I'm always watching

We've established that I like video games, macro-level politics, and probably implied the general state of being a geek. Today, let's add "movie-lover" to the list. I really like movies, but my tastes are wildly diverse. I enjoy the sentimental cheesyness of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie as much as the genre-defining awesome that was The Dark Knight. I'll even admit to enjoying the occasional chick-flick. The common thread between all the movies I like is an amalgam of story, character, and fun. The relative presence of these factors can pretty accurately predict how much I like a movie. The holy grail of movie-watching for me is the flick that elicits a real emotional reaction from me.

Some movies make my heart race. Other movies make me laugh. A small few make me cry, but it's only the really special movies that can do all three. Wall-E is one of those. I so love this movie that writing about it is difficult; my thoughts are too jumbled. I'll try and ease the process by focusing on the three things I look for in all movies.

The story is beyond engrossing. It takes place is a far-flung future that, with a careful application of hyperbole, feels horribly prophetic. The planet is so polluted that humanity's only hope of continued survival is to flee to space and leave robots to try and fix the ruin that we molded the planet to become. That seems rather doom-and-gloom, and it is if you think about it enough, but this is more than offset by the other two factors.

Good, believable, dynamic characters are possibly the single most important aspect of any story, especially movies. All the characters (that's right, ALL of them) are fascinating, lovable, and comforting in their humanity...regardless of actual species.

Finally, the fun-factor. Fun isn't really quantifiable. It's like luck or love; everyone knows what it is, but that definition is intensely personal. What's fun for me may be a chore for someone else. That said, I'm willing to make a statement, with no room for equivocation or interpretation, that this movie is fun. Even if only for this reason, everyone should see Wall-E.

Wall-E is the only movie I've seen this year that's made my heart race as if I was sprinting, made me laugh until I was sore, made me cry just enough to have to use my sleeve. Pixar is a master of its craft and they have no rivals. I have never seen a Pixar production that I didn't enjoy, but Wall-E is the new standard.

I sweat from anxiety, laughed 'til I hurt, and burned my eyes with tears in the span of a 90-minute movie. If ever there was a definition of superb, Wall-E is it.

Seriously, go watch the movie.