Wall-E: an unexpected love story

Celebrate your valentine’s right this year

As the day of love grows nearer, it’s time to recall the most romantic movies of all time. But rather than bore yourself once more with Titanic, the Notebook, or god forbid Fifty Shades of Grey, this year you deserve to be delighted by one of the best movies of any genre that you forgot was actually really romantic.

So snuggle up with your partner, your family, or a glass of wine (I won’t judge) on your very own couch, and turn to Netflix to rewatch the wonder-filled children’s classic that we all could benefit from.

Wall-E is known as the story of a world where humans have abandoned earth to avoid their own trash. For 700 years humans live in space, forgetting about nature and the wonders of our planet, until one “small waste-collecting robot inadvertently embarks on a space journey that will ultimately decide the fate of mankind” (source).

In truth, the story of Wall-E is so much more than a reflection of mankind’s behavior. It is the story of a lovable, naive little robot on his road to falling in love. As Eva is created for one objective — one very important, life-saving objective — she has never been given the opportunity to develop her own consciousness, and explore her own emotions. Wall-E on the other hand has an objective which has has been neglected and abandoned. His consciousness, his emotions, and his love have been the only thing keeping him alive for all this time. Suddenly this adorable children’s flick becomes a tale as old as time, as two bits of metal tell an amazingly human love story using just three words.

Without the need to worry about a brilliantly romantic plot, the film gets the freedom to dive into the butterflies and emotions of the situation, while also succeeding on every other level of film making. You might remember the praise the little robot received for its beautiful visuals, important social commentary, and amazing score, not to mention being an award-darling with countless best picture and best animation wins. In short, stripping the love story down to its core is exactly what this film needed to thrive on all fronts, including the romantic genre.

I’ve said it last year and I’ll say it again. I want my romance to be warm and fuzzy, I want my heart to smile and I want to be entertained. Wall-E and Eva satisfy all these needs, wrapped in an award winning picture. Forget the notion that romantic movies are supposed to be passionate and dramatic, and treat yourself to butterflies and cuteness. Let Wall-E be your ultimate love story this year.

Happy Valentine’s Day!