When we began discussing what films stood out under the umbrella of "wonder" this year, numerous films came to the table. Dark Knight was an early favorite, taking the classic good versus evil narrative to new and perplexing levels. Slumdog Millionaire struck multiple nerves, inviting its viewers into a fresh perspective on reality, injustice, and that which is written. And Doubt was plain textbook wonderful.
But the more we sat on our philosophical rubric of sorts, the more we believed Pixar's 2008 installment WALL-E was revealing ideas and methods that we did not expect, and hope do not go understated.
Wha? The robotic kid flick gets your 2008 film of the year? Well, before you write off the industry's revival of #5 (anyone?), let us remind you that this site is not a "review" site, but one deeply interested in the art of wonder. And this year, the animated genre's got it. Let us explain:
Image
First things first. For the most part, the silent era ended in the late 1920s. Ever since, films have given the narrative reigns to dialogue over image. In a somewhat ironic fashion, the folks behind WALL-E (Disney/Pixar) went against these mainstream presumptions to create a film absent of dialogue throughout its entire first half. This bold move set the stage for a "visual wonderment" - thrusting the "non-verbal" aesthetics into the driver's seat. For this decision, we vehemently applaud.
Story
Of course, no studio of this magnitude is releasing any visual work without its ability to actually tell a story. And it is the story that also intrigues us. In brief, WALL-E tells a prophetic tale of an abandoned earth, left vacant of almost any life form due to a corporate takeover and environmental irresponsibility. As a result, humanity has fled in favor of a fully automated luxury liner on technological steroids. Men and women roam about in a subversive reality and do nothing more than interact with the "iPhones" of its day. And after 700 years of machine dependence and relational deprivation, humanity is left obese, dull, and stripped of joy. (And, if you think these inhumane realities are long-off, read this.)
In turn, writer and director Andrew Stanton's willingness to point toward this absurdity is both timely and appropriate. (Now, read this.) New questions need to be asked. What, or better yet who, is really in front of us? Around us? Are we really more connected than ever?
All in all, this visual narrative is an appeal for humanity to open its eyes and ears - a theme that we also saw in Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who. In fact, it is the willingness to entertain that which is "beyond" (in both films) that create new spaces, spaces of hope and possibility.
Hints
In WALL-E, we gain a glimpse of these possibilities in the most peculiar of places: the credits. In fact, the adjoining animation might be the most profound and surprising component of the film. As the film closes, we see humanity participating in a re-building of sorts - hinting at what might be best understood as a new earth. This call to breathe life into that which is seemingly lifeless is a wonderment in and of itself and should not be ignored. Of course, new questions emerge from such a statement: Is this an invitation to re-build? To participate? Is it prophetic? Is it now? Is it later? Is it both? All questions we gladly leave you to ponder.
(Hopeful) Irony
Lastly, there is a point of tension that we must address. Let's be honest, giving such props to a Disney film goes somewhat against our very purpose. But, if you hung around to the last moment of the film, the credits may have surprised you yet again (as it did us).
You may recall that the catalyst for humanity's mass exodus was the evil corporate empire, Buy-n-Large. While this easily could have been a stab at Wal-E-World, the end credit seems to suggest otherwise. In the absolute last second of the reel, the Buy-n-Large logo flashes one last time, as if someone was making a witty attempt to recognize the irony surrounding the film's narrative and the company behind it. What is this? Is Buy-n-Large a reference to Disney?
While we are not privy to the story behind the move, the subtle offering gives us hope. Hope that the "seemingly" insignificant artists and participants not only having something to say - but are actually saying it. We are grateful for the eyes and ears that are open...even within the ranks of Disney.
Open up.
Participate.
