Editor's note: This is part of a life and arts point-counterpoint. To read the counterpoint to this argument, click here

Here we go again.

Disney/Pixar’s “Wall-E” and “Up” are great films in their own right, sharing the same core themes of loneliness and overcoming sadness with the power of love and friendship. Of course, it’s an extremely hard endeavor to claim one film as better than the other, so I tried to approach it like “Sophie’s Choice,” just animated and cuter with no Nazis. After serious deliberation, I had to go with “Up” because of its close and grounded relationship to its audience, which trumps “Wall-E’s” heavy environmental scolding. Sorry cute robot, the fleshy ones win.

Disney movies always address serious problems subtly in order to connect with all age groups, especially children. But with “Up,” the connection is extremely direct without any filtering to appeal to their targeted children’s demographic. With the four-minute-long “married life” montage, “Up” maps out the ups and downs of any life through the relationship of Carl and Ellie, and leaves a bold thesis statement that stays with older viewers after watching the film. Although life might not turn out the way you planned it and is full of disappointments, all that matters is you have someone who loves you.

Even with the emotional “married life” montage in the first 15 minutes of the movie, ”Up” doesn’t lose the attention of its viewers. Whereas in “Wall-E,” as soon as the first humans are introduced, it feels like a completely different movie. The first half of “Wall-E” played like a silent film and gave the audience a chance to get to know Wall-E as he navigated a lifeless earth. But as soon as he heads into space, we aren’t interested, despite the evil ship and overweight humans; we just want to see EVE re-united with Wall-E and the rest is just debris that clogs the movement of the story.

Finally, as much as I loved “Wall-E,” there was just a disconnection I felt with the heavy handedness of its environmentally-friendly message. After seeing the film, I spoke to another Nigerian friend about how much we liked the movie. He pointed out to me that the whole concept of taking care of the environment and recycling was not as pressing and dire of an issue in Africa as it is in the U.S.. With all of its political and social issues, environmental concerns take a backseat. Although it was a bold statement about America’s wasteful consumerist nature, it separated its audience leaving a few feeling left out. The message of “Up,” on the other hand, is universal and can be appreciated anywhere it is screened around the world.

- Osizimete Aken’ova is a film and video studies senior.