it's not that it's bad per se, it's just that compared to the rest of Pixar's films, it's not that good. It's still better than most of the crap they put out for kids these days, but for a Pixar film, it's not too good.
In layman's terms:
Cars 7/10
Everything Else by Pixar: 10/10
edited 7th Sep '10 11:46:32 AM by Roundy210
To make specific points, the story wasn't as fresh or original or their other concepts, the characters didn't stand out on the whole like they do in their other movie's, and the writing and dialogue just wasn't as tight. That, and it just kind of lacked that... Pixaritude. Pixarism. Pixonite. That magical ingredient; that ineffable Pixarness.
"Proto-Indo-European makes the damnedest words related. It's great. It's the Kevin Bacon of etymology." ~MadrugadaI agree that Cars wasn't their strongest point, but I would still put it over A Bug's Life, to pick an example (though I like ABL as well).
Maybe I'm seeing stuff where there isn't, but I kinda liked that Cars didn't have a clear-cut antagonist (Chick is a Jerkass, but he wasn't actively making trouble for McQueen) and that the movie wasn't afraid to slowly make its point. I find it to be a cinematic equivalent of a casual Sunday afternoon...
—R.J.
Hopper, man. That's good enough for me.
"Proto-Indo-European makes the damnedest words related. It's great. It's the Kevin Bacon of etymology." ~MadrugadaI also hate that Cars is a Cash-Cow Franchise. When compared to Pixar's better movies Cars gets an excess of merchadise.
The Crystal Caverns A bird's gotta sing.Other than Toy Story, how exactly do you merchandise them?
While I disagree with the reasons, I can still understand Cars' So Okay, It's Average reputation. But why is A-fucking-Bug's Life mainly ignored? It's not even the black sheep, it's just sort of...oh yeah, that one.
edited 8th Sep '10 6:36:28 PM by OldManHoOh
Personally I never understood it myself why everyone hates or ignores A Bugs Life. I really enjoyed the film and thought it was one of PIXAR's most epic movies. Perhaps it's because they keep comparing it, albeit unfavorably, to Antz.
You are displaying abnormally high compulsions to over-analyze works of fiction and media. Diagnosis: TV Tropes Addiction.I've always loved A Bug's Life too. Aforementioned Hopper is one reason, but it always seemed to have the most likeable, grabable characters in Pixardom. It's easy to just kind of hop into the world, pick a friend, and go along for the ride.
Also, I personally think it's Pixar's funniest, movie, but I'm sure that's contentious.
"Proto-Indo-European makes the damnedest words related. It's great. It's the Kevin Bacon of etymology." ~MadrugadaI think the big weakness of A Bug's Life is Flik's character — or, rather, the lack of it. Aside from the OMG zany dreamer angle, he's rather nondescript, so it's harder for the audience to bond with him and remember him after the movie's over. Compare that with the characters everyone else remembers — namely Hopper and the Circus Bugs, who are oozing with quarks and personality all over the place.
—R.J.
Yeah, I know, but as a character he's a Ridiculously Average Guy, and has a hard time getting audience interest as a result.
The only other Ridiculously Average Guy protagonist in a Pixar movie I can think of is Marlin from Finding Nemo, and — just like Flik — he's always overshadowed by the other characters in the film. Where Finding Nemo succeeds is that Marlin is in a situation many people can identify with, so the audience has a much easier time bonding with him.
—R.J.
I think A Bug's Life gets some leeway from a lot of Pixar fans compared to cars because it was one of their earlier efforts. Also, the fact that Randy Newman did the score gives it a bit more of the "Pixar-ness" that Cars seems to lack.
edited 12th Sep '10 4:34:08 PM by Sporkaganza
Always, somewhere, someone is fighting for you. As long as you remember them, you are not alone.
Respect the Red Right Hand
^ Randy Newman did the score for Cars as well, just not the songs.
Actually, Newman wrote (but didn't sing) "Our Town". The rest of the songs are other people though.
I haven't seen Up or Toy Story 3 yet, but A Bug's Life may well have the most memorable of Pixar's soundtracks, though WALL-E and Monsters, Inc. have their moments too.
edited 12th Sep '10 5:22:16 PM by OldManHoOh
Yeah, The Incredibles probably has my favorite music out of any Pixar movie. Michael Giacchino knocked it out of the park. Second-favorite is Thomas Newman's score for Finding Nemo. The Nemo Egg Theme is... well, give a listen:
edited 12th Sep '10 6:00:39 PM by Sporkaganza
Always, somewhere, someone is fighting for you. As long as you remember them, you are not alone.
Respect the Red Right Hand
And Newman did Cars? Huh; I can't hear it. Must just be me.
"Proto-Indo-European makes the damnedest words related. It's great. It's the Kevin Bacon of etymology." ~MadrugadaI gotta say, I'd been missing all the pixar movies since Cars. Actually I'd been missing all CGI movies since the year with Cars and Happy Feet (BLEGH) and Over the Hedge (that was...decent). And then this year I saw How to train your dragon (pretty good for Dreamworks I guess but not that memorable) and then I saw Up on DVD and Toy Story 3 in theatres, and then I thought "holy crap what have I been missing?". Aad since then I've been binging through all the pixar movies all over again.
A lot of the older movies have become even more awesome now that I'm watching them in retrospect, I never noticed half the stuff in Incredibles (Helen suspecting bob having an affair, HOW DID I NOT NOTICE SOMETHING THIS OBVIOUS) when I first saw it.
Basically, Pixar thanks for reminding me that animation is absolutely awesome and CGI animation is not a bunch of lame poop jokes and ink suit actors spewing popculture references.

I still don't know why Cars gets the hatedom it does.
—R.J.