My Letter For WALL-E

I WROTE THIS LETTER IN JULY 0F2008, A MONTH AFTER WALL-E CAME OUT IN THEATERS

 As I take up my pencil, I must admit that this is the first time I’ve really and officially defended a Pixar film against bad critics.  But after seeing what they’ve had to say, I can’t ignore it anymore.  I’m 100% one of the biggest Pixar fans you can bet your money on.  Not just because of the films themselves, but the people and history and place that Pixar holds within itself.  As a writer for children’s’ literature, I sort of know all the ins and outs of creating a good story and admiring one!  Also, my experience as the oldest out of 7 siblings in a Catholic family, what I have to say is founded on the truest perception of a child and inner-parent.

  The Pixar film that I am addressing in this letter is the company’s 9th feature film: WALL-E

 The first claim people make against this film is that younger children from 2 to 6 get scared or bored of the film.

 How can a parent, a good parent for that matter, expect their innocent child not to act their own age?  As much as I love WALL-E, I would never let my younger sisters (who are1, 3, and 6) see the film.
 It is the responsibility of the parent to decide what their child should see or not see and if they’re wonder if a film is appropriate, they should see it themselves before just taking their kids to the theater and “trying it out”.  What a shame it is that some parents are so busy with their jobs that they thing going to a movie theater is the best “quality time” to spend with their kids.  As if their young attention span means nothing.
 Pixar’s intended audience is for older kids (around 10+).  Don’t put blame on the film if your younger kids don’t like it!

 And if kids around 10+ don’t like it themselves because it’s “boring”, that shows that they’ve obviously been entertained with films that promote violence, blood, sex, language, etc.  Their innocence has been lost because of what they have been exposed to in schools and in their own homes!
 People would rather take their kids to see such films than see innocent ones because they just feel like it (or that stupid media has told about all of the actors and actresses that play the voices of the characters).

 As for adults being bored?  Those who want to be entertained have lost the art of living.  Ironic, isn’t it, when compared to the humans in the film?

 A second comment is that people hate the film because of its lack of dialogue.

 John Lasseter himself, the CEO of Pixar and the executive producer of all of the Pixar’s films, has said the following:
    “The art of animation is about what the character does, not what it says.  It all depends on how you tell the story, with a lot of dialogue or not.”

 Anybody smart enough can sense how much WALL-E loves EVE, how EVE learns to love WALL-E, M-O’s frustration….it’s told all without words.
 To get on a deeper side of the movie, some people have even ventured to say that WALL-E is a strictly environmental film with political statements flooding it.

 Andrew Stanton, the director and writer of the film, has said the following:

    “People made this connection with the environmental movement that I never saw coming and that’s not what I was trying to do.  I was just using the circumstances of people abandoning earth to tell my story.  The environmental causes are noble, but they’re not on my agenda.”

  WALL-E is a story about love.  Period.

 Some people even want to attack THIS message by saying that WALL-E promotes and encourages same-sex relationships!

 Did these people even regard the fact that EVE is a woman’s name?  Did they even look at the credits and see that Elissa Knight played the character’s voice?  Did he even acknowledge that all the filmmakers of the movie regard EVE a “her”?  The Captain of the movie calls EVE a “her” about 5 times!  
 Some people don’t even want to look at the obvious.  

 If you look for the bad in mankind, expecting to find it, you surely will.

 If anybody wants a Christian reference to the film, here’s one: how close can this story get to Noah’s Ark?  All the humans have left Earth because it was no longer safe to live on.  The captain sends a “white dove” to Earth to bring back proof that it’s safe to return.  And the “dove’s” name just happens to be EVE? 

 Critics can’t trust what they can’t explain.  They miss the true message of life in films like these.  Love can flourish and life can be preserved anywhere at any time.
 Some critics who have given good reports of the film have remarked that the one element of the film that separates it from other science-fiction stories is its optimism.

 Lots of people have said that they were so “disgusted” by the film that they never saw the ending.  How in the heck can you accurately comment on a film until you’ve seen the whole thing?!

 There’s an ironic message in this film about how it took a robot with a huge heart and love to change human beings who have actually succumbed to “robots”.  They have let themselves become who they are.
 WALL-E’s simple dream….only to be loved….is the most innocent and pure motive any human being or “robot” can have.  WALL-E was filled with such great love that despite everything he underwent, he wanted to share it with everyone and everything he met.  What is more, WALL-E was influenced by human love (the Hello, Dolly! Film) and then eventually gave love back to the humans!

 It is said that “what greater love is there than one who dies for one’s friends?”  WALL-E “died” for EVE and the sake of the humans.  
 He could’ve escaped the Axiom with EVE in one of the space pods and gone back to Earth.  But WALL-E knew in his own little way that helping others is sometimes the surest way to help yourself.

 Pixar Animation Studios has established itself as the greatest animation department for film and has been so successful due to its amazing and unbeatable way of story-telling.  All of their films have touched not only my heart, but millions of others.  When you combine an amazing animation department with talented story-tellers, it spells out one word: Pixar.

WALL-E, to me, is Pixar’s best shining star and example of the company’s goal and message: to love and to share that love in life.

Signed,

K.M.R.F.

Wow! Your passion for Wall-E is inspiring. Thank you Blessed Light.

Wow! I am amazed at your writing and your opinion on WALL•E. You had me blown away.

BTW, did you send this to Pixar or are you planning to?

Now this paragraph nearly reduced me to tears. No joke.
You say you’re one of the biggest Pixar fans around, and you’ve certainly proved it by this letter.

This is just so touching yet so true. I hope you sent it off, Blessed Light, because I’m sure all Pixarians would have been blown away by it.

That was fantastic!

WALL•E obviously called for a reflection on our society and perhaps the negative reviews just highlighted it’s message. Your point about how we need scum to be entertained these days proves that and more.

There was quite a bit of protest about the way the humans were designed in the film and how it was making fun of today’s obese population. Although it is a proper look into what society is moving towards, one can see how this may offend.

This is still tied for my favorite Pixar production and it’s excellence is near unmatched.

Thank you, everyone, for your encouraging words! :slight_smile:

I wish I could send this off to Pixar somehow, but I just don’t know how. Or better yet…I wish I could send this to Andrew Stanton!

As wonderful as WALL-E is in whole, the film just touched me personally because of how it reminded me of my own life, my own relationships, and I before I saw the film, I was on that very edge of discerning whether or not Pixar was something I should pursue for my future career as a writer.
When I walked out of that movie theater, I was convinced that Pixar was the place to be! :slight_smile: :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

God bless you all loyal Pixar fans! :wink:

Blessed Light, go to the section that says “Pixar Studio and People” and read the thread “How to Get Pixarian Autographs.” I don’t know if you want an autograph, but You’ll find mailing info and such there.

Wow, you have a great talent for writing! Thank you so much for sharing!

Thank you, IncredigirlVirginia, for that link! I will check out that forum ASAP!

You all are the best! You have no idea how much it means to me to find people who appreciate and love Pixar, too! I should have looked up Pixar Planet YEARS ago! :slight_smile:

No probs, Blessed Light. I like being helpful to some of our newer members; it’s how I make friends :slight_smile:

A brilliant piece of writing there, Blessed Light. You clearly have a way with words, and quite the passion for WALL-E! I especially like your closing paragraph.

your love for this movie is inspiring :slight_smile: I think you just made me love Wall-e even more…

Thank you so much, everyone, for your kind words and comments! I knew from the very first moment I saw the teaser trailer for “WALL-E” that I was going to love it! The film finally convinced me that Pixar was one-of-a-kind and the writers who work there are absolutely amazing. There’s definitely something magical and special about Pixar that makes it stand out from the rest…and I love it!

I’m even more thrilled to know that there are others who think the same way! It’s such a comfort to know I’m not the only one! LOL!

Heartwarming testimonial.

A year after the movie came out I went to a free library screening in their community room. The entire audience was either female or kiddie, it was spring break for their school system. As the movie rolled along you could see the figgetty kids, some preschool, but mostly 6-12 years of age. Most had their mothers nearby. Well, by the time Eve was cocooned nearly a third of the mothers had picked up their babies or kids and left. Then Wall-E started crying out for Eve not to leave on the returned spaceship, and some of the preschoolers chimed in for Eve not to leave. The figgetting stopped. The rest of the movie had the rapt attention of those who remained and they heartily clapped at the end… But most of the preschoolers had been spirited away, the remaining avg age was 10. It was very instructive for me to have been sitting in the last row and observe all these goings on.

Some of the movie websites like fandango have miniforums on each movie. About 70% of the respondents on that one liked our movie, but many moms complained about how their kids fell asleep. I would complain that maybe they aren’t raising their kids right: depending too much on Warner Bros - style action and violence. (Presto was undoubtedly selected as a counterpoise for the following full feature.)

If you want to see a movie that is instantly classic and entire devoid of dialogue, check out the animated movie ‘short’ Peter and the Wolf from 2007, thirty-two minutes worth.

Blessed Light is our paladin.

Wow, excellent writing, Blessed Light! I could definitely feel your love for this movie through every word I read. sigh How I wish that every person that thought that Wall-E was “boring” or “stupid” would just read this! Your writing would totally change their mind!

You all are too kind…

I dream of one day working at Pixar, writing such beautiful and inspriational stories like WALL-E, keeping the true and genuine spirit of storytelling alive in such a studio…

But most of all giving God the glory. He’s the one who gave me my love of writing.

I always believe that if I have tried every single day to do my best and still leave room for the humility of knowing that I can always do better, I shall have suceeded.