Reel Critic:

It is nearly impossible to imagine a movie studio could produce eight films in thirteen years without releasing a single flop. Yet this is exactly what Pixar Animation Studios has done grossing $4.3 billion worldwide in the process.

The films have also been critical and creative successes as evidenced by the 13 Academy Awards garnered by the studio since the release of its first feature film “Toy Story” in 1995.

Initially founded as a division of Lucasfilm (George Lucas of “Star Wars” fame) in 1979, Pixar was later purchased by Apple Computers founder Steve Jobs who entered into an exclusive distribution deal with Disney. The relationship between Disney and Pixar eventually soured primarily due to acrimony between Jobs and then-Disney CEO Michael Eisner. Pixar was finally acquired by Disney in 2006 in a deal that made Jobs Disney’s largest individual shareholder. Thankfully the creative team and company leadership at Pixar remains intact.

The latest offering from Pixar is “WALL-E,” a futuristic and apocalyptic tale set in the 29th century. As we soon learn, around 2118 the gigantic international conglomerate Buy ‘N Large (BNL) controlled so much of the world’s economy it became the global government. Consumerism got so out of control and trash such a problem it eventually rendered the Earth uninhabitable. Humans fled the planet in luxury spaceships, such as the flagship Axiom, leaving robots to clean things up after which they would return in five years.

Unfortunately the humans never returned as the cleanup was too massive and not completed. The robots continued the cleanup unsuccessfully until they broke down. However, one little robot survived. For seven hundred years WALL-E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter, Earth-class), has been performing his designated function. Namely, he gathers trash and debris, compresses it into neat little cubes, and then methodically stacks them as high as skyscrapers.

While working WALL-E (Ben Burtt) gathers various trinkets which he stores in an old transporter he uses as a home. Among the various odds and ends is a videotape of “Hello Dolly” which he watches over and over. Craving the simple physical contact of holding hands portrayed in the film, WALL-E nevertheless remains alone save for the company of a lone cockroach.

WALL-E’s world turns upside down when a spacecraft lands in his work area. The ship dispatches a sleek white robot then immediately leaves. The robot sets to work scanning the area while WALL-E secretly follows. WALL-E is drawn to the newcomer but is frightened to approach since it blasts every perceived threat with a laser gun.

Eventually WALL-E is able to make contact with the robot called EVE (Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator). EVE is a robot sent from the Axiom to find plant life on Earth. The courtship is going well until WALL-E presents her with a plant he has found and put into an old boot. Following her directive, EVE stores the plant inside an internal compartment and shuts down.

WALL-E goes to great lengths to protect her until she is recovered by a spacecraft and flown back to the Axiom with WALL-E clinging to the side and later stowing away. Once aboard the Axiom, WALL-E escapes notice by other robots and searches the ship for EVE.

Consumerism has made the people living aboard the Axiom lazy and morbidly obese. They travel about the ship by floating lounge chairs complete with liquid junk food and video monitors. The soothing voice of the ship’s computer system (Sigourney Weaver in a nod to “Alien”) calmly informs the ship’s passengers of the latest specials and events.

The purpose of EVE’s mission is soon revealed but the procedure dictated by the discovery of the plant is thwarted by the ship’s autopilot, aptly named Auto. The Axiom’s captain (Jeff Garlin) is confined to his quarters after he orders Auto to disobey its directive.

“WALL-E” is a monumental achievement. Pixar has once again created an entire world heretofore unknown. Additionally, the scope of the landscapes and the incredible detail of the characters rise to a level of artistry of which other productions have thus far been incapable. The first 30 minutes of “WALL-E” are among the finest visual images ever put on film and they are virtually devoid of human dialogue.

Humanizing a non-speaking animated robot is testament to the incredible skills of the animators and technicians. The film’s 103-minute running time moves briskly and the story is involving throughout. The film delivers several messages, including the importance of a loving touch and the consequences of unchecked growth and waste. These themes are explored without being heavy-handed or preachy.

“WALL-E” is destined to become a classic and will be “must” viewing for generations to come. Do yourself a favor and see it on the big screen where this monumental achievement can be fully appreciated. In the meantime we will have to wait until Memorial Day 2009 for Pixar’s next release.