Rob's "Wall-E" non-review robot ramblings

I've been caught up in various projects and diversions this year that I haven't had a chance to do any pre-opening hyping babbling about the latest Pixar animated movie. Even so, I managed to dig out a little chunk of time this weekend and went to see Wall-E with the family.

I'll try not to spoil the movie for those who haven't seen it; suffice it to say that Wall-E is another magnificent Pixar movie, and gets my unbridled recommendation to anyone with even the slightest interest in the film. Pixar has -- yet again -- knocked another one out of the ballpark, further cementing the studio's reputation as the premiere animators of the 21st century.

Others will talk about Wall-E's comedic love story (which is a charmer) or its various lessons about consumerism, environmentalism, and/or self-reliance (which are delivered with a light touch, for the most part). But for me, the most interesting thing about Wall-E is that it's the first Pixar movie where the main character doesn't exhibit any sort of emotional growth or change throughout the story.

Think about it: Woody shook off his self-centered importance, Sulley discovered the repercussions of his career, Marlin learned that parenting involves letting go, and even Remy eventually realized that his family was an asset instead of a liability.

Not Wall-E.

Appropriately enough, the resilient little mobile garbage compactor -- who continued performing his Sisyphlian task far longer than he was ever supposed to -- is the one character whose wide-eyed curiosity, joyful nature, and boundless optimism are never crushed by the challenges he faces and the forces against him. The Wall-E that ends the movie is the same Wall-E who started it, albeit happier and with more friends. There's something charmingly reassuring about this, about seeing this little cubic robot demonstrate the raw, galaxy-bending power of positive thinking. Wall-E doesn't have bionic muscles, a squadron of soldiers, or gallons of testosterone -- he just has a whole lotta hope, which carries him through everything he goes through.

Yes, Wall-E is a great movie, another Pixar masterpiece (did I use that word already?) that deftly teaches and entertains, and it certainly deserves all the kudos it's been getting. But for me, the best thing about Wall-E the movie is Wall-E the robotic role-model, the banged-up little 'bot who just wanted to hold hands... and ended up changing the entire galaxy in the process.

(Ironically enough, one downside to Wall-E's charm is that you end up loving the little guy so much you want to load up on Wall-E toys and merchandise -- which crashes head-on against the movie's warnings against rampant consumerism. Maybe I'll just limit myself to one or two things...