If you're interested sign up fast....it will fill up.
sign up here:
http://www.swamp.org/workshops.html
scroll down to the CC entry
More info about it here:
http://governor.state.tx.us/film/resources/workforce_training_program\
then click PA workshop.
See you there.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
You Know You're From Corpus Christi If...
You're From Corpus Christi If...
1. You call it "Corpus."
2. Flour Bluff, Robstown, GP, Mathis, Beeville, Rockport, and Calallen are considered "out of town."
3. You think that Selena being from Corpus is a big deal.
4. You remember hurricanes fondly.
5. Most big concert for you were some dude or band from the 1980's playing at Concrete Street.
6. You get excited if a new restaurant opens in town, even if it's IHOP.
7. Going for a cruise means driving down Ocean Drive.
8. You know what a #1 or a #7 is at What-A-Burger.
9. Landry's and Joe's Crabshack are considered upscale restaurants.
10. You camp out with your family on Leopard Street for four days for the Buc Days parade.
11. There's a difference between the HEB's.
12. You know what HEB stands for (and laugh).
13. You claim you want to leave, but you never do.
14. You have What-A-Burger and Taqueria Jalisco on speed dial.
15. You've lost your keys, your money, and your virginity at the beach.
16. You grew up watching Joe Gazin and Dale Nelson.
17. You secretly love it but will die denying this fact.
18. "Meeting a celebrity" means standing in line at HEB next to a local anchorman.
19. Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a camper on SPID.
20. "Vacation" means driving to South Padre.
21. Your work or classes are canceled because of "dangerous" 30 degree weather.
22. You think of the major food groups as beans, tortillas, and beer.
23. When it rains, it's the talk of the town for days.
24. When it snows, it's a national disaster (and sold on EBay).
25. During the summer, the car trunk doubles as an oven for your groceries.
26. You consider Corpus a metropolis.
27. The local paper covers national and international headlines on one page but require six pages for high school football.
28. You've had to switch from Heat to A/C in the same day.
29. You only own 3 spices: salt, pepper, and picante.
30. You find 95 degrees "a little warm" and 60 degrees downright freezing.
31. You think the only seasons are hot, damn hot, and winter.
32. You know if another person is from out of town the second he or she walks in the door.
33."Overachievers" go to A&M or UT-Austin. The rest must choose from A&M-CC or Del Mar.
34. You've had several friends move off and move back within a couple of months.
35. The Shrimporee, Bayfest, and the Livestock Show are the major social events for the whole year.
36. You know which one of our malls is the "good one" (although they’re both pathetic).
37. You have been to the Lexington and the Texas State Aquarium more times than you can count because out of town family was visiting.
38. You were sad when all of the Burger Kings closed down.
39. You know what high school Farrah Fawcett graduated from (Ray High School).
40. You know where part of the movie Pearl Harbor was filmed. (Movie star hotties, Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett, spent some quality time on the USS Lex.) You may have even snapped a picture or ten.
41. There's a group called From Corpus Christi With No Kids and you know why. (We're in the county with the highest teen pregnancy rate in the ENTIRE country.) See #15
42. The illiteracy rate in your county was the second highest in the NATION.
43. As a result of #42, your school did not have a nursery for the teachers’ kids, but it probably had on for the students' children.
44. You know what Corpus Christi means in Latin. (Yeah, we're from The Body of Christ.)
45. For A&M students, when responding to the question - "What college do you go to?", you have to say Texas A&M IN College Station or Corpus.
46. You remember when Red Line on SPID closed down and became a drive thru Mexican restaurant.
47. You are just as likely to catch a rat at Cole Park as a fish. Yeah, it happened; you have to be careful with those cast nets.
48. You tell anyone that mentions Desperate Housewives that you grew up in the same town as Eva Longoria even if you did not live there at the same time as her.
49. Your idea of club hopping is going back and forth between Stingers and Dicks.
1. You call it "Corpus."
2. Flour Bluff, Robstown, GP, Mathis, Beeville, Rockport, and Calallen are considered "out of town."
3. You think that Selena being from Corpus is a big deal.
4. You remember hurricanes fondly.
5. Most big concert for you were some dude or band from the 1980's playing at Concrete Street.
6. You get excited if a new restaurant opens in town, even if it's IHOP.
7. Going for a cruise means driving down Ocean Drive.
8. You know what a #1 or a #7 is at What-A-Burger.
9. Landry's and Joe's Crabshack are considered upscale restaurants.
10. You camp out with your family on Leopard Street for four days for the Buc Days parade.
11. There's a difference between the HEB's.
12. You know what HEB stands for (and laugh).
13. You claim you want to leave, but you never do.
14. You have What-A-Burger and Taqueria Jalisco on speed dial.
15. You've lost your keys, your money, and your virginity at the beach.
16. You grew up watching Joe Gazin and Dale Nelson.
17. You secretly love it but will die denying this fact.
18. "Meeting a celebrity" means standing in line at HEB next to a local anchorman.
19. Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a camper on SPID.
20. "Vacation" means driving to South Padre.
21. Your work or classes are canceled because of "dangerous" 30 degree weather.
22. You think of the major food groups as beans, tortillas, and beer.
23. When it rains, it's the talk of the town for days.
24. When it snows, it's a national disaster (and sold on EBay).
25. During the summer, the car trunk doubles as an oven for your groceries.
26. You consider Corpus a metropolis.
27. The local paper covers national and international headlines on one page but require six pages for high school football.
28. You've had to switch from Heat to A/C in the same day.
29. You only own 3 spices: salt, pepper, and picante.
30. You find 95 degrees "a little warm" and 60 degrees downright freezing.
31. You think the only seasons are hot, damn hot, and winter.
32. You know if another person is from out of town the second he or she walks in the door.
33."Overachievers" go to A&M or UT-Austin. The rest must choose from A&M-CC or Del Mar.
34. You've had several friends move off and move back within a couple of months.
35. The Shrimporee, Bayfest, and the Livestock Show are the major social events for the whole year.
36. You know which one of our malls is the "good one" (although they’re both pathetic).
37. You have been to the Lexington and the Texas State Aquarium more times than you can count because out of town family was visiting.
38. You were sad when all of the Burger Kings closed down.
39. You know what high school Farrah Fawcett graduated from (Ray High School).
40. You know where part of the movie Pearl Harbor was filmed. (Movie star hotties, Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett, spent some quality time on the USS Lex.) You may have even snapped a picture or ten.
41. There's a group called From Corpus Christi With No Kids and you know why. (We're in the county with the highest teen pregnancy rate in the ENTIRE country.) See #15
42. The illiteracy rate in your county was the second highest in the NATION.
43. As a result of #42, your school did not have a nursery for the teachers’ kids, but it probably had on for the students' children.
44. You know what Corpus Christi means in Latin. (Yeah, we're from The Body of Christ.)
45. For A&M students, when responding to the question - "What college do you go to?", you have to say Texas A&M IN College Station or Corpus.
46. You remember when Red Line on SPID closed down and became a drive thru Mexican restaurant.
47. You are just as likely to catch a rat at Cole Park as a fish. Yeah, it happened; you have to be careful with those cast nets.
48. You tell anyone that mentions Desperate Housewives that you grew up in the same town as Eva Longoria even if you did not live there at the same time as her.
49. Your idea of club hopping is going back and forth between Stingers and Dicks.
CC's Sexiest Man and Woman 2009 - How to (preliminary)
The KEYS Weekend Magazine with Joe Hilliard's CC's Sexiest People contest will occur during January 2009.
There will be two categories: celebrities and 'normal people'.
To nominate your candidate in either category send an email to joe@keysweekendmagazine.com with your name, your candidate's name, a message about why they deserve to win (25 words or less), and a tasteful photo of them in jpg format, their email address. They will have to accept the nomination so we must be able to contact them via email.
All candidates must have lived in Corpus Christi (not Robstown, Port A, etc.) for 2 years or more.
The photos must be tasteful. Sexy, for the purposes of this contest, does not mean pornographic. The picture will be put on the website.
Good luck
There will be two categories: celebrities and 'normal people'.
To nominate your candidate in either category send an email to joe@keysweekendmagazine.com with your name, your candidate's name, a message about why they deserve to win (25 words or less), and a tasteful photo of them in jpg format, their email address. They will have to accept the nomination so we must be able to contact them via email.
All candidates must have lived in Corpus Christi (not Robstown, Port A, etc.) for 2 years or more.
The photos must be tasteful. Sexy, for the purposes of this contest, does not mean pornographic. The picture will be put on the website.
Good luck
Saturday, October 11, 2008
FIVE STEPS TO BEING A PERFECT CC CITIZEN
1. Get a Favorite Local Band
2. Get a Project
Many of you are emailing yelling, "Get on the stick, Hilliard, and write these two out!!!" (note the three(!) exclamation points. Relax. In due time.
Here's #3 though. These are initial thoughts with a more refining pass to come in the near future. (I hear you now: "Yeah Yeah Yeah...action, not words, please.")
#3 is thus:
Demand Excellence.
Two words with amazing power. Corpus Christi--and again this may be indicative of any communtity--is a remarkably passive city. Read the caller.com blogs--any article will prove the point--for proof. Everything is everyone else's fault and all anyone can think to do is complain.
Too often we say that this organization or that council member or this ethnic group or that part of town or this large company or that restaurant or this bad driver or that red tape or this school district that graffiti gang or this downtown landowner--pick your favorite villain--is responsible for this apathy or that inaction or the this reason why the city doesn't grow or that reason that our youth are leaving and not coming back or keeping my favorite band from coming to town or these types of movies don't come to CC or those types of jobs don't exist here or that city park's grass is too high or this school doesn't meet my child's needs or that ferris wheel is not worth millions dollars on our tax rolls..blah...blah....blah.
What are you DOING?!!
Demand EXCELLENCE. Note, I didn't say complain about the lack of excellence. This step moves you from complaining to demanding. It may sound like a subtle difference, but it couldn't be more different. This requires you to become a face...a voice...a real player.
When you are dissatisfied with your meal at a restaurant do you complain to your tablemates, but eat it anyway? Or do you ask for the manager? What happens when you ask for the manager? Typically you get results, no? You get your entree cooked the way you want it? Maybe a free dessert? Gone should be the days when anyone eats their crappy food in silence, complaining only to their family.
Your family wants to see you act. They are tired of hearing you complain. And the beauty of Corpus Christi is that there is room at the table for your activism. Don't like what city council is doing? DON'T COMPLAIN! Go to a meeting and talk. Learn the process. Demand Excellence. Didn't work? Go to every meeting. Get everyone you know to go every meeting. The squeaky wheel gets the grease and you should squeak the loudest.
Don't like...what? let's pick a gripe...the state of our downtown? Learn the issue. Who is really at blame? Find them. Demand excellence. Go to their offices with 100 of your closest friends.
Our city needs to quit complaining and start demanding.
More soon.
2. Get a Project
Many of you are emailing yelling, "Get on the stick, Hilliard, and write these two out!!!" (note the three(!) exclamation points. Relax. In due time.
Here's #3 though. These are initial thoughts with a more refining pass to come in the near future. (I hear you now: "Yeah Yeah Yeah...action, not words, please.")
#3 is thus:
Demand Excellence.
Two words with amazing power. Corpus Christi--and again this may be indicative of any communtity--is a remarkably passive city. Read the caller.com blogs--any article will prove the point--for proof. Everything is everyone else's fault and all anyone can think to do is complain.
Too often we say that this organization or that council member or this ethnic group or that part of town or this large company or that restaurant or this bad driver or that red tape or this school district that graffiti gang or this downtown landowner--pick your favorite villain--is responsible for this apathy or that inaction or the this reason why the city doesn't grow or that reason that our youth are leaving and not coming back or keeping my favorite band from coming to town or these types of movies don't come to CC or those types of jobs don't exist here or that city park's grass is too high or this school doesn't meet my child's needs or that ferris wheel is not worth millions dollars on our tax rolls..blah...blah....blah.
What are you DOING?!!
Demand EXCELLENCE. Note, I didn't say complain about the lack of excellence. This step moves you from complaining to demanding. It may sound like a subtle difference, but it couldn't be more different. This requires you to become a face...a voice...a real player.
When you are dissatisfied with your meal at a restaurant do you complain to your tablemates, but eat it anyway? Or do you ask for the manager? What happens when you ask for the manager? Typically you get results, no? You get your entree cooked the way you want it? Maybe a free dessert? Gone should be the days when anyone eats their crappy food in silence, complaining only to their family.
Your family wants to see you act. They are tired of hearing you complain. And the beauty of Corpus Christi is that there is room at the table for your activism. Don't like what city council is doing? DON'T COMPLAIN! Go to a meeting and talk. Learn the process. Demand Excellence. Didn't work? Go to every meeting. Get everyone you know to go every meeting. The squeaky wheel gets the grease and you should squeak the loudest.
Don't like...what? let's pick a gripe...the state of our downtown? Learn the issue. Who is really at blame? Find them. Demand excellence. Go to their offices with 100 of your closest friends.
Our city needs to quit complaining and start demanding.
More soon.
Friday, September 19, 2008
I grew up in CC. I've always been a 'movie person'. I was here for Billie Jean. I can tell you a VERY thorough history of our local movie theaters. Every weekend my friends and I would have a parent drop us off at either Cine 6 or the mall to see a movie....usually 2 (we snuck in to the second one). My first job was at National Video which was the first stand alone video rental place in town at the corner of Everhart and SPID. A small group of friends would take a long lunch every friday during high school and go to the dollar cinema. I wrote movie reviews for the Carroll High School newspaper. I was never introduced to film events (like a CC7D) or film culture outside of the normal movie theater experience because it simply did not exist here for me to meet it.
I left for college in 1990 with no intention of coming back. My biggest regret: not going to film school. Should have. Was chicken.
I was introduced to the concept of film culture in two different key experiences. 1) I dated a girl from Tampa who, when visiting there, took me to a place called The Pitcher Show where you could eat an actual meal and drink an actual beer while you watched a movie. Watching movies can be more than 'going to the movies' 2) In 1996 a friend of mine began renting out a room in Austin from a guy who was about to open a small theater called The Alamo Drafthouse. He invited me down and introduced me to Tim League. The Alamo took off and shortly thereafter I began driving down to go to film experiences there.
After grad school, I lived in two larger TX cities (the largest two, actually) with vibrant film cultures and would, in addition, drive to Austin at a moment's notice if a film event came up that I wanted to go to. I've been to Q&A screenings with Kevin Smith, John Carpenter, Mel Gibson and more. I've watched horror movies all night at a dilapidated house for the criminally insane, watched movies for 24 hours straight with Harry Knowles from Aint it Cool, seen Friday the 13th in the theater on Friday the 13th and seen Halloween in the theater on Halloween. Not bragging; just saying. I did these things because they were available where or close to where I lived and because this is the kind of 'stuff' I like to do. When I came back to CC in 2001, I immediately missed the ability to do these things. I discovered quickly that film culture in our city was largely tied to Will Smith releases at Century.
I believe that if you don't like the status quo you can do one of three things: complain, wish, or produce. It's much more fulfilling for me to produce because complaining and wishing never help you get where you want to be.
I started CCFS in attempt to duplicate or at least use as a template the Austin Film Society.
We do this for one reason only: to change CC into the city we want it to be. We just happen to want CC to be a city with a vibrant film culture. Unless something weird happens I will live here for the rest of my life. And if we can do a little work to get this kind of stuff down here or create it from scratch, won't CC be a fantastic place to live? These events and this work won't make me rich. This work won't make us famous. This work won't bring us power.
Some things have succeeded and others have failed. A large group that goes to movies together on a regular basis simply does not work in this city. Many have tried and it has never worked out. Free screenings of cult films didn't work too well either. We did 80s films and horror films and the turnout was not great. Some filmmakers asked for ongoing mixers where people can get together and then didn't come to them. The mixers were a mixed bag, but they're fun and don't cost anything so those will continue in the near future. CC7D works (so far). The Expo in May 2008 worked very well and will continue in the near future.
In fact, ideally, we will watch others get rich and famous and powerful as the films they make get them noticed on a larger level. I was talking to a regional filmmaker recently who screened some work at a festival north of here. He was pleased with the reception, has some more screenings now set up around the state and we hope great things for him. Don't forget us when you get to Hollywood.
We have NO IDEA if Coastalthon will work or not because one thing we've learned is that there is no recipe for success in CC.
If it does, great. If it doesn't, great for trying. The beauty of this for us, though, is that the success of this event rests firmly on the shoulders of local filmmakers. All we are doing is operating the projector. When Coastalthon is over, there will be no judges, screening order placement, award winners or protocols to complain about. Just make a movie and let people see it. Will you? If not, why not?
Today can be the day where you ask yourself, what do I want the film culture of CC to be? If the answer is positive, then what will you produce to get it there? No more complaining about what CC isn't. No more wishing that CC had more. Now we produce.
As solid Coastalthon information trickles out, will local filmmakers decide to make a new film simply because they know it will be seen? Will local filmmakers make a film when there is no cash or competition or awards to win?
If they do, we're on our way to whatever their vision is about CC's film culture! If they don't, then.....what?
I left for college in 1990 with no intention of coming back. My biggest regret: not going to film school. Should have. Was chicken.
I was introduced to the concept of film culture in two different key experiences. 1) I dated a girl from Tampa who, when visiting there, took me to a place called The Pitcher Show where you could eat an actual meal and drink an actual beer while you watched a movie. Watching movies can be more than 'going to the movies' 2) In 1996 a friend of mine began renting out a room in Austin from a guy who was about to open a small theater called The Alamo Drafthouse. He invited me down and introduced me to Tim League. The Alamo took off and shortly thereafter I began driving down to go to film experiences there.
After grad school, I lived in two larger TX cities (the largest two, actually) with vibrant film cultures and would, in addition, drive to Austin at a moment's notice if a film event came up that I wanted to go to. I've been to Q&A screenings with Kevin Smith, John Carpenter, Mel Gibson and more. I've watched horror movies all night at a dilapidated house for the criminally insane, watched movies for 24 hours straight with Harry Knowles from Aint it Cool, seen Friday the 13th in the theater on Friday the 13th and seen Halloween in the theater on Halloween. Not bragging; just saying. I did these things because they were available where or close to where I lived and because this is the kind of 'stuff' I like to do. When I came back to CC in 2001, I immediately missed the ability to do these things. I discovered quickly that film culture in our city was largely tied to Will Smith releases at Century.
I believe that if you don't like the status quo you can do one of three things: complain, wish, or produce. It's much more fulfilling for me to produce because complaining and wishing never help you get where you want to be.
I started CCFS in attempt to duplicate or at least use as a template the Austin Film Society.
We do this for one reason only: to change CC into the city we want it to be. We just happen to want CC to be a city with a vibrant film culture. Unless something weird happens I will live here for the rest of my life. And if we can do a little work to get this kind of stuff down here or create it from scratch, won't CC be a fantastic place to live? These events and this work won't make me rich. This work won't make us famous. This work won't bring us power.
Some things have succeeded and others have failed. A large group that goes to movies together on a regular basis simply does not work in this city. Many have tried and it has never worked out. Free screenings of cult films didn't work too well either. We did 80s films and horror films and the turnout was not great. Some filmmakers asked for ongoing mixers where people can get together and then didn't come to them. The mixers were a mixed bag, but they're fun and don't cost anything so those will continue in the near future. CC7D works (so far). The Expo in May 2008 worked very well and will continue in the near future.
In fact, ideally, we will watch others get rich and famous and powerful as the films they make get them noticed on a larger level. I was talking to a regional filmmaker recently who screened some work at a festival north of here. He was pleased with the reception, has some more screenings now set up around the state and we hope great things for him. Don't forget us when you get to Hollywood.
We have NO IDEA if Coastalthon will work or not because one thing we've learned is that there is no recipe for success in CC.
If it does, great. If it doesn't, great for trying. The beauty of this for us, though, is that the success of this event rests firmly on the shoulders of local filmmakers. All we are doing is operating the projector. When Coastalthon is over, there will be no judges, screening order placement, award winners or protocols to complain about. Just make a movie and let people see it. Will you? If not, why not?
Today can be the day where you ask yourself, what do I want the film culture of CC to be? If the answer is positive, then what will you produce to get it there? No more complaining about what CC isn't. No more wishing that CC had more. Now we produce.
As solid Coastalthon information trickles out, will local filmmakers decide to make a new film simply because they know it will be seen? Will local filmmakers make a film when there is no cash or competition or awards to win?
If they do, we're on our way to whatever their vision is about CC's film culture! If they don't, then.....what?
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Things I Hate
The pleasures of life are the small things....the details that make life rich and robust.
On the flipside, there are things...more small things....that just drive you nuts. They're small and subjective. What drives me nuts may not drive you nuts. But in a subjective world, my nuts are much more important than yours.
In no particular order:
1) People that buy lotto tickets with the same speed of planning an investment portfolio. There are people behind you in line! Just hand the clerk the wasted money and leave
2) Yappy dogs. Owners: Can you NOT hear what hear? Get a shock collar.
3) Pious Hypocrites.
X) Ringtones...see my other blog
On the flipside, there are things...more small things....that just drive you nuts. They're small and subjective. What drives me nuts may not drive you nuts. But in a subjective world, my nuts are much more important than yours.
In no particular order:
1) People that buy lotto tickets with the same speed of planning an investment portfolio. There are people behind you in line! Just hand the clerk the wasted money and leave
2) Yappy dogs. Owners: Can you NOT hear what hear? Get a shock collar.
3) Pious Hypocrites.
X) Ringtones...see my other blog
Friday, June 27, 2008
WALL-E review
800 years from now, according to the new Pixar film Wall-e, humans will grow into fat blobs whizzed around on automatic scooters through a huge spaceship owned by a single conglomerate while drinking all of their meals on-demand and constantly watching traveling, hologram televisions. In a how-true-could-this-be moment I find myself in Wal-Mart immediately after viewing the movie where, at the entrance, three different fat people are climbing into three different Wal-Mart-provided scooters. I began laughing in the store.
Obese rights organizations (they have to exist, I assume) will most likely be up in arms about Wall-e as will many other PC-sensitive-environment-picket-anything-we-remotely-don’t-agree-with groups. (I’m thinking here about the anti-greenhouse gas folks--I'm imaging the phrase 'liberal agenda' bandied around).
As interesting as Pixar’s vision of the future is, this film isn’t even about the humans in the film. It’s about a robot. A robot whose two greatest desires are to remain an individual in a clone-like society and to find companionship after years of isolation. The film succeeds in showing us that these two desires—retaining individualism and living among a society—are not mutually exclusive.
At the beginning of the summer I said the two films I was most looking forward to were the new Indiana Jones and Wall-e. Both of those picks were based on past performance: a nostalgic love for Indiana Jones and the .1000 batting average of Pixar. Sure, I can rank the Pixar movies from my least to most favorite (That would be Cars and The Incredibles, respectively), but even the worst Pixar movie is better than that best animated film from any other studio. Prior to Wall-e, I’d considered Indiana Jones a failing disappointment with Iron Man the summer film to beat. After Wall-e, it’s a tough call which will require a little thought as to which film is better.
Prior to seeing the movie I was a little concerned because the marketing of the film was not strong. It relied on slapstick gags (of which there are tons), but thankfully the trailer only revealed 'get to know Wall-e' moments from the first act.
Mild spoilers:
In the future we are forced to leave earth because we’ve overrun the planet with our garbage. The corporation that now runs the planet leaves behind robots whose job is to manage the garbage while humans are aboard a mega spaceship drifting around space. IN due time the other robots either break or quit leaving only Wall-e who has grown a personality to cope with the solitude. A probe ship sends EVE, a newer model robot to search for any sign of new, growing life on earth. Wall-e and EVE create a relationship and when EVE is recalled from earth into space Wall-e follows.
Wall-e is a phenomenal film. Thank goodness for Pixar who teaches us once again, that the foundation for any film, even for children who clamor to see anything, is story. The humans in Pixar make brief appearances leaving the bulk of the story told in limited one-word dialogue between robots. Pixar reminds us again and again that we don’t need a sequel, we don’t need characters we’re comfortable with, we don’t need ironic pop culture references, we don’t need fart jokes…we don’t even need dialogue. We need richly textured characters and a story to engage us. Once again Pixar nails it.
At this date in the summer, I'm torn between which of the two films (Iron Man and Wall-e) is better...so as of now we'll call it a tie, and, after some thought, I'll let you know. Until then there's nothing wrong with declaring that there are two great films out there right now. Go see them.
Obese rights organizations (they have to exist, I assume) will most likely be up in arms about Wall-e as will many other PC-sensitive-environment-picket-anything-we-remotely-don’t-agree-with groups. (I’m thinking here about the anti-greenhouse gas folks--I'm imaging the phrase 'liberal agenda' bandied around).
As interesting as Pixar’s vision of the future is, this film isn’t even about the humans in the film. It’s about a robot. A robot whose two greatest desires are to remain an individual in a clone-like society and to find companionship after years of isolation. The film succeeds in showing us that these two desires—retaining individualism and living among a society—are not mutually exclusive.
At the beginning of the summer I said the two films I was most looking forward to were the new Indiana Jones and Wall-e. Both of those picks were based on past performance: a nostalgic love for Indiana Jones and the .1000 batting average of Pixar. Sure, I can rank the Pixar movies from my least to most favorite (That would be Cars and The Incredibles, respectively), but even the worst Pixar movie is better than that best animated film from any other studio. Prior to Wall-e, I’d considered Indiana Jones a failing disappointment with Iron Man the summer film to beat. After Wall-e, it’s a tough call which will require a little thought as to which film is better.
Prior to seeing the movie I was a little concerned because the marketing of the film was not strong. It relied on slapstick gags (of which there are tons), but thankfully the trailer only revealed 'get to know Wall-e' moments from the first act.
Mild spoilers:
In the future we are forced to leave earth because we’ve overrun the planet with our garbage. The corporation that now runs the planet leaves behind robots whose job is to manage the garbage while humans are aboard a mega spaceship drifting around space. IN due time the other robots either break or quit leaving only Wall-e who has grown a personality to cope with the solitude. A probe ship sends EVE, a newer model robot to search for any sign of new, growing life on earth. Wall-e and EVE create a relationship and when EVE is recalled from earth into space Wall-e follows.
Wall-e is a phenomenal film. Thank goodness for Pixar who teaches us once again, that the foundation for any film, even for children who clamor to see anything, is story. The humans in Pixar make brief appearances leaving the bulk of the story told in limited one-word dialogue between robots. Pixar reminds us again and again that we don’t need a sequel, we don’t need characters we’re comfortable with, we don’t need ironic pop culture references, we don’t need fart jokes…we don’t even need dialogue. We need richly textured characters and a story to engage us. Once again Pixar nails it.
At this date in the summer, I'm torn between which of the two films (Iron Man and Wall-e) is better...so as of now we'll call it a tie, and, after some thought, I'll let you know. Until then there's nothing wrong with declaring that there are two great films out there right now. Go see them.
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