The Internet Movie Database
CinemaSins Movie Reviews
Another cute animated movie about a cute anthromorphized being who falls for another cute anthropomorphized being and (against all odds) saves the day. Ho-hum.
Ottersis was visiting during Thanksgiving Week. We were showing each other movies. (Actually, we got her hooked on Firefly, but that’s not a movie. Mr. Otter and I are serious Browncoats.)
And she had brought this movie, loaned to her by Spider Jerusalem, and which he had not even watched since purchasing because she wanted me to see it, so he let her bring it on her visit. Brand new. And she pulled it out and our housemate, Maid-of-Awesome, said, OMG, that is the cutest movie EVER.
And she did that thing where she waves her fingers at her face to indicate that she REALLY LIKES something.
And we watched it. And you know what’s coming…
Yes, I am the ONLY PERSON ON THE WHOLE PLANET who didn’t think this was the cutest, most romantic movie ever.
I mean, yes, Wall-E sets off all the ‘cuteness alert’ responses in the normal human. He’s short, and has big cute eyes with little expressions and worry crinkles. He has an adorable cockroach sidekick, and loves Hello Dolly, and plays the musical numbers over and over and over and over and over and over and…
Well. Okay.
But you know, it just didn’t work for me. It’s like (and I think this is indeed what happened) the animators wanted to do a robot, and had to figure out how to make him appealing enough for everyone to like him and want to see the movie over and over and buy the merchandise and all. And of course, big appealing eyes are always good. A cute little smart sidekick, even a cockroach, is good. And if he loves old musicals? Especially not-as-famous, slightly wierd ones like Hello Dolly? It’s a winner!
El mektub mektub. What is written, is written. What is made by Pixar and/or Disney is, by definition, wonderful. Especially these days.
And that’s what this feels like. It’s a buttonpushfest worthy of Spielberg himself, and had just about that much heart and genuine emotion behind it, in my opinion. This movie felt more like something designed by a committee to make as many people like it as possible, rather than created by someone who had an idea that s/he loved and wanted to see brought to life on the big screen.
This is also the only animated movie where the Reality Police are showing up…even for an animated movie, there were so many parts of it that made me say, Huh? how can that happen? why is that there? that makes no sense…my disbelief hit the ground with a thud. And I’m not even going to discuss the huge spaceship full of fat people. Not going there, not this little black duck.
So maybe I’m wrong. Maybe I’m a curmudgeon. Maybe I just don’t get it.
But I didn’t get it. At all.
theotterlimits 