At the Movies
Yesterday I got an e-mail from “The Spiritual Cinema Circle”. We joined this movie club in February when I was searching for something to get Michael for Valentine’s Day. We both enjoy watching movies. I especially like having no TV channels, since we don’t have cable. It gives us a complete control over our lives in the matter of this particular medium. Unless, of course, we’re at the bank or post office, or most bars, many restaurants, in airports, or other places people get bombarded with misinformation and advertising (oh, isn’t that the same thing?). Anyway, we get on DVD per month which contains a few short (5-30 minute) movies and a longer one (60-90 minutes or so).
The independent films are thought provoking and have important messages that can be discussed at the end of each selection.
Anyway, the e-mail was about a movie that is out in the regular world now, not just the spiritual cinema circle. And it has many important messages. The movie is Wall-E.
I don’t usually pay attention to what’s in the theaters since most of it is loud, obnoxious, violent, exploding, destructive crap all over the screen, so I may have seen previews or posters for this one, but paid no attention.
But after reading the e-mail, I thought this would be a good one to check out, so after a quick trip to the beach when Michael got home from work, we got dressed and headed to Pizza Mare, and then to the movie theater.
This quote from the Spiritual cinema circle is what prompted me to suggest to Michael that we go.
“Wall-E is a robot, living alone (almost) on earth, cleaning up the trillions of pounds of trash left behind when humanity departed its uninhabitable planet. Wall-E’s earth wasn’t ravaged by either a war or a meteor. No, it was decimated by consumerism, greed, gluttony, and environmental neglect. Wall-E isn’t living on a post-apocalyptic planet. He’s living on a post-stupidity planet.”
It is a fun movie (even though it has a bit of loud, obnoxious, violent, exploding, destructive crap) that looks to be right on as far as the evolution of the human species is concerned.
“….the good news is that we are pampered from morning to night by every automated convenience that we could possibly imagine. We don’t work. We don’t need money. We have no conflicts. We have everything we want to eat and drink at any time we want it and are whisked everywhere on cushy recliners. The bad news? We have all become so fat that we literally can’t even walk!”
Fortunately, there is a happy ending. An alert leader realizes what is needed to save the planet and humanity and we are left with hope for the future.
July 11th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Terry- I saw this movie last week while I was in NY and was really taken with its’ point of view , which is essentially what you’ve written.
It doesn’t intend to be overly moralistic or beat you over the head with its’ message.
It holds a mirror up to our over stuffed, short sighted faces and gives us a peek into the future that we’re maiming, and the hope that uncurls in a tiny green tendril.
Didn’t you love the part where he picked up the ring box and used his own set of criteria to determine what to keep!
July 12th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Yeah Bonnie, the ring scene was fun! Welcome home!