Wall-E Faces Pixar Perfection
Pixar Animation Studios is considered by many to be the ultimate film-making animation studio there has ever been. By giving life to characters better than most live action films do, Pixar has never failed to deliver heartwarming stories with undying and unique originality. This weekend, they plan to release their newest adventure with a tiny, but determined robot named WALL-E.
Before WALL-E ever blasted into outer space, Pixar started to take shape in 1984 when John Lasseter made his first computer animated short film, “Andre and Wally B.” It wasn’t until 1986 when Steve Jobs purchased what was then the computer graphics division of Lucasfilm for a price of 10 million dollars that Pixar finally took off. What originally started with an ambition for animation from John Lasseter, the company began producing animated short films and visually engaging commercials for products like Listerine and Tropicana juices. After numerous commercials, Lasseter and company produced the world’s first fully computer animated feature film. We know it as the Academy Award winning, “Toy Story.”
Reliving every bit of their success, Pixar has produced a track record of award winning films and shorts that include the lovable titles like “Ratatouille,” “Monsters Inc,” “The Incredibles,” and “Finding Nemo.” With such an astounding creative eye for capturing the souls of their characters, Pixar now turns to a character that some would argue has no soul.
“WALL-E” may be about a robot that was designed to compact, lift, and allocate waste, but the title character’s repetitive job has helped him develop a personality that’s incredibly curious. Since he’s left with nothing to do after humans leave Earth, WALL-E spends most of his time rummaging through his landfill of treasures and pondering a purpose in his lonely existence. All of that changes when a spacecraft lands on his work-site, and he is greeted by the sleek surveillance robot named EVE. With love at first sight, WALL-E follows his new friend on a race across the galaxy in search of the promise for a future.
In a way, the character of WALL-E is a lot like Pixar. Small and seemingly insignificant, WALL-E’s personality may be overlooked. What originally could have been dismissed as just another group making lifeless animation films, Pixar injects their creative will and personality into every project they take on. Along the way, they never forget to use their curiosity that makes them the powerhouse production company they are known as today.
With so much weighing on the shoulders of one tiny robot, a failure would be like the wrench thrown into a well oiled machine. However, with determination, creativity, and undying curiosity for the boundless exploration, WALL-E and Pixar may be the team to finally show us how animation can be one of the most powerful and praiseworthy tools in the creations of cinema.
“WALL-E” opens in theaters Friday June 27, 2008.
