Where's Wall*E?

Movie Review
Wall*E
Directed by: Andrew Stanton
Voiced by: Brent Burtt, Elissa Knight

I'm kinda late when it comes to watching this movie. It went on showing in theaters about a few months ago and I didn't go and see it (a terrible sin for a Pixar fan), and I only managed to grab a DVD copy about a week ago. Still, it was better than nothing. Big screen or a laptop screen, these don't matter when it comes to realizing how wonderful this movie is. For those who've seen it, I think most of 'em would agree (those who got brains and hearts) that this movie is simply amazing.

Alright, to make this review more than just oh-my-f***in'-god-this-movie's-so-goddamn-awesome-go-and-see-it-now-before-the-end-of-the-world-comes *pause, take deep breath* kind of review, I'll just try to elaborate a bit (even though those words are actually quite enough). I guess there's no questioning Pixar when it comes to their technical capabilities. The movie you will see (or have seen) shows how far they have gone when it comes to 3D imagery. Everything looks so real. The gritty, modern, industrial (and dirty) look of the world Wall*E inhabits are portrayed in stunningly realistic 3D graphic. And that's just the beginning.

How about the animation? Again, there's no questioning Pixar when it comes to creating animations that can connect to audience's emotion. And what is even more outstanding is the fact that they did it with a very minimum amount of dialogue (if you could call robot-speak dialogues, that is). They have managed to use mostly gestures to convey emotion, and by god Wall*E's indeed a very expressive and adorable character, even if he's only a garbage compactor robot. Count me in when it comes to voting Wall*E as Pixar's mascott. They really nailed it when they came up with the character of Wall*E.

Adding to the above factors is the story. This time around, Pixar's managed to come out with a story that is both about love and a certain environmental theme. And this time, they have successfully tell it without being preachy. So, the story it is (a preview, for those who's unlucky enough not to have seen this movie).

It is Earth in the future, and mankind has abandoned Earth to life in space thanks to the monstrous amount of garbage people have accumulated over time. Wall*E is perhaps the only garbage compactor robot still functioning on Earth and everyday he starts his routine by first collecting the energy he needs for the day from the sun. (and for Apple computer fans everywhere, you'll be familiar with the sound Wall*E emits after his energy level is full). Well, this garbage compactor robot has a quirky personality (or a malfunctioning code in his programming perhaps) and he (it?) likes to collect stuff that he regards as interesting (I must say it's amusing when he throws away a diamond ring in favor of the box where the ring was found...take that, bitches!). But, most of all, Wall*E is lonely. He must be, especially when you only have a roach as a companion. One day, a robot called EVE came to Earth to investigate something (I won't say what it is) and it was love at first sight. At least, for Wall*E. To make it short, let's just say things get interesting from then.

All of these things have been perfectly blended by the wizards in Pixar and the result is one of the best animated movie I have seen in my life. Now, can I say it? Can I? Can I? Whatever. OH MY F***IN' GOD THIS MOVIE IS SO AWESOME GO AND SEE IT NOW BEFORE THE END OF THE WORLD COMES *pause, take deep breath*. There. I've said it.

Rewind and Rewind

Movie Review
Be Kind Rewind
Director: Michel Gondry
Starring: Jack Black, Mos Def, Danny Glover

The movie started out a bit ho-hum when I watched it. A dying neighborhood; a pair of friends; an old VHS rental store owner, whose store is an old building where an old legendary Jazz player was born (a claim made by the store owner himself); and a plan to demolish and build new buildings. Put them together and you get yourself one of those we-have-to-do-something-to-save- movie. Pretty formulaic, isn't it?

However, things got interesting when Jerry (Jack Black) accidentally wiped out all the VHS in the rental store thanks to his body's magnetic field. If you really have to ask why, well, you have to see the movie yourself. Let's just say that it involves an electrical power plant and a sabotage plan gone wonderfully wrong. Mike (Mos Def), realizing that he has to help Mr. Fletcher (Danny Glover) revive his dying business (and help correct things after Jerry's little accident), came up with a plan to re-record their own version of the movies. Jerry and Mike, armed with an old video recorder (VHS, mind you), set out to create their own home made videos. Little did they know that their 'sweded' version would garner a lot of followings (yeah, formulaic I know).

You gotta love the ideas they came up with! All the tools and special effects were home-made and a bit crappy, but you can't deny the charm they exude. And the 'sweded' version of Ghostbusters is simply adorable. Look out for the movie "Fats Waller" as well.

Great acting all around by Black, Mos Def, and Glover (special mention as well to Melonie Diaz who played Alma, a not-so-aspiring actress who got dragged into the whole mess). Black's charm is all over the place, and Mos Def's Mike perfectly complements the loud character of Black's Jerry. Ultimately, however, the movie's all about the joy of making movies. Once again, I could not say enough about the ideas they come up with while shooting the 'sweded' version. For people who appreciate and love the art of making movies, don't miss out on this one. And for those who love indie, don't hesitate to grab this one. It's got the feel of indie movie all over the place.