Wall-E, wtf? Poor mans Johnny 5

[Kegek]

I don't disagree the potential is there its just the trailers aren't selling me on it. Your examples are spot on but thus far Wall*E and his execution via trailers gets a big FAIL from me.

I see. I thought it was moderately funny, but no, it didn't get any laughs from me. But then, neither did any trailer I've seen since Funny Games. However, the trailer was eye-popping visually. Truly dazzling (especially those outer space segments), and I thought Wall-E was pretty adorable. Ultimately, I judge trailers with one question: Do they make me want to see the movie? In Wall-E's case, absolutely. It convinced me the movie was worth watching all by itself. No other trailer for a summer film has done that.

Kung Fu Panda, by contrast... looks like DreamsWorks doing their usual Shrek shtick.

And Pixar isn't doing their usual shtick?

Fair point. Wall-E certainly seems to be in the trend of, well, animated films I enjoy watching. I'll willfully concede to bias here: I'm not that keen on DreamWorks' output. It's not as funny as it thinks it is, and it's stabs at drama tend to be woefully misjudged; Pixar trumps them on drama, on comedy, and just in general quality (most if not all of the time). But I think Pixar is, generally if not always, top of form when it comes to animated children's films.

I see a story at least in Panda, where is the story in Wall*E???The one I discern from the trailer is so thin to as not be interesting.

I don't see any story in Panda. I saw a bunch of allegedly funny characters and a premise designed to, uh, key into pop culture kung fu and general Asian stuff. What I saw in the Wall-E trailer was fabulous world-building, a love story, and adventure. That looked a lot more substanial (and in its focus on non-speaking robots, unique) than most other summer fare movies.

Why, why, why do I care about this?

I don't so I'll pass.

Fair enough. That was pretty much my reaction to the Iron Man trailers, which is why I passed on that film.

 

[Captain Craig]

I don't disagree the potential is there its just the trailers aren't selling me on it. Your examples are spot on but thus far Wall*E and his execution via trailers gets a big FAIL from me.

I see. I thought it was moderately funny, but no, it didn't get any laughs from me. But then, neither did any trailer I've seen since Funny Games. However, the trailer was eye-popping visually. Truly dazzling (especially those outer space segments), and I thought Wall-E was pretty adorable. Ultimately, I judge trailers with one question: Do they make me want to see the movie? In Wall-E's case, absolutely. It convinced me the movie was worth watching all by itself. No other trailer for a summer film has done that.

The other visually eye popping and dazzling trailer I saw was for Speed Racer. It didn't look appealing to me and come to find out many others. Maybe I'm thinking like most everyone again or maybe not.

I see a story at least in Panda, where is the story in Wall*E???The one I discern from the trailer is so thin to as not be interesting.

I don't see any story in Panda. I saw a bunch of allegedly funny characters and a premise designed to, uh, key into pop culture kung fu and general Asian stuff. What I saw in the Wall-E trailer was fabulous world-building, a love story, and adventure. That looked a lot more substanial (and in its focus on non-speaking robots, unique) than most other summer fare movies.

I'm not saying Panda looked deep but its story(what of it there may be) was laid out in a direct manner.
There is a threat.
The threat has been prophesied about.
So to has the savior.
It is the....Panda???

Using the yes known Asian themes and styles represented by the names of the fighting styles we are getting a flick starring the animals of the same name as their fighting style. I've no doubt its simple and straight forward but Wall*E does not give one that same straightforward plot synopsis no matter how visually stunning.

Why, why, why do I care about this?
I don't so I'll pass.

Fair enough. That was pretty much my reaction to the Iron Man trailers, which is why I passed on that film.

Touche, although Iron Man was fun, entertaining and on some levels fresh. I saw it twice. You try it on Netflix and I'll do the same with Wall*E. Compare notes with you in say 6 months?

 

[Kegek]

The other visually eye popping and dazzling trailer I saw was for Speed Racer. It didn't look appealing to me and come to find out many others. Maybe I'm thinking like most everyone again or maybe not.

I liked the trailer to Speed Racer. I thought it indeed looked dazzling... but the acting looked dodgy. I opted to wait for the reviews to determine whether I'd see the picture, and we know what happened there. The only other visually impressive trailer was, I guess, Hellboy II, notable mainly for the exotic bestiary. I've also liked The Dark Knight trailers, but the appeal here is mainly on the emphasis on what appears to be a very entertaining and involving struggle between Batman and the Joker.

So, will Wall-E be another Speed Racer, all flash and no substance? Of this I'm less certain. Speed Racer was, of course, the product of the Wackowskis, the apotheosis of style over substance. Pixar can bring a surprising amount of dramatic resonance to their films - to an extent which the Wackowskis, even at their best, don't. I think the idea of Wall-E plays to their strengths, it can be cutesy and it can be entertaining and even have a little drama in there. Naturally, it's entirely possible they screw it up - but I'm more confident with their trailer than I was with Speed Racer.

I'm not saying Panda looked deep but its story(what of it there may be) was laid out in a direct manner.

Direct and uninteresting. Unlikely hero voiced by a famous comic actor? I know I harp on that a bit, but isn't this just Shrek with pandas and Asian stuff instead of Ogres and Disneyfied medieval stuff? If I have a trailer explaining a plot that feels formulaic, and the film feels formulaic, then I tend to be bored by the trailer.

I've no doubt its simple and straight forward but Wall*E does not give one that same straightforward plot synopsis no matter how visually stunning.

How about this: Robots fall in love and go on a journey. The robots are cute. The specifics of the plot may not be followable from the trailer, but I doubt the same will be true of the movie. Pixar don't make obtuse films. They're smart but accessible. I think the trailer may intrigue kids because the robots look cute. That's speculation on my part because I'm not running straw polls; but I know the cute dinosaurs were a reason I loved, say, The Land Before Time as a very young child (even if I found the T-Rex pretty scary). I think character is more important than plot for this demographic.

Touche, although Iron Man was fun, entertaining and on some levels fresh. I saw it twice. You try it on Netflix and I'll do the same with Wall*E. Compare notes with you in say 6 months?

Well, rent it. We don't get Netflix here so far as I know. See you then.

 

[FordSVT]

"Finding WHO? Who the hell wants to see a story about some stupid fish trying to find his kid?! The 12 year old idiot behind me in the theatre thought it looked dumb! Gimme more hip pop-culture references and slap-stick comedy! I want to see a movie about a Shark played by Will Smith!"

 

[OdoWanKenobi]

^Will Smith played a fish. Jack Black and Robert DeNiro were sharks.

 

[FordSVT]

^Will Smith played a fish. Jack Black and Robert DeNiro were sharks.

Just goes to show how memorable that POS movie was.

 

[AlboOfBorg]

Aww don't pick on little Wall-E! He's a cute little blatant rip-off!

This isn't a Short Circuit remake. If anyone has read the Wall-E synopsis you'd know that the plots have nothing in common.