WALL·E

Year: 2008

Running time: 98 minutes

Certificate: U

Language: English

Screenplay: Jim Reardon

Director: Andrew Stanton

Starring (voices): Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin, Fred Willard, John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy, Sigourney Weaver, Teddy Newton

Ready to start a new day.

I remember when news started to filter through about WALL·E. There was some doubt as to whether Pixar would be able to pull it off (I was quite confident in them myself). Set in a bleak but increasingly likely future (increasingly likely that is, except for the positive aspects), on an Earth long abandoned by humans, covered in garbage. Almost dialogue free for the first 40 minutes. It sounded less like a kids movie, and more like some sci-fi arthouse film.

As it turns out, the studio delivered their finest work to date (back then, since topped by, maybe, Inside Out), trumping even the bar-setting Toy Story. The title character is a little robot, seemingly the only one still functioning, spending his days compacting rubbish and stacking it in skyscraper-high piles. During his time spent doing this, WALL·E collects little trinkets and objects that he finds interesting. The little robot is imbued with such a remarkable sense of personality and childlike innocence that to see him is to love him utterly. Johnny 5, eat your metal heart out.

WALL·E's routine is broken by the arrival of a huge rocket from the heavens, out of which comes EVE (Elissa Knight). WALL·E is more than a little intrigued and follows EVE as she goes about her incomprehensible mission. This initial courtship proves almost fatal for WALL·E, as EVE turns out to be formidably weaponised. Undeterred, WALL·E continues to pursue EVE and eventually he makes her acquaintance without being blasted to pieces.

Desperate to impress his new friend, WALL·E shows off his collection to EVE, and when he shows her a plant growing in a boot he recently found, her programming kicks in and she takes it from him and shuts down, awaiting pick up. Pick up arrives in the shape of the aforementioned rocket and in an attempt to not be separated from his new companion, WALL·E hitches a ride into space, where he and we catch up with what became of humanity. In what must be a wet dream for Elon Musk, we managed to abandon our dying planet and retreat to the stars in a fully-functional miracle space ship (this is the positive aspect that is the unlikely part of this depiction of the future). The arrival of the plant kicks off a struggle of wills between the captain (Jeff Garlin) ('captain' in name only; in reality he's a figurehead and the ship is entirely run by the AI autopilot (Sigourney Weaver)) and the computer controlling the ship.

The wonder of space.

The state of humanity is played for tragi-comic effect - people live in floating chairs and don't walk, while generations in space has left everyone with no bone density and an inability to walk. It's funny to watch, but it's desperately sad because if you squint you can see it; what too many of us are, what we'll most likely become. Slaves to chairs, screens and advertising. Reminds me of Idiocracy a little. But Pixar is not Mike Judge and even though it can be depressing, it is clear that these humans have retained that sense of goodness at heart and they are inspired to help do the right thing when it matters. This in itself gives me hope, and if that hope is false I care not a jot.

This might all sound a little weird (but try to explain the plot of any Pixar movie and sound normal - you can't), but make no mistake; the sci-fi setting and artificial nature of the characters are mere set dressing. This is a romance at heart, and if you let it, it will bring you joy and wonder to make your heart sing.

The film is full of little moments of perfection, such as WALL·E’s courtship of Eve on Earth mentioned earlier, the mesmerising flight through space and the two robots dancing through the airless vacuum together. It's impeccable, it really is.

As you might imagine, the whole thing looks wondrous, but Pixar’s strength has always been to put the story first and the looks second, and WALL·E is no exception. The separate strands of comedy, romance, action and wonderful sense of adventure and discovery tie together beautifully with each other to create a truly complete and emotionally satisfying story.

Despite the rather bleak beginning, it ends on a positive note that will uplift you and make you feel good to be alive. Cinema's emotional effect is rarely this powerful, and this proves completely that those who still don’t take computer animation seriously as an art form are simply wrong.

WALL·E helps you rediscover your sense of wonder in a way that only the very best stories can.

Score: 9/10

It doesn't come as a surprise to me that everyone out there seems to love WALL·E; described as 'flawless' in this review from Larae at the Critical Movie Critics and brilliantly as 'Koyaanisqatsi directed by Chuck Jones' in this one from Seb at Den of Geek, who definitely preferred the first half.

A History of Violence

Year: 2005
Running time: 96 minutes

Certificate: 18

Language: English

Screenplay: Josh Olson

Director: David Cronenberg

Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Ed Harris, Maria Bello, William Hurt, Ashton Holmes, Heidi Hayes

Local hero being locally heroic? Or something more?

A History of Violence is one of David Cronenberg's more 'normal' films (although this is only at first glance; a more considered look shows multiple layers on identity and transformation, both of which are well-trod ground for the director). I wondered if 'commercial' would be a better word there, but actually I think despite being generally a lot more 'out there', Cronenberg has been a pretty successful director. It seems he had a pretty good time making this gangster-like thriller, because he and his star Viggo Mortensen followed it up in 2007 with Eastern Promises, which isn't the same, but I think does share some similarities.

Tom Stall (Mortensen) owns a modest diner in small town America. Happily married to Edie (Maria Bello) with two kids Jack (Ashton Holmes) and Sarah (Heidi Hayes), he is quiet, peaceful and well-liked. Until one night he foils an attempted robbery on his diner, despatching the two would-be robbers with quick, brutal efficiency. The scene is sudden, shocking, and over before you know it. Hailed as a hero, Tom becomes an unwilling local celebrity, face plastered all over the news, which is how he gets the attention of Carl Fogarty (Ed Harris).

Carl has been looking for a gangster by the name of Joey Cusack for years, and shortly after the incident, arrives at Tom's diner to tell him he is convinced that Tom is actually the Joey Cusack he's been looking for. From this point on the film dives deep into themes of uncertainty, trust and deception. At first, it seems ludicrous that Tom is Joey, but the crux of the film is how this certainty begins to unravel throughout the running time as in light of the shocking efficiency with which Tom kills the two robbers, Edie begins to doubt her husband is who she has always assumed him to be.

Mistaken identity or exactly who he's looking for?

There is no point spoiling the rest of it for you, but the story does a decent job of leading you through a twisted narrative to get to the truth. As a whole, it's pretty good. The themes are interesting and the story is well told. Admittedly, I wasn't blown away, but I think that's more to do with me than the film itself. Suffice to say it's competent and worth a watch, but won't be sitting on my favourites list, nor am I desperate for a rewatch any time soon.

Score: 7/10

James at Reelviews thought it was good but undermined by a formulaic third act and Peter at Rolling Stone absolutely loved it.