WALL-E (2 Disc Special Edition) [2008]

WALL.E - a hero for our times? The human race has fouled up again and the Earth is covered not in flood water but a sea of junk. In space, humanity has been preserved on an upmarket ark (shopping malls, beauty parlours and swimming pools) courtesy of the Buy `n' Large Corporation. The original passengers had planned to take a short holiday in space to get away from the mounting rubbish: that was 700 years ago. Seven centuries of inbreeding and shopping have taken their toll with each generation several sizes larger than the last, resulting in a race of couch potatoes. Meanwhile, back on Earth, WALL-E, a rubbish collection robot who cheerfully carries on collecting, compressing and sorting junk in a deserted city where stalagmites of waste dwarf crumbling skyscrapers, just as he has done every day for the last 700 years. But all that is about to change ... This is a visually uneven film, but the stunningly cinematic scenes on Earth and in space easily outweigh the ho-hum animation inside the space liner. A strong story line that moves along at a good pace puts this firmly in the category of films that can be enjoyed by adults and children alike. But the star of the show is undoubtedly WALL-E. Physically, there is more than a passing resemblance to ET; but the character is that of Chaplin's Little Tramp: a seamless blend of child-like wonder, humour, pathos and awkwardness with robots of the opposite sex that will have you laughing, crying and cheering until the credits roll. It's perhaps no accident that the most memorable part of the film is the first 20-30 minutes where there is no dialogue. Eco parable? Paradise lost and regained? Clever piece of marketing? Or just good solid family entertainment? All of these and more.

The Dark Knight (2 Discs) [2008]

The Dark Knight arrives with tremendous hype (best superhero movie ever? posthumous Oscar for Heath Ledger?), and incredibly, it lives up to all of it. But calling it the best superhero movie ever seems like faint praise, since part of what makes the movie great--in addition to pitch-perfect casting, outstanding writing, and a compelling vision--is that it bypasses the normal fantasy element of the superhero genre and makes it all terrifyingly real. Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) is Gotham City's new district attorney, charged with cleaning up the crime rings that have paralysed the city. He enters an uneasy alliance with the young police lieutenant, Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman), and Batman (Christian Bale), the caped vigilante who seems to trust only Gordon--and whom only Gordon seems to trust. They make progress until a psychotic and deadly new player enters the game: the Joker (Heath Ledger), who offers the crime bosses a solution--kill the Batman. Further complicating matters is that Dent is now dating Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal, after Katie Holmes turned down the chance to reprise her role), the longtime love of Batman's alter ego, Bruce Wayne.
In his last completed role before his tragic death, Ledger is fantastic as the Joker, a volcanic, truly frightening force of evil. And he sets the tone of the movie: the world is a dark, dangerous place where there are no easy choices. Eckhart and Oldman also shine, but as good as Bale is, his character turns out rather bland in comparison (not uncommon for heroes facing more colorful villains). Director/co-writer Christopher Nolan (Memento) follows his critically acclaimed Batman Begins with an even better sequel that sets itself apart from notable superhero movies like Spider-Man 2 and Iron Man because of its sheer emotional impact and striking sense of realism--there are no suspension-of-disbelief superpowers here. At 152 minutes, it's a shade too long, and it's much too intense for kids. But for most movie fans--and not just superhero fans--The Dark Knight is a film for the ages. --David Horiuchi