly", and taking care of his pet cockroach. He lives on a post-apocalyptic earth, which is barren, dry, and devoid of life. WALL-E seems to be the only working robot left on the planet, spending his lonely days building skyscrapers out of the trash he compacts while listening to his favorite film's soundtrack over and over again. He is particularly touched by the idea of love, and longs for someone to hold hands with. It's almost heartbreaking, watching him roam around the barren planet by himself, storing his rubix cubes and rubber duckies on shelves in the little building that he lives in.

One day, while out compacting and gathering new treasures, WALL-E discovers a little green plant growing inside of a refrigerator. He gently scoops it up and takes it back to his home, not realizing just how precious and important his finding is. Later that day his world is turned upside down when a rocket lands and drops off the sleek, high-tech robot that becomes the object of our little hero's deepest affection; EVE. He shyly follows her around for almost a day as she searches the planet, blasting whatever gets in her

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