(2008)
4.5
Perry Seibert
A G-rated synthesis of A.I., Idiocracy, 2001, and Chaplin's Modern Times, WALL-E tells the tale of a robot left behind to clean up Earth while the human race bides its time in space, waiting for machines to fix the mess they've left behind. But this being Pixar, the deeper issues are handled just as expertly as the conventional storyline, which in this case is a simple love story between two robots.
A first-time viewer could be forgiven for not grasping the consistent vision of WALL-E's subtext on a first viewing, primarily because the look of the film is so detailed and accomplished that you can be awestruck just admiring the visual, and aural, craftsmanship. Hiring ace cinematographer Roger Deakins as a "consultant" paid off like a winning lottery ticket. The opening passages of the film -- on an Earth populated by nothing but a robot, a cockroach, and lots of garbage -- have a realism that trumps everything Pixar has done to this point. Oftentimes you forget you're watching an animated movie because of the fluid, realistic camera work. Director Andrew Stanton succeeds grandly not because he's showing off with these nearly dialogue-free sequences, but because he understands how viewers respond to particular lenses and camera maneuvers. He's applying film theory in order to build up an audience's sympathies for his main character, and he does so masterfully. Don't let the phrase "dialogue-free" throw you -- this is far from a silent movie. The flawless and varied sound design -- who knew a robot's voice could have so many different inflections when saying the same few words -- is as much a treat for the ears as the visuals are for the eyes.
Like Stanton's previous film, Finding Nemo, WALL-E manages to work at the level of fable by communicating grand themes through the actions of sympathetic characters. This film works as a simple adventure story, and as a love story, but it also works as a rather brilliant comment on the inherent dangers of mass commercialism and the ramifications of humans becoming slothful and lazy because of technology. In this movie, the people of the future look like enormous, babyish blobs -- a device Stanton exploits to great comedic and thematic effect. The entire production has been so brilliantly conceived and executed that it feels as much like an extended Pixar short as it does a feature. Unlike its humans of the future, the movie itself doesn't have an ounce of fat on it. The men and women at Pixar are master jewelers, cutting and polishing their wares to perfection before the world gets to enjoy them. WALL-E is another gem.
awards for WALL-E on AllMovie
WALL-E (2008)
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
|
Won |
Best Animated Feature
|
2008 |
|
Nominated |
Best Original Score
|
2008 |
|
Nominated |
Best Original Screenplay
|
2008 |
|
Nominated |
Best Original Song
|
2008 |
|
Nominated |
Best Sound Editing
|
2008 |
|
Nominated |
Best Sound Mixing
|
2008 |
Alliance of Women Film Journalists
|
Won |
Best Original Screenplay
|
2008 |
American Cinema Editors Guild
|
Nominated |
Best Edited Feature - Comedy or Musical
|
2008 |
American Film Institute
Art Directors Guild
|
Nominated |
Best Art Direction in a Fantasy Film
|
2008 |
Austin Film Critics
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Won |
Best Animated Feature
|
2008 |
|
Nominated |
Best Picture
|
2008 |
Boston Society of Film Critics
|
Won |
Best Animated Feature
|
2008 |
|
Won |
Best Picture
|
2008 |
British Academy of Film and Television Arts
|
Nominated |
Best Animated Feature
|
2008 |
|
Nominated |
Best Music
|
2008 |
|
Nominated |
Best Sound
|
2008 |
Broadcast Film Critics Association
|
Won |
Best Animated Feature
|
2008 |
|
Nominated |
Best Picture
|
2008 |
|
Nominated |
Best Song
|
2008 |
Chicago Film Critics Association
|
Won |
Best Animated Feature
|
2008 |
|
Nominated |
Best Director
|
2008 |
|
Won |
Best Original Score
|
2008 |
|
Won |
Best Original Screenplay
|
2008 |
|
Won |
Best Picture
|
2008 |
Dallas/Fort Worth Film Critics Association
|
Won |
Best Animated Feature
|
2008 |
|
Nominated |
Best Picture
|
2008 |
Detroit Film Critics Society
|
Nominated |
Best Director
|
2008 |
|
Nominated |
Best Picture
|
2008 |
Edinburgh International Film Festival
|
Presented |
Film Presented
|
2008 |
Florida Film Critics
|
Won |
Best Animated Feature
|
2008 |
Hollywood Foreign Press Association
|
Won |
Best Animated Feature
|
2008 |
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Nominated |
Best Original Song
|
2008 |
Houston Film Critics
|
Won |
Best Animated Feature
|
2008 |
Iowa Film Critics Association
|
Won |
Best Animated Feature
|
2008 |
Kansas City Film Critics Association
|
Won |
Best Animated Feature
|
2008 |
Las Vegas Film Critics Association
|
Won |
Best Animated Feature
|
2008 |
London Film Critics Association
|
Nominated |
Best Picture
|
2008 |
Los Angeles Film Critics Association
National Board of Review
|
Won |
Best Animated Feature
|
2008 |
|
Nominated |
Best Picture
|
2008 |
New York Film Critics Circle
|
Won |
Best Animated Feature
|
2008 |
New York Film Critics Online
|
Won |
Best Animated Feature
|
2008 |
|
Nominated |
Best Picture
|
2008 |
Online Film Critics Association
|
Won |
Best Animated Feature
|
2008 |
|
Won |
Best Original Screenplay
|
2008 |
|
Won |
Best Picture
|
2008 |
Phoenix Film Critics Association
|
Won |
Best Animated Feature
|
2008 |
|
Nominated |
Best Picture
|
2008 |
San Diego Film Critics Association
|
Won |
Best Animated Feature
|
2008 |
Southeastern Film Critics Association
|
Nominated |
Best Picture
|
2008 |
St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association
|
Won |
Best Animated Feature
|
2008 |
Toronto Film Critics Association
|
Won |
Best Animated Feature
|
2008 |
Utah Film Critics
|
Won |
Best Animated Feature
|
2008 |
|
Won |
Best Director
|
2008 |
Vancouver Film Critics
|
Nominated |
Best Picture
|
2008 |
Washington D.C. Film Critics Association
|
Won |
Best Animated Feature
|
2008 |
Women Film Critics Circle
|
Won |
Best Animated Female
|
2008 |
|
Won |
Best Family Film
|
2008 |
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