Wall*E (2008)

In a world abandoned to trash, Wall*E is the last robot standing. Humankind, having mucked it up, left long ago. The Waste Allocation Lift Loader, Earth-Class was brought in to save Earth from garbage. Wall*E is essentially a trash-compactor, but after 700 years on Earth, this little robot has developed a personality and a penchant for collecting odd human things. Wall*E is curious, yet lonely and amuses himself by watching a Hello, Dolly! VHS tape--that is until Eve arrives. Eve, an Extra-terrestrial Vegetation Evaluator comes to Earth with a simple directive: find plant life to prove Earth is safe again. Fascinated by Eve, Wall*E immediately falls in love. When Eve completes her mission, love takes Wall*E to across the universe for her and ultimately, to save the humans.

The creators at Pixar are unabashed at examining society through the animated lens. Their latest, Wall*E is no different. But for a film with so little dialogue, Wall*E has a lot to say. Consumerism and commericalism top the list. Obesity, mass media, and environmental issues aren't far behind. The film is far from preachy. Smart choice. In not bashing the general audiences with that, Wall*E ultimately becomes whatever the viewer wants it to be.

The animation is, of course, flawless. Everything is top-notch in form and design. Thanks to DLP, is even more wonderfully realistic. Judging by the characters in Wall*E, Pixar animators are influenced by pop-culture. Wall*E is a E.T.-esque in looks, robotic by nature. Auto, the Axiom's pilot looks suspiciously like Hal 9000 and sleek, sexy Eve looks like a cross between an IKEA trash can and Apple's Ipod.

The feel of Wall*E is decidedly human and hopeful. The creators have managed to bring true emotion to these little robots. Afterwards, you feel silly for 'almost' losing it over certain points in the film.

Wall*E is a delightful, entertaining piece of animation. It's a a sci-fi epic that pays homage to 2001: A Space Odyssey and Charlie Chaplin. Pixar has found the perfect blend of elements to create classics for generations to come.

Also of note, the opening short rocks old school--evoking Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd.

THX 1138 (1970)

In the 25th Century, emotion is a crime. In a world where society controls all behavior through drugs, holographic TV broadcasts sex and violence, and a robotic police force maintains the law, factory worker THX 1138 (Robert Duvall) and roommate LUH 3417 (Maggie McOmie)decide to live. THX stops taking his drugs and falls in love with LUH. After unauthorized erotic behavior with THX, LUH becomes pregnant. THX is jailed for his behavior. Upon meeting SEN 5241 (Donald Pleasance), the two set out to escape. Meeting hologram SRT and finding LUH are just stops along the way to freedom.

Regardless of the history and following behind George Lucas' student project turned Francis Ford Coppola's produced feature THX 1138 is a fore-telling of what was to come from Lucas. His now iconic stylings that are raw and undefined; but the true aesthetic from the now-famed director shines clearly.

THX 1138 is not a mainstream film and I cannot recommend it to anyone save for those genuinely intrigued by what makes Lucas tick. It has shades of 2001: A Space Odyssey both in tedium and sterility. The film's strength is found in the visual aesthetic, not the story.

A young and bald Robert Duvall as THX is simply amazing. He depth of performance is remarkable in such a rigidly controlled universe. In contrast, Donald Pleasance's SEN is less assured. Where is Maggie McOmie now?

THX 1138 is an altogether different film experience; it's art house fare from a brilliant up and coming director. In 2008, though, it is an homage to the cinematic and technical brilliance of George Lucas.

Drillbit Taylor (2008)

Three incoming freshman have high hopes for their high school careers. Their first day of school clearly sets the pace for Wade (Nate Hartley), Emmit (David Dorfman), and Ryan (Troy Gentile). They are on the bottom of the food chain and school bully, Filkins (Alex Frost) is at the top. One week under Filkins' reign of terror, the boys decide to hire a bodyguard. Limited means gets them an ex-Army soldier and beach bum in Drillbit Taylor (Owen Wilson). As the hero of three geeky misfits, Drillbit teaches the boys life lessons and learns some on his own.

Drillbit Taylor will not win any awards. Nor will it wins fans of the R-rated conglomerate of Rogan/Apatow and Co.. Unlike Superbad, The 40-Year Old Virgin, and Knocked-Up, Drillbit Taylor is an average underdog story. This average is an entertaing movie. I truly didn't expect to enjoy this film solely because of its creators.

Owen Wilson perfects his carefree attitude (Hansel, Dupree) in the role of Drillbit. It's obvious Wilson isn't stretching his talents, but he is fun to watch interacting with the three young leads. Writer Seth Rogan obviously has some deep-seated emotion issues. Alex Frost might just be the next Channing Tatum.

Much like a freshman, the film is unfocused and jumps the shark too often to create a truly heart-warming story. There is also an edge of cynicism that keeps the touchy-feely to a minimum. Still, Drillbit Taylor has its heart in the right place.

The Invisible Man: Season One (2000)

This short-lived sci-fi series was a late night favorite for me. I was thrilled to discover it again on DVD. The Invisible Man follows Darien Fawlkes (Vincent Ventresca), a con-man turned government agent. Darien can turn invisible thanks to the Quicksilver gland implanted in his brain by his deceased brother, Kevin. Led by The Official (Eddie Jones), Fawkes and his partner, Bobby Hobbes (Paul Ben-Victor) take on the government's tough assignments.

The Invisible Man is exactly like it sounds--outlandish and cheesy, but still manages to ground the sci-fi with believable stories. It's a fantastic mix of great performances by virtual no-names, interesting story lines and complexity that goes beyond the sci-fi/super-spy norm. It's an entertaining series that never got a fair chance.

Charlie Bartlett (2007)

A pathetically lame attempt at social commentary. See The Chumscrubber, Thumbsucker and Rushmore. Don't see this.