Out There...There's a World Outside of Yonkers

That's how "Wall-E," the latest Pixar-Disney collaboration, opens. With Michael Crawford (The Phantom of the Opera) singing Jerry Herman's "Put On Your Sunday Clothes" from Hello, Dolly (the movie version). Wall-E, a CGI robot captures my heart by the fact he enjoys a musical. Now, for a family friendly movie produced by the two top names in family entertainment, this movie is not for small children. In fact, it's slightly depressing and a few of my friends (high school age, college age and beyond) have admitted to crying during it.

Wall-E is the last robot on earth, built to remove the trash the human race has built up. They, meanwhile, are cruising around the universe while this happens. The other robots all break down, their parts used as spares by Wall-E. He, meanwhile, only has a cockroach (the only sign of non-metallic life) for a companion. And he's very resilient bug at that too. Wall-E accidentally crushes him a few times. And I'll admit, after witnessing the empty terrain--devoid of life or anything else for Wall-E to interact with--I was overjoyed to see that little cockroach pop back up just fine and dandy. It hits you with the basic human fear of being alone. I may not be much of a people person, but I would not want to be alone. Wall-E has developed a personality and becomes a collector of odds and ends. He uses Christmas lights to light his house, collects forks and spoons (but doesn't know where to place the spork, so he puts it between the two) and watches Hello, Dolly. While he works, he plays "Put On Your Sunday Clothes" and "It Only Takes a Moment." In that scene, where Cornelius (Crawford) and Irene Molloy realize they are in love and hold hands. Wall-E wants to hold someone's hand.

(I must also point out that I find it very funny that the cockroach lives in a Twinkie. Shows you the things that will never go)

And then a spaceship appears and leaves a robot, named EVE. Wall-E becomes enamored and stalks EVE. She is a robot on a mission but goes to Wall-E's place with him. She looks at all his odds and ends, actually solving the Rubik's cube. When Wall-E shows her a plant he found, she shuts down. Wall-E tries to wake her and then takes care of her (even playing Pong with her) until the spaceship returns. He goes with it, telling his cockroach buddy to wait where he was, and travels to the spaceship humans have been living on...for 700 years. They are in an endless mall, all supplied to keep them happy. They don't walk and rely on robots for everything. Naturally, they are quite fat. Wall-E comes and shakes up two humans' lives--Mary (Kathy Nijamy) and John (Pixar favorite John Ratzenburger)--who realize they really aren't living. They don't even realize they have a pool!

Note: The scene where two humans zipping by talking to each other via video phone though they are next to each other reminds me of all the AIM conversations I had with my college roommate while she was next to me. Come on, you've all done it or else there wouldn't be a Facebook group.

As the captain realizes that Earth is liveable again, he needs Wall-E's and EVE's help to save mankind from its idle lifestyle and the robots.

Now, there are about twenty tense minutes in the movie where you are unsure if our hero will make it to the end of the movie. These are the worst for little kids and the ones in the theater my family went to were crying mostly during this. And many parents were shuffling them out of the theater.

It was a cute movie, it was just sad. Fortunately not Bambi "Another Disney Mom Bites the Dust" sad, but more than Finding Nemo "Another Disney Mom Bites the Dust" sad. And to the older, as I said, it speaks to that fear of isolation we all have. However, once Wall-E is surrounded by EVE, MO (who steals the movie in my opinion), the other robots, the captain, Mary and John, it picks up as he is no longer alone. Also, it might be wise to distract yourself when you get too depressed into picking up in jokes or references. There are many references to Apple products that I'd probably pick up more on if my only Apple product wasn't my iPod. I do know the Apple MacInTalk program voices a character, which is cool. And I myself saw a symbol on the space ship that reminded me of the logo for the old EPCOT ride Horizons.

This movie also features some real life action parts. The scenes from Hello, Dolly were taken straight from the movie and not turned into CGI. Also, Fred Willard plays the CEO of the corporation responsible for the humans going into outerspace and is not CGI. It was quite good. And anytime I can see and/or hear Michael Crawford is a good time. His voice, even when faking an American accent, is great. If you haven't heard it, listen to his version of "Music of the Night." All those who only know Gerard Butler...you'll realize why many phans complained about his version after listening to this.

So, I say if you are a family of older children (7 or up, I draw the line), go and see the movie. If you have little children (younger than 7), I'd wait until it comes out on DVD or airs on Disney before showing them the movie.