This past weekend, Wall.E hit the screens. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 97% rating, and it pulled in 62.5M in three days. It should win a Best Picture Oscar but it won’t because of that 3% of people who hold animated films to a different standard. Let’s look at what they think.
Writer/Reviewer Kyle Smith says, “Compared to other kid flicks (or adult flicks, or even Ingmar Bergman flicks), this is one Gloom-E piece of work.”
Guards! Remove this film before it causes more emotional responses! Lock it up! Put it with those other gloomy films like The Godfather and that scene from Empire when Luke Skywalker gets electro-tortured!
I’m sorry if Wall.E made you feel uncomfortable. I’m sorry if your child felt something for the character. That must be rough. Hey, at least you know your kid is human after all.
Phill Villarreal of the Arizona Daily Star says “WALL-E” is programmed more for critics and intellectuals than families….”
Great! That’s fine with me. It’s also probably fine with the other 20 somethings packed into my 8:30 PM showing. It is also probably fine with the adults at the 9:15, 9:45, 10:30, and 11:00 PM showing
Animated films are not just for kids and, I hate to break it to you, they haven’t been for a long time. Remember Babie’s mom dying? How about every minute of Dumbo’s sad life? This opinion is haughty art-snobbery. Tell a 30 year old comic book fan that his hobby is childish and he’ll throw his batterang* at you. Get over it.
Christian Toto of the Washington Post says “the film treats our capitalist system as the Earth’s ultimate sin. (But don’t let that stop you from buying Wall•E mugs and T-shirts.)”
Firstly, who wants a Wall.E mug? I want the remote control replica. Secondly, people assume that the purpose of a kids’ movie is to expound some message. It is not. Get over it. Besides, in my interpretation of Wall-E, the people allowed themselves to be blinded by the corporations. So, there is plenty of blame to go around
There is also an anti-Disney sentiment in these reviews. As if Disney movies are garbage because they were made by ‘the man.’ Most movies are made by industry heavyweights but we don’t need to play Six Degrees of Cynicism: Michael Moore made Bowling for Columbine which was produced by MGM which is co-owned by Sony which sells software to the US Army which kills innocent babies! Therefore, Michael Moore kills innocent babies! Do not watch his movies!
The few grouches remaining need to get on board. Wall.E is brilliant and so is Toy Story, Horton Hears a Who, The Little Mermaid, and The Iron Giant (also 97%). You grew up too fast, now grow down a little.
*Batman’s bat-shaped boomerang
Popularity: 38% [?]
July 3rd, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Wow, beware, clicking in and out of the comment box will nix what you typed…
Anyway, I saw Wall-E at a 9:35 showing…the house was packed and only 1 or 2 kids were in sight. This is definitely a movie that appeals to all age groups. I too feel like it was the best of the blockbusters this year.
I have a review of Wall-E too, if you’d like to read it, it’s in the Animation section.