Monday, July 07, 2008

Directive?


WALL-E is a masterpiece.  

I have read many reviews that compare the newest Pixar film to the best of Charlie Chaplin and to the works of Stanley Kubrick.  Both of these are apt comparisons.  In terms of animation, WALL-E is simply the best, most technologically advanced piece of animated filmmaking I've ever seen.  In terms of story, WALL-E is heart-warming, touching, and profound.  While being by far the most political Pixar film, WALL-E also manages to tell a beautiful story about love, friendship, and loneliness, and tells it stunningly.  That some robots could move me almost to tears is very telling.

My friend Will does a brilliant job discussing the film, in a far more eloquent way that I will. 

I do not feel like I need to get into a discussion of the story here. I will just say that I have not stopped thinking about this film since I left the theater many hours ago, and I believe I will be thinking of it often in the days to come.  

WALL-E is by far one of the best films of the year.

22 Comments:

At 2:11 AM, Blogger Deemer posited...

This is the first Disney film I've wanted to see in quite some time. I went to see it this past weekend and just loved it. Even got a Walle watch!

My only question is--was eve's trigger happy intro really necessary?

 
At 4:53 PM, Blogger Erika posited...

Loved it!

 
At 5:22 AM, Blogger PBear posited...

hey, your Cubs landed Rich Harden.

 
At 10:43 AM, Blogger P "N" K posited...

That they did.

Dub, I have to say, I'm feeling pretty embarassed right now. Not only do I stubbornly cling to my guns and religion, I am thoroughly embarassed because I can only speak passing Spanish and thus can't communicate with those other Europeans.

Apparently Barack forgot English is the world's language of commerce, as well as the standard language for pilots/aviation.

The only thing worse than a snob is a guy who tries to pretend he isn't.

 
At 10:44 AM, Blogger P "N" K posited...

As for the actual subject of this post, I am continually amazed at all of these movies in the last half-dozen or so years. I saw Toy Story in a theater, but animated movies have come a long way since Aladdin and The Lion King in terms of look. It's amazing.

 
At 1:01 PM, Blogger CoachDub posited...

Parker, if you listen to his whole speech, he was using Spanish as an example. He went on to talk about the need to be competitive.

Of course English is the language of commerce, but if you don't think that a person who can speak more than one language will have an advantage in a global marketplace, then I cannot help you.

 
At 5:07 PM, Blogger PBear posited...

I'm going to have to side with Parker on this one.

I understand where Obama is coming from, but the out of context argument only goes so far. Obama plainly stated that someone like me not knowing a bit of Danish while staying in Denmark is embarrassing. How could I be so foolish as to not learn a language that is completely useless outside (and it's not even that useful inside) of the small country it originated? Denmark isn't a special example either; many languages in Europe have very little practical value outside the country of origin.

oh boy, I can see it now:

Today, President Obama signed a large spending bill to institute Danish language programs in all American schools.
"I just don't want to be embarrassed of people like Adam Pelkey anymore." Obama said.

Pretty elitist, even in context.

 
At 5:43 PM, Blogger Tom posited...

holy shit.

ok, question: do any of you know of anyone in the world referring to mccain fans as "Mccainiacs"? because if not i dub myself a genius and hereby copyright the phrase. i could google it, but that just seems like it will turn out disappointingly...

 
At 5:46 PM, Blogger CoachDub posited...

You will indeed be disasppointed. I've heard Colbert use it.

 
At 11:03 PM, Blogger P "N" K posited...

This comment has been removed by the author.

 
At 11:05 PM, Blogger P "N" K posited...

This comment has been removed by the author.

 
At 11:22 PM, Blogger P "N" K posited...

To avoid perpetuating an arguement that -- like abortion debates in student congress -- will never end, I'm just going to say these things.

a) Dub, I am certainly aware of the advantages knowing more than one language can bring in the job market and just as a general life skill.

b) Argue about context all you want, but I don't buy it. Not one bit. And I don't think any non-Obama apologist, be they staunchly conservative like me, or just John Doe Non-politics off the street will either.

 
At 9:32 AM, Blogger undulatingorb posited...

That's funny, I came here thinking that there would be all sorts of discussion about the greatness of the movie Wall-E. Silly me, thinking that comments on a blog post would have anything to do with the actual blog post. Also, I would be embarrassed if someone I knew went to a foreign country without knowing at least a bit of that country's language. It's just a very inconsiderate, arrogant, douchebag thing to do.

 
At 10:39 AM, Blogger P "N" K posited...

This comment has been removed by the author.

 
At 11:21 AM, Blogger P "N" K posited...

Making my parents and me, my extension, inconsiderate, arrogant, douchebags when we visited SKorea in 1999.

And to think, I'd never have known what terrible people we are.

(If sarcasm could drip through a saturated computer screen, this would be the time).

 
At 11:21 AM, Blogger P "N" K posited...

*by

 
At 12:15 PM, Blogger PBear posited...

hey, I'm an inconsiderate, arrogant, douchebag too, Parker. *air high five* woo! woo!

Learning an additional language is a choice full of benefits and costs. As long as a person is willing to accept the consequences of his/her choice, then that decision should be respected.

Grocery shopping is tough for me in Denmark, but I don't go complaining to a Dane about how nothing is in English. I've accepted the consequences, and my decision shouldn't be condemned by Obama and others.

 
At 12:43 PM, Blogger undulatingorb posited...

I don't mean that one should become fluent in another language to simply visit a foreign country. But one should know a couple of basic phrases, perhaps "Do you speak English?" for starters. I see it as a sign of basic courtesy to the citizens of that country. And if someone is willing to accept the consequences of not knowing the language, that's their choice and I respect it. My complaint is with people who will not deign to learn even the most basic aspects of another culture and then wonder why Americans are associated with arrogance in many parts of the world.

 
At 4:30 PM, Blogger PBear posited...

Well, that's what Obama means, but I'm glad you don't mean that. I do know some of the real basic words to be polite, not really enough to qualify a bit, but enough to add a little charm.

 
At 8:17 PM, Blogger P "N" K posited...

Undulatingorb, we can both agree on that. Basic phrases, besides lowering the arrogance quotient, are almost a necessity to avoid some major hassles. But like Pelk I don't think this was what Obama was getting at.

Also Pelk, factoring in exchange rates, how expensive are commodity goods over there? Food, gas, etc.

 
At 2:25 PM, Blogger PBear posited...

awful, I'm extremely selective with my purchases. Eating out is especially expensive. Comparing the exact same food and service at a restaurant, the price will be twice as much in Denmark as the U.S. I don't eat out much.

I'll probably blog a little more about it sometime.

 
At 9:04 AM, Blogger Will Scheibel posited...

Hey, thanks for the shout-out and the compliment in your WALL-E review!

-Will

 

Post a Comment

<< Home