http://filmdrunk.uproxx.com/?attachment_id=27228
Ya I have seen that one already, there is some truth to it.
There's a great article on JohnK's blog regarding this, if I can find it I'll post it.
Also Mike Pataki died today, it's a cryin' shame
(http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/1973/pixar.jpg) (http://img355.imageshack.us/i/pixar.jpg/)
Pixar is hiring here in Vancouver! http://tbe.taleo.net/NA12/ats/careers/searchResults.jsp?org=PIXARCANADA&cws=1
Wish I had some Linux desktop admin skills
I still like dreamworks for the most part. Some of the other animation studios though punch out even worse movies.
For instance I did like Madagascar, though its pure slapstick comedy. But Cloudy with a chance of meatballs was pretty good too, it upgraded my view of Sony's animation studio.
Ya I liked Cloudy with a chance of meatball as well.
Quote from: Lazybones on April 21, 2010, 09:22:20 PM
Ya I liked Cloudy with a chance of meatball as well.
Have heard that a lot, almost like it "redeemed" Sony.
And I think the reason is because it was more focused on STORY telling instead of stunt-voice-casting. That's the point of the linked article, esp. this (http://cdn.fd.uproxx.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Pixar-vs-Dreamworks-cartoon.jpg), that every Pixar movie is unique in its theme, and most are even unique from the rest in terms of "feeling", I mean the art in Ratatouille is completely different than Cars or Monsters Inc... even if you can make a joke reference to how they're all based on a certain kind of "Hero's Journey" formula, the details and context are all different each time, and so well-written that it reminds you of the Golden Age of Disney when it comes to beautiful-to-look-at storytelling (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney#The_Golden_Age_of_Animation) (without having to rip off H. C. Anderson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Christian_Andersen#Fairy_tales_2), etc. ;) )
Before posting, I thought I'd look for a list of movies from each of DreamWorks and Pixar. Thank you Big Cartoon Database!
http://www.bcdb.com/cartoons/Other_Studios/D/DreamWorks/Feature_Films/index.html
http://www.bcdb.com/cartoons/Other_Studios/P/Pixar_Animation_Studios/Features/index.html
Comparing the two lists, I notice that DreamWorks has more feature films out that Pixar, in a shorter timespan. Didn't know that. But here's the interesting thing, both lists have movies that I like and I consider well-made with decent plots.
For instance, DreamWorks made Antz and Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron and Shrek. All three of these had interesting plotlines, and of the three only Shrek has a lot of visual and auditory gags. However, looking at the lists there are also some movies from DreamWorks that I didn't like or that had a way-thin plot or that were just too short: Chicken Run, Shark Tale, Kung Fu Panda, Monsters vs Aliens. Especially the last two could have been longer to develop the characters more and to add some plot twists.
And therein appears the difference between DreamWorks and Pixar - DreamWorks tends to make shorter movies that don't have the time to develop the plot as much, while Pixar tends to make longer movies with a more developed plotline.
Speaking of Disney, there's some good movies they've put out in the last ten years. The Emperor's New Groove, Lilo & Stitch, Dinosaur, Brother Bear, Meet The Robinsons. Heck, I even liked Home On The Range, although that was more because the cowboy villain stereotype was so over-the-top.
Ok, I loved Kung fu panda, but maybe thats the Jack Black fan in me, or the fact that its quite similar to some period/historical anime's I've seen. For what it was, I thought it was pretty decent.
Quote from: Tom on April 22, 2010, 12:33:53 PM
Ok, I loved Kung fu panda, but maybe thats the Jack Black fan in me, or the fact that its quite similar to some period/historical anime's I've seen. For what it was, I thought it was pretty decent.
imo KFP was a great martial arts film. Seriously. You can enjoy it for the voice acting, for the beautiful art, sure, all that. But if it wasn't all that, wasn't animated, it still would be a fantastic ride of a movie, I think.
Yes, I liked Kung Fu Panda, but I listed it there because it was too short. They could've easily fleshed out the characters more if they had another 20 minutes. Or there could've been a couple of plot twists thrown in. Or any of a dozen things that I would've happily sat longer for. Same with Monsters vs Aliens, it seemed to end too soon.
Compare that to The Incredibles, where they did add the extra time and you get the treat of that extra plot twist where Syndrome gets Jack Jack, only to be foiled by Jack Jack himself. They could've just let Syndrome die, or even left it at that he "got away", but instead they added another whole scene that wasn't necessary but that was quite entertaining.
I also loved the babysitting extra feature in The Incredibles. :D it was awesome.
Quote from: Lazybones on April 21, 2010, 09:22:20 PM
Ya I liked Cloudy with a chance of meatball as well.
That had excellent motion/character design, very nicely done.
Quote from: Tom on April 22, 2010, 03:27:07 PM
I also loved the babysitting extra feature in The Incredibles. :D it was awesome.
Agreed. It could've even just been added as a regular scene, it fit perfectly with the movie.
Man, I think I'm gonna watch The Incredibles this weekend, if I can find the time.
Quote from: Thorin on April 22, 2010, 10:17:42 PM
Quote from: Tom on April 22, 2010, 03:27:07 PM
I also loved the babysitting extra feature in The Incredibles. :D it was awesome.
Agreed. It could've even just been added as a regular scene, it fit perfectly with the movie.
Man, I think I'm gonna watch The Incredibles this weekend, if I can find the time.
Me too, but for reference, I have to make some art for a friend based on the movie
Quote from: Lazybones on April 21, 2010, 08:31:01 PM
(http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/1973/pixar.jpg) (http://img355.imageshack.us/i/pixar.jpg/)
btw this mosaic of skewed-grins is gonna make it so any animated film I watch for the rest of my life, I will notice it. Dammit.
It's like the Goldeneye face thing (http://images.google.com/images?q=goldeneye%20if%20you%20see%20it). Can't NOT see it now.
I just watched Bolt finally. Not sure why I haven't before now. It was quite nice. I don't know what it is, but I have an aversion to animated films even though they are my favorite? For some reason I expect them to suck balls, except so far none of them really have (not completely anyhow). So yeah, I need to stop doing that. Watch it, then criticize it.
I'm going to catch up on all the animated films mentioned here that I haven't seen yet. Probably this weekend ;D probably also watch a few I have seen again :)
edit: just watched Up. It uh, affected me more than I expected.
Quote from: Tom on April 23, 2010, 11:02:45 PM
edit: just watched Up. It uh, affected me more than I expected.
I heard that's a pretty common reaction to that film (haven't seen it yet).
Quote from: Mr. Analog on April 24, 2010, 10:25:57 AM
Quote from: Tom on April 23, 2010, 11:02:45 PM
edit: just watched Up. It uh, affected me more than I expected.
I heard that's a pretty common reaction to that film (haven't seen it yet).
I heard the same, but the intro story is so short, I really didn't expect that little bit to hook me so easily. I had to watch something else after it to calm down :o
Up! was a great bit of storytelling with a surprisingly sad and forlorn element to it. But that was easily offset by the talking dogs in the land that time forgot.
Yeah, that did help. Though at the end I was still quite distraught. Probably in a bit of a /mood/ lately. eh.
I watched Ice Age 3 afterwards. That helped take my mind off it :) I didn't expect much from it, and I wasn't surprised. But it was still fun. What I didn't realize before last night was that Blue Sky did both Ice Age and Robots. IMO Robots was a better movie than at least the two Ice Age sequels, and possibly Ice Age itself. I wish they could keep doing /good/ movies, rather than sub par sequels.
Quote from: Mr. Analog on April 24, 2010, 10:25:57 AM
Quote from: Tom on April 23, 2010, 11:02:45 PM
edit: just watched Up. It uh, affected me more than I expected.
I heard that's a pretty common reaction to that film (haven't seen it yet).
My son cried in the opening montage (incl. the funeral) ... I cried during the closing montage (with the journal). A beautiful, very human movie. (But it still has "talking animals" lol)
lol, even the Pixar characters agree http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1942105
JohnK had a great post about generic namby pamby male leads in Disney flicks, I'll post it later but it was pretty funny (well, especially the "antithesis" drawing).
One modern cartoon that I've been actually quite impressed with (and most of you parents are probably well aware of already) is Disney television animation's "Phineas and Ferb", mostly what makes the show is long time animator Dan Povenmire's over the top comedic performance as the secondary villain but what I find impressive is that the show sidesteps many tropes which have come to dominate television animation, for the most part there is very little 'tude (though they do lampshade this many times).
It's sort of unnerving watching something so direct and without pretense in this day and age.
Quote from: Darren Dirt on January 06, 2011, 10:12:19 AM
lol, even the Pixar characters agree http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1942105
I don't think thats the right link.
oops.
effin' stupid College Humor auto-continuous-play...
correct linky --> http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1939169
Quote from: Darren Dirt on January 06, 2011, 05:55:44 PM
oops.
effin' stupid College Humor auto-continuous-play...
correct linky --> http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1939169
HAHAHA Agreed 100%
Quote from: Darren Dirt on April 21, 2010, 11:02:33 AM
http://filmdrunk.uproxx.com/?attachment_id=27228
(http://cdn.fd.uproxx.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Pixar-vs-Dreamworks-cartoon.jpg)
TS3 vs. Megamind -- the Dreamworks Face OVERLOAD!
(http://www.disnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/New-Toy-Story-3-Poster.jpg)
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Go_URG8KdTo/TQaMoRzCRtI/AAAAAAAAE2M/yYlrkRLERcE/s1600/MEGA-MIND-5.jpg)