More than meets the eye...

... That's a saying usually associated with the Transformers, but I think this summer it fits better with a kindler, gentler robot. That's right. I'm talking about WALL-E, the new Pixar film from Disney about a trash compacting robot who falls in love, saves humanity from a barcalounging and binge eating fate, helps point the way to a sustainable future for the earth, and gets the girl in the end. The robot girl, that is.

This has been a summer of exciting movies. We've seen new incarnations of old franchises (Rambo, Indiana Jones, Batman). We've seen crime-fighting and misunderstood superheroes (Iron Man, Incredible Hulk). And we've seen the continuation of ongoing sagas (Prince Caspian). But for my money, none of them can hold a candle to WALL-E. This film manages to provide robust entertainment for the kids while offering grown-ups a compelling commentary on our increasingly poor stewardship of the earth and of our own selves.

One commentary I read on WALL-E notes the irony of the Walt Disney company offering a critique of consumerism. That's a point well-made. But the rank hypocrisy of the market should not keep us from taking note of those times when the market is willing to critique its own modus operandi. In my current column in the United Methodist Reporter, I look at the messages WALL-E offers in the areas of environmental degradation, conspicuous consumption, and techonological addiction. These all fall under the umbrella of stewardship, which is as biblical an idea as you can get.

I'd be curious to hear if anyone has discussed WALL-E in a Sunday school or small group setting. It could be a good teaching tool.