Like many people, I went and saw Wall-E on opening weekend. I'm not a loyal Pixar fan girl who goes to every one of their movies, but I do think they generally do good work, and I liked the trailers that I saw. The fact that I'm playing a roboticist in our weekly Scion game certainly helped matters. My short review of the movie that it was good fun, a lot of it will go over younger children's heads, but that's OK. They'll like the robots and there's plenty of comedy to leaven the story and keep short attention spans occupied. If you want a more detailed review, there's plenty on-line. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if one or more of my fellow CT writers has one up here (and if not, seriously guys, what's up with that?). Rather than writing a review, I've chosen to pen (key?) an opinion piece about a specific aspect of the movie and its marketing. If you've already seen Wall-E or followed the buzz around it, then you know that the central conceit of the film is that humanity trashed the planet so much that they all left on gigantic space cruise ships while little robots were left to crush and stack the garbage. Although some might say that Earth will never get as bad as its portrayed in the movie, I don't think it's too far of a stretch, and you're allowed to exaggerate in fiction - especially animated fiction! So, the movie has a good message, right? Love the planet, respect it, and don't throw so much trash away. There's an anti-consumerism vibe to the film, not to mention a lot of finger-pointing at humanity's inherent laziness and reliance on technology and ignorance of our surroundings and history (see above about younger kids not getting it). All messages that I can get behind, as well as messages that I might need to hear a little more often. Now allow me to tell you my story about my Wall-E movie-going experience. When we purchased our tickets, the lady at the ticket window laughingly asked us if we wanted free Wall-E watches. Well, of course we did! Who wouldn't want a watch with robots on it? Although I've heard from someone else that in their city, they were only giving watches to kids, the watch fit my wrist with room to spare, so I immediately put it on and started reading the instructions on how to set it. Blah blah, push button 2 twice to set the date, blah blah... No user servicable parts. Wait. Let me get this straight: this is a temporary watch. When the battery eventually runs out, as batteries by nature always do, I will not be able to open the watch and replace it. It will, in essence, become a piece of garbage which I will either hoard, or more likely, throw away. Let's review here: movie about the evils of our society's obsession with disposable goods... and you get a free disposable watch with every ticket! Does anyone else see the problem here? But wait! It gets better! You don't just get the watch. It comes in a cellophane envelope, with a little card with the instructions, and not one but THREE trading-card sized advertisements for Beverly-Freaking-Hills-I'll-Kill-The-Person-Who-Put-This-Trailer-Before-Wall-E-Chihuahua. More garbage! (don't worry folks, the cards won't go in the trash. I'm going to burn them and pray to Cthulhu that somehow, every reel of the film also burns) And you know, I can't help but think, this is a Disney movie. The disposable rubber watch is hardly going to be the only product tie-in. Toys, kids meal prizes, stickers, clothing, whatever, they're going to manufacture tons of worthless crap, all in the hopes that parents will give in to their kids' whining about how they need it. I just have to wonder. Did the executives at Disney even pay attention to the film they were marketing? Are the writers at Pixar weeping as the message of their film is lost in a deluge of cheap toys and rampant consumerism? Is anyone else who watched the movie thinking the same things I am? And most importantly, can I cut open the back of my cheap give-away watch and replace the battery just to spite them? Maybe I'm overthinking it, and maybe I'm just getting bitter and cynical, but I really can't help but wish that Disney had been smarter and had tied their marketing campaign into the film's message. I only have to hope that more people can look past the action figures and plush robots and realize that maybe, just maybe, all they need is the memories of the movie and the message it gave them. (PS: I would just like to add that if you do not stay for the credits at Wall-E, your impatience will cost you an enjoyable experience. Don't be in such a rush to return to the real world, people! Take a few minutes and enjoy the artwork)

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Copyright © 2008 By AJ Reardon E-mail AJ at: ErtheFae@aol.com Visit AJ at: www.erthefae.com