Let's be honest, "WALL-E" was more for adults. There’s no doubt that it’s hard to deny a good show tune, but who knew the impact and warmth it could bring to a film that would otherwise be silent and cold?
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00:00 "I see the ship's log is showing that today is our 700th anniversary of our five-year
00:05 cruise."
00:06 Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're looking at the most sophisticated and darkest aspects
00:10 of this 2008 animated feature that were clearly aimed at an older audience.
00:16 If you haven't seen this Pixar film, beware of spoilers ahead.
00:19 "Rising toxicity levels have made life unsustainable."
00:24 Number 10.
00:25 Working Like a Robot
00:27 In WALL-E's opening sequence, we get a glimpse at what this quirky robot has been up to for
00:32 the last 700 years, cleaning up garbage to no avail.
00:36 "Girls in white in a purple night with the lights as bright as the stars.
00:41 Put on your Sunday clothes, we're gonna ride through town."
00:46 Though WALL-E's charming personality breaks up the bleak tone that is established, it's
00:50 still hard to ignore.
00:52 Our main character seems to be stuck on autopilot, working a thankless 9-to-5 without much of
00:57 a life outside of his job.
00:59 While this might be okay for any normal robot, WALL-E's sentience makes his situation all
01:04 the more depressing.
01:18 Even with autonomy, he gives himself to a cause that doesn't seem to be going anywhere.
01:23 Though we salute his commitment to cleaning up the Earth, WALL-E's predicament definitely
01:27 hits home for those stuck in similar positions.
01:29 "Too much garbage in your face?
01:31 There's plenty of space out in space.
01:33 B&L Starliners leaving each day.
01:36 We'll clean up the mess while you're away."
01:39 Number 9.
01:40 Modern Day Axiom Living
01:41 "While your captain and autopilot chart a course for non-stop entertainment, fine dining,
01:46 and with our all-access hover chairs, even grandma can join the fun.
01:51 There's no need to walk."
01:52 Although this sci-fi film was made in 2008, it's eerie to see just how much this animation
01:57 seemed to predict modern society's obsession with technology, and its harmful effect.
02:02 Aboard this spaceship, every single whim and duty is carried out by robots or automated
02:06 programs.
02:07 They've abandoned face-to-face interaction for digital screens and discarded all responsibilities
02:12 in favor of lethargy.
02:13 "Please remain stationary.
02:14 A service bot will be here to assist you momentarily."
02:19 "Stuarts, help!
02:20 Please remain stationary."
02:22 While our technology is not nearly as advanced as the Axioms, we can clearly see similarities
02:27 between the hover chair-bound passengers and our own society.
02:31 Pixar warns us of the path we could be heading down.
02:34 They remind us to be mindful of how we use technology and how much we use it.
02:38 Now go outside and touch some grass.
02:40 "I didn't know we had a pool."
02:42 Number 8.
02:43 Where do babies come from?
02:44 "A is for Axiom, your home sweet home.
02:45 B is for by and large, your very best friend."
02:52 While the survival of human civilization on the Axiom seems entirely plausible to children,
02:57 life aboard this galactic cruise ship might have some adults scratching their heads.
03:02 It's clear that face-to-face social interaction, especially human touch, is foreign to the
03:06 hover chair-bound passengers.
03:07 "Everybody, jaaan!
03:08 Hey!"
03:09 "Ah!"
03:10 "Hi."
03:13 "Hi."
03:16 So where exactly did all these babies come from?
03:20 In a ship that boasts excessively long lifespans and regenerative food, we have to wonder just
03:25 how advanced their technology is and what else it might be used for.
03:29 "Jaan, get ready to have some kids!"
03:37 The film does not address this minor plot detail, but rather leaves adults puzzling
03:41 the age-old question.
03:42 In this case, maybe we don't want to know.
03:45 Number 7.
03:46 Hello, Dolly!
03:47 What this flick lacks in dialogue is more than made up for with its incredible score
03:51 and its inclusion of music from the 1969 rom-com Hello, Dolly!
03:55 "And we'll recall when time runs out."
04:08 While the songs chosen are great on their own, their application enhances Wally's
04:13 story elements and help to relay emotional information to the viewers.
04:16 "That is all that love's about."
04:25 These delightful earworms become themes that allow the audience to upstand character personalities
04:31 and the progression of emotions between two beloved robots.
04:34 There's no doubt that it's hard to deny a good show tune, but who knew the impact
04:38 and warmth it could bring to a film that would otherwise be silent and cold?
04:53 Number 6.
04:54 Dead Wallys
04:55 As if the absolute devastation of Earth wasn't enough to capture the film's dreary opening,
04:59 you may have noticed a grim detail among the piles of trash.
05:09 As Wally finishes up his work in the opening sequence, he coolly rolls past several lifeless
05:15 robots.
05:16 The fact that these robots have become part of the trash that they were meant to clean
05:19 up is morbidly ironic.
05:28 But Wally's sentient, nonchalant nature makes matters worse.
05:31 We know that he has his own thoughts and feelings, yet Wally doesn't seem to mind disassembling
05:36 his fallen friends to upgrade himself.
05:38 He even keeps spare parts in his home.
05:40 We'll chalk this one up to Wally's innocence, but something about this feels incredibly
05:45 wrong.
05:55 Number 5.
05:56 Science Fiction Influences
05:58 Director Andrew Stanton used his love for science fiction to influence both the aesthetics
06:02 and casting choices of Wally.
06:05 In fact, older audiences may have even recognized a voice aboard the Axiom.
06:21 The ship's computer, and consequently, by and large, is voiced by none other than sci-fi
06:26 superstar Sigourney Weaver.
06:28 A dream for Stanton's vision, Weaver's casting is ironic as her role in Aliens saw
06:32 her struggle in and against the spaceship she was aboard.
06:44 Thankfully the computer on the Axiom was not malicious itself and instead became a companion
06:50 to his captain, aiding his desire to return home to Earth.
07:06 Number 4.
07:07 Depressing View on Human Nature
07:17 The theory "life aboard a worry-free technology-advanced cruise ship" sounds like a dream.
07:22 Surprisingly, the reality of the situation is pretty depressing.
07:26 Over the course of seven centuries, the passengers on the Axiom have developed into thoughtless
07:30 consumers who are bound to hover chairs and addicted to virtual screens.
07:35 It's made clear that humanity has made no real strides to repair the damage done to
07:39 Earth.
07:40 In fact, they've only just continued their excessive consumption practices in space.
07:52 The film chastises its lazy characters for seeing the Earth as disposable and living
07:56 in complacency under the rule of a gigantic megacorporation.
08:00 Unlike other works in their catalogue, Pixar's commentary in Wall-E is disheartening and
08:05 serves as a warning to an apathetic lifestyle.
08:18 Number 3.
08:19 Limited Dialogue
08:31 Any avid cinephile can tell you just how important dialogue is to a film.
08:36 It's used to express story, explore motivations, help the audience make connections with the
08:40 characters on screen.
08:41 Wall-E is impressive and unique in that despite starring two robots who don't actually speak
08:47 much, the viewer still sympathizes with these characters.
09:00 A large part of this success is because the feature embodies the spirit of classic silent
09:04 comedies.
09:05 The movie pays homage to the likes of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton.
09:09 Using pantomime to express storytelling points and emotions, in combination with musical
09:14 themes, expressive animation, and imaginative voice acting, Wall-E was able to tell a heartwarming
09:19 love story without saying much at all.
09:22 "Define dancing."
09:23 "Dancing.
09:24 A series of movements involving two partners where speed and rhythm match harmoniously
09:31 with music."
09:32 Number 2.
09:33 The Negative Impacts of Capitalism
09:34 "The axiom.
09:35 Putting the star in executive starliner."
09:36 "Because at B&L, space is the final frontier."
09:42 A Pixar animation is one of the last places we'd expect to see commentary on the harmful
09:46 impacts of capitalism.
09:48 And yet Wall-E doesn't hold back.
09:50 In the movie, it seems the business conglomerate, by and large, monopolized every possible market
09:55 and even had their hands in the government.
09:57 "That means your extraterrestrial vegetation evaluator, or Eve-Probe, has returned from
10:04 Earth with a confirmed specimen of ongoing photosynthesis."
10:08 Though these suggestions in themselves have dark implications, what's even more disturbing
10:12 is B&L's encouragement of thoughtless consumption.
10:15 With their influence, by and large, stimulated excessive spending practices that ultimately
10:20 led to the devastation of the planet.
10:22 While these are some pretty mature ideas for a children's film, it might make older audiences
10:27 consider the power of their own dollar and the responsibility to consume with intention.
10:31 "Just stay the course.
10:33 Um, rather than try and fix this problem, it'll just be easier for everyone to remain
10:39 in space."
10:40 "Easier?"
10:41 "Yeah."
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10:56 1.
10:58 Climate Change
10:59 Wall-E's opening is one of the most iconic and impactful sequences we've ever seen
11:03 in an animated feature.
11:04 "Put on your Sunday clothes, there's lots of world out there.
11:05 Get out the brilliant team and let's go."
11:06 The juxtaposition of the joyous music against the visuals of Earth buried in trash is haunting,
11:18 to say the least, possibly because the images feel like a look into our own future.
11:23 Though our planet may not have towering skyscrapers made of garbage, there's no denying that
11:28 the effects of climate change will continue to damage Earth and greatly impact all of
11:32 its life.
11:33 "Wait, that doesn't look like Earth."
11:34 "Where's the blue sky?"
11:39 If we could ever learn one thing from a Pixar film, it should be this.
11:43 We have a responsibility to take care of our planet and respect our home.
11:47 Now more than ever, we need to make fiction a reality.
11:51 "This is called farming.
11:52 You kids are going to grow all kinds of plants.
11:53 Vegetable plants, pizza plants.
11:54 It's good to be home."
11:55 Did you catch any of these moments when you were younger?
11:56 "I'm going to be a farmer."
11:57 "I'm going to be a farmer."
11:58 "I'm going to be a farmer."
11:59 "I'm going to be a farmer."
12:00 "I'm going to be a farmer."
12:01 "I'm going to be a farmer."
12:02 "I'm going to be a farmer."
12:03 Did you catch any of these moments when you were younger?
12:04 Let us know in the comments.
12:06 "You are relieved of duty."
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12:17 [Music]