Hi Michael - First, thanks for commenting. Various points to pick up on here.

I love Wall-E. I actually think it represents the high watermark for Pixar animation wise. Furthermore, I think the environmental themes are actually not preachy unlike those in Avatar. The emphasis is a good story well told - a love story in fact - with plenty of quirky hilarity as well. I'm a great believer in telling a great story first and foremost rather than trying to hammer home a message with a sledgehammer and am very wary of detecting intentional finger-wagging (even if I agree with the message). The very best storytelling happens when storytellers tell a good story first and foremost with no conscious agenda whatsoever. Then what is important to them is inherent in the material in any case, without being preachy. That is the case with Wall-E in my opinion.

There are also a few interestingly disturbing undercurrents in Wall-E, including the fact that the screen-addicted, overweight humans on the Axiom are entirely under the control of the AI controlling the ship. Blink and you miss them scenes of babies being brainwashed with corporate propaganda, along with the “get ready to have some kids” scene at the end taken together imply that humans have been genetically engineered for thousands of years, rather than conceived the old-fashioned way.

I'm going to post you a second reply on your other points, as this rather turned into an essay and I don't want to accidentally delete it before I post. :)