The Importance of Wall-E

I've been thinking about this movie quite a bit today, and like I do when I really enjoy a movie, I go over to IMDB and Yahoo movies to read the message boards and reviews. Some of the Yahoo user reviews piss me off to no end. Reviews such as these:

Commercials and trailer were deceiving - fun movie about cute robots was what I expected.

What I got was a sad commentary on the state of the world, how humankind trashes the planet to the point of inhabitation, then we leave robots to clean it up while we float away on a space cruiser - fat blobs floating on hovering chairs. We destroyed our planet and we haven't changed our behaviors. Yeah great family fun for you and your kids.

My personal favorite:

THIS MOVIE IS AWFUL!! IT IS A COMMERCIAL FOR THE LIBERAL LEFT. IF YOU ARE A COMMUNIST/SOCIALIST BASTARD THAN THIS MOVIE IS FOR YOU!!

OTHERS-DONT WASTE A MINUTE OF YOUR LIFE WATCHING THIS TRIPE--BETTER OFF PLAYING WITH YOURSELF THAN SEEING THIS!!

Or this review entitled "Are We in the USA or USSR"

Can't I see one movie without socialist propaganda? More EVIL Corporations destroy the earth with pollution *sigh*. Can we have some new material out of Hollywood please? It's bad enough there is not one word of dialogue until halfway through this very loooong movie. I am not exaggerating---not one word. Don't take kids too this thinking they will captivated. They will be boared for most of it. A couple of funny parts (already seen in the previews) is about all you get. Slightly cute at times but it just isn't a good PIXAR movie. Flop. Only gullable parents with whining kids should be dupped into seeing this. My advice---wait for the rental.

Or this one...

... by the rave reviews from the critics. This is a dark, depressing, unentertaining eco-lecture, which basically informs us all that the way we live our lives will lead to the destruction of the Earth. Don't make the mistake of paying to be lectured to like this, sheesh, they should pay US for having to sit through this dismal stuff.

That's the point! The thing is we could end up like that. We are obsessed with consumerism, we are using up or destroying our natural resources. We are becoming more and more lazy as individuals. That is fact but I guess people don't want to be reminded of that and choose to keep the blinders on.

Now of course everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I can't understand why people would be so downright offended by the movie's green message? Don't they want their children to value earth? Don't they want to pass on the idea of stewardship of the earth? Do they feel overconsumerism and gluttony is a good thing? I sure don't and I since I have no children of my own, I try to instill the importance of environmentalism and social responsibility in all of my students. But what do I know, I'm a tree hugging, bleeding heart liberal.

These dimwits remind me so much of that parent two years ago who freaked out over me showing my class An Inconvenient Truth. Click here for that gem.

Perhaps they are also overlooking the messages of finding love and finding purpose in the movie.

Messages aside, if you haven't seen the movie I recommend checking out one of the clips on Disney's Wall-E Website. First click on videos, then scroll through the different videos on the left and click on "Day at Work". The mastery of the animation during this segment, and throughout the whole movie, is jaw dropping and just plain beautiful. It's hard to believe that this is actually animated and not live action.