blackrimglasses

I saw Wall-E today at the Disney Studios at a special screening. Some observations:

• This was a “perfect” movie. And that is not a term I use lightly. I deem perfect movies one’s whom I can’t find a single fault with. One who’s every frame is necessary, perfect and flawless. From soundtrack, diegetic and non-diegetic sound, dialog (or lack there of), mise-en-scene, color, focus…etc. The only other movies I really bestow this to currently include Rushmore, Shawshank Redemption, Godfather, Finding Nemo, Germany Year Zero, Bicycle Thief, 400 Blows and a few others.
• The soundtrack was amazing, a striking blend between sardonic self-referential humor, amazingly moving themes and perfect tonal variations. However, not as moving on first listen as Finding Nemo was.
• The beginning 40 minutes will be studied by film students of the future as an example of how restraint can lead to drama, tragedy and comedy in turn, often at the same time.
• It is not a movie for kids. This was hard sci-fi, dark and frankly quite disturbing in parts. Its not like Nemo’s faux death at the end during the “swim down” sequence. This was severe Christ-allegory mixed with a near dire satirical take on humanity.
• This was the first Pixar film where I wasn’t taken out of myself thinking “I wonder what kind of shader they used?” or “the timing there is perfect.” This wasn’t animation, it was almost super-reality.
• Seeing a movie done by Disney and screened by Disney is fantastic. No commercials. No trailers. A flawless digital projection with the most perfect sound I’ve ever had at a theater. This was in the main theater at the 500 S. Buena Vista studio (the very first).
• How is it one of the most affecting love stories I’ve ever seen was between two robots with no dialog? Seriously, a metaphorical/figurative spark? And it works?
• I think Andrew Stanton and Brad Bird are the heir apparents to Ollie and Frank.
• A hell of a lot attention was given to motivation to technology, even when suspension of disbelief was needed for its use (ie, scale in space-flight)
• After the movie Amy and I were walking in downtown Burbank and saw a woman, overweight, in a wheel chair, shuffling her feet to move it (ie, she really didn’t need it), drinking an extra large Coke from 7-11. It was quite unnerving.
• If anyone calls this a “cartoon” or a “kids movie” I’m going to smack them in the head. It is a Film.

See this movie, as it is film history in the making.