I have yet to see Cars, so I have no opinion on its suckage.
They should film that story and show it every Christmas.
Xander ,'Same Time, Same Place'
Buffista Movies 6: lies and videotape
A place to talk about movies--old and new, good and bad, high art and high cheese. It's the place to place your kittens on the award winners, gossip about upcoming fims and discuss DVD releases and extras. Spoiler policy: White font all plot-related discussion until a movie's been in wide release two weeks, and keep the major HSQ in white font until two weeks after the video/DVD release.
Sean K - Jun 23, 2008 8:46:35 am PDT #6635 of 10000
You can't leave me to my own devices; my devices are Nap and Eat. -Zenkitty
Connie Neil - Jun 23, 2008 8:50:42 am PDT #6636 of 10000
brillig
re: Cars . . .
I loved the small Western town just off Route 66, in all its faded old-tourist glory. And Radiator Valley was wonderful.
I liked it.
DavidS - Jun 23, 2008 8:52:53 am PDT #6637 of 10000
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
What? No it didn't! It wasn't Pixar's best work and I'm confused as hell about why it needs a sequel, but in no way did it suck.
Yeah, it did. You know why? It had the same over used plot that every animated movie had that summer. Basically good but self-interested protagonist learns not to be an asshole and value others. I had to see all those movies with Emmett: Over the Hedge, Open Season, et al.
I've decided that this very common theme, second only to "Believe in Yourself" among animated plots, is a rebuttal to the Bush era values. (Conversely, Brad Bird is all Ayn Rand For Munchkins.)
Also, I really didn't want to spend time in that Cars universe the way I did in other Pixar films. That 50s Route 66 vibe has been so completely exhausted by an infinite number of 50s theme diners.
Jessica - Jun 23, 2008 9:00:28 am PDT #6638 of 10000
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset
good but self-interested protagonist learns not to be an asshole and value others.
See also: Toy Story, The Incredibles, and Monsters, Inc.
I'll agree that it falls very low on the Pixar Scale (and gets massive fail points for worldbuilding, though it did lead to one of the more interesting post-movie discussions I've ever had, re: how do they reproduce?), but I'd take it in a heartbeat over just about anything Dreamworks has ever put out.
DebetEsse - Jun 23, 2008 9:09:14 am PDT #6639 of 10000
Woe to the fucking wicked.
And Jessica explains my position far better than I have been able to (well, apart from that discussion. Mine was about waste of fossil fuels)
flea - Jun 23, 2008 9:17:05 am PDT #6640 of 10000
information libertarian
small-font: The Incredibles is my least-favorite Pixar film. Except for the baby who goes on fire.
DavidS - Jun 23, 2008 9:29:54 am PDT #6641 of 10000
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
Quick Poll.
Rank your favorite Pixar movies from top to bottom.
The Incredibles
Toy Story 2
Ratatouille
Toy Story
Finding Nemo
Monsters, Inc.
Cars
I didn't see A Bug's Life.
If I included non-Pixar animated features which have come out since Toy Story (1995) my list would look like this.
Spirited Away
Lilo and Stitch
The Incredibles
Toy Story 2
Howl's Moving Castle (I might like Howl better than Toy Story 2)
Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the WereRabbit (though Wrong Trousers and Close Shave are better still and rank near the top of this list for total pleasure)
Ratatouille
Toy Story
Triplets of Belleville (doesn't quite belong on this list since it's not so much a kid's movie)
The Emperor's New Groove (the genius comic duo of Patrick Warburton and Eartha Kitt)
Kung Fu Panda (might be slightly overrated since I saw it last night)
James and the Giant Peach
Chicken Run (seems like I should love it better but I just don't)
Finding Nemo
Monsters, Inc.
Cars
Hmmm. I think that's how I'd rank them. My list is probably cheating to include Miyazaki but not other anime movies, but I guess I'm thinking of wide distribution in the U.S.
Look at the lack of Disney on there. My favorites there are all pre-1995: Aladin, Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid. No wonder they let Lasseter take over their animation. After they lost Katzenberg they completely went off the rails. (Not that Prince of Egypt was going to make my list.)
List of Animated Features since 1995
DavidS - Jun 23, 2008 9:33:25 am PDT #6642 of 10000
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
Addendum, in 2005 there was a direct-to-DVD feature titled My Little Pony: A Very Minty Christmas.
That might be my new candidate for worst title ever.
I'm just going to randomly start wishing people a very minty Christmas. Starting 4th of July weekend.
Sean K - Jun 23, 2008 9:37:40 am PDT #6643 of 10000
You can't leave me to my own devices; my devices are Nap and Eat. -Zenkitty
Favorite Pixar movies (I've seen) from top to bottom:
Finding Nemo
Toy Story 2
A messy tie for 3rd place for: Toy Story, Incredibles, and A Bug's Life.
With a note that I have some serious issues with the underlying Ayn Rand elitism of Incredibles and am disturbed by some of the suggested messages of Ratatouille.
Frankenbuddha - Jun 23, 2008 9:43:02 am PDT #6644 of 10000
"We are the Goon Squad and we're coming to town...Beep! Beep!" - David Bowie, "Fashion"
If I included non-Pixar animated features which have come out since Toy Story (1995) my list would look like this.
I'm guessing Nightmare Before Xmas was before that? Also, no Corpse Bride?
the genius comic duo of Patrick Warburton and Eartha Kitt
Can't argue with this. That film also had some of the most hilarious nonplussed reaction shots since The Grinch and Daffy Duck (IOW, since Chuck Jones).