Conundrum 1 #1 July 15, 2008 Cry me a fucking river. Pixar's latest hit "WALL-E" has earned rave reviews from critics for its tale of a robot trying to save humanity, but not everyone is thrilled with the movie's message, Gawker reports. Overweight viewers are protesting the film's depiction of a world ruined by "doughy and lazy folk who drink liquid cupcakes and can't even really walk." In the film, which was fourth at the box office this weekend, Earth has been turned into a trash dump due to the Buy N Large corporation. Humans evacuated the unlivable planet and now live on a giant cruise ship in space, where they watch TV, eat food from a straw and are too overweight to walk. Video: Watch a discussion about the controversy on 'Red Eye' Some say Pixar is pushing the message that overweight people are draining the resources of the planet and perpetuating the myth that obese are lazy and gluttonous. One such viewer, Jessica Melusine, wrote a letter to Pixar, saying that it "is horrible when you see the only bodies shaped like you as things to laugh at, as living examples of as a culture, how shoddily we treat the earth." "A company that shows love in strange places, how everyone has a place and how love and tenderness belong to creatures as different as a plastic mermaid and a plastic snowman —showed me that it’s okay to laugh at fat people, that it’s okay to have them as the butt of a joke yet again." http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,381962,00.html Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,161 #2 July 15, 2008 >"is horrible when you see the only bodies shaped like you as things >to laugh at, as living examples of as a culture, how shoddily we treat the >earth." You don't have to go to a movie to see examples of _that!_ But in any case, wasn't the (obese) captain one of the heroes of the show? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
n23x 0 #3 July 15, 2008 The fatties in WALL-E are a result of their greediness, not the cause. You'd think a bunch of lazy fatasses could figure that out. It's not like they're spending their time outside or doing anything active. .jim "Don't touch my fucking Easter eggs, I'll be back monday." ~JTFC Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
idrankwhat 0 #4 July 15, 2008 I just saw it this weekend. Do you have any idea how funny/sad it was to watch it while looking around the room at all the mega buckets of popcorn, 40 oz drinks and giant bags of candy being eaten by people who were messing with their cell phones? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #5 July 15, 2008 They should be offended. It's a vision of the future. ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
siddacious 0 #6 July 15, 2008 Quote Cry me a fucking river. Overweight viewers are protesting the film's depiction of a world ruined by "doughy and lazy folk who drink liquid cupcakes and can't even really walk." Some say Pixar is pushing the message that overweight people are draining the resources of the planet and perpetuating the myth that obese are lazy and gluttonous. some people are morons. As has been stated, they (mostly) became fat after getting on the cruse ship. Quote One such viewer, Jessica Melusine, wrote a letter to Pixar, saying that it "is horrible when you see the only bodies shaped like you as things to laugh at, as living examples of as a culture, how shoddily we treat the earth." I would say that the earth in Wall-E was a an example of how badly we treat the earth. If she wants to project the fat people in Wall-E (and by extension fat people in real life) into that role... then, well, if the shoe fits...A dolor netus non dui aliquet, sagittis felis sodales, dolor sociis mauris, vel eu libero cras. Interdum at. Eget habitasse elementum est. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nerdgirl 0 #7 July 15, 2008 Culled primarily from National Review Online (NRO): Shannen Coffin: "From the first moment of the film, my kids were bombarded with leftist propaganda about the evils of mankind." Greg Pollowitz: "It was like a 90-minute lecture on the dangers of over consumption, big corporations, and the destruction of the environment. All this from mega-company Disney, who wants us to buy WALL-E kitsch for our kids that are manufactured in China at environment-destroying factories and packed in plastic that will take hundreds of year to biodegrade in our landfills. Much to Disney’s chagrin, I will do my part to avoid future environmental armageddon by boycotting any and all WALL-E merchandise and I hope others join my crusade." Glenn Beck: "I can’t wait to teach my kids how we’ve destroyed the Earth. Pixar is teaching. I can’t wait. You know if your kid has ever come home and said, 'Dad, how come we use so much styrofoam,' oh, this is the movie for you." Dirty Harry: "Have we lost Pixar? Have we lost the wonderful studio who brought us The Incredibles and Ratatouille to Bush Derangement Syndrome? Here you have a winning streak going back ten-years, enormous amounts of public goodwill, equal amounts of credibility as serious storytellers, and they stop things cold, yanking you out of the story with the liberal nonsense. Quite a disappointment." Jonah Goldberg: "I agree with the charges of hypocrisy. I agree that the Malthusian fear mongering was annoying." Apparently some disabled people are offended too. And, as I understand, WALL-E's robot companion (?) & carrier of remains on terrestrial life is named Eve ... is that sacrosanct or heretical? Are we now offended that other people are offended? Or are we better than the offended people because we're not offended? Or does it only matter which people are offended? Haven't seen it, don't anticipate renting it ... altho' the controversy might inspire me to watch it ... when it appears as part of inflight entertainment ... maybe. /Marg Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters. Tibetan Buddhist saying Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,161 #8 July 15, 2008 Why - I am outraged! At first I thought it was just a well-done kids movie. But now I see I was not sufficiently suspicious, and now realize that I have been victimized by the evil Disney corporation trying to push their anti-fat, pro-global-warming-hysteria militant agenda on children everywhere! I am glad the heroes at the NRO have the courage and fortitude to stand up to the evil corporate smear merchants. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
millertime24 8 #9 July 15, 2008 [rant] This kind of grates on my nerves a little bit. A majority of fat people are fat because they made themselves that way. I cant tell you how many times Ive had to shoot knee x-rays on people who are over 300lbs. Or have to be squished of a flight because some fatass cant put down the damn twinkies for 5 fucking seconds. Im also one of those people who belive fat people should have to pay for 2 seats on the airplane as that is what they are taking up.If you want to be fat fine. Dont complain to me though about people making fun of you because you weigh so damn much. If you choose to make yourself into a disgusting fatbody then Im going to laugh at you or maybe even ask you wheres a good place to eat with absolutely no sypathy or remorse. Fuck I cant stand fat people complaining about being fat.[/rant] Muff #5048 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #10 July 15, 2008 QuoteOverweight viewers are protesting the film's depiction of a world ruined by "doughy and lazy folk who drink liquid cupcakes and can't even really walk." So are those who are offended those who are doughy, lazy, drink liquid cupcakes and can't even really walk? In such case, is the film a documentary? Quoteis horrible when you see the only bodies shaped like you as things to laugh at, as living examples of as a culture, how shoddily we treat the earth." Hmmm. Versus how shoddily you treat yourself? Quote how everyone has a place and how love and tenderness belong to creatures as different as a plastic mermaid and a plastic snowman —showed me that it’s okay to laugh at fat people, that it’s okay to have them as the butt of a joke yet again." I haven't seen the movie, but apparently it does not limit its commentary to "fat" people but the "ALL" people. Take it from me, a former fatty who feels like he's back on the road to it - things CAN be done. Let's look at things in this perspective. Should Lionel Hutz have been banned because people whose own actions led them to become attorneys might be offended at it? What about the Devil actually being an attorney in film? It's a lazy and gluttonous society where one can take the time to bitch about fat people being depicted on film. My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lindsey 0 #11 July 15, 2008 I went to see Indiana Jones this weekend with my son and my mom. Sounds like maybe we chose well. :) linz-- A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #12 July 15, 2008 Russians were pissed off at Indiana Jones. Seriously! Many were infuriated with the film's depiction of Russians. My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shotgun 1 #13 July 15, 2008 Dang, I need to go to the movies more often so that I can have more stuff to be offended and infuriated by. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #14 July 15, 2008 Remember the Pocahontas controversy? Numerous groups objected to the historical accuracy of a movie that features a talking tree. Historically accurate? Somehow, nobody seemed to protest that part as being historically inaccurate - despite the lack of credible historical evidence suggesting that Grandmother Willow actually existed. My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Conundrum 1 #15 July 15, 2008 Quote I went to see Indiana Jones this weekend with my son and my mom. Sounds like maybe we chose well. :) linz Doubtful. WALL-E was fantastic actually. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelpdiver 2 #16 July 15, 2008 Quote Quote I went to see Indiana Jones this weekend with my son and my mom. Sounds like maybe we chose well. :) linz Doubtful. WALL-E was fantastic actually. Whereas Indy 4 was horrifically bad. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lindsey 0 #17 July 15, 2008 Quote Quote Quote I went to see Indiana Jones this weekend with my son and my mom. Sounds like maybe we chose well. :) linz Doubtful. WALL-E was fantastic actually. Whereas Indy 4 was horrifically bad. I thought it was fun in a typical Indiana Jones way. We liked it. And I had forgotten about the Russians. Oh well. [shrug] linz-- A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vskydiver 0 #18 July 15, 2008 I loved WAll-E. People are offended because they see themselves as the fat, do nothing, blobs in the movie. Instead of being offended maybe the should just go to the gym. If they don't want to be laughed at, they need to quit eating the twinkies! It was a great movie! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
masterblaster72 0 #19 July 16, 2008 Well, it's American to: 1. be overweight 2. be easily offended by things in self-righteous "i'm oppressed/challenged" indignation So I look at this and don't see anything out of the ordinary. Dog bites man, in other words. That doesn't mean that this all isn't very absurd, though. I haven't heard of this film until now, and I would be interested in seeing it. Be humble, ask questions, listen, learn, follow the golden rule, talk when necessary, and know when to shut the fuck up. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 3 #20 July 16, 2008 QuoteRussians were pissed off at Indiana Jones. Seriously! Many were infuriated with the film's depiction of Russians. I guess I don't blame them. They were depicted as idiots. But hey, I'm just a usual suspect. Anyhow, my family and I enjoyed the movie a lot. Corny and predictable, but still great fun. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
downwardspiral 0 #21 July 16, 2008 Wow. Are we normally this offended by people being offended? OR is this just an opportunity to anonymously bash those who happen to be overweight?This thread leaves a bad taste in my mouth. www.FourWheelerHB.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
StreetScooby 5 #22 July 16, 2008 Quote Anyhow, my family and I enjoyed the movie a lot. Corny and predictable, but still great fun. I took my family to see it, also. We all enjoyed it.We are all engines of karma Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mnealtx 0 #23 July 16, 2008 Quote Why - I am outraged! At first I thought it was just a well-done kids movie. But now I see I was not sufficiently suspicious, and now realize that I have been victimized by the evil Disney corporation trying to push their anti-fat, pro-global-warming-hysteria militant agenda on children everywhere! I am glad the heroes at the NRO have the courage and fortitude to stand up to the evil corporate smear merchants. Ah yes... how DARE they say anything against the Church of the Holy Carbon Credit.... Mike I love you, Shannon and Jim. POPS 9708 , SCR 14706 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Conundrum 1 #24 July 16, 2008 Quote Wow. Are we normally this offended by people being offended? OR is this just an opportunity to anonymously bash those who happen to be overweight?This thread leaves a bad taste in my mouth. No one is offended by fat people being offended, nor is anyone bashing fat people. We're saying it's stupid to be upset over this movie and if you don't want to be fat anymore, get your ass to the gym. People bitch about anything these days and this is just silly, at best. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RALFFERS 0 #25 July 16, 2008 I'll echo what some others have said here... If the movie has an underlying message that's great - people need to be intellectually provoked/stimulated; and since many don't pick up a book it's good that movies have taken on some kind of initiative to get a point across with regard to various topics. Furthermore, being fat is not some freak accident, it's a indirect choice byway of lifestyle; change in diet equals better health - it's really that simple. Yes, there are some medical conditions which result in a person being overweight - BUT - such cases are few & far between in the grand scheme of things. There's an abundance of McDonald's, Burger King's, KPC's, as well as countless other fast-food places; coincidently, this also the cheapest type of food that's available. The end result is whole families being raised on this garbage; you don't have to look far to see it every day. All it takes is making healthier choices by home-cooking more often and a little bit of exercise and there would be a world of difference. It's not hard... The other part of the problem is that we are bombarded by pills for everything. Depression, weight loss, dietbites, alcoholism heart problems -you name it, there's a pill for it. Now, I'm not negating that some medical problems, such as those affecting one's heart should be treated with prescribed medications; however, all medications have side-effects; particularly weight gain. Furthermore, even the more serious ailments can be avoided altogether thus eliminating the need for medications - by - you guessed it - a healthier lifestyle. No magic pill will ever measure up as an adequate substitute. In fact, take note of how many such commercials are aired in the next commercial break... Point is, sometimes people need to take a good look in the mirror, and if you're offended - well - maybe you should be. If I see someone that's overweight I wont laugh, however, if I see said person chowing down a #3 from McDonald's with a bag of Doritos and a soda I wont have any sympathy. Edited to add: Damn, now I can't decide which to see 1st - "Wall-E" or "Get Smart." Edited again to add: Yes, it's silly to be offended by a movie......but makes you think - why are people offended ? Hmm... Dialogue/commentary between Divot, Twardo & myself - "from your first Oshkosh when the three of us were riding to or from one of Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
