On my flight back from Japan, I was lucky enough to watch the film WALL-E. It was one of the best films that I have seen in a very long time. If you haven’t seen it, I recommend it. It works as an expressive silent film, fun children’s story, and soft-handed social satire.

When watching the film, I wrote down a few thoughts in my off-line journal. I’d like to share these with you. I try to avoid giving away major spoilers, but reader beware.

The Lighter and Innocence

There is a scene where Wall-E is showing EVE his hoard of artifacts from human civilization. One of these is a lighter and as EVE plays with it, I was so moved! Seeing an advanced robot– an expression of man’s industrial power — being fascinated by fire –the tool which, above all, allowed for man’s industrial might– was touching. This was only added to by the fact that EVE was so engaged by something so simple. Fire has a certain naturalness which lends it mystical properties and in a way, EVE’s captivation by fire is an expression of burgeoning humanity. She’s innocent, pure, and is still able to delight in the simple things. This fits with the movie’s ultimate message of reconnecting with one’s humanity in the face of modern ease and distractions. It is a scene as elegant and primal as fire itself.

The Beginner’s Mind and Going Back Home For the First Time

WALL-E deals with the end of human civilization on Earth, but rebirth and renewal is a prominent theme in the film. WALL-E’s collection of human novelties, EVE’s enjoyment of the lighter, and the Captain’s thirst for knowledge are all expressions of the Beginner Mind. In Buddhism, this is a state of mind in which one perceives without bias or judgment. It is a means of living in the world that allows a person to react to the needs of the environment without the weights of pre-conceived notions and fear. WALL-E collects his human junk because it is fun, not out of nostalgia. EVE explores the earth in life in a child-like way that nearly brought tears to my eyes.  And the captain, when he finally has his curiosity piqued, voraciously consumes information about Earth and is able to enjoy everything he learns because he is unfamiliar with any of the material. Nothing these characters experience is mundane or tainted. This theme is also carried into relationships. WALL-E and EVE’s romance is not based on compatible consumption patterns, religious views or occupations. Instead, it is built on a foundation of shared experience and open-mindedness. The relationships between human characters are treated in a similar manner; positive attitude and openness to experience bring them closer together. Ultimately, this changes the world for the better. I have only recently become aware that such a state of mind was possible and I am happy that this delightful film is able to illustrate the power for good in the world that it represents.

The film is wonderfully designed, and as I watch it, I begin to see the elements of Daniel Pink’s conceptual age values.

Design
The film is wonderfully designed to integrate good storytelling, aesthetic values, humor, special effects and imagination. The director, Luc Besson clearly intended the film to be an integrated whole from its conception. Its an action film but does not exist for the sake of thrills. Similarly, it is filled with humor and great visuals, but is not a hollow shell for carrying these elements.

Story

Although the film is an epic, spanning space and time, from the first scene, it is written to connect with people. The prologue is an excellent example of this. It is simply a means of setting the story up, and yet the director focuses on characters such as the professor and his assistants as they are swept up in the wider plot. It would have been very easy to make these characters faceless and instead, focus on simply advancing the plot. Besson does not do this and it creates a connection with the audience which is carried through the remainder of the film. Each character is nuanced and important to the plot in some way, and every gunfight and battle is focused on its effects on particular personalities.

Symphony

The film is very cohesive, despite its diverse backdrops, cultural inspirations, and epic story. The film’s plot, acting, visuals, music, art design, pacing, and message all support one another. There is little that is extraneous. Ultimately, each element of the film is part of a greater whole which serves as a vehicle for intuitive meaning to be communicated to the audience.

Empathy

This brings me to empathy. As I mentioned before, the director focuses on characters, immediately building a bridge between them and the audience. This is built on throughout the film through an extensive use of humor. “Love is worth saving” has to be the message of the film. It is only said once in the entire film, but when it is uttered, I at least, felt that all of the design and aesthetics had been intended to support this truth. Love can be the emotional bond between people, or an expression of the sensual ecstasy that viewing the film brings audience members. Watching this film reminds me so much of what is beautiful in life.

Play

Humor is a key to the film. While it deals with an impending apocalypse, the film is never dour. It is filled with quirky characters, visual gags, and stylized, witty dialogue. Keeping things fun makes the film accessible and fresh. You can only feel up when you watch it, even though its meaning carries a wealth of grave insights.

Meaning

I touched on this with Empathy, but empathy can be meaningless without a message which could contribute to even one person’s quality of life. As the film ends, the audience is left with an impression of the beauty all around them and a sense that the character they play in this world can be as significant and important as those in the film.

A Refreshing Experience

This is my first post, and I hope that it represents what I intend to do with this blog. There are a lot of random ideas that come into my mind each day. Having this electronic record of them should help me express all of these interesting little moments. I think that this is empowering. Capturing our creativity is a key part of personal growth. Everyone has a creative spark. Unfortunately, many of us have forgotten this gift through years of discouraging socialization.

As The Fifth Element shows us, there is beauty in everything around us. I don’t think that it is expressed quite  often enough.