WALL.E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class) is a lone robot dutifully compacting the tons of garbage, trash, and rubble left in a large deserted city. He has been performing these clean-up tasks for more than 700 years since humans left Earth for a more palatable place suited to their consumer fantasies and yearning for luxury. His sole companion is a pet cockroach who has a knack for survival.

WALL.E is a curious robot who has a penchant for collecting knickknacks which he takes to the transport truck he uses as a home. He loves his toys, light bulbs, lighters, and Rubik's Cube. But perhaps his most prized possession is a video recoding of the musical Hello Dolly. It puts him in a happy mood when he sees two of the lead characters holding hands. His favorite scene comes with the song "It Only Takes a Moment":

"It only takes a moment
For your eyes to meet and then
Your heart knows in a moment
You will never be alone again
I held her for an instant
But my arms felt sure and strong
It only takes a moment
To be loved a whole life long."

WALL.E's routine is occasionally interrupted when huge piles of rubble collapse sending up a storm of wind and dust. He usually makes it home in time to escape the commotion. But one day the dust is stirred up by something entirely new. A large space vehicle lands and deposits another robot on Earth. EVE (Extra-terrestrial Vegetation Evaluator) is a sleek and fancy droid who can fly and is equipped with a laser gun. When WALL.E first sees her, he is both awed and afraid after discovering she is quick on the draw and able to destroy anything that stands in the way of her mission. But he soon relaxes and shows her around the place. When WALL.E squeaks out her name, we know that he is in love.

Her mission on Earth is fulfilled when she finds a little green plant that proves that life is slowly returning to the planet. Unwilling to let her go, WALL.E hitches a ride on the space vehicle that takes her back to Axiom, the huge spaceship housing humans. WALL.E's love for EVE introduces him to a strange new world where tubby humans lie on chairs and are pampered by robots who look after their needs for food, entertainment, and relaxation.

All the dirt and crud that has accumulated on WALL.E proves to be quite a challenge for M-O (Microbe-Obliterator), a cleaner-bot programmed to keep things tidy. The stranger from Earth always leaves a trail of dirt wherever he wanders. WALL.E liberates a band of misfit robots but also proves himself to be of inestimable help to the Captain of Axiom who has forgotten what it means to be a human being and a leader.

WALL.E is directed by Andrew Stanton, and it is a delight from start to finish. This extraordinary computer-animated comedy by Disney-Pixar will enchant viewers across the age spectrum with its wonderful love story. It is also a bit of a cautionary tale as it shows us a future where humans have trashed the good Earth and exited for a fantasy world where their capacities for caring and compassion are greatly diminished.

We believe that spiritual teachers come in all guises, and WALL.E is one of the best we have seen on the screen in many a moon! Here are a few of the lessons that he imparts to us in his relationship with EVE and in his adventures on Earth and on Axiom:

• No task is too boring or repetitive that it cannot be handled with care.

• Wonder is a spiritual quality which makes everything interesting.

• Everyone needs a love song that lifts the spirit and provides solace to the soul.

• Falling in love is a risk that always leads to adventure and new possibilities.

• Loving another makes us sensitive to the needs of others.

• Picking up litter and trash is, in the big picture, one of the kindest and revolutionary things we can do to preserve the planet.

• Inspiring others to do the right thing is one of the marks of a true hero.

Special DVD features include "Burn-E" — a hilarious, all-new animated short "Bringing Light to the Galaxy. . .Eventual.E"; "Presto" an amazing animated theatrical short film; deleted scenes; a sneak peek: "WALL.E Takes You on a Real Ride through Space"; animation sound design: "Building Worlds from the Sound Up" — legendary sound designer Ben Burtt shares secrets of creating the sounds of WALL.E; and an audio commentary with director Andrew Stanton.